FROM HELL Verlag in Nöten

[Sascha Thau]

"From Hell" erschien zuerst bei Top Shelf in den USA. Durch den bankrott des Vertriebs LPC ist nun auch Top Shelf an den rand des Bankrotts gerückt.

---

TOP SHELF IN TROUBLE – WE NEED YOUR HELP

Dear Comics Fans,

We have just been informed this week that our book trade distributor has
filed for bankrupcy (Chapter 11). They will continue to operate and
hopefully recover – and we will support this all we can (as our industry
needs them, and they are good people) – but unfortunately, this has
happened at a time when they owed us an enormous sum of money (over
$80,000.00 minus returns). And to make matters worse, the most recent
check they cut us, for almost $20,000.00, bounced this week, in turn
causing the last 30 checks we wrote to printers, conventions,
cartoonists – practically every aspect of the business – to bounce (or
be held) in turn.

To put it bluntly, even with all the hard work we've put in over the
years, if we don't raise $20,000 this month, it could realistically
force us to suspend publishing operations for the foreseeable future.
It's hard to believe but a big domino has fallen right on top of us at
the worst time possible. So, that leaves us no choice but to be honest
and ask for your help.

If 400-500 of you can find it in your hearts to each spend around fifty
bucks on our core list of books below, this would literally pull us
through – We mean that. We've got such a strong future schedule, and so
many cool things to announce soon (including two more Alan Moore
projects and two Film & TV projects), that I'd hate to think that we'd
have to pull the plug right before we were just about to arrive.

In any event, if you can find it in your hearts to help us out, we will
be eternally grateful. We'll be manning the phones personally on this
"drive," and we'll also be sure to keep you informed -- hopefully
letting all of you know in three-to-four weeks that everything's okay
(with your help, that is…).

On behalf of Brett Warnock and myself.

Truly, your friend thru comics,

Chris Staros
Top Shelf Productions
PO Box 1282
Marietta, GA 30061-1282
USA

(770) 425-0551
staros@bellsouth.net
http://www.topshelfcomix.com
http://www.topshelfcomix.com


************************************************** ************************************
************************************************** ************************************

ORDERS OVER $100 GET AN EXTRA $25 WORTH OF BOOKS FREE!
FREE SHIPPING FOR US ORDERS ($10.00 FOR INTERNATIONAL)

PHONE IN CREDIT CARD ORDERS TO:
CHRIS STAROS (770) 425-0551

OR

E-MAIL CREDIT CARD ORDERS TO:
STAROS@BELLSOUTH.NET

OR

MAIL CHECKS TO:
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS, INC.
PO BOX 1282
MARIETTA, GA 30061-1282
USA

OR

ORDER ON-LINE AT:
HTTP://WWW.TOPSHELFCOMIX.COM
(for our widest selection of books)


THE TOP SHELF BOOKS (the short list):

ALAN MOORE & EDDIE CAMPBELL:
FROM HELL (GN, MOVIE COVER): $35.00
FROM HELL (GN, ORIGINAL COVER): $35.00
SNAKES & LADDERS (CB): $5.95
THE BIRTH CAUL (CB): $5.95
THE HIGHBURY WORKING CD (ALAN MOORE LIVE): $20.00
ANGEL PASSAGE CD (ALAN MOORE LIVE): $20.00
HIGHBURY & ANGEL PASSAGE POSTERS: $10.00 ea.

EDDIE CAMPBELL:
ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST (TP): $13.95
ALEC: THREE PIECE SUIT (TP): $14.95
ALEC: THE KING CANUTE CROWD (TP): $14.50
BACCHUS COLOR SPECIAL (CB): $2.95
BACCHUS-VOL1: IMMORTALITY ISN'T FOREVER (TP): $10.95
BACCHUS-VOL2: THE GODS OF BUSINESS (TP): $9.95
BACCHUS-VOL3: DOING THE ISLANDS WITH BACCHUS (TP): $17.95
BACCHUS-VOL4: THE EYEBALL KID (TP): $8.50
BACCHUS-VOL5: EARTH, FIRE, AIR, WATER (TP): $9.95
BACCHUS-VOL6: 1001 NIGHTS OF BACCHUS (TP): $13.50
BACCHUS-VOL9: KING BACCHUS (TP): $12.95
BACCHUS-VOL10: BANGED UP (TP): $13.95
BACCHUS #1, #5-#8, #10, #12-#39, #41-#60 (CB): $2.95 EA.
FROM HELL / BACCHUS / ALEC ORIGINAL ART (EMAIL INQUIRIES)

GARY SPENCER MILLIDGE:
STRANGEHAVEN: ARCADIA (TP, VOL-1); $14.95
STRANGEHAVEN: BROTHERHOOD (TP, VOL-2): $14.95
STRANGEHAVEN #13: $2.95 EA.
STRANGEHAVEN #1-#3, #5-#12: $2.95 EA. (REPRINTED IN TPs)

CRAIG THOMPSON:
GOOD-BYE, CHUNKY RICE (GN): $14.95
DOOT DOOT GARDEN (SMALL BATCH): $7.00
BIBLE DOODLES (SMALL BATCH): $7.00

ALEX ROBINSON:
BOX OFFICE POISON (GN): $29.95

ED BRUBAKER:
A COMPLETE LOWLIFE (GN): $12.95

GLENN DAKIN:
ABE (GN): $14.95

MATT KINDT & JASON HALL:
PISTOLWHIP (GN): $14.95
MEPHISTO (CB): $3.95

JAMES KOCHALKA:
KOCHALKA'S SKETCHBOOK DIARY VOLS #1 & #2 (CB): $7.95 ea
THE PERFECT PLANET (GN): $14.95
PARADISE SUCKS (GN): $5.95
MAGIC BOY & THE WORD OF GOD (CB): $3.95
PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY #1 (CB): $2.95
PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY #2: THE FLIBBLEDIBBLE FILE (CB): $2.95
MERMAIDS (CB): $2.95
SUNBURN (CB): $2.95

PETE SICKMAN-GARNER:
HEY, MISTER: AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL (TP, VOL-1): $7.95
HEY, MISTER: CELEBRITY ROAST (TP, VOL-2): $9.95
HEY, MISTER: THE FALL COLLECTION (TP, VOL-3): $12.95
HEY, MISTER #3 - #4 (CB): $2.95
HEY, MISTER: BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR (CB, #5): $2.95
HEY, MISTER: THE TROUBLE WITH JESUS (CB, #6): $2.95
HEY, MISTER: EYES ON THE PRIZE (CB, #7): $2.95
HEY, MISTER: DIAL 'M' FOR MISTER (CB, #8): $3.50

TOM HART:
THE COLLECTED HUTCH OWEN (TP): $14.95
NEW HAT STORIES: BANKS/EUBANKS (GN): $9.95
THE SANDS (GN): $14.95

PETER KUPER:
SPEECHLESS (FULL-COLOR HC): $19.95
TOPSY TURVY (TP): $9.95

RENÉE FRENCH:
THE SOAP LADY (HC): $19.95

SCOTT MILLS:
BIG CLAY POT (GN): $12.95

JOSUÉ MENJIVAR:
CICADA (GN): $12.95
BROKEN FENDER #1, #2 (CB): $2.95 EA.

JOSH SIMMONS:
HAPPY (CB): $3.50
CIRKUS NEW ORLEANS (SMALL BATCH): $7.00

STEVE LAFLER:
BUGHOUSE (GN): $14.95
BAJA (GN): $9.95

BRIAN BIGGS:
DEAR JULIA, (GN): $12.95
DEAR JULIA, SHORT FILM (VIDEO): $15.00

DEAN HASPIEL:
A BOY IN MY POCKET (CB): $2.95
DAYDREAM LULLABIES: A BILLY DOGMA EXPERIENCE (TP): $7.95
OPPOSABLE THUMBS (CB): $4.95
KEYHOLE #5, #6 (CB): $2.95 EA.

BRETT WARNOCK -- TOP SHELF (THE ANTHOLOGY):
UNDER THE BIG TOP (#8, AN): $14.95
ON PARADE (#7, AN): $6.95
TOP SHELF #5-#6 (AN): $6.95 EA.
TOP SHELF #1-#2 (AN): $5.00 EA.

CHRIS STAROS:
EXPO 2001 (INCLUDES A 23-PAGER BY CHRIS): $7.95
THE STAROS REPORT - 1996 & 1997 (ZINE): $4.95 EA.

SMALL BATCH:
BETTER LUCK NEXT CENTURY (DYLAN HORROCKS): $7.00
SMUDGES (P. SHAW): $7.00
BERN & EDWINA (PAT MORIARITY & DAVID GREENBERGER): $7.00

ACTUS:
HAPPY END (FULL-COLOR HC): $21.95
ACTUS BOX (BOXED SET OF 5 COLOR GRAPHIC NOVELLAS): $31.95
FLIPPER #1 & #2 (AN): $11.95 EA.
JETLAG (AN): $14.50

STRIPBURGER:
STRIPBUREK (AN): $17.95
MINIBURGER (BOXED SET OF 12 MINICOMICS): $19.95
XXX STRIPBURGER (AN, ADULTS ONLY): $13.95
STRIPBURGER #25, #26, #27, #29 (AN): $7.00 EA.

DEE VEE:
DEE VEE #2-#14, LIC SPEC, #2001 (CB): $3.00 EA.

ALTERNATIVE COMICS:
9-11 EMERGENCY RELIEF (AN, VARIOUS): $14.95

JORDAN CRANE:
THE LAST LONELY SATURDAY (GN): $8.00

DAVID CHOE:
BRUISED FRUIT (FULL-COLOR TP): $20.00

KURT WOLFGANG:
WHERE HATS GO (GN): $8.00

JEFF NICHOLSON:
THROUGH THE HABITRAILS: $14.95

MISC. COMIX:
TALES OF THE GREAT UNSPOKEN (AARON AUGENBLICK): $3.50
JACK'S LUCK RUNS OUT (JASON LITTLE): $3.50
EYE SPY (CHARISE MERICLE): $5.00
CLOCK #1, #2, #3 (PAUL SHARAR): $3.00 EA.
RED CALLOWAY'S BIG BANG (SET OF #1-#4) (PAUL SHARAR): $10.00

SILK-SCREENED POSTERS:
NEIL GAIMAN'S THE LAST ANGEL (BY CRAIG THOMPSON): $20.00
TOP SHELF: THREE ROBOTS (BY MARTIN ONTIVEROS): $20.00
TOP SHELF: MAN WITH MARTINI (BY BRETT WARNOCK): $10.00
TOP SHELF: THE BOXER (BY FRANKIE SIRK): $10.00

[dinter3]

sollten die jetzt nicht eigentlich ein bissi kohle haben, von wegen dem film und so?

[Sascha Thau]

Ich weiß nicht wie's in den USA ist, aber die meisten die ich kenne hatten keinen Schimmer das FROM HELL eine Comicverfilmung ist. Schuß in den Ofen aus Comicsicht.

bye Sascha

[Martin Jordan]

Jap, diesen Fakt haben die Medien ganz gekonnt unter den Teppich gekehrt. Leider!

[dinter3]

tscha, ärgerlich...
hätte dem markt mal gut getan, wenn johnny depp sich für comics ausgesprochen hätte.
trotzdem wunder ich mich ein bisschen darüber, dass die jungs nicht per lizenzvertrag zu genug geld gekommen sind.
wohl keine prozente-option...

[Sascha Thau]

Immerhin. Es geschehen noch Zeichn und Wunder. Nach dem weit verbreiteten Aufruf haben sich zahlreiche Käufer/Spender gefunden.

Warren Ellis schreibt:
---
Top Shelf is back in business.

Chris Staros is going to put out an
official email at the end of the week.
But as of last night, Chris said they'd
made the nut for this month.
They're still in for a difficult period,
but yesterday they were put back
in business.

And it's the Warren Ellis Forum, BAD
SIGNAL and artbomb.net that made
the difference.

You people did good.

They still need your help. If
you go to www.artbomb.net,
you'll find a special page devoted
to Top Shelf and our recommendations
from them, with reviews and
excerpted material. There's not
a better way to sample their
books. We've set up a direct
shopping cart for those books --
buy them via Artbomb and we'll
give you a free Artbomb t-shirt
as designed by Brian Wood. Brian
Wood is the creator of CHANNEL
ZERO, writer and designer of
COUSCOUS EXPRESS, and designer
of AVAILABLE LIGHT, COME IN
ALONE and the covers for my
forthcoming GLOBAL FREQUENCY.

In a matter of a few hours last
night, we shifted over a thousand
dollars' worth of Top Shelf books.

Go and look at what they do. They
are an important publisher.

I am a very scary person today.

Thanks for what you did. And
thank you for your continued
attention.

Warren
tired
Southend
---

[Sascha Thau]

Von Chris Staros (Top Shelf):

"On Tuesday, after we made the announcement of our book trade distributor filing for Chapter 11 (and the subsequent fatal impact that this had on our own operation), we received over 200 phone orders and 850 on-line and email orders to boot. This staggering 1000 orders has not only made us operational again (and put several thousand copies of our graphic novels into circulation), but has also reaffirmed to us that the comics industry is back, revitalized, and ready to take on the world. We're even estimating that over 100,000 people received the news or were personally involved in the discussion of this on-line event on that day."

Mann, ich bin icht platt. Wer hätte mit sowas gerechnet? Es geschehen noch Zeichen und Wunder - jedenfalls in den USA.

bye Sascha

[Belasco]

Mann, ich bin icht platt. Wer hätte mit sowas gerechnet? Es geschehen noch Zeichen und Wunder - jedenfalls in den USA.

Yo. Das ist herrlich, und ich muss auch sagen, dass ich das Gefuehl nicht loswerde, dass die Comic Industrie in Amiland wieder langsam Oberhand gewinnt. Ich finds geil und hoffe, dass es auch so weitergeht

pf.