Hypergeek Talks to TCJ Managing Editor Michael Dean About the Big Changes in Store for The Comic Journal

As a subscriber to The Comic Journal, a few days ago I received advance notification about the upcoming changes to the publication, as they would affect my outstanding subscription.

Here is a scan of the letter that was sent to subscribers:

Fantagraphics then put out the following press release:

OCTOBER 28, SEATTLE, WA – The Comics Journal is about to take two major steps forward in its evolution. First, after 33 years and several incarnations, TCJ is answering the peoples’ prayers and upping the Web content on tcj.com. Next, the print publication will be consolidated around two expanded semi-annual editions, each customized to fit its content.

The new, full-service tcj.com will deliver everything readers love — in-depth interviews, smart columns, sharp criticism, real journalism — on a daily basis. And not only will readers get the traditional Comics Journal content faster, but they will also be able to access features beyond the reach of print magazines: videos, slide shows, audio files, original-art galleries and an army of both new and established Journal-caliber bloggers filtering the comics world through their unique perspectives. In short, it is the dawning of a Comics Journal that knows no bounds.

Focusing on what print does best, The Comics Journal magazine will be more beautiful than ever, an elegant combination of interviews, articles, and objet d’art. Uniquely sized and formatted, evocatively visual and tactile, each issue will be an event. Readers will get their first look at the direction The Comics Journal will be moving in with issue #300.

Coming in November 2009: issue 300 of The Comics Journal and a comprehensive new website!

As a long time reader of TCJ I was overjoyed to learn that Fantagraphics would be improving the online section of the magazine, and I find the idea of a larger format magazine rather appealing. I did have a few concerns about the letter though, such as, if each issue is going to cost at least $19.99 a pop, how often will it be coming out? Also, as a subscriber, how will this affect the subscription that I have already prepaid?

In order to find out the answers to these questions, I contacted TCJ Managing Editor Michael Dean, and here’s what he told me:

• The current price of an issue of TCJ is 11.99. The letter that was sent out to subscribers stated that each new format issue will cost no less than $19.99, why such a drastic price increase? And why “no less than”?
  

MD: The price of the magazine is changing, because it’s going to be a different sort of animal from what you’ve been getting. In fact, each issue will have a different cover price, based on its particular size and format. When you pay more for an issue, it’s only because you’ll be getting more.

• How will this change in the cost per issue affect people who currently subscribe to TCJ? As an example, how would this effect my case, I have paid for a 10 issue subscription, and have currently received 6 issues of the current format magazine, which will become 7 after November’s #300. This leaves me with 3 issues of old format magazine left, so how many issues of the new format will I receive? Also, I am a Canadian subscriber, and so paid $102.40 for my subscription, as opposed to the regular $54.60, so how does affect my specific case?

MD: As a subscriber, you’ll be getting more content than you paid for when you initially subscribed. The actual values in your particular case are a little harder to calculate because of the fluctuating exchange rate [ED note: I'm a Canadian subscriber]. The issues you still have coming after #300 represent about $31 of the $102 you paid for your sub. That would have a $40 value based on the U.S. cover price and a little more in Canada, so you’re still ahead and you’d be even more ahead if the value of the U.S. dollar hadn’t been dropping so precipitously.

• When can we expect to see the first issue of the new TCJ?

MD: The relaunch of the print magazine is slated for September 2010, which is the beginning of the fall quarter in the bookstore market, but we will probably have advance copies in time for the San Diego con.

• Will you be offering newly priced subscriptions any time soon?

MD: The new sub rates appear in issue #300 and they are up on the Fantagraphics website. The prices are the same, but what was a five-issue sub is now a three-issue sub and the former 10-issue sub is now a six-issue sub.

• What will the frequency be of this new, larger format publication?

MD: The larger-format issues will appear twice a year. The idea is to focus the print magazine on the things that only print can do.

• So what exactly can we expect of the new format TCJ?

MD: Each issue will essentially be a high-quality book with much more art than we have been able to get into past issues of the Journal. $19.99 just for an art book of this nature is a bargain, but these issues will have much more historical and critical depth of content than you would find in most art books. I don’t think you’ll be able to find anything comparable at a price that low.

Thank you very much for talking to me today Michael. I hope that your answers help to alleviate any concerns readers have over this change in format and price. I am very much looking forward to the relaunch of the magazine, and the new look TCJ website.  As soon as the site is launched, I shall do a follow-up feature on what changes have been made.

I have included below a reference table for current TCJ subscribers to determine what issue their subscription will run to after the magazine changes format.

Reference Table for subscribers

If your sub ends with #301, you will get the next issue ($20+ value for your $7.20)

If your sub ends with #302, you will get the next two issues ($40+ value for your $14.40)

If your sub ends with #303, you will get the next two issues ($40+ value for your $21.60)

If your sub ends with #304, you will get the next three issues ($60+ value for your $28.80)

If your sub ends with #305, you will get the next three issues ($60+ value for your $36.00)

If your sub ends with #306, you will get the next four issues ($80+ value for your $43.20)

If your sub ends with #307, you will get the next four issues ($80+ value for your $50.40)

If your sub ends with #308, you will get the next five issues ($100+ value for your $57.60)

If your sub ends with #309, you will get the next five issues ($100+ value for your $64.80)

If your sub ends with #310, you will get the next six issues ($120+ value for your $72.00)

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