GeekChicDaily, the daily nerd news email, is launching an edition for New York, and also teaming with the Tokyopop brand for a special edition spotlighting Japanese culture trends and news.
The New York edition will cover the Big Apple’s lively offerings in geek culture, following localized versions for LA and a national edition. GeekChicDaily also added Microsoft’s Mich Mathews to its board of directors.
Teasings of the Tokyopop edition had excited fans to think they were returning to publishing, but the Tokyopop Facebook page quelled the rumors:
Loyal Fans, we’re very thrilled by your excitement but need to clarify: unfortunately we are not re-launching the manga – those properties have reverted to their owners and are amazingly difficult to get back. We’re launching an all new editorial TOKYOPOP newsletter about all things otaku and Asian pop-culture, powered by our friends at GeekChicDaily. We think you’ll really enjoy the news we’ll be bringing and apologize for the initial misunderstanding.
PR below:
Following the explosive growth of the National and Los Angeles regional editions, GeekChicDaily, the leading pop culture, opt-in email newsletter and cross-platform content publisher, today announced its expansion into the New York market and the upcoming launch of special edition “TOKYOPOP Powered by GeekChicDaily.”
With a focus on events and pop culture influencers in the NY Metro area, GeekChicDaily’s New York Edition will continue to deliver a daily dose of popular culture, from comics to video games, film, television, toys, collectibles and applications, alongside multi-platform media partner and nerdcore site, Nerdist. In addition to editorial coverage, the company will also co-host local events that help New Yorkers feed their inner geeks whether on the web or on the town. To sign up, visit http://bit.ly/rqP3hs. Official launch partners include Street Fighter® X Tekken®, AMC’s The Walking Dead, Toyota, and OtterPops.
“Servicing the biggest media market in the world has always been a top priority and following the overwhelming enthusiasm from our National edition and GeekChicLA audience, New York was an obvious next step,” said GeekChicDaily Co-Founder and CEO Peter Y. Levin.
GeekChicDaily has also partnered with TOKYOPOP, the major publisher that popularized manga in the West to produce a special edition powered by GeekChicDaily that will cover the hottest Asian pop culture news and trends. “TOKYOPOP Powered by GeekChicDaily” is an evolution of the original TOKYOPOP magazine a decade ago, which featured Asian Pop Culture lifestyle, including manga, anime, gaming, music, cos-play, gadgets, celebrities and more. The magazine and online companion reached over 100K + subscribers. While TOKYOPOP was forced to discontinue its North American manga publishing operations in Spring 2011 due to the declining book retail environment, “TOKYOPOP powered by GeekChicDaily” revives the TOKYOPOP brand in an exciting way, leveraging its substantial social media footprint to tie the Asian-infused content across multiple platforms.
“GeekChicDaily and its daily, opt-in format provide the perfect opportunity to revive the original TOKYOPOP magazine Asian Pop Culture concept with a refreshed approach for our loyal and passionate fanbase,” said TOKYOPOP Founder, Stu Levy. “The time is right for a well-balanced Asian Pop Culture online newsletter with a West-looks-East perspective. We couldn’t be more thrilled to continue the TOKYOPOP brand and its contribution to pop culture with GeekChicDaily.”
“TOKYOPOP’s audience, brand cache and significant influence on Asian Pop Culture over the last decade falls right in line with our long term strategy,” added GeekChicDaily Co-Founder and CEO Peter Levin. “Our objectives are to dig into that sweet spot where Eastern and Western pop culture trends collide for comprehensive, full-circle coverage for our content hungry community.”At the same time, GeekChicDaily welcomes Microsoft marketing veteran and tech industry luminary Mich Mathews to its all-star Advisory Board, which already includes industry heavyweights such as former DailyCandy CEO Pete Sheinbaum, Thrillist CEO and co-founder Ben Lerer, Broadway Video CEO Jack Sullivan, ex-Legendary and Activision executive Kathy Vrabeck and former ShineReveille managing director Howard T. Owens.
GeekChicDaily investors include Legendary Pictures, Mandalay Entertainment, Bob Pittman, Seattle venture capitalist Mike Slade, Machinima CEO Allen DeBevoise, fomer Legendary and Activision executive Kathy Vrabeck, Gamespy Industries founder Mark Surfas and Japanese media juggernaut Yoshimoto Kogyo.
Oh, for the love of god. Tokyopop is dead, why can’t they let it *stay* dead. This really isn’t doing anything to counter the impression that it was run by a band of ragtag amateurs…
Comixace A little note about piracy and free comic.
Happy Halloween, Freaks and Pirates! http://t.co/yyuonOxC
Not a bad way of keeping the trademark active.
Two yucky companies all teamed up together!
-B
I thought Tokyopop retained the rights to the original english-language manga they published (stuff like Bizenghast, Dramacon, etc.)
Actually, Tokyopop recently announced they will be relaunching the manga. Or will try to, at least. As a manga fan, I have mixed feelings. Stu Levy left a bad taste in our mouths.
For heaven’s sake, TokyoPop. Die already.
They stumbled upon the magic size and price point for manga sales in America, causing a boom. Yet then they flooded the market. They pretended their amateur US comics were on the same level with big budget Japanese books run by big name artists with many assistants. Never mind they chased a number of good US artists away. Shat all over the creators they hired. Eventually lost better Japanese titles to better publishers. Wasted money on a reality show starring their egomaniac CEO Stu Levy. Never mind all the other pet projects where he stole the spotlight.
Let Stu try to break into the music and movie industry. That’s where DJ Milky wants to be. Leave manga / comics to people who care about them. Stick to being a music scene poser tossing around marketing bs and let literate people publish books.
Of course that’s if any Japanese publisher will deal with them. Or if they try to pull that OEL manga scam again, if any American creator will bother if they know what’s good for them.
I really don’t get all the TP hate. Right up until the last book was published, TP was producing great titles that I loved. Can you guys remember ten years ago when we were all paying $16 for a single tankoban? Now, we rarely pay more than $10, the price point set when TP was introduced (at least when they hit the SF Bay area).
I’m sure the staff are unhappy that it soured, and they’re entitled to be. But us fans oughta just shut up and be grateful for what we got. Try some humility, it might do you good.