Pathfinder #7 (paizo.com Exclusive)

Notice the description doesn't mention anything about the maps. It is mentioned in the descriptions for the first six issues.

That is fine to say in hindsight after knowing the maps are gone, but after maps have been the norm for 6 issues and the description for #7 says it includes "exclusive Pathfinder bonus materials that expands on the world of Golarion!" which I think is reasonable to see how those of us that were used to getting a map could think that was referring to a map. Plus, since the release of issue #7 and everyone complaining about not being told about the lack of a map, the description has been "touched up" a bit. Not to mention that the price stayed the same, which would lead me to hope I was getting a comic of the same quality, which we didn't. It is an easy fix, put the maps back in to make all of us map lovers happy and put them in the center of the comic so you don't mess up the cover for the "collectors", one of which said that the lack of the map is "one less thing for me to have to throw away." which lets me know they are no collector. If anything makes these comics worth something someday it will be that they still have their maps in them, because that is a very unique feature in the comic world. They may have fooled us on issue #7, but unless the maps come back I am sure they will notice the lack of comic sales with issue #8.

They sometimes cause creases on the covers, and a lot of comics readers highly value pristine condition.

Since every single comic I got had this crease let me add my voice to those that are glad the maps are gone so you at least see there are some of us here... ;)

Erik Mona wrote:

They sometimes cause creases on the covers, and a lot of comics readers highly value pristine condition.

Since every single comic I got had this crease let me add my voice to those that are glad the maps are gone so you at least see there are some of us here... ;)

But don't you think that if they put the map in the centerfold of the comic that it would fix the problem for everyone?

I get the feeling that this issue will really be divided between two groups of people. Those that are RPG-nerds and those that are Comic Book-nerds. Of course there's overlap, but which one are you MORE of. The RPG nerds are buying these comics for the bonus content. The Comic Book nerds are buying these for the comics. The RPG nerds are apparently more vocal because we're on paizo's website, which is populated primarily by us RPG nerds.

I bet if this same discussion were happening on Dynamite's website (if they even have messageboards, I dunno), it may swing the other way.

I will slightly miss the maps. The maps and other gaming content are a nice bonus, but I buy comic books for... the comic book stuff. 8^)

I - unlike most here, it seems - am glad to see the "gag"/parody covers go. I didn't like them, and canceled my subscription so I could choose my cover myself. I resubscribed when the parody covers ended, but may have to cancel and buy on my own again.

I get the feeling that this issue will really be divided between two groups of people. Those that are RPG-nerds and those that are Comic Book-nerds. Of course there's overlap, but which one are you MORE of. The RPG nerds are buying these comics for the bonus content. The Comic Book nerds are buying these for the comics. The RPG nerds are apparently more vocal because we're on paizo's website, which is populated primarily by us RPG nerds.

I bet if this same discussion were happening on Dynamite's website (if they even have messageboards, I dunno), it may swing the other way.

I am by far more of a comic nerd than I am an RPG nerd. I preferred having the maps, and am strongly considering ending my subscription. My comics were never damaged by the presence of the maps, and the maps added enough value to the comic that I was willing to overlook a serious problem with art quality that, quite frankly, would normally prevent me from buying the comic in the first place.

Huerta has a good sense of motion in his art, but his pencils are too loose and without a good inker the art ends up looking muddled. The new artist has cleaner lines, but has a very poor sense of facial expressions, which is a serious problem when paired with a dialogue-heavy writer like Jim Zub.

I just got issue 7, and I am not happy about the map not being there. I bought the comic to read, but the story has only been average at best and the art is not that good. I will stick with the comic for now, but if the story and art doesn't improve, this comic is not worth it to me. Please bring the maps back or you will lose at least half your fan base.

Point of interest since I don't think anyone's said it yet. Instead of an insert, have you thought about making a two-page spread the map?

While I'm not, as yet, quite at the point of cancelling my subscription, I probably won't be buying a 2nd or 3rd copy (which I have done for every issue so far); I was doing that so I had at least one copy of the map I could use at the table without worrying too much about it getting scratched, torn, or otherwise beaten up.

Please bring the maps back or you will lose at least half your fan base.

I wonder what the percentages are. I could see the maps being a big deal for the RPG fans, but presumably there are some comics readers who couldnt care less.

It's one of the reasons I wondered about having the map insert for just the paizo.com exlusive covers - maybe that's a way to meet both groups' needs (if it's not logistically/cost prohibitive).

John Mark Brown wrote:

Please bring the maps back or you will lose at least half your fan base.

I wonder what the percentages are. I could see the maps being a big deal for the RPG fans, but presumably there are some comics readers who couldnt care less.

It's one of the reasons I wondered about having the map insert for just the paizo.com exlusive covers - maybe that's a way to meet both groups' needs (if it's not logistically/cost prohibitive).

The map wouldn't be such a deal breaker if the comic would improve, but I'm not a fan of the art, and I hope this next story turns out better. It would be good to have a poll, but that maybe a small percentage of readers, and I don't know if it would accurately tell us one way or the other.

Yeah, I wonder what proportion of comic buyers are RPG people and what proportion are comic collectors. A paizo.com poll is going to be pretty obviously skewed, unfortunately.

For my part, I was getting a little sick of the sameness of an encounter every issue. I don't mind them dropping the maps if it means more variety, unfortunately the amount of game material was reduced too (for that necessary evil of advertising, as I understand it).

The cutback of two pages coincided with Paizo's major ramp-up for the summer season, and didn't have anything to do with making more room for ads. We haven't gone back up to 6 yet, but there's nothing written in stone about it. If we had 6 or even 8 pages of game content Dynamite would likely go for it. It's more a matter of time than anything else.

John, I hope you find the art in issue #7 preferable to the art that preceded it.

The cutback of two pages coincided with Paizo's major ramp-up for the summer season, and didn't have anything to do with making more room for ads. We haven't gone back up to 6 yet, but there's nothing written in stone about it. If we had 6 or even 8 pages of game content Dynamite would likely go for it. It's more a matter of time than anything else.

Ah, I see. thats good to know, thanks - I misunderstood an earlier post by vic.

John, I hope you find the art in issue #7 preferable to the art that preceded it.

Erik, I just got through reading issue 7, and the art is much improved. It is clearer, and I can tell what is going on. I still think they need to bring the maps back, but for now, at least the art is improved and not so busy. As always, thanks for responding to us.

John

While I'm not, as yet, quite at the point of cancelling my subscription, I probably won't be buying a 2nd or 3rd copy (which I have done for every issue so far); I was doing that so I had at least one copy of the map I could use at the table without worrying too much about it getting scratched, torn, or otherwise beaten up.

I agree. I have so far bought at least 2 versions of each issue sometimes 3 or 4, so that I could have at least one map to use for gaming and some maps to keep in mint condition, just in case any of these issues have any value someday. Now I won't even be buying a single issue.

I must say I tolerated the art in the first series and sometimes enjoyed it but this new art is heads and tales an improvement. Well done!

I really like the idea of center fold maps. they won't damage the cover. They can be be bigger and better maps. Just being bigger will make the maps better. For example the Bloodfang Goblins maps feels claustrophobic (probably intentionally so. And I would love to have double sided maps. Yes, I know, I am just being greedy.

On another note; my Friendly Local Gaming/ Comic Book Shop told me that the maps where a major selling point for the comic and that sales for #7 dropped dramatically.

Glad to hear they changed the artist from the first story arc, I checked the preview, and I'll be adding Pathfinder back to my Pull List.

I don't miss the maps personally, but I didn't have a problem with them either.

VERY FRUSTRATED! First I was mad that issue #7 didn't come with a map, like many of us thought it would, but now Paizo's customer service is letting me down as well. Issue #7 arrived at my house heavily damaged by the postal service, it looked like one of their sorter machines shredded one of the corners of the envelope and the comic inside. For the first time in my entire order history with Paizo I contacted them asking for a replacement of this $4 comic and after all the business I have given them, they won't ship me a new comic unless I send them pictures of the damaged comic. Of all of the other places I do business with I have never had any other customer service do this.

To be frank, that hardly seems unreasonable to me. Asking for documentation is probably a decent policy - I'm confident they don't think you're making a fraudulent claim, nonetheless there are likely to be people who would. Having a blanket rule for replacements is good practise, I think. It's not like they're asking you to incur costs by mailing the damaged comic back to them.

Presumably building up a database of issues is useful to them as well.

VERY FRUSTRATED! First I was mad that issue #7 didn't come with a map, like many of us thought it would, but now Paizo's customer service is letting me down as well. Issue #7 arrived at my house heavily damaged by the postal service, it looked like one of their sorter machines shredded one of the corners of the envelope and the comic inside. For the first time in my entire order history with Paizo I contacted them asking for a replacement of this $4 comic and after all the business I have given them, they won't ship me a new comic unless I send them pictures of the damaged comic. Of all of the other places I do business with I have never had any other customer service do this.

One other thing to keep in mind is that the comic is not actually published by Paizo; it's published by Dynamite. So the photo requirement may be a Dynamite policy rather than one from Paizo. Or it could be a Paizo policy for third-party products.

The photo might also be needed if they can claim damages or shipping credits from the post office.

VERY FRUSTRATED! First I was mad that issue #7 didn't come with a map, like many of us thought it would, but now Paizo's customer service is letting me down as well. Issue #7 arrived at my house heavily damaged by the postal service, it looked like one of their sorter machines shredded one of the corners of the envelope and the comic inside. For the first time in my entire order history with Paizo I contacted them asking for a replacement of this $4 comic and after all the business I have given them, they won't ship me a new comic unless I send them pictures of the damaged comic. Of all of the other places I do business with I have never had any other customer service do this.

I apologize if there was any confusion. If possible, we appreciate pictures of damages as it gives our warehouse valuable feedback in how they package our products. We understand that emailing pictures is not convenient for everyone, and replacements are not contingent on photos. Per Erik's email, your replacement has already been set up and is in your sidecart awaiting the next subscription shipment. If you have any further questions, we would be glad to answer them!

Thanks
sara marie

Very well. I'm shutting up now. Been a grouchy dwarf since they took away the maps.

Just wanted to throw my hat into the ring on the side of no map, no sale. The maps and additional content (but particularly the maps) were the only real reason I've bought the comics. I don't think I've even read issues 3-6, yet I continue to buy them anyhow. I was really disappointed to open up the new issue to see there was no map. I thought maybe it was just missing until I did a search and ended up here. Bummer!

I will say this, if maps are absolutely a no go, so be it (although sad scarecrow) but may I suggest you still leave in the encounter? If we have to we can devise our own maps, either with a grid we can mark on or whatever, but the encounters have been fun to use.

I would like to know soon if maps are going to come back or not. I don't care at all about collectors value in the comics, I grab them as I enjoy reading any expansion on the lore of Golarion. Since the hardcover is way easier to share around my gaming group, and with my local game store's discount is the same price as the monthly subscription model, I will likely just wait for them.

TL;DR
Without maps or kooky homage covers, I have zero incentive to grab the comics via subscription.

It's been confirmed they're not coming back by issue 8. Not sure what the lead in time to have them reinstated is likely to be (if that's the decision they come to).

Homage covers are coming back, in any event. I can say that for sure.

I'll miss the maps a well. If they come back (or even just the encounters), I for one would like to see them cross over with PFS as quests if possible. It's nice to have a short demo length encounter or two that you can also give a chronicle for.

Personally, I don't care about the maps and, in any event, I buy this product for the comic, not for gaming content (of which I get a ton every month from Paizo).

I would also like to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation for the new art. I vastly prefer it and, as someone else said, I previously had sometimes a little difficulty with following the action in some panels.

I miss the maps.
I was disappointed by the dip in game content.
I think the new artist is an improvement.
The writing is still strong.

Cutting the maps and RPG content pushes me toward waiting for the collected edition. I bet the collected editions have less advertising and dynamite previews as well, and they have more story.

I respect all the views on maps, no maps, game content etc. For me, I look forward to the comics for the story and the art. I think if you have to prioritize then the purpose of a comic should come first. There is an abundance of game material, maps, etc, published for Galorian, and it seems that a easy solution would be to just have the maps created as a PDF. I am not a collector, I just really like the story. The comic book medium is about story telling, just like the novels. That is what the genre is for. Adding a little content seems fine, but it seems unrealistic to expect a comic to be primarily a gaming supplement. However, I really can relate to the man who plays with his son. My sons, 9 and 10, also play with me, so I can relate. But they also just love to read these comics. We do not buy any other comics. We buy them because, just like the novels, they flesh out the world and bring it to life.

So, a possible solution is to create PDF maps and encounters. This keeps the comic profitable and yet still creates these table top options. It is compromise that will not please everyone, but it could work.