'Dem Blades' is back...as a subscription fanzine

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Is this a good idea?

  • Yes

    Votes: 47 83.9%

  • No

    Votes: 9 16.1%
  • Total voters
    56
Steve Mackan

Steve Mackan

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I stopped the blogs a few months ago to nominal, but dignified cries of "all't best pal".

But now we are back with Dem Blades Quarterly.

Our new fanzine will be published four times a year and you can subscribe for the whole of 2019 here. It will include such features as:
  • Tony Agana - the real 'un - writes an advice column as our resident 'Agana Aunt'
  • Blades history in our Looking back, and forwards column
  • Steve Mackan is back with diaries and the full story of Trudy, Madely, Deeply
  • Roy's Shit Games in 50 Words of Less, and Alternate Blades History
  • Spoof and satire and cerebral humour in abundance
  • Stats and match analyis
  • Goals of the quarter designed like this
  • Interviews with former Blades players and Blades fans
  • Original cover art by local artists
  • And loads more than that...
We've tried to work out the best way to make this fanzine sustainable, and hope we've found the happy medium. It's £4 (+PP) to buy a single issue and £20 to subscribe for the whole year, which includes postage and access to additional 'Dem Blades' goodies (stickers, prints, badges and one-off publications).

I'd be really interested in getting the thoughts of this forum on whether or not you think this whole thing is a good idea (there's a poll for that)? And any content you'd be interested in seeing and any other general comments.

UTB

PS - it's a bloody good xmas present for those who haven't the time for xmas shopping
 

How many pages per issue and how big are the pages?
Quite interested and wish to know if it's Flashing Blade size or King of the Kippax size?
 
Steve Mackan said:
Thank you all so much. I'm really looking forward to sharing all the wonderful work that (30 or so) Blades have put into it. Interested to know if any of you had any issues/problems/comments on the e-commerce interface?
Click to expand...

None at all, the only issue I had was that I paid paypal instead of card because I couldn't be arsed to stand up and get my wallet.
 
hello said:
How many pages per issue and how big are the pages?
Quite interested and wish to know if it's Flashing Blade size or King of the Kippax size?
Click to expand...

Hiya mate. Ta for the interest. We're looking at 35-45 pages per issue. That may vary (upwardly) and there will from time to time be additional publications alongside it (for those who take up the subscription).
 
Steve Mackan said:
Thank you all so much. I'm really looking forward to sharing all the wonderful work that (30 or so) Blades have put into it. Interested to know if any of you had any issues/problems/comments on the e-commerce interface?
Click to expand...
No issues at all - done on my phone, followed the link in the first post and was straightforward without any glitches
 
Steve Mackan said:
Thank you all so much. I'm really looking forward to sharing all the wonderful work that (30 or so) Blades have put into it. Interested to know if any of you had any issues/problems/comments on the e-commerce interface?
Click to expand...
I'm going to "help" with comments on the interface. You already know I "represent a more mature demographic". And that I have sold a few copies of the 2018 Annual Hand To Hand. The feedback I had from some customers was basically....
I clicked on it & it went nowhere....

Let me translate as to what I think their issue was/is. The page opens. You see the 2018 Annual. You see the Subscription Edition. You click on the one you want. You get the option to add it to your Cart. You click on that. It responds Added. But, then, in a sense, my customers are right. Nothing happens. You next have to do an action - you have to go to your Cart. OK OK OK, I know.......

My view is it would help to have Buy Now (as well as Add to Cart, which would go straight to name, address, credit card details)

And/or to have Checkout Now (after Add To Cart rather than having to go to your Cart).

Hope that makes sense
 

Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
I'm going to "help" with comments on the interface. You already know I "represent a more mature demographic". And that I have sold a few copies of the 2018 Annual Hand To Hand. The feedback I had from some customers was basically....
I clicked on it & it went nowhere....

Let me translate as to what I think their issue was/is. The page opens. You see the 2018 Annual. You see the Subscription Edition. You click on the one you want. You get the option to add it to your Cart. You click on that. It responds Added. But, then, in a sense, my customers are right. Nothing happens. You next have to do an action - you have to go to your Cart. OK OK OK, I know.......

My view is it would help to have Buy Now (as well as Add to Cart, which would go straight to name, address, credit card details)

And/or to have Checkout Now (after Add To Cart rather than having to go to your Cart).

Hope that makes sense
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me, Phil. I'm of the same demograph you represent :)
As you describe above, is exactly how it went.

Only other minor issue is that when I made the paypal payment, the confirmation had my email address above my postal address, instead of my name.
i.e. instead of:-
Mr. B. Blade
18 Blade street
Sheffield

it had:-
[email protected]
18 Blade street
Sheffield
 
YouFUMS said:
Makes sense to me, Phil. I'm of the same demograph you represent :)
As you describe above, is exactly how it went.

Only other minor issue is that when I made the paypal payment, the confirmation had my email address above my postal address, instead of my name.
i.e. instead of:-
Mr. B. Blade
18 Blade street
Sheffield

it had:-
[email protected]
18 Blade street
Sheffield
Click to expand...

That is what I was concerned about. There's no 'buy now' option. Only a cart option. Currently, that is our only option, but it's something we're going to look to change in the future. Tweaking websites take a bit of time, unfortunately. Cheers for pointing this out though!

On the email front...that is interesting...I'll have a look in the backend to see what it looks like and get back to you if there's a problem.
 
Steve Mackan said:
Door is always open for contributions for future editions... drop me a note at [email protected] - always happy to hear new ideas!
Click to expand...
Look. I'm fucking evangelical about this. Alright, I've published an unread, niche Blog for years, but I found putting together my contribution for the 2018 Dem Blades Annual a wonderfully enjoyable experience. Unleashed a side of me I didn't know I had. Anyone. Everyone. Got A Mad Idea. Got A Story. Write it down. Send it in. "But I don't want to push myself forward" "I can't spell" "I've never written owt" "I'm not clever enough"
No one gives a fuck mate. It's a Blades Fanzine. Not Shakespeare at The National Theatre. Send it in. Or, I'll be disappointed in you.....
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
Look. I'm fucking evangelical about this. Alright, I've published an unread, niche Blog for years, but I found putting together my contribution for the 2018 Dem Blades Annual a wonderfully enjoyable experience. Unleashed a side of me I didn't know I had. Anyone. Everyone. Got A Mad Idea. Got A Story. Write it down. Send it in. "But I don't want to push myself forward" "I can't spell" "I've never written owt" "I'm not clever enough"
No one gives a fuck mate. It's a Blades Fanzine. Not Shakespeare at The National Theatre. Send it in. Or, I'll be disappointed in you.....
Click to expand...

All of that! (And that’s why it’s a delight to be involved).
 
If I vote yes and dont buy one, will I be forced to sit on the bramall lane upper tier singing on my own like a maniac until Ricky forgives me?

Just so I know before casting my vote...
 
I'm in and looking forward to it if it's anywhere near as good as your blogs.
 
metty said:
I'm in and looking forward to it if it's anywhere near as good as your blogs.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate. Looking forward sharing what I’ve written already and writing new ‘material’ - more adventures ahead...

Plus a load of other writers who are - and I’ve read them - brilliant!
 
Just a thought Steve, what happens if I opt into the annual subscription (which includes postage) and live out of the country. For obvious reasons the postage would surely have to be added differently.
 

rosy red said:
Just a thought Steve, what happens if I opt into the annual subscription (which includes postage) and live out of the country. For obvious reasons the postage would surely have to be added differently.
Click to expand...


Hiya mate, there is an out of the country option on the website. Maybe send me a personal message and I can probably tailor a more specific option depending on where you are based.
 
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