Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Happy Birthday GCD!

Happy Birthday GCD!  Yes, you.  I am talking directly to the 200+ people from around the world who turned an ambitious dream into the largest collaborative comics database online. Each of you have been a part of a 20-year-long, pioneering experiment that continues to grow in content while still attempting to take advantage of expanding technology.  Take a moment to think about that achievement.  We started with Snail-mailing floppy disks and now have an online data entry system.  The database is completely searchable, making it accessible and relevant to the entire comics community -- professionals, fans and scholars alike.  Unlike other similar (and much younger) ventures, we utilize editors to maintain a higher level of data quality.  Our database includes international comics and older, often forgotten, comics.  And we did it all with volunteers just like you.  One word springs to mind: Impressive!

It is worth my time and effort to celebrate our 20th Anniversary, so between March and November 2014, I have been and will continue to be working with other volunteers to highlight you and your accomplishments.
  • Volunteers will be running booths at up to 6 US comic conventions!  Members will also share their experience at other shows across the US and Europe.  Check out a full list at the GCD Conventions Site.
  • We started a GCD Community Page that will be incorporated into our “official” website. It is place to document our member contributions, history, photos and member accomplishments outside the GCD -- a reminder of who we are and where we come from. A celebration of our community 20 years in the making.
  • We have t-shirts!  Originally designed for convention volunteers, we will soon be making them available to GCD donors.  We are working on the details now and will have something out to you shortly.  Based on some of the buzz, you are interested.
  • We will creating a press kit to share with the outside community.  Unlike the “news-like” nature of a press release (which we will continue to generate), the press kit will be a brochure that we will use as we expand our presence to comic news sources, application developers and other potential collaborators.  It is our chance to shine.

The Grand Comics Database Blog is YOUR blog.  We will be using this forum to share information from the traditional sources such as news from the Board and reports from the Committees.  The real meat, however, will come from you!  This is your place to post research articles, experiences and other contributions if you don't have your own blog (and even if you do).  Submission details will come out shortly, but do not hesitate to contact me if you have something to share.

It is a busy nine month birthday party, but our 20th Anniversary only comes once.  There is still a lot to do, but I encourage you to take the time to congratulate yourselves.  You deserve it.

Daniel Nauschuetz
PR Coordinator