More comments, questions, and suggestions

[deanmary]

    I just sat down to write to the list and I read the very sad new
that Romano Scarpa has passed away.  Boy, I am not sure I have
anything wise or thoughtful to say to this.  This is obviously a great
loss to us who love Disney comics.  Of course, it is a far greater
loss to his friends and family, who all have my deepest sympathy.  One
bright point is that we will always have his stories and that as far
as the North America is concerned, we will have new (to us at least)
stories from him for years to come.

    Gary, thanks for mentioning that you have seen a few early issues
of DDA in a Barnes and Noble.  Perhaps I have just been missing them
or looking in the wrong area of the store.  I don't think I care where
they are placed in these bookstores just as long as they *are* in
these bookstores!  Once we get them in all of these bookstores, maybe
we can then worry about what section they should go in. :)

    Gary, I know Gemstone plans the digests out far in advance.  Are
there any stories by Scarpa or Cavazzano planned for upcoming issues
of DDA and MMA?  If not, I would like to be the first to suggest and
ask that some stories by such Italian greats should be published in
the pocket books as soon as possible.  If there are others on the list
who feel the same way, please give such input here on the mailing
list.  Of course I am not saying that every issue of the pocket books
should only have Italian stories in them.  It would just be nice to
see a greater variety.

    I am very glad to hear that there are thoughts and discussions
about upcoming TPB libraries for various Disney greats.  Of course I
would prefer that there were more definite plans, but the important
thing is that they are being considered at all.  As long as there is a
decent chance they will come out someday, I guess I will just have to
be patient! :)

    As far as the TPB coming out next year collecting the other Lo$
stories, I have another suggestion.  If possible, I think it would be
a good idea to wait to publish it until you could include part 8B in
it.  Boy, I think this is the first time I have *ever* asked Gemstone
to hold off on publishing something! :)  Of course, if there is too
big a gap between when you want to publish this TPB and when 8B is
available, that may not be possible.  However if it is a matter of a
couple months, I think it would be wise to wait until you can include
it in the TPB, especially since this seems to be such an important
story in the Lo$ series.  Anyone who does not think it is an important
story will have Katie Sullivan to argue with, right Katie? :)

    Congrats and thanks to everyone at both Gemstone and Disney for
making Mickey and the Gang a reality!  I can't wait to get it and now
my girlfriend has another Christmas gift to get me!

    I want to thank Lars Jensen for his suggestion that we offer
opinions about what we like and do not like in Disney stories.  He is
right in that it is all too easy to just complain about certain
stories without giving constructive criticism about we don't like in
stories and what we would like to see.  So I am now going to give some
of my opinions on this subject.  I am not sure how specific or helpful
what I write will be, but I will give it a shot.

    Overall, it seems that the pocket book stories are not as well
written as the shorter stories in the regular comics books.  It feels
like they are written for a younger audience than the shorter stories
are.  Is there any truth in that?  Is there a different intended
audience for the longer pocket book stories compared to the shorter
stories?

    Also, it seems to me that many of the pocket book stories feel
padded or stretched out.  Often I read some of these stories that are
30-50 pages in length and think to myself, "this same story could have
been written in 16 page stories".  I would rather see these longer
stories take advantage of their longer lengths with more "meaty"
stories; stories that would be impossible to tell with only 10-16
pages.

    Finally, it seems that way too many of the pocket book stories
rely on sci-fi or fantasy themes.  Of course perhaps that is not
really true and that Gemstone has just chosen to publish many stories
with such themes.  And the odd thing is that I am in no ways against
sci-fi and fantasy themes; I actually like them at times -- it just
seems that too many of the longer stories (at least the ones we get to
read) are sci-fi or fantasy stories.  How about more long straight
adventure stories or some great long comedies?

    So Lars, was that helpful or not?  I realize I have not been as
specific as I would have liked to have been, but it was the best I
could do now.  I would love to hear what you, Lars, and other creators
have to say about this.  Also, I would encourage other list members to
give some constructive criticism on what they like and dislike.

    Finally, I will not give any story ideas to Disney comic writers,
*except* to say that I would love for *someone* to do the story of
Donald and Daisy met!  I myself would love to write that story except
for that "tiny" problem that I am a *very* poor writer... :(

Dean Rekich