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Quote from user: MorequackQuote from user: Roger NorthI would think about buying those collections but they would probably be so expensive.
Yes, we are sort of slaves to our passions but there's gotta be a limit. I mean, how many total volumes are being planned? Probably too many for my pocketbook. I have two children to put through college...

Besides, I cannot see the practicality of spending literally thousands of $$$ on reprints of stories most of which we already own/have read and possibly will never read again! How many versions of the same thing do we need? (Sorry to be a such a [Dickens'] Scrooge... bah, humbug!) But somewhere between the grassy fields of wanting and having there exists a very narrow and rocky road known as reason??most often one cannot find it on a map.
Well, there are a lot of people (like me) who don't have any of the collectible volumes. There are also a lot of young fans who could enjoy the collections as well, which is why I would love to see some cheaper, lower quality volumes. Nice packages are always fun, but I want to read the stories over and over, especially during these long winters that Ohio is having!

I would be happiest if Gemstone could find a way to print the Barks stories, sans all the extras, in an affordable series of color trade paperbacks. The fancy hardcover prints would still be available for those who desired that format, and I could more easily feed my kids (and my own) Barks addiction!
As that is exceedingly unlikely, I suppose I will find a way to own these collected works through various means outside of my budget and upset my wife. I still am a reader first, collector second, so $150 ($95 on Amazon) is a steep price indeed, even for this.
By the way, first post here, hello everyone!

Hi and welcome Jeff!

Quote from user: JeffTI still am a reader first, collector second, so $150 ($95 on Amazon) is a steep price indeed, even for this.
It's a lot for me too, but I think the main difference in the end is that individual albums make for smaller purchases; you can spread the total purchase over a long period, and even not buy some issues.

Gladstone's softcover CBL albums were $8.95 or $9.95 each; this would probably be $10 each today, to make things easier, and there were 140. That's $1400 in all.
Ten sets at $100 will cost $1000.
(plus shipping in both cases).
:\"

Quote from user: OlivierGladstone's softcover CBL albums were $8.95 or $9.95 each; this would probably be $10 each today, to make things easier, and there were 140. That's $1400 in all.
Ten sets at $100 will cost $1000.
(plus shipping in both cases).
:\
I see what you're saying, but I again feel they are pricing for the collector and not the fan, even with those softcovers. Given they don't have to pay any additional rights (surely this is correct?) it doesn't cost them any more to reprint Barks than it does Don Rosa, say.
If they can publish the Life and Times of Scrooge for $17.95 USD, they could publish 3 Barks 280+ page softcovers for the same price (each). That's about half the price of these slipcase hardcovers, and would be even cheaper online. I guess the problem is despite what I want, the US market for Disney comics is very small, and they would not make much money on such a thing. I should be happy if they end up completing this HC library, and will be. Sorry to be so glum and grim in my first posts. It may not have appeared so, but I'm very happy that Gemstone is providing us here in the US with an opportunity to read Disney comics. :)
At least for now I have the "Carl Barks greatest Ducktales" books (and the Rosa trades) to share with my kids at a great price point.

Quote from user: JeffTI see what you're saying, but I again feel they are pricing for the collector and not the fan, even with those softcovers. [...]
I guess the problem is despite what I want, the US market for Disney comics is very small, and they would not make much money on such a thing.
It is a rather limited readership, indeed, I'm afraid.
Many readers would like a third title and b&w paperbacks. Should the two major titles (and the potential third one) downgrade to simpler paper to reduce the printing costs and make them more affordable, to open up the market?
Or is it better to produce more "one-shot" softcovers that contain more stories, will be carried by bookstores, and may appeal more to casual readers?

Yet how much could this affect the cost of the "Library" editions?

Quote from user: OlivierMany readers would like a third title and b&w paperbacks. Should the two major titles (and the potential third one) downgrade to simpler paper to reduce the printing costs and make them more affordable, to open up the market?
Or is it better to produce more "one-shot" softcovers that contain more stories, will be carried by bookstores, and may appeal more to casual readers?
As far as Gemstone going back to printing its titles on newsprint for a cheaper price, I don't think that is an option for them. The reason given for cancelling the newsstand titles with the newsstand format was that they could not make money on them, even if they raised the price to $3.95 an issue. While I in no way can speak for Gemstone, I would *guess* that they would be thrilled if newsstand titles were still possible from an economic point of view. Sadly that no longer seems a option.

Does anyone think though that many kids were reading DD&F and MM&F anyways? While I loved both titles and miss them *very* much, I really do not think many children were reading them. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just think the ship has sailed on kids reading Disney comics in North America. While that sounds sad, and *is* sad, I must also state that I don't think kids are reading much of *any* comic books any more! :( My nephew is 19 years old and I don't think he has read a single comic book in his life, not through lack of effort on my part though. I doubt most of his friends have read a comic book either. It just is not something kids do anymore.

I have to question the idea that "one-shot" softcovers or hardcovers for that matter will be carried by bookstores. Yes, Amazon and other online bookstores carry the two prestige titles and the one-shots. They also used to carry the "pocket format" titles as well. However, do any or many brick and mortar bookstores actually carry Gemstone titles?

I myself have never seen any Gemstone titles of any sort in a Barnes and Nobles or Borders bookstore. Has anyone one in the U.S. every seen any Gemstone titles at either of these two big chain bookstores? If so, please write and tells us about it. I have looked through the years and not see one.

So even though I am *thrilled* with the Gottfredson, Rosa, and Barks' libraries being planned, I doubt any of them will end up at any of the big U.S. bookstores either. Hopefully I am wrong though.

Also, I don't think there is any reason to think that "one-shots" will appeal to casual readers more than a 3rd monthly prestige title. The reason is that I don't think Disney comics in *general* appeal to casual readers. I doubt that *any* format of Disney comics would appeal to many casual readers. That is one of the many reasons why I feel so strongly that Gemstone should publish a 3rd monthly title. Those of us that buy the 2 monthly titles each month are *far* from casual readers -- when it comes to Disney comics you can say that we already have "drunk the Kool-Aid". :) I think most of us that buy each two each month would likely buy a third each month. Of course I may be wrong, but I really wish Gemstone would give a 3rd monthly title a chance. Until they do, how can they tell if there is support for a 3rd monthly title or not? Why couldn't Gemstone try a 3rd monthly title for a six month "trial run"? If the numbers held up, the could keep the 3rd monthly title as an on-going. If sales did not go well, then at least they would have tried and all it would have cost them was a 6 month trial run.

As far as formats of publishing comics go, I doubt 20 years from now in North America there will be Disney comics in a newsstand or prestige format. That is not because I have a bleak view of Disney comics though. That is because in 20 years, I doubt there will many comics from *any* companies in the traditional "floppy" or "pamphlet" formats. I think they will still be around for a number of years yet, but it seems the writing is on the wall for them in the long run. Already in North America, DC and Marvel publish more and more collections in the trade paperback (TPB) format. At this time though, most of the TPB collections are reprints of a number of issues of a monthly "pamphlet" title. How much longer is it going to take though for them to just skip the "middle man" (the monthly "pamphlet" issues) and publish straight to TPBs to begin with? If I were presented with the option of A: twelve monthly issues of Superhero "X" or B: two semi-annual Superhero "X" TPBs, I would gladly pick option B.

Which brings me to me oddest idea. Now I don't think that there is any real chance of Gemstone ever doing this, but here it goes. What if instead of 3 monthly prestige format titles of 64 pages each at $7.95, Gemstone published *one* monthly TPB of 192 pages for say $19.95? In essence, what if Gemstone would publish the equivalent of a "Walt Disney Treasures" TPB each and every month? I know I am in the minority, but I actually would love that! Instead of getting 2 or 3 titles each month and putting them in long comic book boxes, each month I could put a new Disney TPB on my bookshelf!

Well, I have rambled on long enough and probably somewhat off-topic. Feel free to tell me what ideas of mine you like and which (much more likely :)) ideas of mine that you think are plain nuts!

Indeed, I don't think I have ever seen kids in the comic shop that I go to. Almost all customers are adults in their thirties or older.