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doronjosamaI talked about changes a few posts back, and it looks as though they're here already.
--As far as Radio is concerned, the traditional three-to-six issue comic book miniseries is dead. It will take a little while to implement, but we are going to go with the original graphic novel concept. At least original graphic novels have the potential to make their money back, as they can be sold in bookstores and readers are less resistant to trying something new in the trade paperback format. All the new series I have been negotiating for are going to have to be retooled for this format. It means it will take longer for them to come out, but when there is the potential to actually SELL them, instead of having issue after issue languish in obscurity, I think that outweighs the time issue.
--Unless it's furry or gay porno, the traditional 32-48 page comic book one-shot is dead, too. Unlike graphic novels, once a one-shot is off the New Releases shelf at a comic store, it might as well be gone forever. They do not sell as back issues, period. Not through our website, not at conventions, nowhere, nohow. The only one-shots that do sell are either furry or gay porno, so we can occasionally do one of those.
--Mangaphile as a print comic is sadly dead. This is the one thing I am unhappy about, but I cannot ignore the writing on the wall- or in the ledger. If we print issue #25 of Mangaphile, we will lose close to $900 *just in printing costs*. I don't have that kind of money to throw away, and neither does Radio. Fortunately, a lot of the stuff for Mangaphile can be rolled over into the other anthologies, groomed to be graphic novels, or saved for the Mangaphile: Online launch. (Hopefully, in 2005 some time...) Much as I like Mangaphile and believe in the book and concept, belief doesn't pay the bills. We've been losing money on that book for a while now, as everyone wants to be in it, but hardly anyone wants to actually BUY it. We also got tons of promises for completely awesome work for this book which never materialized, and lots of good stories that started, but then never continued after the first chapter. This happens in all anthologies, but it actually hurt Mangaphile's chances with the readers it did manage to scrape up. Sadly, some books just don't survive. But I have a lot of hope for the online version of this- that is, if American manga artists aren't all busy chasing the brass ring that is a TokyoPop contest and we're able to score some good talent.
--Dangerous is going to be revamped after issue #3. It will go on a regular twice-yearly schedule, summer and winter. If the new format does well, that schedule can hopefully increase. The new format will be 48 or 64 pages (still working that out), perfect bound with a higher price. Basically, we're going to make it look more like a yaoi doujinshi and restart the numbering. ^_^ I am very excited about this change.
Anyway, that's the first batch of changes I can talk about. Furrlough, Genus, Milk, Genus Male and Hit the Beach are all going to remain unchanged, as they all still sell decently. And we're still going to go ahead with our plans to collect stuff from all of those anthologies into trade paperbacks. Things are just going to proceed a little slower as we get it all worked out and rebudgeted.
In other changes, I spent six hours yesterday uploading a bajillion old comics to the Radio Store. I made new sections in the Web Exclusives section for Other Comics and Other Adult Comics. A lot are old contributor copies that belong to me, PD or![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
willworks, a lot are old con stock from my con dealer days, a lot are just things I found multiple copies of in the backstock and the storage. I even found a few doujinshi and signed comics that must have been left in our stuff after conventions. (Which of course, the artists they belong to will be paid for if any of them sell- we have a standard deal for web exclusives, the artist gets 60% and we get 40%, since we have to inventory, pack, and ship the stuff out. So, hey, artists, if you've done work for Radio, and have folios, doujinshi or products you've made, drop me a line if you want us to carry your stuff in the online store. ^_^) Either way, they are all uploaded now, and hopefully, they will sell, sell, SELL!
Anyway, back to work for me. There's a lot to do now.
--As far as Radio is concerned, the traditional three-to-six issue comic book miniseries is dead. It will take a little while to implement, but we are going to go with the original graphic novel concept. At least original graphic novels have the potential to make their money back, as they can be sold in bookstores and readers are less resistant to trying something new in the trade paperback format. All the new series I have been negotiating for are going to have to be retooled for this format. It means it will take longer for them to come out, but when there is the potential to actually SELL them, instead of having issue after issue languish in obscurity, I think that outweighs the time issue.
--Unless it's furry or gay porno, the traditional 32-48 page comic book one-shot is dead, too. Unlike graphic novels, once a one-shot is off the New Releases shelf at a comic store, it might as well be gone forever. They do not sell as back issues, period. Not through our website, not at conventions, nowhere, nohow. The only one-shots that do sell are either furry or gay porno, so we can occasionally do one of those.
--Mangaphile as a print comic is sadly dead. This is the one thing I am unhappy about, but I cannot ignore the writing on the wall- or in the ledger. If we print issue #25 of Mangaphile, we will lose close to $900 *just in printing costs*. I don't have that kind of money to throw away, and neither does Radio. Fortunately, a lot of the stuff for Mangaphile can be rolled over into the other anthologies, groomed to be graphic novels, or saved for the Mangaphile: Online launch. (Hopefully, in 2005 some time...) Much as I like Mangaphile and believe in the book and concept, belief doesn't pay the bills. We've been losing money on that book for a while now, as everyone wants to be in it, but hardly anyone wants to actually BUY it. We also got tons of promises for completely awesome work for this book which never materialized, and lots of good stories that started, but then never continued after the first chapter. This happens in all anthologies, but it actually hurt Mangaphile's chances with the readers it did manage to scrape up. Sadly, some books just don't survive. But I have a lot of hope for the online version of this- that is, if American manga artists aren't all busy chasing the brass ring that is a TokyoPop contest and we're able to score some good talent.
--Dangerous is going to be revamped after issue #3. It will go on a regular twice-yearly schedule, summer and winter. If the new format does well, that schedule can hopefully increase. The new format will be 48 or 64 pages (still working that out), perfect bound with a higher price. Basically, we're going to make it look more like a yaoi doujinshi and restart the numbering. ^_^ I am very excited about this change.
Anyway, that's the first batch of changes I can talk about. Furrlough, Genus, Milk, Genus Male and Hit the Beach are all going to remain unchanged, as they all still sell decently. And we're still going to go ahead with our plans to collect stuff from all of those anthologies into trade paperbacks. Things are just going to proceed a little slower as we get it all worked out and rebudgeted.
In other changes, I spent six hours yesterday uploading a bajillion old comics to the Radio Store. I made new sections in the Web Exclusives section for Other Comics and Other Adult Comics. A lot are old contributor copies that belong to me, PD or
willworks, a lot are old con stock from my con dealer days, a lot are just things I found multiple copies of in the backstock and the storage. I even found a few doujinshi and signed comics that must have been left in our stuff after conventions. (Which of course, the artists they belong to will be paid for if any of them sell- we have a standard deal for web exclusives, the artist gets 60% and we get 40%, since we have to inventory, pack, and ship the stuff out. So, hey, artists, if you've done work for Radio, and have folios, doujinshi or products you've made, drop me a line if you want us to carry your stuff in the online store. ^_^) Either way, they are all uploaded now, and hopefully, they will sell, sell, SELL!Anyway, back to work for me. There's a lot to do now.
