The Limited Ed. is here!The long awaited Mouse Guard Fall 1152 Black and White hardcover is in stores now! It is a beautifully printed and packaged 12" x 12" slipcased fabric-bound edition of Fall 1152.
The goal of this book was to replicate the feeling of having all the original artwork for the series in your hands. So the pages are printed in their inked-form, at original size and the pages with rain got a vellum overlay. I'm very happy with the result. The printing was limited to 1,000, but I am told they are still available at Diamond, so ask your local comic shop (LCS) to order one for you if you are interested.Speaking of your LCS and ordering from Diamond...
I was talking with a few creators I know who have books in Previews currently and they were anxious over methods that, as a creator, you can maximize orders in the narrow window that an individual issue of a book is solicited for. Some of them have come up with a 'coupon' which is a printable graphic that promotes the book and has the Diamond order code with a space for your name and contact info. The idea being that potential fans would print this and then go to their LCS making it easy to place an order.
While I don't see this marketing method as a waste of time (the effort on the creators part is minimal, so any results from it are worthwhile), I questioned how effective it really could be. It made me wonder how many comic fans 'order' their books. I'm sure there is a core fanbase that has a pull-list and or scours previews each month for what they want, but I am guessing that the majority of comic buyers go to their store, and shop based on what is on the shelves. This means that they are relying on the shop owners to narrow down the selection in previews for them and to not overlook any item they may be interested in.
I have only recently started 'pre-ordering' comics. The store I went to as a kid only offered a 'subscription' service as a member of their club, ie: $20 per year. Now $20 annually wouldn't break me now, but as a kid I did the quick math and figured out that I wouldn't order enough books to make it worth while. Some stores ask for a deposit for a pull list, others ask for a deposit based on what you order each month.I bring this all up, not to complain or offer a solution, but to take notice that there are books being offered that are in danger of falling below Diamond's minimum that you readers may not even know about because they shop based on what their LCS ordered. I'm not suggesting that every comic buyer buy an issue of Previews or for shop owners to change their policies, I just saw a massive disconnect between creators/publishers who are marketing to readers who may not even know how or know the option is there to order books.
With that in mind I fully recommend you check out and order:
Robotika: Code: APR09 0652 and
Cursed Pirate Girl: Code: APR09 0959
Boom Covers:
I am really happy to be doing these covers for Boom. I have gotten the go-ahead that I'm getting to continue some of the Muppet covers after Muppet Robin Hood!! Who said that every wish won't be heard and answered, when wished on the morning star?
Again, I'm posting because I saw them already up on Boom's site:
Mr. Stuffins #3 and Muppet Robin Hood #3
Robotika: Code: APR09 0652 and
Cursed Pirate Girl: Code: APR09 0959
Boom Covers:
I am really happy to be doing these covers for Boom. I have gotten the go-ahead that I'm getting to continue some of the Muppet covers after Muppet Robin Hood!! Who said that every wish won't be heard and answered, when wished on the morning star?
Again, I'm posting because I saw them already up on Boom's site:
Mr. Stuffins #3 and Muppet Robin Hood #3
Upcoming Appearances:
Free Comic Book Day: http://www.detroitcomics.com/
Motor City Comic Con: May 15-17
David, I recently came accross your work and was really impressed. It's great. I'm going to stop at my local shop this week to see if I can get ahold of the black and white. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for my copies to arrive this week David. I have searched in vain for the French limited but no luck.
ReplyDeleteIn as much as you push stores/buyers/collectors to have a pull list, I think the sad part is that most stores don't promote the books within the store as much as they can. Most of the comic book stores don't have a top 10 or 20 section for the casual browser, I don't see a top 5 recommend list or store recommended list, I have rarely seen a store push the indie titles.
Honestly, I would have never seen Mouse Guard if you had not been at the NYCC promoting it. The 2 stores I buy from didn't even have it on the shelf due to the limited print run, etc. So I applaud the creators for making the coupon. I congratulate you on promoting books as well. Bastian and his Cursed Pirate Girl is long overdue and the artwork alone deserves for the book to sell, my best wishes to him.
But the sad part of the story and with Diamond...creators being late with their work...publishers being late with getting the books to the stores. This all effects the sales of a book.
I was worried about Mouse Guard after its long hiatus, but it seems to have come back fairly well in sales. The story by far has come together with the printing of 4 and 5, and you have surpassed the first story arc. I really look forward to issue 6 and the start of the next series. Your art, David, has improved greatly. The texture and feel amazing, I loved your art originally..but you skills have improved greatly in both writing and illustrating.
Your Boom covers look great, congrats on the gig.
You and Julia have a blessed Easter and thank you for sharing your talents with the rest of the world.
I have to agree with both David and Ramblings here; Peter Laird said it was one reason that volume four of TMNT has gone online/mail order only because of Diamond's minimum order requirement. Strangely enough the Tales series is unaffected for now.
ReplyDeleteI only found out about Mouse Guard from fans of it on the Usagi forum, and that helped get me into it. One thing I can be glad of contacts, because I would have missed out otherwise. Oh and as I noted in the previous blog, my b/w limited arrived last week, and it is a thing of beauty :)
Oh boy, can't wait to pick up the copy of the B&W that I ordered! It's almost time for my monthly trip to my local comic shop - I'm pretty lucky, their free "subscription" service makes sure I always get the titles I want. And they also have a staff picks section, not quite a "top 20"-type section but just as good. I'm trying to remember how I first found out about Mouse Guard. It was probably over at Boneville or BoltCity or maybe RadioMaru. I'm always most likely to check out the titles that are recommended by other comic creators.
ReplyDeleteI love the limited b&w edition of 1152 its incredibly done!!!! David Petersen is one of the best creators out there!!!
ReplyDeleteLuis
We shop at a local store that doesn't, unlike most of them, charge or have minimums or anything to have a pull-list. We do look at Previews, but the way I find out about most new things is through blogs. For example, I found Mouse Guard through The Invincible Super-Blog.
ReplyDeleteI got my copy of the B&W Hardcover. It truely is a wonderful book. I can't wait to have you sketch in it at Heroes Con.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I am a children's librarian and want to have a graphic novel book discussion group for about 20 kids grades 4-8th. My thought is to do a single issue of Mouse Guard, we always give them a free copy of whatever book we discuss. We can't afford to give out free copies of Fall, but thanks for getting it out in paperback. Where can I get back issues on Winter 1152?
ReplyDeleteThe link to your website on the motor city comic con website is wrong.
ReplyDeleteJust got my copy of the B&W edition and think it's brilliant. Mine is 19 of 1000 so I'm happy :)
ReplyDelete