<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:st1 =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3199" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">To Gemstone, itself.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Not nearly enough material has come
along to replace the four titles we lost one year ago.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Of the formats proposed over that time,
I’m glad the thick B&W collections were nixed, as these comics were meant to
be seen in color.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Trade paperbacks are a more complex matter.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To me, trade paperbacks should be
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS… and not just thrown out there for any old reason.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There was a time when I bought most of
the DC trade paperbacks published, as they collected, between one set of covers,
the “big”, special stories – like “Death of Superman” or Batman:
“Knightfall”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Now both DC and
Marvel “trade” any and every old thing – and I’ve long since stopped buying
their TPBs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Within the publishing microcosm of Disney comics, there
are relatively FEW things that truly qualify as special enough for a trade
paperback.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Disney Treasures,
“Life and Times of Scrooge Mc Duck” volumes – and even “Carl Barks’ DuckTales”
are among them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But how much
else?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Really?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Do we need a series of Barks TPBs already having various editions of the
Barks Library (with maybe more to come in the future) and with Barks in regular
reprint cycles?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Gottfredson TPB’s
are a good idea – but will be rendered needless by the coming library.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Maybe a collected <st1:place
w:st="on">Rosa</st1:place> series, with lots of accompanying texts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I’m certain that everyone on this list
has their own “Dream Disney TPB”, but it probably wouldn’t be of interest to the
general audience.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For instance, I’d
like the first 7 or 8 issues of SUPER GOOF to be collected… but I don’t think
too many others would share that desire.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Beyond the clearly obvious,
trade-worthy selections can become tricky and subjective.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Another downside to the trade paperback is that, unlike
the periodical that is published in series, an isolated TPB is easier to
ignore.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>By this, I mean that, if
you’re going to buy UNCLE SCROOGE # 380 and # 382, you are not likely to skip #
381 regardless of its contents.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
periodical fosters a “gotta get ‘em all” mindset in its loyalists that the TPB
does not.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Without naming it, there will be (…or has been) one trade
paperback collection from Gemstone that I will intentionally pass on (…or have
already done so!), simply because I did not enjoy the material being collected
when it originally appeared.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sorry,
but I won’t gratuitously disparage a Gemstone product, just because it wasn’t to
my taste – so nameless it remains.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Offering this material as a non-series, non-periodical
trade paperback makes it all the easier for even a Gemstone die-hard like me to
ignore it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Conversely, illustrating the “periodical mindset”
mentioned above, if Gemstone chose to reprint that same material in a regularly
numbered issue of UNCLE SCROOGE, I WOULD buy it, and just grumble about it on
the letters page!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Another instance that I WILL name was that “Formula One”
racing serial that ate up too many pages of WDC&S.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If that were a separate TPB, I would
have easily passed on it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But, as
one component of my lifelong collection of WDC&S…<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You get the picture!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">What all this is leading to is that a THIRD PRESTIGE
PERIODICAL would tap into the existing loyalty and “periodical mindset” of those
already purchasing UNCLE SCROOGE and WDC&S – and might be the best way to
go.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The THIRD PRESTIGE PERIODICAL, as I’ve suggested in the
Gemstone letter columns, would be a single DONALD AND MICKEY title – issued
monthly – rather than a separate DONALD DUCK and MICKEY MOUSE, as has been
suggested here. Alas, the Mickey book would lag behind and eventually get
cancelled anyway, so why not make the best of it.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">I would organize the three titles as follows:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">UNCLE SCROOGE:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Always starts with a long adventure lead, with fewer Barks and <st1:place
w:st="on">Rosa</st1:place> reprints and more new stories.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This book should contain only characters
and concepts created by Carl Barks: Scrooge, Gyro, Beagle Boys, Junior
Woodchucks, etc. This should be the “Carl Barks Book”, even if his reprints are
kept to a minimum.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Covers should
illustrate the long adventure lead, whenever possible, but not exclusively.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">WDC&S:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Always lead off with Donald and end with Mickey.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Do a serial with Mickey, be it
Gottfredson, Murry, or something new.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Make this the catch-all for everything else: Scamp, Wolves and Pigs,
Chipmunks, “Brer” Characters.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And
squeeze in a second Donald or Mickey when possible, just because they are the
stars.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Use Donald gag covers, as
per tradition.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>DONALD AND MICKEY:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Alternate
monthly issues featuring “Duck family” characters and “Mouse family” characters
– but always have ONE Donald and ONE Mickey story in each issue.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>One month, have a long Donald adventure
lead, back it up with other duck stuff – Donald 10 pagers, Daisy, Gyro, Grandma,
Von Drake, Moby Duck – and end with a short Mickey.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Next month, start with a long Mickey
adventure lead, back it up with other mouse stuff – Mickey shorts, Goofy, Pluto,
Super Goof, The Phantom Blot, and end with a Donald 10-12 pager. The "TNT"
series should continue here! </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">This can be the place for creators of every type like
Barks, Gottfredson, Strobl, Murry, Bradbury, Bill Wright, Dick Moores, Jack
Manning, Scarpa, Cavazzano, Jippes, Milton, Branca, Vicar, Rota, Verhagen,
“3-Tiered Tales”, Old AND New, etc.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The cover should – in every case – reflect the adventure lead.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If it is a Duck cover, Mickey’s head can
appear in an inset near the book’s title, and vice-versa, if a Mouse cover.
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It would be a delight for all Duck
and Mouse fans – giving everyone a little of what they want!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">And one final note to Gemstone, should they go the THIRD
PRESTIGE route, please release the third book on a DIFFERENT DAY than the duel
releases of UNCLE SCROOGE and WDC&S.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>If readers are faced with the prospect of shelling-out 7.99 times three
in a single day, they may leave the new third book behind.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s best released at another point
during the month, when we’re feeing the Disney drought.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Sorry if this overlong, but I hope it continues to fuel
the ongoing discussion of both Gemstone and the Gottfredson Library.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Joe Torcivia. </FONT></P></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the <A title="http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001" href="http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001" target="_blank">hottest products</A> and <A title="http://money.aol.com/top5/general/ways-you-are-wasting-money?NCID=aoltop00030000000002" href="http://money.aol.com/top5/general/ways-you-are-wasting-money?NCID=aoltop00030000000002" target="_blank">top money wasters</A> of 2007.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>