Upcoming Gemstone titles and re-re-reprinting

Robert Hutchings robertmhutchings at yahoo.com
Wed Nov 8 05:39:52 CET 2006


A few thoughts on Dean’s recent letter:

<<<So far I have thought Gemstone has done a pretty
good job concerning reprints.  There have been some
Barks, Rosa, and Van Horn reprints, but they have not
dominated the titles.  This seems to be changing
though.  Even titles like the next two annuals and the
next Treasures TPB have more re-re-prints than before.
 Along with the two new TPBs including either all or
mostly reprinted stories, how about a TPB that
contains all *new* stories?  Is there so little
confidence that an all new TPB would just not sell?>>>

I certainly have no inside information, but this is my
suspicion. I strongly suspect that a comic with a
Rosa, Barks, or Van Horn story sells better than a
comic without one. Not only is there a kind of name
and style recognition thing—who besides the most
dedicated and observing readers can tell one European
writer from the next?—but their stories are, generally
speaking, just plain better. That would translate to
better sales among buyers who don’t purchase every
Gemstone issue. Those of us who do buy every issue
recognize the quality coming out of Europe, but I
suspect other American buyers don’t. If any of this is
remotely accurate, it might suggest a marketing shift
from dedicated buyers to casual buyers. There are more
casual buyers than dedicated buyers, so pitch to the
casuals. As paper prices go up and more buyers—casual
and dedicated alike—drop out, this becomes even more
important. That’s my thinking, but again, I don’t have
any knowledge to back it up.

<<<Vacation Parade 4, Pygmy/Wendigo and the next Walt
Disney Treasures TPB which *all* feature Rosa
reprints! Does Gemstone feel it cannot sell even two
monthly titles without continually re-re-reprinting
Barks and Rosa stories?  If so, I would at least like
them to come out and say so.  If that is the case
though, I do not see much of a future for Disney
comics in North America.  Also, what happens in say 3
or 4 years when they have reprinted all of Don's
stories again in U$ or WDC&S or annuals? >>>

These could all be tough problems. The Rosa features
in the TPBs and other one-shots might indicate the
marketing shift I mentioned a minute ago. Another
thing to consider, and this goes for all reprints, is
that it is probably cheaper to run a story that has
already been run before than it is to buy a new story.
The Rosa stories that have seen publication in the
United States have already been bought by an American
company; the price for reprinting has got to be lower
than the cost of purchasing a story from Europe,
especially when you factor in dialoguing and so forth.
If a company is financially stable, these extra costs
wouldn’t be as much a problem; if its not so stable,
then they would be prohibitive. Frankly, I wonder if
Gemstone is able to pay its operating costs on any of
its issues, or if its reliant on Diamond or EC or
something else. As for when Don’s stories have all
been reprinted, well, perhaps we’ll see the latter
decades of Western return, with whole issues
reprinted. What a horror, though I can’t imagine that
would be in the least profitable.

<<<I don't think the readers of any other line of
comics have to deal with getting so many re-reprints
all of the time.  Try this example.  Marvel Comics has
printed a monthly comic book called "Fantastic Four"
since the early 1960's.  The first 100 or so issue
were done by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and are
considered classic stories.  "FF" is still published
monthly to this day.  Imagine though if every second
or third issue of "FF" had a Lee and Kirby reprint in
it?  Would not that be absurd?  Aren't readers each
month looking for *new* stories which they have not
read before?  I don't think any other comic publisher
could get away with re-reprinting stories in their
monthly titles like we have to deal with Disney
comics!>>>

Again, I’m not familiar with the comic industry, but
Marvel is a different market. It’s like comparing
pomegranates (Gemstone) to oranges (Marvel). They’re
both fruits, but pomegranates just don’t sell as well
in this country. One can debate the reasons why
forever, but in the final analysis that’s just how it
is. Same with Gemstone and Marvel, I suspect. 
 
<<<I would really like to hear what other members on
this mailing list who buy Gemstone comics monthly have
to think about this.  And if there are people who *do*
like seeing re-re-reprints much more than new stories,
can you please explain why?  Perhaps I am just not
seeing this the right way and someone can help me look
at it from a different view.>>>

I have long been outspoken in my emails to Gemstone
about reprints, but I’ve come to realize that in the
American market they’re necessary to keep costs lower.
Besides, a great many people, especially those casual
buyers, don’t have six or seven publications of the
same Barks or Rosa story. They don’t have any. When I
was a kid in the eighties, I was thrilled to see Barks
reprints. I wanted them all the time. It’s got to be
the same for kids now, if there are any, and those
casual buyers.  
 
<<<At this point though I am losing much of my
enthusiasm for the future of Disney comics in North
America and I *love* Disney comics, even more than it
perhaps makes sense to do so!  How exciting can it be
though to get even *more* copies of stories I already
have...  Perhaps the new Shonen Jump style title will
focus on new stories.  Yet I have a bad feeling that
Gemstone will take the "cheap" and "easy" way out and
just fill lots of them with more re-re-reprints.>>>

I too am apprehensive about the future; who wouldn’t
be after witnessing the 1980s and 1990s? I also love
Disney comics and have sunk a lot of time and money
into them. I was so excited I was nearly in tears when
Gemstone started publishing again. But, you know,
whether Gemstone makes it or not, this is how it goes.
Carl Barks stated several times he doubted that anyone
would be reading his stories in fifty years. Times
change he said, and people find different ways to
occupy themselves. That’s just the way it is. As for
Gemstone taking the “cheap and easy” way out, if it’s
the only way out, who can blame them for taking it?
I’ve never met anyone at Gemstone, but I detect in
John Clark’s introductions and David Gerstein’s
periodic essays a genuine love for the stories. I’m
sure both of them, and everyone else there, could make
more money doing something else, but they remain with
Disney comics because they have a passion for them. 
Given that, it’s grossly unfair to insinuate anything
to the contrary, even in the slightest. I seriously
doubt any of them is interested in “cheap and easy”
except as a last ditch effort to keep Disney comics
alive.


 




 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Sponsored Link

For just $24.99/mo., Vonage offers unlimited local and long- distance calling. 
Sign up now. http://www.vonage.com/startsavingnow/



More information about the DCML mailing list