D.C. Thomson: The curse of the REPRINT!

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 04 Apr 2007, 20:32

big bad bri wrote: I really think it is due to the fact that it is probably mid 20's to 50's year olds buying comics they are been kept alive.kids are not buying comics these days.

I don't think many adults are buying The Dandy though. The core readership is still children.

I think cover prices are putting a lot of readers off. Most kids get into comics when their parents treat them to a copy. Parents are shocked at how much comics cost because they automatically compare them to the prices they were when they were kids. (Yes, I know everything's gone up in price, and comics are full colour now, but a lot of parents don't see it that way.)

Therefore most kids don't get into the habit of reading comics any more. So by the time they're going to the shops on their own with pocket money they go for sweets, not comics.

Also, there's very little in UK comics now to bring the readers back week after week. Very few if any continued stories.... very few stories at all in most cases! Instead, publishers hope to hook the readers with cover mounts (free gifts) and pin ups of the latest movie.

This, to me, is madness, as it means they're going for casual browsers every issue instead of trying to build up a regular readership. (So for example; photos of Spider-Man 3 on a cover might shift 90,000 copies but the following issue, with a less popular cover, might only sell 40,000.) How can one estimate a print run for that?

It's ludicrous to me that continued stories went out of fashion just because a few readers felt left out if they missed the start of a serial. A well written serial can have self-contained episodes that still move the story forward (like DC Thomson used to do so perfectly) and a resum? box will bring new readers up to speed.

As we know from comics in other countries there is still a huge demand from children for comics. (Ignoring America, where publishers have decided to target the ever-shrinking fan market, but even then, Archie still outsells Green Lantern.) But between publishers demanding "budget cuts" and retail giants reluctant to stock anything that isn't familiar, comics are being suffocated.

Lew

kevf · Post by **kevf** » 05 Apr 2007, 07:08

Oh gawd, what a depressing thread. As someone who's become reliant on DCT for a big bit of his income I can only fear the worst. Every time I send a new script in (I write my own stuff) I am on tenterhooks that they'll let me draw it.

One of my editors has, more than once recently, said that he hopes my comic art classes in schools are keeping me busy. Should I take this as a hint that I'll be relying on them a lot more soon?

As a reassurance to us all, in my classes (which take me all over the country, last week Henley & Reading, this week Bewdley & Devon, in two weeks Edinburgh and Derry) I meet hundreds of kids who are regular and enthusiastic Beano readers. There are always one or two who already knew my name from my signature on my strips (but still, after 4 years and about 300 schools, no-one who's ever heard of 2000AD) and loads who boast of their Beano Club membership.

So, okay, I might not be seeing a representative cross-section of the population, but it certainly feels like The Beano's big out there. Am I wrong?

Maybe I should hope The Beano lasts long enough to start reprinting me?

Kev F

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 05 Apr 2007, 15:40

AztecComics wrote:Watch out for The Beano & Dandy soon, with Desperate Dan & Jak joining the Beano. Big shake up on the way!!!!! . Hence the use of reprint material it happened for a year ahead of the Dandy revamp. It will all tie in with the 70 Years celebrations....

Here we go again.

Long-time visitors to this forum will remember similar rumours here a few years ago which came to nothing.

If DC Thomson end the world's longest-running comic in its anniversary year the resulting embarrassment would be too damaging to the company. Even PR spin couldn't rescue them from looking like failures in that scenario.

DC Thomson are a bit too business savvy to make fools of themselves like that methinks.

Lew

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 07 Apr 2007, 20:57

I sent an email to Beano ed.

Bash Street Kids isn't a reprint! Plus there's new stories coming soon. In fact, here's the email in full :

Hi, Conor, and thanks for the e-mail. It's a busy time for us just now so I don't know exactly what's being said on websites.
I'm sure you know that all you read on the internet is not necessarily
factual. We have reprinted pages, some people like them and some don't, but
taking one example from your e-mail, the Bash Street Kids story about the
robot dog issue dated 07/04/07 isn't a reprint. I hope you won't be too
concerned about The Beano. We do have plans for several new stories to be
introduced in the near future.
Very best wishes, Alan Digby, editor.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 07 Apr 2007, 21:09

Conor B wrote:I sent an email to Beano ed.

Bash Street Kids isn't a reprint! Plus there's new stories coming soon. In fact, here's the email in full :

Hi, Conor, and thanks for the e-mail. It's a busy time for us just now so I don't know exactly what's being said on websites.
I'm sure you know that all you read on the internet is not necessarily
factual. We have reprinted pages, some people like them and some don't, but
taking one example from your e-mail, the Bash Street Kids story about the
robot dog issue dated 07/04/07 isn't a reprint. I hope you won't be too
concerned about The Beano. We do have plans for several new stories to be
introduced in the near future.
Very best wishes, Alan Digby, editor.

Hmm. It's always good to hear the other side of the story. Interesting...

Lew

Post by **AndyB** » 07 Apr 2007, 23:49

David has been initially his artwork for what, two or three years now. That was the giveaway - DCT aren't reprinting anything that recent.

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 08 Apr 2007, 00:01

Look forward to the new stories
....so it seems the comic is in transistion...
The Beezer and Topper comic that Alan (Beano editor)was involved in was very creative and fun...

NP is involved with a new one all very hush hush you know....

When Euan came in....1984....he brought over the talents of Robert Nixon and Tom Paterson.........new editor....new changes...

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » 08 Apr 2007, 23:25

Hmm. It's always good to hear the other side of the story. Interesting...

Lew[/quote]

I guess we should always remember that the people who know what we want to find out often have professional obligations not to indulge in gossip on websites like this (fun as it is). i.e. the email from the Beano editor - a private query, immediately published for the world to read and speculate upon...

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 18 Apr 2007, 21:35

http://www.davewindett.com/thomson/ninja9.html

new one in the Dandy

Post by **AndyB** » 19 Apr 2007, 22:57

The Ninja Nine has been on Dave's website for a long time. Haven't heard any more of it.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 20 Apr 2007, 11:38

I have to admit I'm really liking The Beano at present now. I'm still worried that the amount of reprint will damage sales (just as it did on Egmont's comics) but the selection of reprints are good. Fred's Bed and Riot Squad (Hoot Squad) are top quality stuff, and the newly added full colour is superbly accomplished.

The new material continues to be interesting too. Derek the Sheep last week had me laughing out loud when "Danger Cow" turned up. This week's Victorian Bash Street Kids spread was really nicely drawn by Dave Sutherland. And it's good to see Tom Paterson drawing Dennis again. Nigel Parkinson's Bea continues to be another highlight.

All in all a good solid comic.

Lew

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 20 Apr 2007, 11:51

David Sutherland is great at drawing characters in the dark...

Blubba and the bear had printed on it NTY 4.10.80

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 20 Apr 2007, 12:16

Peter Gray wrote:David Sutherland is great at drawing characters in the dark...

Shocking. DC Thomson could at least pay him enough to afford his electricity bill.

Lew

Dave Windett · Post by **Dave Windett** » 21 Apr 2007, 09:28

Hi

Just thought you would like to know, I have drawn all five episodes of Ninja Nine and have been paid, but I have no idea if or when the strip will be used.

Ninja Nine was written by Ferg Handley and was originally to be a series of two part stories, each episode to have been three pages long. I had to turn each story in to a self contained five page strip. The only exception being the first story which is two pages long.

Morris Heggie commissioned Ninja Nine and wanted it drawn in a 'manga' style.

The design of Ninja Nine was based on an earlier character that I had worked on for Morris, a 'manga' style Tom Thumb which never came to anything

Dave

Post by **AndyB** » 21 Apr 2007, 11:15

From that excerpt, Dave, it's still VERY much Dave Windett style

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