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Old 03-08-2012, 12:22 AM   #9
moonhawk81

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Re: Why Manga Publishing Is Dying!

Quote:
Originally Posted by reaperking View Post
I've been meaning to try out Kickstarter but I kind of feel weird about it, plus I don't have much of a following yet. Lulu is really expensive though, I had to find a local publisher and that cut down greatly on costs, plus I don't have to pay extra for shipping!

I don't really have anything to add to anyone's points, but I personally think its sad that manga and comics are going on a downward slope. TBH I hate reading scanlations, I would rather have a book in my hand or a cohesive file on my computer (I guess I could save each JPG one by one or download a .zip file or something but man...) I would honestly love to pay the artists and publishers for their hard work in exchange for good quality stuff. On the other hand I heard that Tokyopop wasn't really doing anyone any favors (just rumors and talk between people, I'm not stating any facts or that I know anything so don't take it personally!). I loved Yen Press's monthly zine as well but since they went to digital it's a bit awkward to read. I've personally considered buying an e-reader or a tablet (with kindle and nook apps, etc) and distributing ebooks to get to an international audience faster and more conveniently. And most times I won't read a lot of the popular titles or the ones that are (as one commenter on the article said) "Moe" or "slice of life' unless there is something unique about the style or characters that I enjoy. Or of course if the story is good or interesting. The usual factors. I'm very picky about my anime and manga basically xD;

Anyway, I had some other stuff to say but I sort of blanked out, but I guess as a comic artist this is something I need to watch for. Webcomic artists seem to do pretty well for themselves with digital and self publishing, with Kickstarter and other things. The only thing is they can only print a few hundred books at a time, and since they have such a big following, by the time I get to the point of being able to buy one of their books, it's too late because they are already gone :c

And lastly, I really hate that Borders went out. That was the only place I could get to for my manga, the place i bought my very first one, and I literally had to go out of state to find an obscure bookstore that sold Sailor Moon #3. I guess I could have ordered it online but MEH. I UH... /don't ask

That's my two cents. IDK. I never make any sense even if I try so sorry if that was a jumble of nothing xD:
Didn't realize that you'd gotten away from Lulu. I do have to agree with you that I prefer holding a book; I don't even like Kindle and such, and could probably never even find--let alone access--any book stuck in my computer. Some of us simply are not loved by the Computer Gods. And while I remain personally pleased by Borders' demise, I will say that Barnes&Noble--for all the evil they accomplish--do seem to be making an effort to expand their manga offerings, or so it seems to me. Also, keep an eye open for kid-attuned book fairs, like those by Scholastic. They show up in places about twice a year to sell to school districts and teachers, but the book fair is open to the public--I've picked up some great books and manga whenever Scholastic rolls into Memphis. Visit their website to inquire about local sales schedules.
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