Welcome to the Johto Times

Introducing a brand-new Pokémon newsletter!

A picture of three base set Pokémon cards from my personal collection: Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise

My name is Darren, and I wanted to create a newsletter to reach other Pokémon fans across the world. In this opening post I aim to introduce myself, the goals of my newsletter, and why I hope you will subscribe to it.

I've been a fan of the Pokémon franchise since 1999 when I first heard about it from my classmates in school. In the years that followed I consumed everything I could about these strange and wonderful creatures, from the trading card game, the anime, various pieces of merchandise and of course, the video games. As I got older, Pokémon continued to impact my life in many positive ways.

For example, when I was sixteen I started my own Pokémon community online, giving me an early taste for community management and leadership, serving me well throughout the years in various projects. The music of Pokémon Red and Blue inspired me to produce and direct a fully licensed Pokémon album which raised money for Child’s Play Charity: an organisation that donates toys and games to children's hospitals worldwide. Pokémon was even the source of many meaningful friendships, some of which are still going strong over twenty years later!

I created this newsletter to reach more fans who may be interested to hear the opinions and memories of a long-time fan of the Pokémon series, and share some photographs of and information about various items from my collection. As the newsletter continues to grow, I plan to collaborate with guest contributors to share their own content here on Johto Times. There’s also the possibility of podcasts, and perhaps some interviews with notable guests further down the line if the support is there to justify it.

I came up with several names to call this newsletter, but settled on Johto Times as the word ‘Johto’ represents my favourite region from Pokémon, and ‘Times’ is a nod to memories, accommodating the nostalgia element, perhaps a time you enjoyed Pokémon, or a time you shared a special Pokémon moment with someone.

Initially, Johto Times will aim to publish a post every Thursday at 14:00 UTC directly to subscriber’s inboxes, and each post will be roughly 500 words with an average read time of four minutes. Occasionally I may decide to publish a larger feature, but the goal is to provide readers with content they can enjoy on a break. It’s important to acknowledge that any new project will need time to find its feet, and so the times and day may change. I am willing to listen and learn to tweak things and ensure they go more smoothly.

I will do my very best to offer some fun and insightful Pokémon focused content for your enjoyment. I will use my experience of writing for websites and printed publications to create a place where like-minded fans will want to keep up to date. 

If this sounds like something you may enjoy, please consider subscribing, and clicking the share button to let others know about the Johto Times!

---