Blacktop Graffiti Magazine is dead.

I've been putting off this post for quite sometime. I've done everything I can think of to get this magazine rolling. But it's time to say goodbye. And yes it's all about money. Or should I say, lack of. Printing costs money and I don't have any. Business' are having a tough enough time with the economy let alone putting money up for a small start up magazine like Blacktop Graffiti. I did the print on demand but it just isn't cost effective in the long run.

I've had so many people helping me out and I am eternally grateful. This has been a dream of mine but it just isn't happening. I feel horrible for the subscribers, writers and photogs. I can't express how much this hurts. To say this sucks is an understatement.

Again, I'm truly sorry for letting everyone down.

Randy

 

Sorry to hear that Randy as your publication was first rate! Hope we see it again someday.

 

Hey it was way better that you tryed !! than not !! always reach for the brass ring !!

 

Man.....sorry to hear that, Randy. I know you worked pretty damned hard at getting that mag off the ground. I only wish I'd had the monetary resources to help you out. It was a killer mag while it lasted. Perhaps if this shitty economy ever turns around, you can try to get it rolling again.

Thanks for featuring my crazy art, man! Hope to see you around at a few shows.

 

Sorry about that whole situation. Always sad when creative, new & good ideas vanish due to financial circumstances, and/or, bad timing. Your timing was right, but sorry about the cash-flow problem.

Keep the idea; keep the positive thoughts. Eventually you may win out on another day & time.

Jonnie King www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

Say it ain't so! Randy I hate to hear this, the mag was top notch. You did a great job under the current situations.

 

never heard of your rag, sad to hear.. this economy is tuff for anything especially magazines ( happening in other hobbies of mine too which are way less popular than cars ).. with digital media etc.. good luck on whatever your next adventure maybe.. and if you do not try you cant fail, and if you never failed you never tried.. chris.

 

Sorry to hear this Randy. Blacktop Graffiti was a nicely done magazine.

 

Randy, I am sorry to hear this.........at least you come on here and told everyone for yourself without the running around and what not. Even though it did not make it out yet I really appreciated the fact that you were willing to put my 39 in your magazine. I am sure it is not over for you it is just in a hibernated state and someday you will be back at it full steam ahead.

 

that's too bad. i had ordered a couple of back issues (already delivered), does that mean the 'old' stuff will still be available?

 

Randy,
I doubt that you let anyone down. Failure is not trying and not making it, failure is dreaming and not trying at all.

There was a pretty successful E-Zine back in the '90s. It was cost effective and published monthly just like a paper magazine. Maybe you could give that a whirl for a time. Web space is cheap in the whole scheme of things. Build yourself a fan base and when the economy gets better give it another stab. Just a thought.

Anyway don't beat yourself up man. What you published is now collectable.

 

Maybe you could do an online subscription thing where the magazine is entirely electronically published rather than printed? I get a couple guitar rags delivered that way.

Just a thought....

 

Issue's #1, 2, 3 are still available through the website. I've thought about doing it online. I just don't know yet.

 

That's the first thing I thought when I read this.

Online would be cool and then you could move to print at a later date. You could even convert previous issues to a free online format and sell reasonably priced subscriptions after the interest is established.

I would actually prefer an online mag if I could download articles I was interested in and save them on my computer.

Don't give up!

 

At least you tried and that's a lot more than the gazillion people out there that never did anything about their ideas. I'm sure you made a bunch of new friends and learned all kinds of things about magazines, printing, writing, and photography. You never know when one of those connections or skills will take you to a new place.

Don't be down on yourself, stay positive!

 

I have an idea to keep it going... Online mag!!!! it's the way of the future!!!!!

 

online mag is a great idea....if you have the time. hate to hear the print version has come to an end.. Jeff

 

The online Mag would be great.

 

I never knew about this magazine, from the website I just looked at it seems pretty good. Are there back issues still available for purchase, I wouldnt mind helping out.

 

Looks like a cool mag ..1st time hearing of it as well.......

 

Randy, BTG wasn't a magazine, it was a tabletop book, worthy of keeping displayed. I'll always cherish the issue where you featured my modified. I'm so sorry to hear that things didn't work out.

Don't feel bad, even huge publishing companies and newspapers aren't doing well these days, not to mention major bookstore chains. The internet and electronic books have changed the way we buy information printed on paper. Even libraries are starting to download on those Kindle things.

Take pride in the fact you actually went out and did something rather than just dreaming about it and never giving it a shot. You should be proud of the product you created.

Don

 

Horrible news!!

 

I believe we talked when you were first thinking about putting out your book...Dead is much too strong a word for any artistic endeavor. I too reached that point with my mag where I thought there was no way Id ever be able to print another one, costs were just too high etc...but we came back (as of August ) and you can too! There are lots of ways to pursue Blacktop Graffitti, don't give up! There are nearly infinite options for online type magazines, plus printers are hurting like everyone else and prices are coming down. In my case, it just took stumbling upon a printer that could work with my budget/qty. I say again...don't give up!

 

Same here. Looks like you can still buy the first three. Lulu is a print-on-demand outfit, so your issue probably doesn't exist until you order. The good news about that is a nearly infinite supply of back issues.

 

First two issues ordered...

 

Really sorry that happened man. The whole publishing industry is turned upside down right now. I work for a magazine that's going through some serious changes and one that caused me to take a 12.5K paycut per year but I'm just happy to have a job in this market so I'll tighten the belt and make due I guess.

Ever think about doing it as an online spread line Deadend? Could cut down on cost dramatically and still give you an outlet for your editorial interests.

 

Sorry to hear that Randy especially since my car was going to be in #4 . Don't feel that you've let anyone down, this is something you were trying to do out of your passion and was in reality something for everyone else. The economic times are just crappy right now and when big stores like Borders are going under you shouldn't feel bad at all. You'll bounce back with a new idea or venue, like on line, your interests and passions will come out well somewhere. Thank you for all your efforts up to this point and best of luck in the future. Jack

 

First off, thanks for the kind words. It really means a lot.

Secondly I've been looking into online publishing. I'd love to keep Blacktop going but I have no idea about online stuff.

 

I hope so this would be sweet...............

 

Checking out the website now... It's a shame it's soo hard to make a dream come true
now a days. I'm in a career field that is slowly dying down, and not really knowing what
to do, if it plays out. And with a family in tow, it piles on the stress from time to time.
My money is tight right now, but in about a month, if you keep your site up, I will put
your mag on my "To buy" list. I think the internet is killing a lot of hard copy stuff.
Borders just announced that they are closing all of their stores.