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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Augie De Blieck Jr. was (is?) a member of the DCML
and used to be a frequent letter column writer including many letters to
Gladstone and Disney comics. For the past several years he has had a
weekly column at a very popular comics website called Comic Book
Resources. In this week's column, <A
href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=6">http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=6</A> ,
he spends a good bit of time saying some very positive things about the first
DuckTales TPB, Uncle Scrooge #354 and Disney comics in general. While
Disney comics are discussed a lot in Europe, it is quite rare to have so
much written on an American comics web site that is mostly about the typical
superhero comics.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Augie discussed how much he liked the DuckTales
volume and what great production values it has for such a very reasonable
price. I can't wait to get my copy with my monthly shipment of comics that
should come later in the week!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Perhaps the best thing that he mentions is that all
the copies of DuckTales have already sold out at his comic shop! I think
this is great news indeed and may show how important TPBs are to the future of
Disney comics in North America (hint hint! and a little bit on that later in
this message! :))</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have a question for Gary Leach, David Gerstein,
and/or Travis Seitler: Can you give us any hints about what we might
expect from Gemstone in 2007? Pretty please! :) I realize though
that it may be too early to give out hints and "reveal your hand". The one
thing I had heard is that you plan on producing a deluxe version of Life and
Times of Scrooge McDuck with *all* of the chapters included. Can you tell
us any more plans past this? Two rather more specific question. One,
is a Carl Barks library in a TPB format at least a twinkling in your eye
yet? I don't think I have to say how much fanfare and acclaim such a
project would get. Two, in 2007 or beyond is there a plan to publish TPBs
on a regular basis.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have long thought and have mentioned before on
DCML how I think it would be great for Gemstone to aggressively pursue the
market with a strong TPB presence. While I love the 5 monthly Gemstone
titles, I think they mainly are read by adult fans and are not gaining a lot of
new readers (Of course I very much hope I am *wrong* about that!!!) I
really think with the success of manga and comics in TPB format, that the best
way to reach a new audience and generation may be through TPBs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The DuckTales volume has 144 pages and costs only
$10.95. What about the idea of producing on a regular basis (monthly,
bi-monthly, quarterly) a TPB of the types of stories seen each month in Uncle
Scrooge and WDC&S? What I mean by that is that it could have some
classic reprints by Barks, Paul Murry, Gottfredson, etc. and also have tons of
new (to North America anyways) Duck and Mice stories. Since I assume there
would be more costs with the production of "new" stories, say you could produce
a 144 pages volume for $14.95? That may sound like a lot, but that is not
much more than the combined cost of U$ and WDC&S each month *plus* you would
get even more pages! With such a volume you would also be very able to tap
into the public library audience. I know a few libraries carry DDA and MMA
and U$ and WDC&S, but from what I can tell the format they *really* want is
the TPB format. Imagine how many new kids could be introduced to Disney
comics if their public library bought such TPBs on a regular basis! It
could be the way to get the attention of Disney comics to a whole new
generation of kids!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of course, that is probably too optimistic.
However, I truly think there is great value for Gemstone to increasingly publish
in the TPB format. I would love to hear what anyone at Gemstone or anyone
on the list thinks of this idea. And *any* hints about what to look forward to
in 2007 and beyond would be *greatly* appreciated. And if you can't give
any hints, just makes sure the items you publish in 2007 blow our socks off!
:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dean Rekich</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>