Disney-comics digest #469.

Don Rosa 72260.2635 at compuserve.com
Sat Oct 22 04:48:01 CET 1994


JAMES:

	There seem to be THREE different types of comic distribution,
not two. First is the old fashioned newsstand distribution by the local
news dealers. This includes only non-"independant" comics like Marvel,
DC, Archie, Harvey, and maybe some specials that slip in. Marvel buys a
set amount of Gladstone comics and distributes them to the news dealers
for this system. These are returnable. And each and every comic rack in
this system carries the same comics -- the owner of the store has no
choice, and does not pay for unsold copies... he returns them for full
refund and they are destroyed, completing the cycle of the pointless
destruction of billions of trees (as if using trees for comics wasn't
bad enough even when they aren't destroyed). This is the type newsstand
which you see the abundance of Marvel-Gladstones, few of which are
probably bought. (Those Marvel-Disney TV and movie titles sell better
since they're aimed at the simple-minded readers... as well as the young
ones). 
	Then there are special comic racks in places like airports and
record stores. These are the racks that don't seem to carry any
Marvel-Gladstones, and perhaps no Marvel-Disneys. But definitely no
Marvel-Gladstones. I'm sure these issues are returnable, otherwise the
stores would not bite. I doubt that many copies are sold in these
locations. These are just tree graveyards.
	Then there are the direct-sales stores, the places that are
responsible for the very existance of comic books post 1975 in North
America. These issues are nonreturnable, therefore the stores order only
as many as they can sell. This means no Gladstones more than the 5 for
those odd-ball 40-year-olds who don't buy anything else so screw them.
This is probably why these stores NEVER increase their orders even when
they sell out every month because they really aren't interested in
selling more Gladstones to people who don't buy $50 per week of Marvels
and Images. 
	But this is why Gladstone has NO RETURNS. They sell all their
comics to the direct sales distributors or to Marvel, neither of which
can return any copies. I've never thought to ask them about this system
in the frequent times I talk to them at Gladstone, but this must be some
sweet deal!
	You knew all this for the most part... I'm just clarifying it.
	Something else you might not been completely clear on is the
process of comic production. Only scripters of these Disney comics do
their scripts as panel lay-outs with the dialogue below. All other
comics (i.e.: super-hero comics in America) are sorta the opposite --
the dialogue is first with a brief description of the action. In fact,
though we who do old-fashioned comics find it incredible to believe,
most American comics are done by having the writer describe the general
plot (or lack thereof) to the artist, the artist(s) then drawing the
comic, and the writer then creating matching dialogue for the finished
panels. Yes, this is a screwy way to do it, but it creates plotless,
action-filled stories, which is what the American MTV kids understand
best.
	I was about to tell you that the letterer doesn't add the word
balloons, only puts the words in 'em; but I think that in those
super-hero comics the artists indicate what area of the panel he figures
the balloon will be, and the letterer does add the cut-out word
balloons, overlapping the art. Now, with ME, I estimate how much space
my dialogue will require in each of my panels, and I put the word
balloons in first thing, then fit the art around those balloons.
Therefore, when I turn in a story, it seems to be about endless shouting
matches between laryngitis victims.
	Now that everyone is completely asleep, I will silently slip
among you and steal your wallets.

	I think Barks' "Horsing Around with History", which I've yet to
see, should have been published in Norway and Denmark and perhaps
elsewhere by now... yet there's been very little comment on it here. I
think one fellow on here said he'd seen it but didn't WANT to comment.
What do people think of this story. Speak up!

EVERYONE IN NORWAY AND SWEDEN:
	Have I made it clear that I'll be there for 2 weeks starting
next Wednesday? I mention this again because one of the highlights of my
last visit to Oslo was a meeting with a large group of Duck fans at the
Universtiy of Oslo which, I was told, came about after someone read on
this Digest that I was visiting. If there's anyone in Oslo or Stockholm
or Gotenborg who wants to see me or have me visit some group, you need
to contact the Egmont offices in Oslo or Malmo. The addresses are in the
respective funnybooks somewhere, I s'pose.





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