Re-re-reprints

[deanmary]

First off, thanks to *everyone* who wrote to the ML about some of the topics I brought up.  I am thrilled to read what some others have to say and what they think about these issues.  Whether they agree with me or not, does not matter one bit.  What I was worried about was that *no one* would care enough about this to even contribute their thoughts and ideas to the ML... Thankfully that was not the case though!

David, thanks so much for your thoughtful and specific responses!  I am so glad that someone at Gemstone (I am *not* forgetting you either Gary :)) took the time to write to the ML.  Sorry I got my figures wrong and said there are 4 Rosa's stories through August in U$ when there are only 3.  I am also sorry if I did not quite remember what Gemstone did in the past regarding Rosa and Barks reprints

Yes, you have printed a Rosa story in about 4 issues of U$ each year.  Up to very recently though, most of these Rosa stories have been *new* stories though.  From what Don has written on this mailing list, it does not look like we will be seeing a new Rosa story anytime soon.  If I remember what he wrote right, he is thinking of maybe starting a new story sometime this upcoming spring.  If he does start one then, I still do not imagine it being reading for printing until sometime in 2008.  So that leaves us with no new Rosa stories for well over a year.  Does Gemstone *still* plan on printing a Rosa story in every third issue of U$ even if they are all reprints?  I guess I am saying that I think there is a big difference in giving Rosa a quarterly spot in U$ when it is mostly new stories compared to *all* reprints?  Of course we would all love if Don would produce many more stories and at a faster rate.  Wouldn't it be heaven to have a new Rosa story in every issue of U$? :)  That is just not the case though and in my opinion when all we have is Rosa reprints, I do not think they should be in U$ as often as when there were mostly new stories to print.

As regards to the new Walt Disney Treasures TPB coming out next summer, of course it is fine to have a Rosa reprint. It just seems that a *very* high percentage of the total contents of this TPB are reprints.  Couldn't we have at least half of the volume contain new stories?

David, is there any thought being given to at least trying out a TPB with *all* new material?  Of course I can not say if this would sell well or not.  However I don't think anyone can know until one such volume is tried.  Is there are hope for such a TPB volume in the future, or am I just hoping for something that likely will never occur?

Another question:  Is there any chance Gemstone will produce a regular ongoing title that focused on reprinted stories?  You could call it "The Best of Barks", "Walt Disney Classics" or probably 100 or other so even better titles.  Since you say that so many people request reprints by Barks, Rosa, Van Horn, and others, is there a reason why you think such an ongoing reprint title would not be viable?  To me that way would be the best of both worlds.  Readers who do not already own all of these classic stories could buy this title, and that would leave the whole space of the two other monthly titles for new stories.  Or do you think there is not enough of a demand for separate new and reprint titles?

Perhaps I went overboard about the lack of new stories being reprinted.  However I still do have concerns.  For example, it now looks like WDC&S will have the monthly Barks 10 pager that DD&F used to have.  I just think that when we are down to only two monthly titles it is a shame to automatically lose 10 pages of WDC&S each month to a Barks reprint.  The less pages being printed each month, the less I think can afford to be given to reprints.

Now perhaps this is just my imagination, but it seems that both Spring Fever 1 and Vacation Parade 4 are dominated by reprints.  It seems that some previous annuals had a least somewhat more of a balance of old to new stories.

You mention that most readers seems to prefer a mix of old and new stories, but that of course Gemstone would love to hear more opinions.  That gave me an idea.  Is there anyway you could take an online poll of this issue at gemstonepub.com? I think it would be great if in upcoming Gemstone comics you could direct readers to the Gemstone website and have them vote for which types of stories they would prefer to read.  Not only might you get an even better read of what people want, but you could then direct them to check out Gemstone's "Scoop" website and other possible online content.

As for your opinion that if there were only one "Fantastic Four" title a month that you could see frequent reprints in it, I guess we will just have to disagree.  Of course since you actually publish comics and I don't I am not sure how much my opinion is worth! :)

Gary I am thrilled to hear that the "Shonen Jump" style title is intended to contain all new stories!  I think that is a fantastic decision and really hope it works out.  Two quick questions.  One, do you have a ball park idea of when the first of these titles might be published?  Two, will this title contain long stories like used to be in MMA and DDA, shorter stories that might have appeared if MM&F and DD&F were still around, or some of each?  See what your "reward" is for being so nice and contributing to the mailing list: even more questions! :)

You also made a good point about how things Gemstone initially might appear to be taking with a re-direction might not be how things end up in the long run.  I will have to try and be more patient.

Thanks also for what you wrote Robert.  I very much apologize if my comments that Gemstone might take the "cheap" and "easy" way out with its upcoming Shonen Jump style titles offended anyone on the list or at Gemstone.  What I meant was that I was worried that the "cheap" and "easy" way would be their *only* choice or that they would go to it without trying new stories first. I have *no* doubt in my mind that for the people at Gemstone, producing Disney comics is a labor of love.  I talked a bit with John Clark at the Baltimore comic convention in 2005 and you could just see in his face and by what he said how big a love he has for Disney comics.  I agree with you 100% Robert that most if not all of the people at Gemstone could be making more money at some other job.  I am *very* thankful for everyone at Gemstone for doing what they do!

Robert, you mention that you were nearly in tears when Gemstone started publishing Disney comics again.  Boy, can I relate to that!  When Gladstone ended I shed *many* real tears about it! :(  Most people would probably view that as silly, and perhaps they are right.  However Disney comics mean SO much to me that I was just *devastated* when they went away.  As far as for when I heard Gemstone was going to start printing Disney comics again, that is another story.  My girlfriend was already well asleep when I read late in the night on a comics website that Gemstone was going to start printing Disney comics again.  I was *so* excited and happy that I immediately woke her up and dragged her to the computer so she could read the good news too! :)  While the news did not directly bear on her as much as me (imagine that! :), she was *so* happy and thrilled for me that something that I had missed for so long was coming back!  In the next day or two we went out for a special dinner to celebrate she had just been offered a new job *and* that Disney comics were coming back!

Rodney, thanks so much for letting us know that paper prices are indeed going up incredibly fast.  It is good to hear that news, even if that news is bad, if you know what I mean.  So apparently this increase in the price of paper is going to affect me even beyond Disney comics! :(  Since so much of my free time is spent not just on reading comic books, but also books, magazines, newspapers, etc., it looks like my wallet is going to be hit all over! :(  I will just have to pay more though as their is no way I am going to cut down on reading!

Finally, thanks again to everyone who wrote and I hope more people continue to add their two cents to the discussion.  I will be waiting with bated breath for any more info David and Gary can share.  I will *try* to be patient, but boy is it hard! :)

Dean Rekich 






 

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