Gladstone/Hamilton writes a letter (fwd)

Augie De Blieck Jr. adebliec at internexus.net
Fri Oct 13 03:13:38 CET 1995


Having attained permission from its author to forward his post here, I 
present to you this message originally posted in rec.arts.comics.misc.  
(There was also another message posted recently in support of Don's Lo$ 
storyline.  Seems Gladstone is finally getting some play over there.  I 
know I respond to everything Duck-related there!

-Augie
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
From: brents at pmafire.inel.gov (Brent Swanson)
Subject: Gladstone/Hamilton writes a letter
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 18:20:15 GMT
Distribution: rec.arts.comics.misc
Expires: 10/18/95
Organization: Bright Kentucky Hotel
Lines: 43

Several of my fellow Disney comics fans and letterhacks recently
fired-off letters to Gladstone concerning those abysmal "coverless"
comics and the generally lame quality of most of the titles in
general.  In reply, each writer received a copy of a form letter
stating that prices are up, readership is down, we can't survive
unless we take these measures, and so on.  But what was most
interesting was the last paragraph of the letter.  I don't have
a copy with me, so I'll paraphrase: "Do not write letters or
otherwise share your complaints with other fans.  Send your concerns
to us and we will try to deal with them directly."

Oh so?

I think it is more than a little presumptuous of Gladstone/Hamilton
to request fans not to communicate with one another about Gladstone's
shortcomings.  Many of us were eager to communicate directly with
Gladstone at this year's San Diego Comic Con, but Gladstone pulled a
no-show (as opposed to a seldom-seen show at the previous few cons).

There's quite a bit to be concerned about in Gladstone's revised lineup.
We're told that the coverless comics are holding down the prices (at
45 cents per), and yet the new, prestige format _Walt Disney's Comics
and Stories_ will be retailing for just under $6, which blows away all
the "savings" added up incurred from the other titles.  The transfer of
the letter pages from the books to the "Gladstone Gazette" is little 
short of insidious.  To get the "Gazette," you must subscribe directly
from Gladstone, thereby removing some of your badly needed support from
your local comics shop.  The bulk of the "Gazette" is a puff sheet for
Gladstone and not a "fanzine" as has been inferred.

Worst of all, we're being told that all these changes are being made
for the collectors and fans.  So if nobody buys the shoddy coverless
books, and nobody can afford to buy the "collector's" book (_WDCS_),
then it won't be Gladstone's fault--it'll be the rotten fans and
collectors who didn't support Gladstone.

Given this operating mindset, maybe it won't do much good for fans
to write to one another and speak out.  But we still have a right
to, though at the rate Gladstone is going downhill, all such
dialogue may soon be academic.

Brent Swanson, 2nd assistant desk clerk and ice bucket scrubber
Bright Kentucky Hotel, Crooper, Illinois




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