Monday, April 18, 2011
I'm Back
Hi folks. Sorry for the long silence. Been going through some personal issues that left me not all that enthusiastic about talking comics strips for awhile, combined with devoting a lot of time to my software business, and (hopefully) near to final touches on my forthcoming book.
Regarding the book, I've been asked a lot about the publication date, originally cited on Amazon as November of last year, and apparently pre-ordered by quite a few of you (for which, MUCH thanks!). Yes, the book is still most emphatically a 'go'. The challenge of converting my huge, and somewhat complex, database of comic strip information into printed form has been a greater task than my editor or I expected. However, the vast bulk of those problems have been ironed out and things are looking pretty darn good. The front matter of the book has all been put to bed, and the cross-indexes don't seem to present much of a challenge. Right now we're trying to figure out what we'll do for the book cover, so we're definitely in the home stretch.
Although I don't have a revised publication date from the publisher at this time, I'm going to go out on a limb and take a guess that a late summer or fall release is likely.
Regarding the book, I've been asked a lot about the publication date, originally cited on Amazon as November of last year, and apparently pre-ordered by quite a few of you (for which, MUCH thanks!). Yes, the book is still most emphatically a 'go'. The challenge of converting my huge, and somewhat complex, database of comic strip information into printed form has been a greater task than my editor or I expected. However, the vast bulk of those problems have been ironed out and things are looking pretty darn good. The front matter of the book has all been put to bed, and the cross-indexes don't seem to present much of a challenge. Right now we're trying to figure out what we'll do for the book cover, so we're definitely in the home stretch.
Although I don't have a revised publication date from the publisher at this time, I'm going to go out on a limb and take a guess that a late summer or fall release is likely.
Comments:
Over my dead body, Henry! However, now that you mention it, if anyone has contacts with major newspaper cartoonists who might be willing to have their character(s) appear on the cover I'd love to hear from you.
Being as how the book has an extremely modest budget, with no budget at all for licensing, the current plan is to feature only public domain material on the cover. However, it sure would be nice to have something on there that the average book-buyer might actually recognize as a newspaper comics character!
--Allan
Being as how the book has an extremely modest budget, with no budget at all for licensing, the current plan is to feature only public domain material on the cover. However, it sure would be nice to have something on there that the average book-buyer might actually recognize as a newspaper comics character!
--Allan
Hello, Allan---That's great news, and it's wonderful to have the GUIDE back! It's always the first thing I look at in the morning. Cover: 1}- Everyone puts the YELLOW KID on their Comic Histories---but how many have had the guts to put THE BERRYS on the cover? 2}-Piles of different comic sections, and dust (Probably only appealling to me, and the people behind HOARDERS. May scare all female buyers away.) 3}-A portrait of Ernie McGee. 4}-A picture of SAMBO ordering you to "make a noise like buying this book!" 5}-Sex sells---Howabout a nude picture of "Babe" from OZARK IKE? 6}-L-I-T-T-L-E I-O-D-I-N-E-. -----Cole J.
# posted by 
: 4/18/2011 10:16 AM
: 4/18/2011 10:16 AM
If you're going to focus on public domain characters, you should talk to the cartoonist Michael Deforge.He's a young, but immensely talented, cartoonist who won the Doug Wright Award last year for best newcomer. He's made use of collages of classic character collages in his work to great effect:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaeldeforge/4710798208/in/photostream
http://www.arthurmag.com/magpie/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pagesix.jpg
Just a suggestion. Love the blog and look forward to the book!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaeldeforge/4710798208/in/photostream
http://www.arthurmag.com/magpie/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pagesix.jpg
Just a suggestion. Love the blog and look forward to the book!
Hi AB --
Deforge certainly has a talent, but the problem is that even if the characters are drawn by other hands, we still need licensing clearance for use on the book cover.
--Allan
Deforge certainly has a talent, but the problem is that even if the characters are drawn by other hands, we still need licensing clearance for use on the book cover.
--Allan
I suppose famous comic strip characters in silhouette still need clearance, eh?
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# posted by : 4/20/2011 1:22 PM
: 4/20/2011 1:22 PM 