<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">In a message dated 6/26/2003 4:25:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time, lgiver@postoffice.pacbell.net writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">Is Gemstone shipping very limited quantities to comic book stores<BR>
so there will be lots of reports of being "SOLD OUT!?" which may<BR>
generate publicity indicating lots of interest.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
The comic stores pick the quanity of the books they order. Since the Gemstone books are so expensive, the stores simply aren't ordering very many of them at this point, in fear of losing money. The stores barely make money on new releases, so they need to order exactly how many they think they will sell.<BR>
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This can be remedied by ASKING the stores to either put the books on a "pull list," so you personally get them each month, or order them directly from the "Previews" catalog. (Unfortunately, you must do this two months ahead.) This is standard practice for most American comics.<BR>
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I apologize if everyone knew this prior to this posting, but I hope I've at least answered a few questions.<BR>
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By the way, I really enjoyed both of the books, although I *still* think they're slightly overpriced...<BR>
-- <BR>
Dane Martin<BR>
<BR>
"Surrealism in th' service of sanity is no sin."<BR>
--Griffy, "Zippy the Pinhead"</FONT></HTML>