[SPG, Suspected, pattern=3.60]RE: Mr. Erlend's message about Disney comics sales in the US...

[Guy Lapointe]

I am not Mr. Leach but I am American and have lived in Europe several years (France, Italy, and Spain).

This is what I have noticed.  

1- The average American youth does not read much on their own, TV, video games, computer (games mostly) and Internet surfing has displaced books as a past time.  As a teacher, for many students, the only reading will be what they do in the classroom.  There is no incentive for them to read on their own and consequently, they have problems reading, i.e. it is hard/slow process for them to read.

2- I have not found the broad selection of quality comic or illustrated books/magazines in the likes of Journal de Tintin (defunct), Journal de Mickey, Spirou, and all the hard cover illustrated books that included an entire story from these magazines (Adventures of Blake and Mortimer and Tintin stories come to mind).

3- Finally, the American family is going through a transition with half my students from single parent families. This, along with the stresses involved makes it difficult for the child to have a stable, mind stimulating environment.  The TV (especially since "bad" TV, talk shows, confrontations, etc... replaced the children hours 1600~1800) has replaced the baby sitter or the parent at home.

I hope it helps,

Lancelot



Mr Leach, 

How come Disney comincs sells so bad in the US compared 
to the good numbers in Europe, among them Norway? 

Ever since I first picked down a copy of Whitman's 
Donald Duck and WDC&S around 30 years ago at a 
newsstand, and was allowed to buy one of them, I have been an eager reader and 
collector of the US Disney Comics, and followed up with subscriptions when 
Gladstone took over... There ought to be a huge potential over there! I mean, 
you population is above 300 millions, we are not even five, and Donald 
Duck weekly sells a few 100 thousands, every week!
Erlend, Norway
 		 	   		  
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