Egmont DDs "locked out" of America

[9475609@arran.sms.ed.ac.uk]

      JOHN:
> I don't see any reason that the format changes which seem to have
> upset you so terribly will have any substantial long-term affect on
> Gladstone's use of new or reprint material from Egmont.

      I didn't mean to seem melodramatic.  What I forgot to mention was 
that Pat Block draws stories much faster than Ron Fernandez scripts them 
-- so he's going to be drawing long stories, some written by others, for 
almost every issue of DDA beginning with DDA 34.  Aside from a 16-pager 
(which will presumably join your "Peace in Pieces" in DDA 38), they'll 
fill up basically all of every issue.  I don't mind this:  Pat has every 
right to do these stories, which I enjoy very much;  they're new, they 
are getting popular, and since they're new original material from 
Gladstone, I can see why they get high priority.

      But now that I've explained that, things should be clearer.

      A)  DDA is booked up, since there are no 64-page issues to handle 
a 32-page tale plus shorter stories.
      B)  WDC&S can only feature Van Horn.
      C)  DD and DM can only feature Barks Ducks and Taliaferro, except 
when there is a Rosa ten-pager available.
      D)  Apparently, the DD material in the new COLLECTORY series will 
mostly be reprints.

      So as you see, there's no place for any Egmont or Oberon DD 
stories anywhere in the next year, or so it would seem.  This situation 
encompasses John Lustig's other stories as well as Dave's and my own.  
The situation will most definitely extend into perpetuity unless WDC&S 
or COLLECTORY go monthly or the format of DD changes.  I find that the 
latter is probably a more realistic goal.
      And I don't actually know any fans who wouldn't like to see such a 
change take place.  Since Bruce Hamilton made decisions B, C, and D, 
he'd be the one to talk to.

      John L. also mentioned that USA 33 will still be double-sized 
because "Gladstone imagines people will still pay $2.95" for such a 
special issue, if not all special issues.  Actually, we've been paying 
$2.95 for a lot of special 68-page issues.  It's just that when the 
price hike takes effect a month after USA 33, 68-page issues with slick 
covers would have to cost $4.  THAT'S what Gladstone doesn't imagine 
people will want to pay.
      Why 64-pagers cannot be done, lacking the slick covers, for $3 is 
unknown to me.  Has Gladstone considered this?  It seems a particular 
shame for WDC&S 600 to be just another 32-pager.  It could at least be 
48 pages long.

      David Gerstein
      <9475609 at arran.sms.ed.ac.uk>