Disney-comics digest #625.

ADEBLIEC@drew.edu ADEBLIEC at drew.edu
Sun Apr 2 17:09:09 CEST 1995


I got the new Previews magazine today which, for those of you who aren't
aware solicits the comics for retailers to order through the distributors.
This issue concerns the publications shipping in June 1995.  And there is
some very interesting things going on with Gladstone.  (You could take the
word "interesting" with a slight note of sarcasm if you wished.)

They are raisiing their prices!  The little explanation blurb says the
following:
"New Gladstone Comics Titles and Formats Shipping in June

"Beginning this month, Gladstone is temporarily dividing its lines into
two groups.  Titles in the first group will be published in the
standard Gladstone format of 32 pages and a slick cover wrap, with a new, 
higher price of $1.95 per book.  Titles in the second groupd will be
shortened by four pages (text and house ads), but will contain just as much
full-color comic book material for a _reduced_ price of $1.50 ($2.25 for
giants.)"

A couple of questions come to my mind.  Since when is $1.50 a reduced price?
OK< the $2.25 is reduced (and a handsome savings at that), but $1.50 is the
same price we're paying now. Sheesh.  And now I have to pay an extra $.45
for the letters column and text pieces.  They better have a lot more articles
in there!

So follow along with the rest of the solicitation: Donald Duck #292 includes
Barks' "Noble Porpoises" and more Taliaferro strips, for $1.95.
Uncle $crooge Adventures features "Beagle Bug-Off" by Vic Lockman and
"The Money Counting Machine" by Daniel Branca for $1.95.

BUT!

Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse #1 is solicited at $1.50.  Does this mean that 
this title won't be raising its price?  Or is it only coming out in the
text-less version?  And do they rally think renaming it for the purposes
of having another #1 issue will help?

Also, Uncle Walt's Collectory (note spelling!) #1 is shown to be a $2.25
book, with a great cover by Don.

So when will the second wave of books come out?  They aren't solicited.  Next
month after these books come out?

Also note that at the beginning of this rambling message, this move was
called "temporary."  Temporary to see which sells better?  Temporary to
let us get used to the price hike before moving all the prices to the
higher level?

And will the giants on the $1.95 books go to $3.50 now, or what?

So many questions...

-Augie

P.S. Marvel tried this once already, and moved all their titles to the 
higher-priced version after a fraudulent three month test, which is what
this seems to be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Augie De Blieck Jr. - "Sometime I wonder, why are we so blind to fate?"
ADEBLIEC at drew.edu   -      -Billy Joel, Two Thousand Years
Drew University     - 



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