Postal regs

[Gary Leach]

Robert Hutchings wrote:

> Joe is correct in stating that the comic books were required to  
> contain a backup story which did not include any character anywhere  
> else mentioned. ... It is as a direct result from this obscure and  
> inexplicable postal regulation that duck fans are blessed with  
> these fantastic Gyro shorts.

The old law of Unintended Consequences, in this case to the good.  
Sure would hate to be without the Gyro shorts, they were always some  
of my favorites.

The postal regulation itself does seem kind of inexplicable, though  
it's never been beyond the US Postal Service to come up with some  
very esoteric rationales for tweaking the rules for various classes  
of mailing. I do know that a periodical is another term for a printed  
entity - generally a magazine such as Time, Good Housekeeping, Modern  
Aviation, et al - that is issued on a regular (usually weekly,  
biweekly, monthly, bimontly, or quarterly) basis. These all have  
multiple contents, with tables of contents to readily indicate that  
fact, and it may be that the USPS saw that, along with regular  
issuance, as a hallmark of a periodical and worth including in the  
rules of qualification for a second-class mailing permit (the least  
expensive way to send out subscription copies).

I wonder sometimes if we wouldn't be better off today if that  
regulation had remained in place. MIght've kept a bit more variety in  
our comics. Ah well...

Gary
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