>> [The publishers] have tried to make the Belgian kinds enthousiastic,
but
>> with no success. I think it's a matter of tradition and culture. In
any case,
>> it's not the fault of the publishers.
>I think that this is the fault of "Tintin" and other
>Belgium comis. They are the local comics, and are related to the
Belgium
>culture more than the Disney comics produced by Western. The same thing
>happens in France with French/Belgium comics.
Well, I really can't blame them. Tintin and many other Belgium comics
are very good, easily compared to Barks
at his best. If you don't know about really good Disney-comics.. Why
switch?
Steamboat Willie
Author
Topic: 199810
(197 messages)
Bror Hellman
Tristan: Marketing: Gladstone vs. Egmont
Message 91 -
1998-10-15 at 10:54:44
Dr. Archontis Pantsios
More on PICSOU
Message 92 -
1998-10-15 at 18:44:20
FRANCOIS replying to KRITON:
>> So, are you saying that Picsou is a Barks & Rosa magazine, just like
>> the June issue seemed to suggest?
>
>Yes, Picsou has been a Barks-and-Rosa-only magazine for several months
>now.
I've been getting PICSOU regularly during the past two years, and I must say
that while I consider it among the top 3-4 Disney comics worldwide, recently
it has become very predictable. I adore the works of Barks and Rosa, but
PICSOU's total reliance on these two artists in the last months could tire
its (adult) readership. I agree with Francois that a little variety is
needed, and that I'd welcome stories by Scarpa and Rota and by other good
artists. PICSOU has shown it can do that, as in the past it has printed nice
non-Barks, non-Rosa material. This year, except for a Rota issue earlier in
1998 and an old Scarpa story, it has been all Barks and Rosa, as it has
printed many old Rosa stories that were originally printed in France in " Le
Journal de Mickey". As this old material runs out, I hope that PICSOU will
give us some more variety--"variety is the spice of life"!
Look at the other great Disney comic over in Italy: ZIO PAPERONE, while it
includes regular, heavy doses of Barks and Rosa, also includes quite
regularly stories by Marco Rota, Daan Jippes, Freddy Milton, and Daniel
Branca. ZIO PAPERONE can probably afford that variety as it devotes in each
issue ~80 pages to comics, with the remaining 20 going to articles, letters
to the editor, indexes, and a few ads. On the other hand, PICSOU devotes ~60
pages to comics, with the remaining 40 reserved for various features ranging
from movie previews to star gossip to video game updates. ZP is mainly aimed
to collectors, while PICSOU can be read by both kids and collectors.
FRANCOIS to KRITON:
>> Then again, maybe not, unless they plan to celebrate Mickey's birthday
>> (when is it, BTW?) by publishing Uncle Scrooge stories.
>
>Maybe in November this year, I'm not sure.
It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey for
its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Cheers,
Archontis
>> So, are you saying that Picsou is a Barks & Rosa magazine, just like
>> the June issue seemed to suggest?
>
>Yes, Picsou has been a Barks-and-Rosa-only magazine for several months
>now.
I've been getting PICSOU regularly during the past two years, and I must say
that while I consider it among the top 3-4 Disney comics worldwide, recently
it has become very predictable. I adore the works of Barks and Rosa, but
PICSOU's total reliance on these two artists in the last months could tire
its (adult) readership. I agree with Francois that a little variety is
needed, and that I'd welcome stories by Scarpa and Rota and by other good
artists. PICSOU has shown it can do that, as in the past it has printed nice
non-Barks, non-Rosa material. This year, except for a Rota issue earlier in
1998 and an old Scarpa story, it has been all Barks and Rosa, as it has
printed many old Rosa stories that were originally printed in France in " Le
Journal de Mickey". As this old material runs out, I hope that PICSOU will
give us some more variety--"variety is the spice of life"!
Look at the other great Disney comic over in Italy: ZIO PAPERONE, while it
includes regular, heavy doses of Barks and Rosa, also includes quite
regularly stories by Marco Rota, Daan Jippes, Freddy Milton, and Daniel
Branca. ZIO PAPERONE can probably afford that variety as it devotes in each
issue ~80 pages to comics, with the remaining 20 going to articles, letters
to the editor, indexes, and a few ads. On the other hand, PICSOU devotes ~60
pages to comics, with the remaining 40 reserved for various features ranging
from movie previews to star gossip to video game updates. ZP is mainly aimed
to collectors, while PICSOU can be read by both kids and collectors.
FRANCOIS to KRITON:
>> Then again, maybe not, unless they plan to celebrate Mickey's birthday
>> (when is it, BTW?) by publishing Uncle Scrooge stories.
>
>Maybe in November this year, I'm not sure.
It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey for
its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Cheers,
Archontis
Donald D. Markstein
Junkville Journal
Message 93 -
1998-10-15 at 22:57:27
TRISTAN HAVELOCK --
>> "I think what happened was some guy at Gladstone had an
>> idea. He thought that since the "lesser" comics, such
>> as Mickey and Donald, Donald Duck Adv etc... would get
>> more buyers if they were combined into two single comic
>> books." etc. etc.
Y'know, it isn't really necessary to offer
half-baked speculation on the motives behind Gladstone's
actions. Gary Leach drops by frequently, and has been
known to state, unequivocally, what their motives were.
A year ago, for example, when the cancellation of
the regular-size comics occurred, it was made ABSOLUTELY
CLEAR why they did it. It was because of changes in
newsstand distribution, which, combined with their level
of circulation in that venue, caused them to lose money
on every copy sold.
Does this give you some insight into their motives?
>> "If Gladstone loses their liccence, someone else will
>> pick up the line. And if not, we can all pay
>> inexorbanant shipping costs to get comics form the UK
>> or something."
Has someone started publishing Disney comics in
the UK again? Last I heard, it had been several years
since that had happened.
>> "Any kid who saw two comics aimed at him, staring
>> Donald Duck, or Archie at the same price which do you
>> think he'd buy."
I dunno, but when that choice WAS most recently
given to American kids, I can tell you which one they
DID buy.
But of course, that's irrelevant. For such a
choice to matter, you'd have to actually place both
comics in front of the kid at the retail level. I'd ask
if you have any thoughts on how to do so (distribution is
the single most difficult aspect of publishing, which is
why Diamond's monopoly in the American Direct Market is
so alarming), but that would only encourage you to voice
them, fully believing, I'm sure, that you're able to make
suggestions that would never even occur to the guys at
Gladstone.
Don't you think they've thought about using
cheaper paper? (Reality: Paper grade does not impact
retail price as much as people outside the publishing
industry think. Higher-grade paper is mostly used as a
consolation prize for the consumer when other factors
conspire to make prices go up.) Don't you think they've
thought about distribution deals with other publishers?
(Reality: Publishers aren't always enthusiastic about
promoting competitors' products -- the deal with Marvel
was a sweet, lucky fluke.) Don't you think they've
considered other formats? (Reality: They've tried a VAST
variety, even to the point of dropping the glossy covers
from their comics in an effort to hold costs down.)
I've got an idea. If, after all these years of
struggling against impossible odds (not made easier by
the second-guessing they've had to put up with), they
finally decide at the end of this year to let the Disney
license go, why don't YOU pick it up?
Think I'm being sarcastic? You're only half right.
Gladstone is, itself, the result of people with an
interest in Disney comics deciding that, in the absence
of interest from existing publishers, they could do a
good job of getting them out. They put together a
business plan, convinced Disney they could do it, and had
a great deal of success, for quite a few years, before
they got worn down by market realities. Maybe you can get
around those market realities the way you apparently
think they could, and take Disney comics in America to
new heights of greatness.
If I sound testy, please forgive me. Back when I
was an enthusiastic young fan, I would take umbrage at
the pros who dismissed my ideas as unrealistic. Now that
I've walked a few miles in their shoes, I can see that
they had a point -- but on the other hand, time has
proven the enthusiastic young fans of that time right on
a few points, as well. This is why I suggested doing it
yourself -- if you can get over the initial hurdles,
you'll either show us all a thing or two, or come to a
full realization of why your comments about Gladstone
seem to get so little response. I'd bet on the latter,
but -- you never know.
HOY MURPHY --
I know you weren't actually suggesting Gladstone
step aside and let someone else take the license -- just
speculating on who might, should that happen. It's just
that there's been so much back-seat driving, by people
with no known experience in the publishing industry, that
I guess some of what I've been thinking spilled over.
Now that you mention it, DC wouldn't be a bad one,
if not for the fact that it's just so outrageously
unlikely they'd be interested. Like Archie, they have
recent experience dealing with comics that are produced
in a central studio, then translated for distribution all
over the world -- that's how their Looney Tunes and
Animaniacs comics are produced. (The same studio also
does Tiny Toon Adventures, but DC doesn't pick those up.)
But the fact that they're doing licensed comics
for the same market niche doesn't mean much, because the
ones they're doing are those they have corporate
connections with. The Warner characters are a given, of
course, since Warner owns DC. And the Cartoon Network/
Hanna-Barbera ones are a result of recently-forged ties
between Warner and Turner. I wouldn't be too surprised to
see the MGM characters turn up there (through the Turner
connection), but the Disneys would very much surprise me.
GARY LEACH --
I think Disney's withdrawal from the comics market
was more a failure of nerve than anything else. They went
in with bold plans, long-term commitment, etc. -- but as
is often the case with corporations, the bean counters
pulled the plug before the line had a chance to establish
itself. I still think their marketing clout could have
made a big difference, if they'd just stuck with it.
Quack, Don
>> "I think what happened was some guy at Gladstone had an
>> idea. He thought that since the "lesser" comics, such
>> as Mickey and Donald, Donald Duck Adv etc... would get
>> more buyers if they were combined into two single comic
>> books." etc. etc.
Y'know, it isn't really necessary to offer
half-baked speculation on the motives behind Gladstone's
actions. Gary Leach drops by frequently, and has been
known to state, unequivocally, what their motives were.
A year ago, for example, when the cancellation of
the regular-size comics occurred, it was made ABSOLUTELY
CLEAR why they did it. It was because of changes in
newsstand distribution, which, combined with their level
of circulation in that venue, caused them to lose money
on every copy sold.
Does this give you some insight into their motives?
>> "If Gladstone loses their liccence, someone else will
>> pick up the line. And if not, we can all pay
>> inexorbanant shipping costs to get comics form the UK
>> or something."
Has someone started publishing Disney comics in
the UK again? Last I heard, it had been several years
since that had happened.
>> "Any kid who saw two comics aimed at him, staring
>> Donald Duck, or Archie at the same price which do you
>> think he'd buy."
I dunno, but when that choice WAS most recently
given to American kids, I can tell you which one they
DID buy.
But of course, that's irrelevant. For such a
choice to matter, you'd have to actually place both
comics in front of the kid at the retail level. I'd ask
if you have any thoughts on how to do so (distribution is
the single most difficult aspect of publishing, which is
why Diamond's monopoly in the American Direct Market is
so alarming), but that would only encourage you to voice
them, fully believing, I'm sure, that you're able to make
suggestions that would never even occur to the guys at
Gladstone.
Don't you think they've thought about using
cheaper paper? (Reality: Paper grade does not impact
retail price as much as people outside the publishing
industry think. Higher-grade paper is mostly used as a
consolation prize for the consumer when other factors
conspire to make prices go up.) Don't you think they've
thought about distribution deals with other publishers?
(Reality: Publishers aren't always enthusiastic about
promoting competitors' products -- the deal with Marvel
was a sweet, lucky fluke.) Don't you think they've
considered other formats? (Reality: They've tried a VAST
variety, even to the point of dropping the glossy covers
from their comics in an effort to hold costs down.)
I've got an idea. If, after all these years of
struggling against impossible odds (not made easier by
the second-guessing they've had to put up with), they
finally decide at the end of this year to let the Disney
license go, why don't YOU pick it up?
Think I'm being sarcastic? You're only half right.
Gladstone is, itself, the result of people with an
interest in Disney comics deciding that, in the absence
of interest from existing publishers, they could do a
good job of getting them out. They put together a
business plan, convinced Disney they could do it, and had
a great deal of success, for quite a few years, before
they got worn down by market realities. Maybe you can get
around those market realities the way you apparently
think they could, and take Disney comics in America to
new heights of greatness.
If I sound testy, please forgive me. Back when I
was an enthusiastic young fan, I would take umbrage at
the pros who dismissed my ideas as unrealistic. Now that
I've walked a few miles in their shoes, I can see that
they had a point -- but on the other hand, time has
proven the enthusiastic young fans of that time right on
a few points, as well. This is why I suggested doing it
yourself -- if you can get over the initial hurdles,
you'll either show us all a thing or two, or come to a
full realization of why your comments about Gladstone
seem to get so little response. I'd bet on the latter,
but -- you never know.
HOY MURPHY --
I know you weren't actually suggesting Gladstone
step aside and let someone else take the license -- just
speculating on who might, should that happen. It's just
that there's been so much back-seat driving, by people
with no known experience in the publishing industry, that
I guess some of what I've been thinking spilled over.
Now that you mention it, DC wouldn't be a bad one,
if not for the fact that it's just so outrageously
unlikely they'd be interested. Like Archie, they have
recent experience dealing with comics that are produced
in a central studio, then translated for distribution all
over the world -- that's how their Looney Tunes and
Animaniacs comics are produced. (The same studio also
does Tiny Toon Adventures, but DC doesn't pick those up.)
But the fact that they're doing licensed comics
for the same market niche doesn't mean much, because the
ones they're doing are those they have corporate
connections with. The Warner characters are a given, of
course, since Warner owns DC. And the Cartoon Network/
Hanna-Barbera ones are a result of recently-forged ties
between Warner and Turner. I wouldn't be too surprised to
see the MGM characters turn up there (through the Turner
connection), but the Disneys would very much surprise me.
GARY LEACH --
I think Disney's withdrawal from the comics market
was more a failure of nerve than anything else. They went
in with bold plans, long-term commitment, etc. -- but as
is often the case with corporations, the bean counters
pulled the plug before the line had a chance to establish
itself. I still think their marketing clout could have
made a big difference, if they'd just stuck with it.
Quack, Don
Francesco Spreafico
The Universal Solvent
Message 94 -
1998-10-15 at 23:43:19
Hello!!
I've finally been able to read the story in subject since it's in Zio Paperone
109, out today...
What to say?
Wonderful!!
It jumped right away at the top of my favourite Rosa's stories, together with
Xanadu and GotLL. So far I had only had the chance to preview a page in "Don
Rosa e il rinascimento Disneyano" and had been wondering what it was all
about... now that I know... wow!
Don, let me tell you that you are one of the best Disney artists ever!
Actually it takes me a lotta time to "make a story deeply mine" and I thought
that I couldn't do that anymore with new ones (I consider new anything I've read
after Scarpa's Paperolimpiadi in 1988... my childhood's border), but these ones
are very close to make it again!
Thanks so much!
Ciao!
Francesco
I've finally been able to read the story in subject since it's in Zio Paperone
109, out today...
What to say?
Wonderful!!
It jumped right away at the top of my favourite Rosa's stories, together with
Xanadu and GotLL. So far I had only had the chance to preview a page in "Don
Rosa e il rinascimento Disneyano" and had been wondering what it was all
about... now that I know... wow!
Don, let me tell you that you are one of the best Disney artists ever!
Actually it takes me a lotta time to "make a story deeply mine" and I thought
that I couldn't do that anymore with new ones (I consider new anything I've read
after Scarpa's Paperolimpiadi in 1988... my childhood's border), but these ones
are very close to make it again!
Thanks so much!
Ciao!
Francesco
Bror Hellman
Junkville Journal
Message 95 -
1998-10-16 at 10:49:38
Don wrote a long text about Gladstone and our feeble attempts to
back-seat driving.
Well, I for one do NOT know how to run a company, and even less how to
run a comics publisher in the U.S, but if I understand you correctly...
Distribution is the key problem, right?
Either directly (potential readers can't find disney comics) or
indirectly (since virtually NO comics are available, how
could there be anyone intered at all?).
So, can we only dream of a solution?
A DREAM.scenario where either Egmont or Disney bought Gladstone,
kept the staff and swamped them with huge loads of money to build
their own distribution and promotion? (A dream? Just a dream... *sigh*)
So.. our only hope is that Disney will be reasonable and realize that
there
isn't a market big enough to publish the comics and pay their higher
royalties.
OR that some big operator that we fans can trust would come in and spend
a lot of money as an investment to build a market.. (Which would take
YEARS
and would cost a fortune.)
I'm curious about what Gladstone are doing now, and what they plan.
Because what I've seen of gladstone makes me believe that they are
not the kind of people to just sit and await certain doom. They have
always (in the past) worked hard and struggled. I can't see why they
would give up now, and I have confidence in Gladstone.
Steamboat Willie, mumbling and rambling about... :-(
--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V98 Issue #252
******************************************
back-seat driving.
Well, I for one do NOT know how to run a company, and even less how to
run a comics publisher in the U.S, but if I understand you correctly...
Distribution is the key problem, right?
Either directly (potential readers can't find disney comics) or
indirectly (since virtually NO comics are available, how
could there be anyone intered at all?).
So, can we only dream of a solution?
A DREAM.scenario where either Egmont or Disney bought Gladstone,
kept the staff and swamped them with huge loads of money to build
their own distribution and promotion? (A dream? Just a dream... *sigh*)
So.. our only hope is that Disney will be reasonable and realize that
there
isn't a market big enough to publish the comics and pay their higher
royalties.
OR that some big operator that we fans can trust would come in and spend
a lot of money as an investment to build a market.. (Which would take
YEARS
and would cost a fortune.)
I'm curious about what Gladstone are doing now, and what they plan.
Because what I've seen of gladstone makes me believe that they are
not the kind of people to just sit and await certain doom. They have
always (in the past) worked hard and struggled. I can't see why they
would give up now, and I have confidence in Gladstone.
Steamboat Willie, mumbling and rambling about... :-(
--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V98 Issue #252
******************************************
Fluks, H.W.
Gladstone and Porky of the Mounties
Message 96 -
1998-10-16 at 13:04:15
Dean:
> Harry Fluks recently wrote:
> Why does everyone here keep telling Gladstone what to do?
>
> By telling Gladstone what to do, do you mean we are blaming Gladstone?
> If that is the case I don't think so. Are we though offering up some
> ideas that Gladstone might try? Absolutely yes!
>
For the past five or six years, people have written ideas on this list "that
Gladstone might try". But often the ideas were worded in a way that
"Gladstone SHOULD try" them. That sounds a bit like my mother: she always
tells me what to do, or what I should have done, even if I already *did* do
that. This can be very annoying (I'm 36)!
My mail can be seen as a summarised reply to the mails of the past six
years. There *were* some constructive mails about Gladstone's situation, but
most of the time the mails looked like my mother was talking. 8-)
Talking about other USA comic companies: someone just mentioned to me that
DC will publish a book called "BUGS BUNNY AND FRIENDS" and that it will
contain a colour reprint of the Carl Barks story "Porky of the Mounties"
(the first colour reprint of that story ever).
Does anyone have more information about this book? When will it be
published, what's the price, page count, etc.
Thanks,
--Harry.
(Hoping my mother is not a member of this mailing list...)
> Harry Fluks recently wrote:
> Why does everyone here keep telling Gladstone what to do?
>
> By telling Gladstone what to do, do you mean we are blaming Gladstone?
> If that is the case I don't think so. Are we though offering up some
> ideas that Gladstone might try? Absolutely yes!
>
For the past five or six years, people have written ideas on this list "that
Gladstone might try". But often the ideas were worded in a way that
"Gladstone SHOULD try" them. That sounds a bit like my mother: she always
tells me what to do, or what I should have done, even if I already *did* do
that. This can be very annoying (I'm 36)!
My mail can be seen as a summarised reply to the mails of the past six
years. There *were* some constructive mails about Gladstone's situation, but
most of the time the mails looked like my mother was talking. 8-)
Talking about other USA comic companies: someone just mentioned to me that
DC will publish a book called "BUGS BUNNY AND FRIENDS" and that it will
contain a colour reprint of the Carl Barks story "Porky of the Mounties"
(the first colour reprint of that story ever).
Does anyone have more information about this book? When will it be
published, what's the price, page count, etc.
Thanks,
--Harry.
(Hoping my mother is not a member of this mailing list...)
Kriton Kyrimis
Disney comics Digest V98 #252
Message 97 -
1998-10-16 at 16:56:54
ARCHONTIS:
> It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey for
> its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
> anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Oncle Picsou, peut etre?
Sounds like an appropriate trailer for "A Little Something Special" to me...
Kriton (e-mail: (Email removed))
(WWW: http://dias.cti.gr/~kyrimis
-----
"This is not my planet, I didn't choose to be here, I don't want to get
involved, just get me out of here, and get me to a party with people I can
relate to!"
-----
> It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey for
> its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
> anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Oncle Picsou, peut etre?
Sounds like an appropriate trailer for "A Little Something Special" to me...
Kriton (e-mail: (Email removed))
(WWW: http://dias.cti.gr/~kyrimis
-----
"This is not my planet, I didn't choose to be here, I don't want to get
involved, just get me out of here, and get me to a party with people I can
relate to!"
-----
Don Rosa
Digest #252
Message 98 -
1998-10-16 at 17:02:38
Dan Shane finally got my computer running again... but I won't be here long
before I again disappear off to another two or three European countries
(Sweden, Finland, Belgium). I'd meant to excuse myself before I disappeared
to Spain 2 weeks ago, but the computer power supply blowed up real good
right before I would have sent that message.
Anyway, I was at the annual comic convention in Gijon, Spain -- that's
pronounced ccchhhee-hawn, with the "ccchhh" being the sound an American
redneck would make in the back of his throat right before he spits (a very
funny sound to an American!). I was there to collect a "Haxtur" Award (the
Spanish Eisner Award) that I apparently won last year (unbeknownst to me)
for "Best Story of the Year" for "Hearts of the Yukon".
Harry F was right -- my main trip this month is coming up -- I'll be making
a public appearance during the full 5 days of the international book fair in
Goteborg, Sweden, Oct. 21-25. Then I'll make a more private visit to the
publisher in Helsinki, mainly to do some research on a $crooge story
involving his search for the Sampo. Belgium...? Well, I'm only at the
airport in Brussels, but that's my first time in Belgium... leaving only
Greece as the last European country I have left to visit (if I don't count
Great Britain or Ireland, and if I consider all those eastern European
countries to actually be western Asia as they strike me as being).
Then, as long as I'm on the subject, I should mention that I'll be a
featured guest at the Chicago comic convention at the end of October... then
the MidOhioCon on Thanksgiving weekend. Anyone at those shows will find me
at a table during the full conventions, doing those slow full color drawings
for the 37 American Duckfans that I wish I had time to do for the 37,000,000
European Duckfans (who only get scribbles of heads).
My computer power supply failure was not my biggest problem during my trip
to Spain. The power supply also failed on my oldest, favorite Basset Hound
who I've had longer than I've done Duckcomics. My wife had to handle that by
herself while I was gone. And Dan Shane, the whiz that he iz, couldn't fix
that. I buried the good ol' dog when I got home. Well, tough on my wife but
easy on me -- when I left home the dog was doing fairly well (she had
cancer, but we expected her to live a few months yet), and when I returned
home, she was gone.
I've read through the recent Digests... I don't think anyone asked me any
questions while I (and my computer) was away. But I must say that, perhaps
along with Gary and Don M and maybe Harry F to some extent, I am getting a
bit ...well... pissed at people who continue to directly or even vaguely
blame Gladstone for making bad decisions or greedy decisions or not doing
this or that or not having the trillion dollars or 500 employees it would
take to do so and so. Gladstone single-handedly brought Disney comics back
from oblivion in America, and did it NOT to make lotsa money but just
because the people there loved 'em. And they did the BEST JOB of any Disney
publisher on this planet!!! Some of you seem to be ignorant of the problems
they faced in trying to sell Disney comic characters *or* reading material
to an American youth culture who wanted none of it... those of you who are
actually *in* America and don't see how impossible this job was for
Gladstone must be blind as well as ignorant. And the main problem that I've
seen Gladstone battle thanklessly for 13 years is the blasted licensing
corporation that did not merely NOT support them, but actually operated as
if they were actively trying to drive them outta business most of the time.
But Gladstone fought the battles of the marketplace and the
behind-the-scenes headaches of dealing with that corporation day in and day
out, year in and out, to try to deliver to America Disney classic-comics
that made that licensing company look better than they deserved to look....
and which I sometimes feel were better than some Disney comics fans deserved
to be blessed with. I think you/we should all be down on our bellies kissing
the tootsies of every single person at Gladstone for the fabulous comics
they'be brought us, and for all the different ways they've tried to salvage
the crumbling readership! I'm ashamed of every single person who dares to
try to outguess or backseat-drive or after-the-fact-advise Gladstone on what
they shoulda done since 1986. What they shoulda done is what *I* shoulda
done --*not* fallen in love with these characters, who come burdened with
the most difficult and plain UNFAIR publishing problems in American comics!
And now you're still trying to outguess them without stopping to think that
*TIME'S UP!* It's over now. Stop picking at them for the luvva gosh!!! I
think they are all just looking forward to NOT having to deal with that
corporation for a change and try to forget how thankless and frustrating an
experience that has been!!! Me, I will never again be able to read my own
Duck stories!!! Imagine that! All the work and love I put into this stuff,
and I'll NEVER see my work in my own language and never know how well it's
being presented! But I still don't blame Gladstone for an instant for
wanting to finally give up -- they deserve a rest. And they sureasheck
deserve your unmitigated congratulations for a job not just well done, but
done better than anyone else in America coulda done it. The company that
screwed up the readership of these comics during 1990-93 proved that. Money
and big (wrongheaded) ideas don't mean squat -- you gotta love and
understand and know the material FIRST... and nobody in this continent
coulda done a better job of that than Bruce Hamilton and Byron Erickson and
John Clark and Susan and Gary and the rest of that small,
grossly-overworked, under-appreciated group.
This is... making me think of my Basset. That was my favorite doggie that
I've ever owned. I loved that critter. And she died a slow, painful death
from an unfair disease that she had no control over that ate her up from the
inside. But when I came home, I didn't stand there and kick her inside that
blue plastic bag or fuss at her and tell her all the things she shoulda done
to stay alive or be healthier or not get cancer! I patted her on the head
through the bag and thanked her for being a better dog than I deserved to
have......
before I again disappear off to another two or three European countries
(Sweden, Finland, Belgium). I'd meant to excuse myself before I disappeared
to Spain 2 weeks ago, but the computer power supply blowed up real good
right before I would have sent that message.
Anyway, I was at the annual comic convention in Gijon, Spain -- that's
pronounced ccchhhee-hawn, with the "ccchhh" being the sound an American
redneck would make in the back of his throat right before he spits (a very
funny sound to an American!). I was there to collect a "Haxtur" Award (the
Spanish Eisner Award) that I apparently won last year (unbeknownst to me)
for "Best Story of the Year" for "Hearts of the Yukon".
Harry F was right -- my main trip this month is coming up -- I'll be making
a public appearance during the full 5 days of the international book fair in
Goteborg, Sweden, Oct. 21-25. Then I'll make a more private visit to the
publisher in Helsinki, mainly to do some research on a $crooge story
involving his search for the Sampo. Belgium...? Well, I'm only at the
airport in Brussels, but that's my first time in Belgium... leaving only
Greece as the last European country I have left to visit (if I don't count
Great Britain or Ireland, and if I consider all those eastern European
countries to actually be western Asia as they strike me as being).
Then, as long as I'm on the subject, I should mention that I'll be a
featured guest at the Chicago comic convention at the end of October... then
the MidOhioCon on Thanksgiving weekend. Anyone at those shows will find me
at a table during the full conventions, doing those slow full color drawings
for the 37 American Duckfans that I wish I had time to do for the 37,000,000
European Duckfans (who only get scribbles of heads).
My computer power supply failure was not my biggest problem during my trip
to Spain. The power supply also failed on my oldest, favorite Basset Hound
who I've had longer than I've done Duckcomics. My wife had to handle that by
herself while I was gone. And Dan Shane, the whiz that he iz, couldn't fix
that. I buried the good ol' dog when I got home. Well, tough on my wife but
easy on me -- when I left home the dog was doing fairly well (she had
cancer, but we expected her to live a few months yet), and when I returned
home, she was gone.
I've read through the recent Digests... I don't think anyone asked me any
questions while I (and my computer) was away. But I must say that, perhaps
along with Gary and Don M and maybe Harry F to some extent, I am getting a
bit ...well... pissed at people who continue to directly or even vaguely
blame Gladstone for making bad decisions or greedy decisions or not doing
this or that or not having the trillion dollars or 500 employees it would
take to do so and so. Gladstone single-handedly brought Disney comics back
from oblivion in America, and did it NOT to make lotsa money but just
because the people there loved 'em. And they did the BEST JOB of any Disney
publisher on this planet!!! Some of you seem to be ignorant of the problems
they faced in trying to sell Disney comic characters *or* reading material
to an American youth culture who wanted none of it... those of you who are
actually *in* America and don't see how impossible this job was for
Gladstone must be blind as well as ignorant. And the main problem that I've
seen Gladstone battle thanklessly for 13 years is the blasted licensing
corporation that did not merely NOT support them, but actually operated as
if they were actively trying to drive them outta business most of the time.
But Gladstone fought the battles of the marketplace and the
behind-the-scenes headaches of dealing with that corporation day in and day
out, year in and out, to try to deliver to America Disney classic-comics
that made that licensing company look better than they deserved to look....
and which I sometimes feel were better than some Disney comics fans deserved
to be blessed with. I think you/we should all be down on our bellies kissing
the tootsies of every single person at Gladstone for the fabulous comics
they'be brought us, and for all the different ways they've tried to salvage
the crumbling readership! I'm ashamed of every single person who dares to
try to outguess or backseat-drive or after-the-fact-advise Gladstone on what
they shoulda done since 1986. What they shoulda done is what *I* shoulda
done --*not* fallen in love with these characters, who come burdened with
the most difficult and plain UNFAIR publishing problems in American comics!
And now you're still trying to outguess them without stopping to think that
*TIME'S UP!* It's over now. Stop picking at them for the luvva gosh!!! I
think they are all just looking forward to NOT having to deal with that
corporation for a change and try to forget how thankless and frustrating an
experience that has been!!! Me, I will never again be able to read my own
Duck stories!!! Imagine that! All the work and love I put into this stuff,
and I'll NEVER see my work in my own language and never know how well it's
being presented! But I still don't blame Gladstone for an instant for
wanting to finally give up -- they deserve a rest. And they sureasheck
deserve your unmitigated congratulations for a job not just well done, but
done better than anyone else in America coulda done it. The company that
screwed up the readership of these comics during 1990-93 proved that. Money
and big (wrongheaded) ideas don't mean squat -- you gotta love and
understand and know the material FIRST... and nobody in this continent
coulda done a better job of that than Bruce Hamilton and Byron Erickson and
John Clark and Susan and Gary and the rest of that small,
grossly-overworked, under-appreciated group.
This is... making me think of my Basset. That was my favorite doggie that
I've ever owned. I loved that critter. And she died a slow, painful death
from an unfair disease that she had no control over that ate her up from the
inside. But when I came home, I didn't stand there and kick her inside that
blue plastic bag or fuss at her and tell her all the things she shoulda done
to stay alive or be healthier or not get cancer! I patted her on the head
through the bag and thanked her for being a better dog than I deserved to
have......
Willot Eleve Promo 98
Still about PICSOU (fwd)
Message 99 -
1998-10-16 at 19:04:20
ARCHONTIS wrote:
> It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey
> for its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
> anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Yes, of course, it will be published next month. This time I think there
will be not only stories by Rosa or Barks ("Riddle of the Red Hat" was
published some time ago anyway). We'll get some variety in "Picsou" in the near
future, I hope!
Francois
> It's got to be in November, otherwise why is PICSOU advertising Mickey
> for its next (November) issue with the logo "Devine qui vient feter son
> anniversaire a Donaldville?".
Yes, of course, it will be published next month. This time I think there
will be not only stories by Rosa or Barks ("Riddle of the Red Hat" was
published some time ago anyway). We'll get some variety in "Picsou" in the near
future, I hope!
Francois
Tristan Havelick
Sorry Everyone
Message 100 -
1998-10-17 at 04:46:34
I've got to stop writing messages at midnight; it clouds my judgement. I'd
like to appologize for some of my more recent posts. I've been reading very
carefully people's replys careful and I believe I have overlooked a lot, and
for that I am quite sorry. Harry Fluks brought up the point that I don't
really know anything about comic book marketing. He's right. Everyone else
is giving simple, good, suggestions like "Start a European-style 100 page
magazine"; and what do I do? I blow it all out of proportion by showing a
bunch of pseudo-statistical data.
The worst part is in retrospect, I have no idea what I've been complaining
about. Gladstone produced good comics. Sure, they cost a couple bucks more
than they could if published in a diffrent manner, but do I really care that
much? No, I can afford it (Not that they shoud get more pricey :-). Maybe
I don't get the amount of selection that they do in Denmark or Germany but I
do have tons of stores with many stories I still have yet to read, in older
stories. I don't really need anymore selection. If I had more I'd probably
go insane.
I also realized that most of the ideas I purposed must have good
distrubution to be successfful. In light of recent post about distribution
problems I realize that this is impossible. Gladstone isn't stupid. I'm
sure they'll be fine without my clouded ramblings. So, this will be my last
post about the comic market and how to fix it ( I promise). If I do start
rambling again, don't read it, and send me a private e-mail telling me to
shut up :-). Anyway on to happier thoughts...
---
I just read Barks' story "Treasure of Marco Polo", and it was very
interesting. The story of course was grand, but I was more intrigued by the
high amount of censorship. Those pictures of Soh Bheen jumping at the air
look hlarious! I would love to see this story as it was intended, and I
would gladly fork over the $20 or so to see. But, at the same time I was
reading this story, I was surfing the DUCKhunt pages, and I came accross the
"Don Rosa Censorship" Page. This inspired an idea. I think it would be
cool if someone (not me, as I already have a web-project at the moment),
would create a Carl Barks censorship Page that had similar "before and
after" pictures. Does anyone (besides Don) have enough of the older
original print comics to do this?
Thanks,
=-<Tristan
like to appologize for some of my more recent posts. I've been reading very
carefully people's replys careful and I believe I have overlooked a lot, and
for that I am quite sorry. Harry Fluks brought up the point that I don't
really know anything about comic book marketing. He's right. Everyone else
is giving simple, good, suggestions like "Start a European-style 100 page
magazine"; and what do I do? I blow it all out of proportion by showing a
bunch of pseudo-statistical data.
The worst part is in retrospect, I have no idea what I've been complaining
about. Gladstone produced good comics. Sure, they cost a couple bucks more
than they could if published in a diffrent manner, but do I really care that
much? No, I can afford it (Not that they shoud get more pricey :-). Maybe
I don't get the amount of selection that they do in Denmark or Germany but I
do have tons of stores with many stories I still have yet to read, in older
stories. I don't really need anymore selection. If I had more I'd probably
go insane.
I also realized that most of the ideas I purposed must have good
distrubution to be successfful. In light of recent post about distribution
problems I realize that this is impossible. Gladstone isn't stupid. I'm
sure they'll be fine without my clouded ramblings. So, this will be my last
post about the comic market and how to fix it ( I promise). If I do start
rambling again, don't read it, and send me a private e-mail telling me to
shut up :-). Anyway on to happier thoughts...
---
I just read Barks' story "Treasure of Marco Polo", and it was very
interesting. The story of course was grand, but I was more intrigued by the
high amount of censorship. Those pictures of Soh Bheen jumping at the air
look hlarious! I would love to see this story as it was intended, and I
would gladly fork over the $20 or so to see. But, at the same time I was
reading this story, I was surfing the DUCKhunt pages, and I came accross the
"Don Rosa Censorship" Page. This inspired an idea. I think it would be
cool if someone (not me, as I already have a web-project at the moment),
would create a Carl Barks censorship Page that had similar "before and
after" pictures. Does anyone (besides Don) have enough of the older
original print comics to do this?
Thanks,
=-<Tristan
SSchridde
Disney comics Digest V98 #243
Message 101 -
1998-10-18 at 02:57:18
A little late, as I'm catching up after a little holiday, but however:
Someone quoted a BlackAdder pun on the name "Bob" Don came
up with.
A Garfield reference came up to my mind immediately.
Garfield meets two mice/rats:
...
G: what's HIS name
R1 pointing on R2: He's Bob
G: Funny name for a mouse - why Bob?
R1: that's the souns when he's running against the wall
G: He's not the smartest, is he?
(retranslated from German)
Soeren
--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V98 Issue #253
******************************************
Someone quoted a BlackAdder pun on the name "Bob" Don came
up with.
A Garfield reference came up to my mind immediately.
Garfield meets two mice/rats:
...
G: what's HIS name
R1 pointing on R2: He's Bob
G: Funny name for a mouse - why Bob?
R1: that's the souns when he's running against the wall
G: He's not the smartest, is he?
(retranslated from German)
Soeren
--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V98 Issue #253
******************************************
SRoweCanoe
Bugs Bunny & Friends
Message 102 -
1998-10-18 at 03:43:54
In a message dated 10/17/98 6:58:17 PM EST, (Email removed)
writes:
> Talking about other USA comic companies: someone just mentioned to me that
> DC will publish a book called "BUGS BUNNY AND FRIENDS" and that it will
> contain a colour reprint of the Carl Barks story "Porky of the Mounties"
> (the first colour reprint of that story ever).
> Does anyone have more information about this book? When will it be
> published, what's the price, page count, etc.
Sure, it's coming out this week. I believe Its around $13 or so, reprints a
lot of Looney Tunes #1and other stories (I used to have a list). I know
that I was approached for artists credits.
Steven Rowe
writes:
> Talking about other USA comic companies: someone just mentioned to me that
> DC will publish a book called "BUGS BUNNY AND FRIENDS" and that it will
> contain a colour reprint of the Carl Barks story "Porky of the Mounties"
> (the first colour reprint of that story ever).
> Does anyone have more information about this book? When will it be
> published, what's the price, page count, etc.
Sure, it's coming out this week. I believe Its around $13 or so, reprints a
lot of Looney Tunes #1and other stories (I used to have a list). I know
that I was approached for artists credits.
Steven Rowe
Tarjei Kidd Olsen
"Alice Solves The Puzzle"
Message 103 -
1998-10-18 at 05:48:20
Hi,
according to the Norwegian official Donald Duck website (www.donald.no),
Black Pete first appeared in a cartoon called "Alice Solves the Puzzle" in
1925. Does anyone have any idea how I can get hold of this cartoon? Has it
been released on video?
Sorry about this being slightly off-topic...
Tarjei Kidd Olsen
----------
(Email removed)
website: http://home.sol.no/kidd/
work: http://panacea.norgesnett.no
----------
according to the Norwegian official Donald Duck website (www.donald.no),
Black Pete first appeared in a cartoon called "Alice Solves the Puzzle" in
1925. Does anyone have any idea how I can get hold of this cartoon? Has it
been released on video?
Sorry about this being slightly off-topic...
Tarjei Kidd Olsen
----------
(Email removed)
website: http://home.sol.no/kidd/
work: http://panacea.norgesnett.no
----------
HoyMurphy
Don Markstein understands
Message 104 -
1998-10-18 at 05:55:36
Don Markstein wrote:
<< HOY MURPHY --
I know you weren't actually suggesting Gladstone
step aside and let someone else take the license -- just
speculating on who might, should that happen. <<
Thank you for understanding what a lot of others apparantly didn't, Don. No
one appreciates Gladstone more than me, as evidenced by the hundreds of
dollars I've given them over the years for comics and albums. It's pretty
much been my policy to "buy the line" since they began publication. Thanks to
reviews by the late Don Thompson in the Comic Buyers Guide, I tried the first
few issues and fell in love with them for the first time at the age of 33. My
question simply was whether Gladstone had negotiated a contract renewal with
Disney, and then I speculated on who else might be able to pick up the ball if
they didn't. I certainly didn't mean to start a firestorm or cause any hurt
feelings. And by the way, no one still has answered my question. Does anyone
know?
>>It's just that there's been so much back-seat driving, by people
with no known experience in the publishing industry, that
I guess some of what I've been thinking spilled over.<<
I can understand the frustration the people at Gladstone must feel, but I
honestly don't think anyone on the list has been picking on them, just
offering suggestions that they hope might in some way help Gladstone to
continue, even though it's clear Gladstone has considered or tried nearly
everything. As Too Much Coffee Man says, "A little paranoia is never enough!"
The state agency I work for publishes a monthly magazine (Wonderful West
Virginia, call 1-800-CALL-WVA for subscription information, end of plug) that
has some of the same difficulties. Our readership skews to the older customer
(i.e., those who still read for pleasure), and they tend to die off. We've
been trying to appeal to younger readers, but with only limited success. But
although 80% of our readers are subscribers, we realize that a presence on the
newsstand is essential to exposing the magazine to potential new customers who
may be attracted to a particular issue, and we hope, become regular readers.
We sure don't make any money on newsstand sales. I pointed out this same
situation with Gladstone, but, as we all know, even things like the self-
covered at a lower price and penny-pincher experiments didn't work.
>> Now that you mention it, DC wouldn't be a bad one,
if not for the fact that it's just so outrageously
unlikely they'd be interested. Like Archie, they have
recent experience dealing with comics that are produced
in a central studio, then translated for distribution all
over the world -- that's how their Looney Tunes and
Animaniacs comics are produced. (The same studio also
does Tiny Toon Adventures, but DC doesn't pick those up.)
But the fact that they're doing licensed comics
for the same market niche doesn't mean much, because the
ones they're doing are those they have corporate
connections with. The Warner characters are a given, of
course, since Warner owns DC. And the Cartoon Network/
Hanna-Barbera ones are a result of recently-forged ties
between Warner and Turner. I wouldn't be too surprised to
see the MGM characters turn up there (through the Turner
connection), but the Disneys would very much surprise me. >>
Yeah, I don't see much cooperation between Warner and Disney in the future.
I've come to the conclusion that kids in the U.S. just don't think comics in
their current format are "kewl," based upon the reading habits of my own
children. My daugher, age 11, has a new favorite. It's called Smile,
published by Mixx. It's magazine sized, and about half is black and white
reprints of Sailor Moon stories from Japan, and the rest is full-color
photographs and articles about other things like fashion, music, movies, teen
idols, and other things girls like besides comics. It sounds a little like
Disney Adventures, but its aimed at a older age group, and is exclusively for
girls (I know my son wouldn't look sideways at it!), My son, on the other
hand, enjoys the Pokemon comics (more Japanese translations) that have been
appearing as pull-outs in his Nintendo Power magazine that otherwise is
entirely about video games. I guess what I'm saying, in a long-winded way, is
that it appears to me that the best way we're going to teach kids to like
comics is to hide them in other magazines that cater to specific interests.
Could this apply to Disney comics? I dunno.
--your pal, Hoy
<< HOY MURPHY --
I know you weren't actually suggesting Gladstone
step aside and let someone else take the license -- just
speculating on who might, should that happen. <<
Thank you for understanding what a lot of others apparantly didn't, Don. No
one appreciates Gladstone more than me, as evidenced by the hundreds of
dollars I've given them over the years for comics and albums. It's pretty
much been my policy to "buy the line" since they began publication. Thanks to
reviews by the late Don Thompson in the Comic Buyers Guide, I tried the first
few issues and fell in love with them for the first time at the age of 33. My
question simply was whether Gladstone had negotiated a contract renewal with
Disney, and then I speculated on who else might be able to pick up the ball if
they didn't. I certainly didn't mean to start a firestorm or cause any hurt
feelings. And by the way, no one still has answered my question. Does anyone
know?
>>It's just that there's been so much back-seat driving, by people
with no known experience in the publishing industry, that
I guess some of what I've been thinking spilled over.<<
I can understand the frustration the people at Gladstone must feel, but I
honestly don't think anyone on the list has been picking on them, just
offering suggestions that they hope might in some way help Gladstone to
continue, even though it's clear Gladstone has considered or tried nearly
everything. As Too Much Coffee Man says, "A little paranoia is never enough!"
The state agency I work for publishes a monthly magazine (Wonderful West
Virginia, call 1-800-CALL-WVA for subscription information, end of plug) that
has some of the same difficulties. Our readership skews to the older customer
(i.e., those who still read for pleasure), and they tend to die off. We've
been trying to appeal to younger readers, but with only limited success. But
although 80% of our readers are subscribers, we realize that a presence on the
newsstand is essential to exposing the magazine to potential new customers who
may be attracted to a particular issue, and we hope, become regular readers.
We sure don't make any money on newsstand sales. I pointed out this same
situation with Gladstone, but, as we all know, even things like the self-
covered at a lower price and penny-pincher experiments didn't work.
>> Now that you mention it, DC wouldn't be a bad one,
if not for the fact that it's just so outrageously
unlikely they'd be interested. Like Archie, they have
recent experience dealing with comics that are produced
in a central studio, then translated for distribution all
over the world -- that's how their Looney Tunes and
Animaniacs comics are produced. (The same studio also
does Tiny Toon Adventures, but DC doesn't pick those up.)
But the fact that they're doing licensed comics
for the same market niche doesn't mean much, because the
ones they're doing are those they have corporate
connections with. The Warner characters are a given, of
course, since Warner owns DC. And the Cartoon Network/
Hanna-Barbera ones are a result of recently-forged ties
between Warner and Turner. I wouldn't be too surprised to
see the MGM characters turn up there (through the Turner
connection), but the Disneys would very much surprise me. >>
Yeah, I don't see much cooperation between Warner and Disney in the future.
I've come to the conclusion that kids in the U.S. just don't think comics in
their current format are "kewl," based upon the reading habits of my own
children. My daugher, age 11, has a new favorite. It's called Smile,
published by Mixx. It's magazine sized, and about half is black and white
reprints of Sailor Moon stories from Japan, and the rest is full-color
photographs and articles about other things like fashion, music, movies, teen
idols, and other things girls like besides comics. It sounds a little like
Disney Adventures, but its aimed at a older age group, and is exclusively for
girls (I know my son wouldn't look sideways at it!), My son, on the other
hand, enjoys the Pokemon comics (more Japanese translations) that have been
appearing as pull-outs in his Nintendo Power magazine that otherwise is
entirely about video games. I guess what I'm saying, in a long-winded way, is
that it appears to me that the best way we're going to teach kids to like
comics is to hide them in other magazines that cater to specific interests.
Could this apply to Disney comics? I dunno.
--your pal, Hoy
DeanMary
Don and his high horse
Message 105 -
1998-10-18 at 08:23:53
Don, in all honestly I think your recent post about Gladstone could
CAUSE ill will between some US Disney fans and Gladstone!
You wrote:
> I think you/we should all be down on our bellies kissing
> the tootsies of every single person at Gladstone for the fabulous comics
> they'be brought us, and for all the different ways they've tried to salvage
> the crumbling readership! I'm ashamed of every single person who dares to
> try to outguess or backseat-drive or after-the-fact-advise Gladstone on what
> they shoulda done since 1986.
When I wrote my recent post on how I didn't think anyone at Gladstone
thought they were god-like and made no mistakes, I thought perhaps I had
gone too far. But, Don, doesn't "kissing the tootsies" of the people at
Gladstone make it appear that we SHOULD treat them as gods??? Since
when did I lose my right to simply state ways that perhaps Gladstone
could have done things better or things they did that *** in MY opinion
*** were flat out mistakes? Don, do you honestly think Gladstone did NO
wrong during either of their runs? If that is the case, I believe you
are using a little revisionist history. I e-mailed you after Gladstone
began running your stories in 8 page allotments in WDC&S and you were
quite upset about this and did not like that idea one bit! If you
didn't like that, why can't ** I ** say that that was a bad idea?
Why are you ashamed of people who simply didn't agree 100% with
everything Gladstone did? Are you ashamed of anyone who criticizes the
president, their mayor, etc. I think what makes the U.S. great is that
I perfectly well can criticize my president, mayor, etc., let alone a
publishing company. And of course Gladstone totally has the right to
think that my criticisms of them are wacky and ignore them 100%.
Many Disney fans in the U.S. can barely stand the thought that Disney
comics may well soon be a thing of the past here. Perhaps when we get
upset we go too far. I just want to say though that I in NO way blame
or ever meant to imply blame on Gladstone if there are no Disney comics
in the U.S. soon! They as a whole have done a wonderful job! Just
because I disagree with a few things here and there, why does that make
me out as someone who hates Gladstone? I admire and love many family
members, but I can't think of one of them that I don't disagree with in
some way. Does that make my love and admiration of them any less?
Don also writes:
> Me, I will never again be able to read my own
> Duck stories!!! Imagine that! All the work and love I put into this stuff,
> and I'll NEVER see my work in my own language and never know how well it's
> being presented!
It appears that you are quite upset about the whole situation of no
Disney comics in the U.S. And I don't blame you for one minute! A
question: why are you going to keep doing Duck stories? The reason I
ask is that if I had the talent to create WONDERFUL stories, but could
never really see them in any way that had meaning to me, I wouldn't have
the heart to do it.
Don, you also write that in regards to Gladstone, "TIME'S UP!" Is it
official then that Gladstone lost the license?
Well once again I have rambled on long and probably upset a number of
people. I truly do not mean to offend anyone, but I feel I and others
who have criticized Gladstone have been offended. In closing, I thank
Gladstone from the bottom of my heart for all they have done through the
years. I hope though no one "kisses their tootsies". No person or
organization deserves such fawning and adoration.
Dean Rekich
CAUSE ill will between some US Disney fans and Gladstone!
You wrote:
> I think you/we should all be down on our bellies kissing
> the tootsies of every single person at Gladstone for the fabulous comics
> they'be brought us, and for all the different ways they've tried to salvage
> the crumbling readership! I'm ashamed of every single person who dares to
> try to outguess or backseat-drive or after-the-fact-advise Gladstone on what
> they shoulda done since 1986.
When I wrote my recent post on how I didn't think anyone at Gladstone
thought they were god-like and made no mistakes, I thought perhaps I had
gone too far. But, Don, doesn't "kissing the tootsies" of the people at
Gladstone make it appear that we SHOULD treat them as gods??? Since
when did I lose my right to simply state ways that perhaps Gladstone
could have done things better or things they did that *** in MY opinion
*** were flat out mistakes? Don, do you honestly think Gladstone did NO
wrong during either of their runs? If that is the case, I believe you
are using a little revisionist history. I e-mailed you after Gladstone
began running your stories in 8 page allotments in WDC&S and you were
quite upset about this and did not like that idea one bit! If you
didn't like that, why can't ** I ** say that that was a bad idea?
Why are you ashamed of people who simply didn't agree 100% with
everything Gladstone did? Are you ashamed of anyone who criticizes the
president, their mayor, etc. I think what makes the U.S. great is that
I perfectly well can criticize my president, mayor, etc., let alone a
publishing company. And of course Gladstone totally has the right to
think that my criticisms of them are wacky and ignore them 100%.
Many Disney fans in the U.S. can barely stand the thought that Disney
comics may well soon be a thing of the past here. Perhaps when we get
upset we go too far. I just want to say though that I in NO way blame
or ever meant to imply blame on Gladstone if there are no Disney comics
in the U.S. soon! They as a whole have done a wonderful job! Just
because I disagree with a few things here and there, why does that make
me out as someone who hates Gladstone? I admire and love many family
members, but I can't think of one of them that I don't disagree with in
some way. Does that make my love and admiration of them any less?
Don also writes:
> Me, I will never again be able to read my own
> Duck stories!!! Imagine that! All the work and love I put into this stuff,
> and I'll NEVER see my work in my own language and never know how well it's
> being presented!
It appears that you are quite upset about the whole situation of no
Disney comics in the U.S. And I don't blame you for one minute! A
question: why are you going to keep doing Duck stories? The reason I
ask is that if I had the talent to create WONDERFUL stories, but could
never really see them in any way that had meaning to me, I wouldn't have
the heart to do it.
Don, you also write that in regards to Gladstone, "TIME'S UP!" Is it
official then that Gladstone lost the license?
Well once again I have rambled on long and probably upset a number of
people. I truly do not mean to offend anyone, but I feel I and others
who have criticized Gladstone have been offended. In closing, I thank
Gladstone from the bottom of my heart for all they have done through the
years. I hope though no one "kisses their tootsies". No person or
organization deserves such fawning and adoration.
Dean Rekich