Comments on: It’s a Scandal!

By: Comics Worth Reading

Comics Worth Reading — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 02:36:04 +0000

[...] Let’s check in with the latest on a variety of examples of bad behavior. Open Book Press: Former publisher Mike Gagnon sent an over-long defense to Heidi MacDonald basically saying “it’s not true”. He also shows up to argue his case in Newsarama comments, which makes him look desperate. He would have seemed more compelling if he’d bother to respond to inquiries while the article was being written. [...]

By: A. David Lewis

A. David Lewis — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 22:43:17 +0000

Thanks for covering this, Johanna, as well as my rant. I have taken Chris B.’s suggestion of writing a (calm, level-headed) letter to Entertainment Weekly, since I doubt they were co-perpetrators in this. I’m not even sure Midtown is to blame, as I confirmed (before writing my screed) that other publishers nationwide were paid for carrying the book.

This is not an illegitimate business practice, but it does constitute the book being “promotional material” rather than counting towards a sales item — neither Diamond nor Wizard, among others, would count this sort of product in their Top Sellers listings.

Certainly, my feelings about the book creatively/aesthetically colored the tone of my blog entry: I did not like the book. But, that’s just my judgment, and that’s why that slant was only used on my blog. (I went guns a-blazing!) However, I respect others who disagree (and I even respect the creators, as I have written many things others don’t like). For me, though, it added insult to injury that Platinum was propping up a book that had not met its creative potential. That is solely opinion on my part but also a significant source of my ire in the Loose Pages posting.

Thanks again!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:34:24 +0000

Yes, a selection. Not one single shop.

By: Nat Gertler

Nat Gertler — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:16:37 +0000

What if TV ratings only looked at Atlanta? What if box office charts were based solely on your local multiplex?

Many book bestseller lists are based on a selection of local shops.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:05:57 +0000

The idea that you can only engage in an activity at a high level if you’re turning a profit on it is sad, really. I hate seeing pros so defensive–it really smacks of insecurity, judging work based on the status of the author rather than quality. Obviously there are aspects of the professional creative apparatus that can foster good work (being able to devote more time to your work, taking advantage of professional editing and other advice), but they’re hardly the sine qua non.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:15:15 +0000

Chad: You can get some fun what-ifs out of it, though. What if TV ratings only looked at Atlanta? What if box office charts were based solely on your local multiplex?

Ed: I don’t know, I wasn’t reading comics back then either. I have read that most of the failures of companies like Innovation and Comico were from overzealous expansion into the newsstand market, sometimes without understanding the potential downside of returnability. Currently, there seems to be more outright theft involved.

By: Chris G.

Chris G. — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:58:03 +0000

I'm sure it's news to those who really do make a living blogging, Kos or Josh Marshall, or blog in a professional capacity, like the authors of Freakonomics or The Long Tail, whose blogs promote their books, that they are, in fact, merely engaging in a hobby. Weird.

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:53:10 +0000

Johanna, I wasn’t following comic in the 80’s, so how does the current spat of failed comic start-ups compare to back then? I’m getting the impression that comics are coming back into popularity and we are seeing a lot of people trying to cash in on the next hot trend. Unfortunately, a lot of up and coming talent is getting burned in all of this. Did you see a lot of these failures during the 80’s boom? (Is it deja vu all over again?)

By: Chad Anderson

Chad Anderson — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 01:38:33 +0000

I saw that EW mention, and I’m actually kind of surprised that Midtown Comics submitted the rigged sales chart, given that the EW exposure is a good thing to have (not that Midtown ever seems to be hurting for customers), and I would hope that if enough folks write EW about the manipulation, they’ll not be appearing again.

Of course it also just points out the inherent silliness of bothering to print a sales chart for an entire industry that draws its info from a single store.