Continuing on this discussion about Gemstone pricing, I've been a little worried 
lately about the new Disney Comics here in the USA. I live in a small town and 
I've been one of the biggest promoters of the new launch.  The comic shops where I 
go all know me as "The guy who collects Disney."  I often engage the owners in 
discussions about the popularity of the book and related things, and they are 
always on the look out for new things I might be interested in buying from them.

Sadly, reports from them and some of my friends who are also comicbook collectors, 
have been moving in the negative direction.  

Here are the major issues that they tell me:

1)  The prices are too high.
2)  The high prices have caused them to drop certain books in the line.
    The number 1 book dropped is DONALD DUCK ADVENTURES:
    REASONS: PRICE & Poor choices of stories
    The number 2 book dropped is WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES:
    REASON: PRICE
3)  The High prices are a deterance to children who cannot afford them.
4)  The High prices mean they are typically only accessible to longtime
    collectors, but many are turned off by the choice of stories, though
    they also don't want books filled with re-re-reprints of stories they
    already have in their collections from Dell/Gold Key or Gladstone.

When I asked what the WANT to see from Gemstone's Disneys I was told:

1)  Rosa/Barks (everyone wants this), but no more than one/two Barks reprints
    per issue.

2)  Gottfredson material that has not been reprinted since their first or
    second printing, especially the longer serial stories.

3)  Romano Scarpa's Duck and Mouse stories that have never been printed in
    the USA, especially the longer stories.

4)  Strobl and Taliaferro material that has not been reprinted for some time.

5) One other thing that couldn't be clearly explained, but it related to the
   choice of stories being printed in the DDA books.  Something about them
   being very unappealing, especially since the Price of the books make them
   accessible only to adults.

The reason "Price" is a major issue is because, it seems, most folks I know
don't have a lot of disposable income these days, and it's not just Disney
comics, but Marvel, DC and other titles that they've dropped as well. Many
have expressed a desire to purchase the Disney books, despite the quality of
stories chosen, just to keep them on the Market, but the prices of the books
have made it impossible.

I, personally, have to agree with much of the sentiment expressed, though,
I am one who is buying ALL the titles and enjoying most of the stories, despite
how it impacts my budget... well, I am reworking my budget to include them,
and I have to say Marvel and, to a lesser extent, DC, are making it very easy
for me to do so.  I have dropped a great many Marvel titles, and DC has stopped
publishing many of the titles I used to buy, so those funds have been diverted
to Gemstone.  Still, I really have to admit that there have indeed been some
poor choices of stories in the DDA book, especially.  I want the LONGER stories
that the format offers, and, having exposure to a good many foreign comics from
France, Italy, Brazil, Germany, etc. I know there are some great stories yet
to be published here in the USA!  My exposure to what few Romano Scarpa material
has appeared here under Gladstone, and those that I have bought on E-Bay or
traded with other comicbook fans, especially from Italy, have made me a BIG fan
of his work.  To me, Scarpa is to Gottfredson what many feel Rosa is to Barks.
I want to see more Scarpa published here, especially his longer stories.

As for other choices, I think more David Gerstein, Al Taliaferro, César Ferioli, 
Dick Kenny, Bill Walsh (Panchito), Claude Marin, Paul Halas (Riverside Rovers/ I-
Team), Giorgio Cavazzano, Nino Russo (Junior Woodchucks/Ducks/Mouses), Guido 
Martina (Paperinik); François Corteggiani (Minnie) and others.

Of course, a continuance of Gottfredson, Barks, Rosa, Branca, Blum, Markstein, Van 
Horns, Vicar, Goria and more...

I'm sure I'd like to see some works of the others who contribute to this Mailing 
List, but even my collection of foreign Disneys is limited.  

I'm sure that one way to draw in more younger readers, despite the HIGH price, is 
to publish material presenting younger characters, especially Junior Woodchucks, 
Riverside Rovers, I-Team stories, April, May & June, and the like.  Using the 
lower priced books like DONALD DUCK & FRIENDS and MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS is 
probably best at this point.  

Some stories I would like to see printed in DONALD DUCK ADVENTURES are:
Mickey Mouse & The Delta Dimension (I TL 206-A); Mickey Mouse and the Chirikawa 
Necklace (I TL 274-A); Goofy & The Return of Ellsworth (I TL 367-B). 
 
Thanks,

Rich Bellacera
xephyr@cwnet.com




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