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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!
:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!
:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!
:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dean Rekich</FONT> </DIV>
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