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Judge Dredd: Blessed Earth

Started by Rogue Judge, 25 January, 2017, 07:11:18 AM

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Rogue Judge

Quote from: Frank on 25 January, 2017, 03:01:43 PM
Presumably, IDW paid to have the rights for 5 years (or something), so not putting out a book would still be costing them money. Americans are never going to buy Dredd comics - at least this way Tharg gets paid for Americans not buying Dredd comics.

Wouldn't this notion apply to Rogue Trooper as well? They released only four (really good) issues and have done nothing with the property since.

AlexF

I can just about see Dredd growing a beard in a certain set of circumstances, but I'd expect the writers to draw attention to it (e.g. if he was really cold, or he wanted to hide a small knife in it or even to disguise his identity.) My read of tyhe Lopez/Sladek thing is a specific hatred of moustaches . They're inerently vain - you have to actually choose to shave but not shave everything. Just letting your beard grow isn't vain, either lazy or practical.

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Professor Bear

Quote from: Frank on 25 January, 2017, 03:01:43 PMPresumably, IDW paid to have the rights for 5 years (or something), so not putting out a book would still be costing them money. Americans are never going to buy Dredd comics - at least this way Tharg gets paid for Americans not buying Dredd comics.

I think the last estimate I read (many years ago) put a 22-page North American comic book somewhere in the region of 27-30,000 dollars to produce, which means that if they sell 5,000 copies, each copy has to cost somewhere between 5 and a half/6 dollars just to recoup the cost of production - what other costs there are I can only speculate, such as printing and distribution.  That kind of money is chickenfeed compared to the budgets of movies, tv shows and games, but even so, the idea they can just throw a new book out there on a whim with no plan who they're selling it to seems a bit mad.

CalHab

Quote from: Professor Bear on 26 January, 2017, 03:07:09 PM
I think the last estimate I read (many years ago) put a 22-page North American comic book somewhere in the region of 27-30,000 dollars to produce, which means that if they sell 5,000 copies, each copy has to cost somewhere between 5 and a half/6 dollars just to recoup the cost of production - what other costs there are I can only speculate, such as printing and distribution.

I wonder how digital distribution changes this model?

Smith

Not by much really.Readers are not keen on paying the same money for a cbr/pdf file.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Professor Bear on 26 January, 2017, 03:07:09 PM
I think the last estimate I read (many years ago) put a 22-page North American comic book somewhere in the region of 27-30,000 dollars to produce, which means that if they sell 5,000 copies, each copy has to cost somewhere between 5 and a half/6 dollars just to recoup the cost of production - what other costs there are I can only speculate, such as printing and distribution.

That number sounds waaay too high unless it includes printing and distribution. I don't know exactly what IDW's page rates are*, but a ballpark guess based on what other publishers around this level pay would suggest the entire creative team probably only cost about $7500 per issue. Even if you slap a percentage of the editor's monthly salary on top, and likewise the cost of a production staffer, I can't see how you'd get anywhere near that number.

*But I've heard they're pretty modest.
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CalHab

Quote from: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 03:46:56 PM
Not by much really.Readers are not keen on paying the same money for a cbr/pdf file.

There might be a longer "tail". For example, I bought some Grant/Breyfogle Batman comics on Comixology a couple of months ago. DC must be quite happy to make (a little) money on thirty year old material that's not Watchmen or Dark Knight Returns. Likewise IDW might still be making money off their Dredd material in ten years time, licence permitting.

Smith

Thats true.Im just saying digital sales as a lot lower then physical sales.
I dont know how much subsciption services play into all that.

Frank

Quote from: Rogue Judge on 26 January, 2017, 07:49:08 AM
Quote from: Frank on 25 January, 2017, 03:01:43 PM
Presumably, IDW paid to have the rights for 5 years (or something), so not putting out a book would still be costing them money. Americans are never going to buy Dredd comics - at least this way Tharg gets paid for Americans not buying Dredd comics.

Wouldn't this notion apply to Rogue Trooper as well? They released only four (really good) issues and have done nothing with the property since.

Good point. I can't say for sure, but presumably somebody at IDW still thinks they might - by accident or by design - put out a Dredd comic that shifts as many copies as their licenced material [1].

Without even the modest name recognition of Dredd, I suppose Rogue Trooper is just a war comic trying to launch in a market place that's devoted almost entirely to spandex books from the big two [2].

There's probably less hope Rogue Trooper would buck the sales trend for non-film or toy licence IDW titles than Dredd.


[1] Dredd (2012) was a very unpopular film by cinema standards, but if even 1% of the US nationals who paid to see the film (in mostly empty) cinemas decided to check out IDW's Judge Dredd comic, it would sell as many copies as their Star Trek title.

[2] The closest I can see to a war comic on that list is GI Joe (7,704 copies). I don't know if US publishers don't put out war comics because they don't sell or if it's just groupthink.


Rogue Judge

@Smith - "Not by much really.Readers are not keen on paying the same money for a cbr/pdf file."
Agreed, there is something about having a tangible book in your hands that makes it feel like more value when you pay money. Although I see the benefits (convenience/cost) of digital comics, I don't think they can replace the real thing, not for me anyway.

@Frank ' "Without even the modest name recognition of Dredd, I suppose Rogue Trooper is just a war comic trying to launch in a market place that's devoted almost entirely to spandex books from the big two"
I will never understand why the market here (North America) is so stuck on spandex superheroes. Given a fair chance by readers, I think Rogue Trooper could do great here - whats not to like about a genetically modified soldier in a future war?  I would like to see Dredd succeed here (and see them give rouge another shot), but I agree it is unlikely. Ah well, I am one of the lucky few here to have discovered 2000AD!

dweezil2

Yeah, the Rogue Trooper IDW title was rather excellent, a real shame it never succeeded sales-wise.   
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Smith

@RJ IDK,a lot of readers seem disillusioned with the Big 2 these days so they search for something a bit different.Maybe a mass exodus wont happen,but some deal of fans will turn away from superheroes,IMO.
Now,will smaller companies manage to capitalise on that,thats the question.

CalHab

Surely Image have already capitalised on superhero fatigue with Saga and The Walking Dead being notable big sellers.

Smith

Quote from: CalHab on 27 January, 2017, 08:19:06 AM
Surely Image have already capitalised on superhero fatigue with Saga and The Walking Dead being notable big sellers.
That's a good example.But now you can add a few more years of events and reboots to that.

jacob g

Quote from: Smith on 27 January, 2017, 07:04:51 AMbut some deal of fans will turn away from superheroes

Just for the sake of argument but on the other hand there's still vocal part of readers tired of big two but still invested in superheroes (and shared universes) as a gengre. Growing readership of Valiat as an example.
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