From: [R J Johnston] at [newcastle.ac.uk]
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: UKCAC: Tony Lobito
Date: 20 Sep 1993 06:13:20 -0500

Well i managed to corner him and chat to him about Image comics. He
seemed a reasonable fellow to some degree but couldn't understand the
difference between quantity and quality. The rationale for the dumped
Image comic books is soley quantity. if it sells above 150,000 it
stays. if it doesn't it gets canned. he said he was reasonable,
allowing creators to finish their mini-series if they wanted to. he
also, however gave doubt to that fact the Stroman and Johnson
"quit"... rather that they were fired. Johnson and Stroman decided
not to attend the convention for unexplained reasons. Talking to the
organisers, they hinted that the fact that Lobito was present
alienated them.

Maxx is here to stay as of present. Its sales figures are well into
the 200-300,000 range. Anyway, I managed to get a business retailer
card and got myself a darker Image black and white silver edition....
you have to see this guys... Kieth and Lee's art work are so much
better without colour. Liefeld's was a lot worse. Bisley was drooling
over some of the Deathblow artwork when I met him and I had to agree.
Now if only Lee would make WildCATS a quarterly and do this stuff...

The 1963 80-page special by Alan Moore and Jim Lee will be solicted
for the first quarter of 1994. Me, I'm sceptical.

Lobito said that a lot of Image comics are printed but they are
holding back stacks so as not to alienate the market by releasing
them all at once and getting backlashed with lost sales. However, 6
are shipping this week and 6 the next week. He seems confident that
missed deadlines will clear up during 1994. Especially since 501 is
on a leave of absence and can't just solicit titles on a whim.... any
guesses when his Troll will hit the shelves?

Image were VERY pally with Capital... it seems that Capital helped
Image a great deal financially to be set up... I consider this a
dangerous link. Diamond/Titan were a bit pissed off...

Bisley was getting very friendly with Lobito... expect work from
Bisley for Image when the Atomeka contract runs out. The Bisleyverse
may switch publishers.


..................................
RICH JOHNSTON-Creator of Dirtbag
"Woo!" - James Ottaviani, recent Cerebus.
You're so vain.... I bet you think this post is about you