WDC & S Circulation

[Rob Klein]

Thanks Luca (B.) for giving us the information that the Sept. 1952 issue of
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories sold 3 million copies.  Tom Andrae
informed me (yesterday) that the highwatermark was 3,038,000 in Sept. 1953
(as quoted in "Sherman interview" in "Duckburg Times No. 12".  I seem to
remember malcom Willits telling me it was 1952, but that is only a memory
from 1966 (I cannot vouch for its worth).  But, Mr. Lilly, perhaps the
monthly figures of over 3 million were, after all, reached?  Tom A.
informed me that their are currently no monthly figures available for the
year 1950; - so, apparently,  Joe T.'s question of difference between Barks
and non-Barks issues cannot be answered.  

For Gary Leach:  I didn't mean to offend comic book editors by seeming to
imply that their job is easy.  Having worked with them at
Oberon/Geillustrerde Pers/VNU and Gutenberghus/Egmont, I have an idea of
what they are up against.  I also know (based on my experience with
Gutenberghus before Byron Erickson arrived) that the publishers often have
no idea how very difficult it was to perform all those functions you
mentioned (with a high level of quality and efficiancy).  My comment was
meant to imply that it was a relatively "riskless" way (for the lowest
level of editorial staff) to show some tangeable productivity that is easy
to notice (comic covers).  This would not be for THEIR immediate bosses
(chief editor), who already KNOW how valuable their editorial staff is, but
more to have something easy to show the Publishers that a given size of
editorial staff is actually needed.  I know this sounds ludicrous, but as
you know; often the "money people" have no idea what editorial staff do. 
Often they want to see "concrete" evidence of their work.

Perhaps this explanation holds no water.  Maybe my perception of the
situation is off base.  If so, I apologise.  I know there is usually
terrible pressure, and editorial staffs SHOULD NOT NEED to justify their
existence.  

Regarding the idea of determining the count of DCML members by country (of
residence, nationality(birth or current passport(s)):

I believe we already have a built in mechanism that would be the easiest
way to produce such data.  That is Per Starback's list of DCML members
linked to our DCML Home Page.  It has members listed with their e-mail
address.  If Per could adjust those entries to include a data point for
"Country" (however defined), then he could also be able to tabulate those
figures.  I assume that all new members from that time onward, would have
to answer the "country" question on their application to the list. 
Previous members would be requested to enter that "extra" bit of
information retroactively, in a separate visit to the DCML Members' List. 
This may require an amount of work for him that he may not have time for. 
But, I believe this way would be much less work than having another member
start a separate data base "from scratch".

I look forward to other members' and Per's comments on this issue.  It
might be an interesting bit of knowledge, but is it worth all the work that
may be required?  To get an accurate count, we would need ALL members to
cooperate in providing the information.

Rob Klein