moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (11/29/84)
I'm sure, if you follow the letters and editorial pages of the independents,
that you will notice that several of these companies are expanding and/or
changing their lineup of titles. Two in particular, Eclipse and First, are
involved in this process; however, they are going about it in different
methods, and this is the matter I would like to discuss.
Eclipse is now handing out a newsheet, much like DC, and anyone reading it
this month will be startled to see that the number of titles this month has
DOUBLED. Admittedly, several of these are one-shots; but most of these are
continuing comics. This causes a great deal of worry on my part: Eclipse
seems to be suddenly tossing a number of new titles into a market which is
already saturated to a new all-time zenith. Can they afford the financial
burden if these titles don't sell? Many of these titles were picked up from
the recently-defunct Pacific; one would hope that a lesson had been seen
here. I particularly worry because several of Eclipse's older titles,
particlarly ZOT!, would be affected by an Eclipse financial setback; and I
don't want to see these titles to disappear from the comics scene due to
entrepreneurial whiz-kids on a rampage. If they can afford to do it, fine;
but I just hope they are looking at the market, and taking this into account.
First comics, the independent which brings to mind stability and regualarity
(and probably quality) more than any other independent publisher, is also
adding to titles from a defunct company: NEXUS and THE BADGER from Capitol.
However, instead of just plugging these into the lineup, they decided to
drop two titles which were not doing well, WARP and MARS, first; and after
15 or so issues, neither of these now-defunct titles can say that they
hadn't had a shot at popularity. I would like to commend First for their
financial conservatism; it make me optimistic for both the quality and the
longevity of their titles.
Say, I haven't said anything silly during this whole article! Where are
those buffalo tranquilizers...
"The voters have spoken, the bastards..."
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
UUCP:
{cornell,decvax,ihnp4,sdcsvax,tektronix,utcsrgv}!uw-beaver \
{allegra,gatech!sb1,hplabs!lbl-csam,decwrl!sun,ssc-vax} -- !fluke!moriarty
ARPA:
fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPAeric@aplvax.UUCP (Eric S. Bergan) (12/03/84)
I had also noticed the explosive expansion of Eclipse. I just hope it doesn't lead to the "Eclipse implosion". On the other hand, it does give me a chance to see the end of "Somerset Holmes" (#5 is now out)! -- eric ...!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!eric
drforsey@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Forsey) (12/03/84)
<ahem> Yes, Eclipse has put out a slew of new stuff, but I had always understood that they were only printing those issues that had already been made for Pacific (ie, if Pacific were still with us, the racks would be just as flooded as they are now). If Eclipse plans to commission *new* issues of the old Pacific titles, this is indeed news to me. Incidentally, I concur in all respects with everything else (First is shrewd, ZOT! is essential, WARP isn't, etc.). See? I can be as agreeable as the next guy (who says hi, by the way). The Gray Mouser