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I worry that some lazy PR/marketing folks think posting a video on YouTube fulfills their obligation to their client.
Well, um-mm, no, it doesn't!
The next and necessary step is to GET PEOPLE TO GO AND VIEW THE VIDEOS ONCE THEY ARE POSTED!!! If they are not going to publicize the fact that the videos are there, then it did almost no good to post them. That's like putting up signs for a yard sale on telephone poles in a different county!!!
Just imagine getting someone like Patrick Stewart or Colin Ferguson on a taped interview . . . and it languishes lost on the web with less that 2,000 viewers!!! I just finished watching both of those clips and they were extremely well done and definitely TV-ready.
This to me is the whole problem with POWN and Stan these days and why I finally gave up - great products and real stars and a totally lousy and ineffective PR mechanism to get them noticed!!! The people and the product are there, but why can't it get distributed out there to the general public!?!?
There are a few comic stores with that name, including one near Boston that I have frequented . . .
You have a future as the Poet Laureate of the POWN page!
No one can be more sorry than I am about POWN's fortunes. I really wish it had gone TO DA MOOON! But I do not see Stan as actually taking his role as the leader of POWN seriously, and after all, he is the only true asset the company ever had and ever will have.
Stan (and I) are perfect ADHD examples: "Fire, Ready, Aim!" Start a dozen things in one week and forget about them by Sunday afternoon. My wife once told me I am the only person she ever met who know the Gross National Product of Botswana but had no idea where he put his slippers! So true . . .
Sorry folks, POWN is a dead horse now. I finally bailed out totally a month ago after several years of buying and selling. Stan Lee's attention is too distracted these days in non-POWN deals.
I no longer think he even remembers POWN much of the time, frankly. He's too busy signing autographs at Comic-cons and planning his next Marvel movie cameo and being interviewed about the good old days and creating ideas for comic books that other publishers churn out.
GLTA. An era is dying and it is time to move on . . .and I am truly sorry to see it go, but it is gone. Sad.
That makes a lot of sense, Sebago. Art was one of the key 3 or 4 people in POWN and his loss could very well trigger a major re-alignment of ownership for his substantial (over 10%, right?) share of POWN stock. Not only was he the COO and legal eagle, he was also probably a decades-long friend and counsel for Stan and Gil, so they may be missing his inputs greatly over the coming months.
This may well lead to a period of time in which no major new POWN initiative or change in direction occurs until a new exec is found to replace Art & until the final disposition of his 18 million shares is determined. One obit mentioned he had a "son and business partner" so he may take a more active role in POWN, should he be both interested and competent.
Sorry I have not been keeping up with all the POWN details recently so much of this may be no longer relevant.
I don't know, I feel like I've been constantly bitch slapped by POWN for the past year and there is no letup. Now the NHL is turning into the sort of place where Ron Artest/Metta World Peace would be considered a candy-ass! IS POWN just trying to sell the wrong product to the wrong market at the wrong time!?
Thank God at least all those crappy cheap SyFy channel disaster/horror movies made on a $2,000 budget with foam rubber monsters are long gone.
Aren't they . . . ?
Stop the sketch! MUCH too silly! ;>)
Thx for the encouragement, but I am actually not a "former" POWNster. I kept a handful for old times' sake and to be able to say I remain a bag holder, even if my bag has shriveled and shrunk of late . . . . .
Hmmm, maybe I could have picked a better metaphor . . . that one makes me feel uncomfortable . . .
Stan The Man as Napoleon, shades and all! LOL! Yeah I'm liking what I'm seeing from this hapless company more and more.
Wow; this is a star-studded event. I am impressed! It is news like this that just may encourage me to get back in . . . especially if I can reload my bank account while POWN is still under a dime.
Is there some way someone here can find out if these sales are coming from 'insiders' or those paid with stock? It would be interesting to find out. I would be reassured if someone who performed a service for POWN and got paid in stock may not want to take the chance that it will go lower and is the main seller these days.
But if it is an insider or someone who knows insiders . . .
My thanks and kudos to both sunday and jack for elaborating on the details of our POWN-Disney/Silver Creek relationship. Even though the details can be baffling the overall impression I am left with from the discussion so far is that:
1. Disney essentially bailed out POWN from a slow and tortuous financial demise
2. The price they extracted is not onerous now, but may become a growing 'bite' of POWN's potential future revenue should their income in fact start to grow appreciably
3. The fact that Disney already owns 10% of POWN at $0.25/share, has a 'first look' deal with POWN, and will take a big chunk of future revenue all suggests there is probably a reasonable cap of $0.25/share on the eventual sale price for our shares - except for those lucky few who get to sell at several times that amount during a 2 hour buying frenzy peak, if it occurs again.
My conclusion: "caveat emptor". If you can afford to lock up some cash for up to a year on the chance of a 100-150% profit, then buy all you can at $0.10 and below and pray for Stan's health, for he is POWN's sole asset of value.
Okay I have a question for both sunday and jack. Sunday says Disney has a huge call on all future POWN revenue because of the terms of the agreement; even if they turn down a POWN creation Disney still gets a large share of the revenue from it. Jack says that Disney gets only $100,000 or so. Well, the way I read the paragraph below, I side with sunday here:
"At present, we [POWN] believe that, in a typical deal for feature films, we would receive an executive producer fee ranging between $450,000 and $850,000 per feature film project produced, plus a share of potential “back-end” revenues or profits, as well as a share of licensing and merchandising revenues. Although an amount in this range is payable to the Company by Silver Creek for any feature films produced, such amount would be subject to offsets to permit Silver Creek to recoup a portion of the advances and guaranteed payments that it is and has been paying the Company on a monthly basis."
To me, this says if POWN earns any revenue, Disney [Silver Creek] has first call on that revenue so that they can be repaid for "a portion of" ALL of the money - i.e., $2.5 million per year - they have advanced POWN since the start of the agreement. Jack, that does not square with your interpretation of only $100k. The key phrase, of course, is how to define "a portion of the advances and guaranteed payments"; what is the percentage of payback here? Does anyone know?
I can't argue any of that and I respect you too much to try, jack. Your knowledge of POWN leaves me on my knees bowing before you saying "I'm not worthy!" and you know that!
But I feel it only fair to the community that we air all our views here. If you are Tigger then I am Eeyore lol!
Yes there are two sides and the more we all accept that this is an extremely high risk-high benefit place to put one's cash the more we are "educated consumers." I suppose if my pessimism had not coincided with a short term cash flow issue with me I may not have sold. And I do not rule out getting back in IF (a) I can afford to tie up that money for a year minimum and (b) there were a sustained increase in the average share price based on non-Disney revenue increases and projects over several months. But in self-protection I assume $0.24 is the high at which I can expect to sell.
BTW the reason I hang around a stock I do not seem to like is my personal interest in comics as an iconic cultural art form dating from my childhood! I keep hoping POWN will succeed but I am seriously disappointed in their lack of business acumen and shareholder value.
My last thought for the day - here's a scenario, sunday. Suppose POWN price rises to mid-20s, around $0.25/share - for a month or so - due to Guardian or whatever. At that point, why would Disney not step in and buy the remainder of the shares for $0.24 each and simply absorb the whole company into it's Marvel appendage? Why let the value soar out of sight before they get to grab their prize?
Which means, fellow investors, that DA MOON is about $0.24/share. We actually had a much better shot at $1/share and higher when Disney had NOT sunk its fangs into us. Now we will be bled dry way before we see anything close to $1/share for more than a few hours.
So put in your sell order at your "greed is good" price and just wait . . . if I ever re-invest it will only be to set my sell at 0.24 and not even bother watching until my broker signals a trade execution to me.
Hmmm . . . interesting tactic . . . hmmm . . . sorry guys, gotta run!
jack, there may have been some joint Marvel-DC collaboration recently (like Justice League vs. Avengers or Superman-Spider-man of yore)in comic books or cartoons but I cannot think of specific examples
Stan already is "working for Disney" instead of POWN as far as I can see. Keep up the good work and independent thinking, sunday. We need to hear all sides on this board or we all become intellectual zombies and deserve what we get as a result.
To all you optimists - I hear what you say and wish fervently you all earn bundles from POWN. But after 4 years of watching the average value slide downhill and all the PR go to Stan or Disney or Marvel and not to POWN, I have to face reality. Best wishes to all.
"When you wish upon a Stan,
Prepare to bail when you can . . . "
I know your heart is in the right place, jack, but I am not wasting my time contacting the company directly. Business is business and capitalism is capitalism. They would only bother to care what I said if I owned more than 5% of the shares and only then because they fear I may try a takeover. Sorry I am not in that league, I am not a 1%er so I don't get to play in their sandbox, which is the size of the Sahara.
Worrying about POWN is a much smaller part of my life now than it used to be and I am glad about that. But it still irritates me that after 3-4 years of watching them they still have not focused on shareholder value. It's always been about the Legend of Stan Lee but I foolishly thought that meant my investment would grow along with the Legend. But all that is growing is the Legend. I am no longer satisfied by Stan's legend growing while my investment drains away. POWN still exhibits a disappointing lack of shareholder value focus or interest. Fool me once, shame on me . . .
By posting my thoughts here and on other boards, I am exercising my right to free speech both as an American and as a (still) shareholder, even if I could only get a decent meal in a swank NYC restaurant with the results of selling the remainder of my shares. I do not assume any executive "suit" reads this, but other investors read it. They are my audience, my fellow shareholders present and future. I will let those readers of my posts decide what to do with what they read.
I am sorry Jack but the scales have fallen from my eyes and I am not about to glue them back on. Read the latest statement. Disney's $2.5M/year is 90% of POWN's revenue. That's n-i-n-e-t-y percent. POWN is now essential a tiny and inconsequential fraction of The Mouse's global empire. Why invest in a single Imperial Storm-trooper when I can buy shares in the Death Star itself . . .
So I just finished reading the premier issue of "Stan Lee's Mighty 7" which some are touting as another blockbuster hit for POWN. Well, there is one problem.
POWN is mentioned how many times in the comic? I studied it carefully. The answer is . . . twice!
#1 - On the inside front cover "GILL CHAMPION and POW! ENTERTAINMENT" are listed as 1 of the 2 "Creative Contributors" and #2 - the POWN logo appears - very small - at the bottom left corner of the 'Order the Entire 6-issue series" ad on page 5.
Folks, this is why I sold 98% of my stock earlier this year. I am really tired of hearing about how Stan Lee will make POWN owners rich, then see everything is about Stan the Man and NOT about POWN. This stock has been talking the talk but not walking the walk for years now. I have had enough. I hold onto my last tiny slice because I am sentimental. Not for much longer.
The POWN investor community may be so small that just 1 or 2 people who need $10-20K ASAP to pay taxes or (ahem) tuition bills or who just got their tax rebate check & feel lucky could be responsible for moving several hundred thousand shares in one day.
Remember too that POWN's only item of value is Stan Lee himself and his creations, so anything that enhances Stan's reputation and public image can directly enhance the value of POWN. We should totally welcome all of Stan's Marvel PR since it is one of the only ways for new people to hear about him.
With any luck, folks who want to know more about Stan will Google him and find out about POWN that way. If they like his Marvel products, why would they not like his POWN products!?
If you are correct, and I hope that you are, can we ask POWN to itemize all the individual contributions of Stan's income to POWN revenue and make sure POWN is in fact collecting ALL of it . . . ? I would appreciate that myself.
I raised this same question earlier and I feel it was not taken well, but I too (as a now teeny bag holder) would like clarification as to Stan's income. When does he earn money for himself (that he keeps) and when does he earn money that becomes part of POWN's corporate (and our) revenue stream? For example, are the following incomes Stan's or POWN's, or is there no income involved:
- cameos in Marvel movies and the new ComicCon movie
- royalties earned from Marvel-owned intellectual property
- autograph signings and personal appearances at comic conventions, etc.
- royalties for his creative ideas, such as NHL Guardians, Japanese anime, etc.
- sale of souvenir items from web sites, personal appearances, etc. (t-shirts, mugs, etc.)
- sale of his humor books (political photos, etc.)
It is both a valid and an important question.
I would be happy for a florin or maybe a half crown, guv
I just want you all to know that the recent uptick started as soon as I sold the last tranche of my divestiture, so all I can say is:
"You're welcome!" ;>)
I apologize for not selling sooner, or this spike could have occurred months ago.
You should also know that I only sold 99% of my shares and kept a sentimental 1% so I can still call myself a bag holder. So I'm still there in the trenches with you, lads, it's just that my ammo pack is almost empty . . . so I will linger in the rear ranks during the next charge across No Man's Land. I've already taken my bullet for our Band of Brothers!
I would welcome anyone who wants to help me commit financial suicide by buying the rest of my shares - they are all sitting out there for sale at less than a dime!!!
If this is such a great buying opportunity, why isn't one of the board posters selling their second cars to snap up my shares? You know many credit cards are offering 1 year of 0% interest on cash advances - c'mon someone, it's like stealing free shares, right?
Go ahead, make my day . . .
It's over for me folks, after all these years I have to move on. I cannot keep deluding myself any longer. The world has moved on and left Stan and his thinking and his approach behind.
All my shares are up for grabs and then I am hanging up my hat.
I would say it's been fun . . . but it hasn't. One thing I did finally learn, however - painfully - is how vulnerable I can be to self-delusion. Well, that won't happen again.
Good luck to all. And whatever you do, do NOT fall in love with your investment. We should invest to make money. Period. If you like comics, buy them, read them, cherish them. But do NOT invest in them.
"The Cloud" is on its way to shred the daylights out of any company that bases its value on physical products filled with Intellectual Property. Just like Borders. Just like Blockbuster. Just like Tower Records. Just like the US newspaper industry. Just like the US publishing industry.
Watch out Game Stop and all TV/Cable networks. You're next.
'Nuff said.
Adios, my friends!
Own "The Cloud." Before It owns you.
So what's with all the fancy talk and optimistic "To Dah Mooon!" rhetoric? I guess folks are not putting their money where their mouth is.
Not you, comic but all the other posters here I'm talking about. Here we are hovering around a one-year low, with all these great new PR releases flooding the financial press, with POWN about to conquer Asia, with Stan all over YouTube, and . . . no takers for under two thousand lousy dollars to add 20,000 shares at under a dime!?
Wow! I am truly stunned! I guess we all are just talking to ourselves here.
Sooo, aren't any optimists going to gobble up those 20k dangling at $0.095?!
How can you all resist?!
Well, that's different, then.
Never mind ;>)
Well isn't that interesting. After a few weeks of plummeting prices and lots of griping from shareholders, suddenly we have a spate of new deals announced all over Asia - Japan, China, India . . . where everyone knows the economic dynamism for the next 20 years will be centered.
Why do you think all this good news just got released? Maybe that under 6 cents/share sale shook some folks up at POWN HQ? Or maybe all our griping?
The thing is, if they dumped all list news today, what are they still holding back? And why are they holding it back? And why don't we hear in a more timely manner? And how much cash will POWN get, and when, and how much goes directly to Stan?
We'll see . . .
Jack my stake is not sufficiently big to launch a forensics investigation into whether every release mentioning Stan earning funds or signing a new partnership deal can be directly traced to POWN's revenue reporting. If I owned 10% or more of POWN however I would want every penny of Stan's superhero-related revenue since POWN began tracked carefully. It seems like there is a new release about a new partnership - always mentioning Stan but not always POWN - every month or so. So, "Show me the money!"
After 4 years of waiting and a new one-year low recently I'm really beyond the point of caring now. I am waiting for a spike and then I am gone.
Hi jack -
My concern arises most recently from the statement you made in your post: "pown owns stan lee name and brand."
Well if that is true, does it seriously mean that POWN owns the revenue stream from ANY idea Stan comes up with and transfers to ANY other company? That's what I thought when I bought my shares.
I am beginning to worry that Stan is making deals recently where he personally and directly receives the money these days and NOT POWN. If that is happening then to me POWN and its stockholders may be the victims of a financial fraud, especially if your statement above is true!
How do I assure myself that Stan is NOT in fact free-lancing and lining his own pockets when POWN is supposed to get the money and not him? This is becoming a big, big issue for me right now. Anything you can do to assure me beyond a reasonable doubt that this is not happening would be appreciated.
If what you say is true maybe I should sell POWN and buy Disney or Lionsgate to make sure I am profiting from Stan's IP ideas. These days it is too hard to tell if, when and how much of this revenue accrues to POWN and us shareholders.
That's great jack but again, if Stan has an idea sitting in his Disney office who gets the revenue: Stan? Disney? POWN? All of them?
How to we make sure us shareholders get our fair share?
I would also like to know which projects are Stan's alone and which are Stan as POWN. The former go into Stan's pockets while the latter should go into all of our shareholder pockets!
The problem is we do not know which projects are which. I think Stan & POWN deserve to be clear with us shareholders each time Stan's involvement with a project is announced or goes public.
Who else agrees?
Then DIS should spend 4 hours worth of their profits, buy out POWN, and put us all out of our misery! What are they waiting for? They'd better not wait too long, like until after 'The Man' is no longer creating . . .
Amen to all you say, bro! I'm not gonna let my shares go for a loss or not at least a decent gain, but I won't buy any more either even if it goes to 2 lousy cents.
I believe in Stan as a creative genius but I failed to factor in his inability to think like a business owner. I am disappointed in myself in not realizing this before just recently, but I have learned a valuable lesson; "Don't fall in love with your stock because it doesn't love you back, ever!"
I have held now for 4 years and counting and am still holding now only because I refuse to sell at a 1-year low. But my patience for waiting for Shangri-La is all but exhausted. I have a ladder of sells that will bring me a decent profit but no more "To da Mooooon!" for this investor. If you have the patience to hold until you achieve a 4-bagger or more, good luck to y'all. My patience is almost gone.
So yes, I am a disgruntled bag-holder but I will not just dump it before one more chance to at least pay myself back some for my aggravation.