Important message from the publisher regarding the pulp reprints

[Kell Johnson]

I found this posted on a forum the other day. It's about two months old, but I think it's important. Anthony Tollin, the mind behind the Shadow pulp reprints sent out a message that I think everyone should check out. It pertains to the pulp reprints, and the royalties associated with them, that, under a very generous continuation of past agreements with the Gibson family, the family is supposed to receive a cut of the money made from the reprints! One of the distributing companies, however, appears to have violated this part of the contract recently!

The post I have copied is here: http://www.comicon.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=5...

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An open letter to the pulp community:

For those taking advantage of the discounted SHADOW and
DOC SAVAGE volumes at Half-Price Books, please be aware
that Nostalgia Ventures began remaindering these books
last summer in direct violation of its sub-contract with
me. Also, as of today (July 22, 2009), Nostalgia Ventures
has still not paid royalties to either Conde Nast or me
for any books it has sold since July 1st, 2008. (A
semi-annual royalty payment was due back in February, and
another six months of royalties are coming due in August.)
There is a very good reason why Nostalgia
Ventures/Nostalgiatown is no longer co-publishing these
books, and it involves a continuing series of contract
violations.

And for anyone who may not be sympathetic because Conde
Nast is a huge corporation, please be aware that Conde
Nast has chosen to continue the oral agreement it had for
decades with Walter Gibson, and is splitting its royalties
for the SHADOW reprints with Walter's family. This is an
extremely rare and decent act that is quite unusual in the
publishing world.

I think my SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE double-novel trade
paperbacks are a great value at the $12.95 cover price.
Obviously, the books are an even better value at discounted
prices. However, please be aware that purchasing these
books from either Half-Price Books or Nostalgiatown does
nothing to encourage the continuation of these series. And
since Nostalgia Ventures still hasn't paid its
contract-required royalties for any of the books it has
sold during the past 12 1/2 months, the money from
Nostalgia Ventures' and Half-Price Books' sales also hasn't
been continuing on to Walter Gibson's family.

It's not necessary to purchase THE SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE
directly from Sanctum Books to support the ongoing
publishing operation and encourage the continuation of these
reprints. Bud Plant Comic Art, Adventure House, Mike Chomko,
Vintage Library, Girasol, Edge Books, The Mysterious
Bookshop and any comic specialty shop that orders its books
from Diamond Comic Distributors all get their books either
directly or indirectly through Sanctum Books (which
continues to make its regular royalty payments to Conde Nast
and would like to continue publishing these reprints for
many more years).

Please feel free to forward this message on to other
pulp-oriented email groups.

--Anthony Tollin
Sanctum Books
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[Phil Friel]

Thanks for this information, as it's something I was totally unaware of. Fortunately I always order my reprint pulps and books through my comic supplier, who orders directly from Diamond. But it is definitely important that this news becomes widespread.

I find myself in the unusual situation of fully supporting Conde Nast in this, solely because of their commendable actions towards Walter Gibson's family. Such support and loyalty from any large corporation is virtually unheard of (most of them would sell off their own children to maximize profits), and Conde Nast's behaviour should be wholeheartedly applauded and supported by buying their publications from a reputable source which ensures that the royalty payments go where they should.

I never thought I would hear myself voicing such support for any large corporation (I usually dislike large corporations intensely, on principle alone), but, in this case, we must give Conde Nast credit where credit is due.

[Melody]

I wish I had known this before I bought the collection from Nostalgia Ventures.

[Kell Johnson]

How recently did you purchase it?

Melody said:

I wish I had known this before I bought the collection from Nostalgia Ventures.

[Melody]

Last June. I hope this is resolved. Part of my buying them was so the author's relatives could receive royalties. I downloaded txt files of them months ago.

K. Johnson said:

How recently did you purchase it?

Melody said:

I wish I had known this before I bought the collection from Nostalgia Ventures.

[Kell Johnson]

Bummer, but it's not like there was any announcement about this until July, so no one really knew. I purchased a couple books from Nostalgia Ventures during the time they stopped paying royalties myself.

I do hope the issue is resolved soon. It's a shame that one group here is not playing by the rules, but at least we have the other sources to go to, to purchase the rest of the set as it comes out, and we can know they're paying their proper respects and royalties to Gibson's family.

Melody said:

Last June. I hope this is resolved. Part of my buying them was so the author's relatives could receive royalties. I downloaded txt files of them months ago.

K. Johnson said:

How recently did you purchase it?

Melody said:

I wish I had known this before I bought the collection from Nostalgia Ventures.

[Melvin Creston Williams]

Thanks for letting everyone know about this Tony. Personally, although it would up your already awesome workload, I think folks should get them directly from Sanctum Books as I do. You can't beat the source, and the family will get what's theirs.

The Shadow Knows...