Full 4-color process printing is a lot more expensive than you guys seem to realize.
A TOTQ book would currently require about 300 pages, depending on exactly where you put the cutoff point... (Assuming one strip per page, which would seem to be the most natural layout since the strips are already formatted and laid out that way.) A book that large would have enormous setup costs if you were to do it on a 4-color web press (which is how commercially-distributed comics and graphic novels are done) -- and those costs would have to be paid up front, unless Ralph can go through a publisher that has an established relationship with the printing house. (Even then, they'll have to pay it on a Net-30 or Net-90 basis, so they're not going to consider it unless they think they can sell enough copies at wholesale to at least recoup the printing costs within that time.)
On-demand publishing is almost as bad -- a high-quality book would need to be done on a laser, dye-sublimation, or thermal-wax printer, and those aren't cheap to operate. (You think you're getting ripped off by the cost of the inkjet cartridges for your home printer? Try pricing the consumables for HP color lasers or the Tektronix Phaser printers!)
Either way, you're probably looking at a book in the $50 - $75 range, unless you can get large enough advance sales that you can amortize the web-press setup costs across a large print run of, say, 50,000-100,000 copies.
Yo Ralph: I think you need to start looking at a TOTQ book
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SolidusRaccoon
- Cartoon Hero
- Posts: 3046
- Joined: Sun May 02, 2004 6:15 pm
- Location: Outer Heaven
Indeed it has.
Yes, sir. I agree completely. It takes a well-balanced individual... such as yourself to rule the world. No, sir. No one knows that you were the third one... Solidus. ...What should I do about the woman? Yes sir. I'll keep her under surveillance. Yes. Thank you. Good-bye...... Mr. President.
At my count, as of the most recent post..
Not including filler and stuff .. 233 pages..
I know of 2 that are duplicates.
1 is a guest art that could be skipped without loosing continuity.
that's 230 pages.
Using the numbers from the publisher for Nip & Tuck vol 1.
For comparasion.
Nip and Tuck: 143 pages, 8.5 x 11.0 in, perfect-bound, b & w for $15
Binding $4.53
Pages 143
cost/page $0.02
Page Cost $2.86
Printing Cost $7.39
Purchase Price $15.00
Gross Profit $7.61
Commission $1.52
Royalty $6.09 ** This is a guess at what RH gets per book.
Tales of the Questor estimate using Lulu as a publishing company.
Binding $4.53
Pages 230
cost/page $0.15
Page Cost $34.50
Printing Cost $39.03
Purchase Price $79.22 ** guess by using ratio from nip and tuck
Gross Profit $40.19
Commission $8.04
Royalty $32.15 ** this is what RH would get per book.
Hmm...
Taking a look at Plan-9 taking a sample from their offerings.
KK8c - Carrots & Sticks, Kevin & Kell #8, Softcover edition
by Bill Holbrook
The eighth collection of Kevn & Kell, 128 pages all color. $15.95
Looking through Plan9's offering, it seems that they are keeping under $20. This is good for selling more books.
Plan9's submission criteria.
1) Must be on-line, Check
2) 270+ comics ... Hmm, not quite there yet.
3) minimum of 3x a week updating schedule. ... RH, you've been doing great, keep it up.
4) PG13 or less rating .... Ha.. I think RH has this covered
They also require a hardcopy submission for review.
One question.. RH, if your listening.. Do you have high quality copies of all of the Tales of the Questor Pages? ( as in 300dpi vs the 100dpi version you have on the web ? )
The reason why I ask, is if the work was done in 300dpi for example, and saved, then reduced to web-publish, it means the work wouldn't have to be re-done.
Not including filler and stuff .. 233 pages..
I know of 2 that are duplicates.
1 is a guest art that could be skipped without loosing continuity.
that's 230 pages.
Using the numbers from the publisher for Nip & Tuck vol 1.
For comparasion.
Nip and Tuck: 143 pages, 8.5 x 11.0 in, perfect-bound, b & w for $15
Binding $4.53
Pages 143
cost/page $0.02
Page Cost $2.86
Printing Cost $7.39
Purchase Price $15.00
Gross Profit $7.61
Commission $1.52
Royalty $6.09 ** This is a guess at what RH gets per book.
Tales of the Questor estimate using Lulu as a publishing company.
Binding $4.53
Pages 230
cost/page $0.15
Page Cost $34.50
Printing Cost $39.03
Purchase Price $79.22 ** guess by using ratio from nip and tuck
Gross Profit $40.19
Commission $8.04
Royalty $32.15 ** this is what RH would get per book.
Hmm...
Taking a look at Plan-9 taking a sample from their offerings.
KK8c - Carrots & Sticks, Kevin & Kell #8, Softcover edition
by Bill Holbrook
The eighth collection of Kevn & Kell, 128 pages all color. $15.95
Looking through Plan9's offering, it seems that they are keeping under $20. This is good for selling more books.
Plan9's submission criteria.
1) Must be on-line, Check
2) 270+ comics ... Hmm, not quite there yet.
3) minimum of 3x a week updating schedule. ... RH, you've been doing great, keep it up.
4) PG13 or less rating .... Ha.. I think RH has this covered
They also require a hardcopy submission for review.
One question.. RH, if your listening.. Do you have high quality copies of all of the Tales of the Questor Pages? ( as in 300dpi vs the 100dpi version you have on the web ? )
The reason why I ask, is if the work was done in 300dpi for example, and saved, then reduced to web-publish, it means the work wouldn't have to be re-done.