PiQ
Encyclopedia
PiQ was a short-lived American popular culture
magazine
that was published by PiQ, LLC, a subsidiary of A.D. Vision
, from March through July 2008. Launched as a replacement for the magazine Newtype USA, which was discontinued in February 2008, PiQ went beyond anime
and manga
to include coverage on video games popular American
comics and television series.
PiQ started with the Newtype USA staff and its 15,000 subscribers, who received two PiQ issues for every one of Newtype USA remaining on their accounts. The first issue was received with mixed reviews by readers and critics. After only four issues, the magazine was abruptly discontinued in July 2008, which the editorial staff blamed on low revenue, bad management, and lack of marketing.
In addition to covering anime
and manga
, the magazine had expanded coverage of other subjects beyond those covered by Newtype USA, including American
comics
, high tech
gadgetry, U.S. television series and films, and video games.
At its formation, PiQ retained many of the editorial staff and freelance writers that worked on Newtype USA, as well as the magazines 15,000 subscribers. In June 2008, after only four issues had been released, PiQ freelancers received word from Kevin Gifford, the editor of PiQ, that the magazine was being canceled and the PiQ offices had been closed down. The July 2008 issue, which had already been released when the announcement was made, was the magazine's last issue.
As part of the announcement, PiQ promised to compensate freelance writers for the work already done for the unpublished August issue. The editorial staff confirmed the news on the PiQ website, while also venting their own frustrations over the closure.
The magazine's website was also later shut down.
Readers of the magazine had mixed reactions to it. Some enjoyed the greater coverage, while others hated it, to the point one group of fans organized monthly gatherings to burn their copies in effigy. Reviewers criticized the editorial tone of the magazine and its use of derogatory terms to refer to its readers. In the first issue, readers are called "nerds, dorks, geeks, freaks, maniacs, and pervos." Mania.com's Nadia Oxford felt the terms negatively impacted the magazine's otherwise high energy writing.
Christopher Butcher, of Comics212, referred to it as "weak all-around", feeling the editorial staff had a poor understanding of its demographic and had produced a substandard work. In looking at the first issue, he criticized its lack of focus, poor editorial mandate, and persistent mistakes in the prose that affected readability. Butcher did feel that with work, the magazine had the potential to be successful, praising its design and several articles as being a sign of what the magazine could be.
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
that was published by PiQ, LLC, a subsidiary of A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
, from March through July 2008. Launched as a replacement for the magazine Newtype USA, which was discontinued in February 2008, PiQ went beyond anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
to include coverage on video games popular American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comics and television series.
PiQ started with the Newtype USA staff and its 15,000 subscribers, who received two PiQ issues for every one of Newtype USA remaining on their accounts. The first issue was received with mixed reviews by readers and critics. After only four issues, the magazine was abruptly discontinued in July 2008, which the editorial staff blamed on low revenue, bad management, and lack of marketing.
History
The magazine premiered in March 2008, as a replacement for the A.D. Vision magazine Newtype USA, which ceased publication in February 2008.In addition to covering anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, the magazine had expanded coverage of other subjects beyond those covered by Newtype USA, including American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
, high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
gadgetry, U.S. television series and films, and video games.
At its formation, PiQ retained many of the editorial staff and freelance writers that worked on Newtype USA, as well as the magazines 15,000 subscribers. In June 2008, after only four issues had been released, PiQ freelancers received word from Kevin Gifford, the editor of PiQ, that the magazine was being canceled and the PiQ offices had been closed down. The July 2008 issue, which had already been released when the announcement was made, was the magazine's last issue.
As part of the announcement, PiQ promised to compensate freelance writers for the work already done for the unpublished August issue. The editorial staff confirmed the news on the PiQ website, while also venting their own frustrations over the closure.
The magazine's website was also later shut down.
Circulation and reception
Targeted at males 18–25 years of age, the first issue of PiQ had a planned circulation of 100,000. The publishers hoped to reach a circulation of 150,000 by the fourth quarter of the year.Readers of the magazine had mixed reactions to it. Some enjoyed the greater coverage, while others hated it, to the point one group of fans organized monthly gatherings to burn their copies in effigy. Reviewers criticized the editorial tone of the magazine and its use of derogatory terms to refer to its readers. In the first issue, readers are called "nerds, dorks, geeks, freaks, maniacs, and pervos." Mania.com's Nadia Oxford felt the terms negatively impacted the magazine's otherwise high energy writing.
Christopher Butcher, of Comics212, referred to it as "weak all-around", feeling the editorial staff had a poor understanding of its demographic and had produced a substandard work. In looking at the first issue, he criticized its lack of focus, poor editorial mandate, and persistent mistakes in the prose that affected readability. Butcher did feel that with work, the magazine had the potential to be successful, praising its design and several articles as being a sign of what the magazine could be.