For my post this morning I asked if I should continue the adventures of my characters in a separate comic book(s) or in a combined graphic novel. Here are some responses that my friends and peers where so kind to provide to me. I feel blessed to be able to share in their wisdom. I am posting it here so that others can use the information as well.
Mike writes:
generally you want to continue to publish each issue as a saddle-stitched edition and THEN collect them all together as a trade. Supposedly, and I don’t know this first hand, the sales from the trade will come from a different group of readers.
Chuck writes:
I find the main pro of having a graphic novel is that you make more money on every copy sold! e.g. for Pewfell Volume 3 I made a 148 page book, it cost me just over $6 per book to produce, and I sell them for $15.95. So I make almost $10 per book if sold directly. I did read somewhere that you should charge $1 for every 10 pages, so maybe my price is a tad hight, but it is in the ballpark. You have to sell a lot more comics to make your money back. Gednerally i think that if soemone is interested in buying one comic book, they might as well want to buy one trade paperback. Personally i prefer to buy soemthign that is a complete story.
That said, since you already have 2 comics out, it might make sense to do the 3rd so that people who bought 1 & 2 can get 3, and you can sell all three as a set, at a slight discount.
I am really only talking about direct saled here, either at conventions or online, to make any money selling at stores you need a lot of volume. I think I make maybe $1 profit per book sold to retailers, probably less. And frankl my retainl sales are tiny.
Jason writes:
I’d say the decision depends on a few things:
(1) What were your sales on issues #1 and #2? I guess it realistically wouldn’t make sense to release #3 if the sales were really low on the other individual issues. (Although on the other hand, if you release the GN, it’ll be harder to find a home — i.e. get rid of — the unsold copies of #1 and #2. :/ One alternative would be to go ahead and print issue #3 and then try to sell all the issues as a three-issue set, although this means you’ll have to sell most of them yourself, since stores won’t buy a 3-issue set as much as they would a graphic novel.)
If you REALLY wanted to be sneaky you could release the graphic novel under a new name (and maybe a new publisher name… or try to negotiate with someone else to publish it for you) so retailers wouldn’t think it’s the same thing they bought earlier in comic form. I dunno, maybe this is too sneaky though. The forthright thing to do would be to be upfront about what it is, and try to build off the recognition of the earlier series.
(2) Does the story conclude nicely in issue #3? If so, maybe a three-issue GN would be a good idea.
But I think the biggest factor is probably the economic stuff — what will sell best. I would try to get the advice of a comic-store owner, like R— R— or someone. (Although a comic-store owner is bound to be pessimistic.)
Peggy writes:
I think you are neglecting one issue – the story itself. Does it wrap itself up in a single issue? would you have to pad it to make it 48 pages long? would you have to cut out essential material to make it 24 or 32 page long?
Chris writes:
Personally I’d rap it up in a final installment, because when I buy stuff I generally don’t like rebuying things I already have.
Example: you know those Gnomon dvds from design studio press? 49-69 bucks a pop, but out of an hours worth of video 20 minutes is usable on a particular title. I’d drop 10-15 bucks to download them, but as it stands they make nothing off of me because jacked they’re price to high. I hope that made sense.
keep up the good work
George writes:
Another option is to do issue 3 in comic form now and NEXT year come out with the Graphic Novel and extras.
This way you have a year to start and finish a new comic or story line and you’ll have two new products ( new comic and graphic novel) on table when the time comes.The upside of this is, if you still have a lot copies of issue 1 and 2, it gets you more time to sell them out before doing the Novel version. Having all three in one book might kill any interest in issues 1 & 2 given they get all three in the Novel.
Now if you only have a few copies of 1 & 2 and can write them off, then maybe it is time to do the Graphic Novel.
Even so, for some reason I still get a little voice that says “comic book” … there’s something about being able to hold up three issues (mini series?) of a complete story and say “Look what I did”.
So, I think my final answer has to be …. Comic book … then next year or even the year after do the Graphic Novel if it feels right.
Adam writes:
I think you’re best to finish it as a separate issue. For a few reasons, not the least of which is marketing. People love to collect a complete set of something. And conversely, if there’s no third issue comprising just part 3, you force people to re-purchase the first 2 parts even if they already have them. On the plus side, if they don’t have them, it encourages them to buy the first 2 separately.
You can always republish it later in a bundled “Graphic Novel” format… maybe with extra bonus features!
Summerlea writes:
My vote would be do #3 as a separate comic. After the next story arc, perhaps
you can approach a trade paperback of the previous story.Just my 2cents.
Andrew and Shaenon write:
Here’s Shaenon’s advice, which I’m inclined to agree with in the current comic publishing industry. Hope it helps:
At the self-publishing panel I attended at Comic-Con, the panelists agreed that monthlies don’t make any money for self-publishers anymore, and they print them mostly to use as advertising for their trades. If Brian has enough copies of Issues 1 and 2 left, he might consider putting out a trade and using the pamphlets as a “free taste” at cons.
Brandon writes:
I think you should realease #3 by itself first, and then repackage the three issues together in a trade format later. That way people who bought the first two issues can buy the single issue. And if people want the whole stoty in one book they can buy the trade.
Big Al writes:
…but one thing you may want to keep in mind is your loyal fans. People who have purchased 1 and 2 will be unable to purchase 3 except in this compilation form. My advice would be to print up 3 by itself.
Then, when finances permit, print the compilation with the extra feature also. I would keep all four books in print. I have seen folks willing to take a chance on one comic book when they were nervous to commit to a more expensive compilation.
Lex writes:
…but as a small press publisher myself and watching the comic market shift these last couple of years, I think it’s a smarter move to go with the GN. There are pros and cons to each, but for the moment here are just a few pros….
1) in my experience, people are more willing to take a chance on an independent book that’s completed than begin a comic series and not be sure if and when they can locate the next issue. For creators who don’t have the luxury of distribution, doing single issues becomes a burden when your only way to get them to people is primarily through cons or special events.
2) to piggy back on the distribution idea, with the current interest in GNs from regular booksellers, you’re better able to place your product in bookstores, schools and libraries–these folks are willing to take books with a spine, but they won’t bother with good ol’ fashioned stapled comics
3) perhaps most important, I think your story is better served in a lengthier version. BTGC is not your run of the mill fantasy story (or comic book tale for that matter). Like Kid B. it’s the kind of story that gets better the more you read it and the longer your reader stays in that world; they can begin to build relationships with those characters that stay with them from chapter to chapter, which may not happen from installment to installment (especially when said installments may be several months apart). Giving your reader the full story up front will only stregthen that story as a whole and the impact it will have on your reader.
4) financially, I think it makes more sense for a small press publisher to focus on GNs or collections than single issues. We both know the financial risk it is just to produce a comic book: it’s hard enough to get the single issue out and then afterwards you’re concerned with making back enough money so you can print your next issue! Granted, a print run on a GN is more expensive, but at least your putting the money toward one product instead of several at the same time, and with that one focus you can really make that one product shine. Adding bonus material to a GN is a great idea and a good gift to the fans who have stayed with you and already bought those first two issues.
5) lastly, consider the first two books already printed as great marketing tools. Nothing will entice new readers to your work like free/discounted comics (maybe take part in free comic book day?). Also you there is a plethora of reviewers and media out there who need to get a copy of BTGC. All the books you’ve already printed will save you tons in the marketing for the GN.
These are just a couple things to consider. There are others, but my brain is horribly jet-lagged to go into them. I’ll definitley have your books out at SPX and chat up the GN possibility to interested parties if you’d like me too, at least this way you’ll have an idea of what the public is looking for.
Jessie writes:
I’d publish the trade if I were you. Longer shelf-life, lower cost per page for your readers, higher profit margin for you, and future readers won’t have to track down all 3 issues to get the whole story chunk.
For readers who already have your first 2 issues, you could always run off an ashcan of #3. Maybe do a limited run of Xeroxed #3’s, and anyone who doesn’t pick up one of those before it goes out of print will have to buy the trade. Fair & square.
Bart from Belgium writes:
Is it really necessarly that you have to choose ? I believ it’s fair to do the third book in a single magazine for all who has all ready bought issue 1 and 2, so they don’t have to buy a graphic novel if they don’t want. But I should also make the grapic novel (with a few extra’s) to make new fans, and to make it more simple to show your work and keep it on the market ( it’s much more simple to reprint a graphic novel). You may sure there will be guys like me who will buy the third comic and the graphic novel.
John writes:
If you still have a bunch of copies of the first two issues, print the third as a single issue. If you print a GN of all the material, people will buy that only (since it’s the only way to get the whole story) and you’ll be stuck with the copies of the first two issues. Also, if you print the third as a single issue, you can make a “limited edition” pack… put it together with the first two and add a signed “print” (I usually print something on my computer, add a bit of color by hand, sign the sucker and there you go).
However, if you’re down to your last copies, I’d say print the GN and use the first two issues as freebies/advertising to promote it.
Anyway, that’s my two cents.
Keef writes:
more money made with the graphic novel!!
Thanks to all my friends and peers who have been so kind as to share with me some of their experiences and advice.
I invite everyone to comment or email me with YOUR experiences and feelings.
