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Gary,

I understood the reply in the latest issues of Gemstone Comics explaining why Gemstones is not licensed to
publish comics based on Disney animated films such as FINDING NEMO or THE LION KING, but that Gemstone CAN
publish comics based on movies utilizing Disney's "standard" characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto,
Pete, Donald, Scrooge, etc.), such as THE THREE MUSKETEERS or MICKEY'S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS.

What confuses me, however, are comics that utilize the non-standard characters such as SCAMP, which was a
spin-off character from LADY & THE TRAMP or BUCKY BUG which has been said to have been inspired from the
SILLY SYMPHONY "BUGS IN LOVE." Or, even GREMLINS and others comics which DON'T feature standard Disney
characters?

Is the "standard" lisence extended to reprints of these only or could Gemstone publish NEW stories
featuring Scamp, Gremlin Gus or Bucky Bug? If so, what is the distinction between the Scamp serial
character and the film LADY & THE TRAMP II: SCAMP'S ADVENTURE?

Also, how does Gemstone's lisence work with relation to comics that feature characters from, say,
DUCKTALES, BONKERS or GOOF TROOP? I mean, are, say, Pete's wife & son "Peg & P.J.," "Webby & Bubba" from
DuckTales or Goofy's son "Max" considered "standard" characters or Film charters since they have appeared
in cartoons and films and not traditionally part of the standard list of characters? Launchpad seems to
have successfully crossed over from the Film/Cartoon license to the standard, but I haven't seen any
comics specifically labelled as GOOF TROOP or DUCKTALES that feature the cartoon characters from those
shows becoming part of the standard set of characters that might be used. Wouldn't MICKEY'S TWICE UPON A
CHRISTMAS' use of "Max" make Gemstone's publishing dubious?

Don't get me wrong... I am elated and very much looking forward to these comicbook versions of the above
films, but I'm just wondering how this works. And if characters like Max, P.J. and Webby, etc. are thus
available to be used in future Gemstone publications?

As an aside, is it possible to see comicbook versions of RUNAWAY BRAIN or MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS,
or even MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL published one day by GEMSTONE?

Hopefully this letter makes sense and you are able to answer it.

Thank you for your time,

Rich
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If W.I.T.C.H. is doing fairly well in other countries, why do you suppose Disney hasn't tried to
release it in it's ORIGINAL comicbook form here in the USA? Do you suppose Disney feels it would be
a marketing failure as it is primarily geared toward young girls? I have found a few issues of
Disney's PRINCESS magazine whice cost's $4.50 per issue, but I don't think PRINCESS is half as
entertaining as W.I.T.C.H. is! I was fortunate enough to collect about 5 issues of W.I.T.C.H. while
I was living in Shanghai, China for six months last year, but, the series that Hyperion Books has
release in the USA is not nearly as nice as those comics! The Hyperion books have a few comicbook
pages at the beginning and end of each book, and the rest is all text. This is very disappointing
since the art is really quite extraordinary... especially since it is not really traditional western
style or manga style art, but sort of a blend of both...

I haven't seen anything official, but it is my understanding that Disney plans to produce a TV
animated series based on the comics, though when this might come about I don't know. Does anyone?

I have a fear that Disney will probably license the animation out through Bandai of America (Power
Rangers), with whom Disney is in marketing collaboration. Being a Bandai cartoon series, I fear
they will push the art further toward strict 'anime' (along the lines of Digimon, Gundam, Astro Boy,
Jagun Fighters, Knights of the Zodiac, etc.) rather than the beautiful form it currently utilizes in
the comics. This, IMHO, will make it more like Sailor Moon than the unique series it could be.

Thanks,

Rich
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