Hello friends,
Two weeks ago Microcosm launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new edition of John Isaacson’s DIY Screenprinting.
You see, our state of publishing isn’t so impacted by digital and internet media, as much as it’s bruised by Diamond Comics cutting 99% of our titles out of their distribution, or Ingram slashing our terms so far that we’d actually lose money if we sold books through them, or the rising cost of fuel and thus paper for all of these projects.
All of these factors combined, on top of a global recession leads us to have costs that are higher than ever while our income is at an all-time low. And this being the most expensive book we’re doing in 2011, we’ve resorted to our third Kickstarter campaign to raise half of the funds. Except it’s not going so well there either. So we were hoping there would be a possibility to get some blog posts up about it.
The saddest part is that this is necessary because the book was successful. We sold out of the first edition. But because almost all of it was sold to the biggest distributors (at the biggest discounts), after paying out royalties, we earned less money than it would cost to reprint more books.
So the best way for people to support the reprint is to get a copy (or two, five, ten, or twenty) at this point is to back the project on Kickstarter. We even have 50% off deals for retailers with free shipping on five, ten, or twenty copies.
The Kickstarter rewards for the campaign have been re-focused to have a DIY theme.
There’s a few unique titles—different posters designed by John and one of them not yet quite finished! Be the first to know what it’ll look like! We’ll be adding a limited edition screenprinted poster each week throughout the campaign.
About the book itself—aside from being out of print, John Issacson’s work is notable because it’s more than an instructional book. It’s also a graphic novel chronicling his life of screenprinting. For $12.95 he offers the same depth of information presented in $20-40 manuals on screenprinting in an even more readable format.
For $13 you can get a copy of just the book. For $90 you can get the book and a 6 month BFF subscription to Microcosm. For amounts in between you can get a small pile of books. For $75 you can be the only person in the world to own a copy of the book and it’s original blueline printing proofs. If inclined, you could be a very special kind of nerd.
If the reward structure doesn’t work for you, get in touch, and we can tweak it with stuff that you want/need!
I’m really proud of this book and love John’s work. Not only does it teach the fine art and science of screenrpinting, it also includes interviews with seven other screenprinters about their craft. And it’s orange.
We have some other great books coming out later this year including Rad Dad, Homesweet Homegrown, and Barefoot & In The Kitchen. Upon last inquiry, our printer was refusing inertia and excitement as payment.
Attached is the press release for the new edition of DIY Screenprinting.
Thanks for the zine love,
Joe
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