Disney-comics digest #291.

Don Rosa 72260.2635 at CompuServe.COM
Wed Apr 6 07:21:19 CEST 1994


GLADSTONE SALES FIGURES:
	As someone mentioned, the latest DDA which I just received in
the mail (and which I think has a HIDEOUS looking cover, I don't care if
it is lifted from bits of art in the Barks story) had that annual
statement-of-ownership stuff. The paid circulation figure was 159,310!
This, if I recall, is about FOUR times what Disney Comics had, and about
twice what Gladstone had back in their first run. Am I wrong? 
	Sales of 160,000 is VERY respectable these days! Even GREAT by
1994 standards! Many DC and Marvels sell only 50,000 or so! Where are
these things being sold? I don't see it happening. Is Hamilton's idea of
making the comics bimonthly so each issue will have more shelf time
WORKING?

DENMARK:
	Anyone here from Denmark? I also just received a ANDERS AND &
CO. #13 (1994), and on page 14/15 there seems to be a large text piece
explaining my Duck Family Tree they just finished serializing (with
stickers). What is this all about? I sure get curious when I see text
sections in these foreign comics that say "blah blah blah blah DON ROSA
blah blah blah".

SWEDEN and NORWAY:
	MAYBE my next tour of your area will be this coming October 26
to November 6 or so. From the Goteborg Book Fair to Oslo to the
Stockholm comic convention. Nothing for sure yet, but that's what is
being mentioned as a possibility.

GERMANY:
	Of course, I'm still to be in Frankfurt and Erlangen this May 30
to June 6.

	Frankly, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to deal with
these nice invitations to come over to Europe and promote Disney comics.
I mean, it's unbelievably pleasant for me, no question, and I am highly
flattered and grateful. Yet I'm trying to exist in a system where other
comics folks are making a million bucks per year, getting $150,000 in
royalties off a few days of work on single issues, selling their
original art all the time -- and I still must exist in a comics system
set in the same years as I set my $crooge stories. I get paid no extra
for my stories than any other Egmont people (actually LESS than those
who have been around longer), and when I travel to Europe to promote the
comics, everyone benefits from the extra sales but ME. I actually LOSE a
week of work. Consider the people whose work, for whatever reason,
doesn't seem as popular with readers as mine or who aren't willing or
able to participate in promotional tours... those folks actually make
MORE $$$ since they aren't called upon to stop work several times a
year.
	I wish I knew how to deal with this. It's getting increasingly
irritating that anyone who does Disney comic books is treated like a
slave while all other comics freelancers have unlimited freedoms and
opportunities. This, of course, is not really Egmont's fault, though
they seem to have no reason to make any effort to help change the
system, and as long as I'm the only one of their people having problems,
there's no way I can convince them to get involved. They know, no matter
what, I won't quit. I love what I do too much, even though I make no
better $ than my wife the schoolteacher, and get none of the insurance
and pension benefits she does.
	Anyone have any philosophical advice here? How should I deal
with this whole set up??? 
	




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