Comments on: A little more on Sammy Harkham

By: Blog@Newsarama » Everyone’s A Critic: Thoughts on the upcoming Kramers Ergot collection

Sat, 24 May 2008 02:17:32 +0000

[...] So anyway, there was a bit of a kerfluffle, both on the TCJ board and in Heidi’s comments section about whether Harkham is justified in putting out such a pricey book. For example, here’s a quick quote from Paul O’Brien that Heidi pulled out: In all seriousness, though, I find it hard to believe that anyone is going to spend $125 on a high-end art book for their first comic. This is going to sell to people who already have a strong interest in lit-comics. [...]

By: STWALLSKULL » Interesting Links: May 15th, 2008

STWALLSKULL » Interesting Links: May 15th, 2008 — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:03:22 +0000

[...] A little more on Sammy Harkham from THE BEAT [...]

By: Ian Harker

Ian Harker — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:09:09 +0000

Jacob, just go to SPX dressed like the coolest hippest dude on the planet. That way when you lift it off the table nobody will ask any questions, they’ll just automatically assume you should have it.

By: Goddard

Goddard — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:52:14 +0000

DAMN IT!
the size makes the fucker shoplift proof

…
not that i’d steal it

…
not that a single comic book store in the area would carry a copy of Kramers anyway

By: Chris Hallberg

Chris Hallberg — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:26:45 +0000

Here’s another that doesn’t make sense: “I don’t read any art comics and wouldnt buy it at any price, but whine, whine, blah, blah . . .

By: Chris Hallberg

Chris Hallberg — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:45:22 +0000

You’re not a good consumer unless you get angry about prices – that’s what really fuels the market — anger and resentment. “The people deserve — no, have a RIGHT to — stories at a price THEY are willing to pay.”

If you just say “I wish it was less expensive” you lose out on the chance to assert and bolster your own sense of superioty over elitists who clearly DO NOT RESPECT THE NATURAL LAWS OF THE MARKET. How weird is it take take a personal affront that an object is out of your price range? What does it say about you? Is it part of the fan-boy mentality?: “I made Marvel what they are by buying their comics – how dare they go from 30 to 35 cents . . .”

I can see getting angry about gas prices and global corporations, but a large comic book and two guys who have trouble making ends meet . . – You guys are viscious!

By: Rodney wall

Rodney wall — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:15:01 +0000

All this talk has actually made me more likely to buy the book.
I don’t live in a large center, and my local comic shops don’t carry Kramers Ergot, but I’ve been curious about it for a while now. Even if I don’t get number 7, I’m now way more likely to get off my ass and pick up one of the cheaper back issues.
Though I really do like “big” books.

By: Matt Kish

Matt Kish — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:20:43 +0000

Also, before you jump all over me, I am not comparing the work of Sammy Harkham or any of the potential KE7 contributors to the work of Brakhage, Cage or Richter. My point was that an artist or creator has a primary responsibility to follow their own artistic vision, whatever this may be. The parallel lies only in the approach, not the aesthetic or the product.

By: Matt Kish

Matt Kish — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:06:03 +0000

Good God, I’m sorry if I am coming off like a douchebag here but I am so sick of hearing all this tripe about how Sammy’s failing miserably in “expanding the audience.” Since when was that EVER the most important factor in the creation of an artistic work? Was Stanley Brakhage “expanding the audience” for film? Was John Cage “expanding the audience” for music and sound? Was Gerhard Richter “expanding the audience” for painting? Oh, wait, I forgot, those guys were all a bunch of effete, snobby, pretentious dickweeds, right? That seems to be the perception of anything not aimed squarely at the average white middle income suburban male living in the Midwest.

Joe Williams put it best above with his “Why is so many comics fans can’t stand it when a project isn’t aimed directly at them with the exact price point they demand?” Sammy and the rest of the contributors owe nothing to anyone. Comics buyers owe nothing to Sammy and the rest of the contributors. If you want it, buy it. If you don’t want it, don’t buy. Quit throwing stones.

By: Mike Cav

Mike Cav — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:43:11 +0000

Someone might have said this already, but with all the attention this big, expensive book is already generating, some people might think:

-I can’t afford that but,
-I’m curious about this series now, so I’ll buy the other less expensive volumes so I can check it out.

They might ultimately buy #7 as a result. Even if they don’t, more people will have been exposed to KE in general.

By: Allan Rosenberg

Allan Rosenberg — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:15:18 +0000

If this volume is like the other volume of Kramer’s Ergot I read it will be 10% brilliant and 90% crap. So I would spend $12.50 for it.

By: tone

tone — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:35:20 +0000

There are those who can afford a Hummer and those who are happy with a lower end car. Either way it gets you from point A to point B and we are all aiming for the same goal. If you are able to afford it, go for it. You could easily buy every single comic every week and it would run up your credit card, we select and buy what we like and what we can budget. The cover price does not really matter, what matters is how bad you want it and is this book a reflection of you and can you relate to the book.

Books are an escape, a magical trip. At one time VHS movies used to cost almost one hundred dollars and that was more than twenty years ago. It all becomes irrelevant, if you can afford it and deem it to be a good book then it’s your money. It seems to come down to money. It’s only paper. God knows how many people burn 125.00 dollars on much more useless things.

Limited quantities will only drive this book’s value up. It’s an investment, be it monetary or an appreciation for the art. The decision will be made either at the book store or when you click on your enter button at the checkout of any online store.

I see this book are a suped up graphic novel. So pimp my graphic novel.

By: Torsten Adair

Torsten Adair — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:57:53 +0000

10,000 copies is what one manga publisher prints for a first volume of a relatively unknown title.

Academic presses will usually print less than 1,000 copies of a hardcover edition (much fewer if it’s just cloth on boards), and around 5,000 copies of the trade paperback.

Part of the marketing of this is also the Out-Of-Print market. Try and find a copy of Absolute Planetary for sale. This volume will only increase in interest, as the new talent of today becomes respectable and meaningful in the years to come. (And Dan Clowes fans will want it now.) This book might become seminal to the history of Art/Lit Comics. AND the book can always be reprinted if it sells out.

Nostalgia is fueled by individuals who have disposable income, and long for items from the past. Myself, I search for the hardcover Eclipse and Graphitti editions from the 1980s. Twenty years from now, someone might yearn for KE7.

By: Brian Hibbs

Brian Hibbs — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:37:50 +0000

Just for clarity, I wasn’t arguing against the big format/price, just what I expect to happen commercially with KE. For my individual store, it’s orders of 30-40x$35 vs 1-2x$125 (plus longer term stocking being nil on the $125 version)

I absolute support publishers/creators doing stuff in whatever format/price they like. Just some sell better than others…

-B

By: Joe Williams

Joe Williams — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:26:59 +0000

I don’t know why Sammy Harkham is suddenly responsible for expanding the audience of comics. I doubt many people start reading comics with Kramer’s Ergot, unless they’re yuppies who read about it in Art Forum or the New Yorker, in which case that price tag is nothing.

Why is so many comics fans can’t stand it when a project isn’t aimed directly at them with the exact price point they demand? If you don’t like it, contact the artists and make your own book and put whatever price you want on it- hell, give it away for free if you’re so into “making the work accessible.”