Comic-Con and The Teraport Wars
Posted July 16th, 2008 by Howard Tayler
I will be opening limited pre-orders for Schlock Mercenary: The Teraport Wars at Comic-Con International next week. Here’s the scoop:
You show up at booth 1330 (Blank Label Comics, look for the color orange) at Comic-Con, and you can pre-order a numbered, customer-choice sketch-edition of Schlock Mercenary: The Teraport Wars, shipped to any US Address, for $35 (that’s cover price plus sketch edition price — we’re eating the shipping and the sales tax.)
But it gets sweeter if you hurry. While the mass-mailing of books won’t begin until late September or early October, we’ll be getting ten advance copies of the book in just a few weeks. One of those is for me. One of those is going to be “sketch edition #1,” and will be auctioned on eBay. The remaining eight go to the first eight people to pre-order sketch editions from me at Comic-Con.
Another thing… if you pre-order from me at Comic-Con, I’ll let you pick your number. Want #002? 007? 42? 314? 666? Pre-order at Comic-Con, and I’ll put your claimed number on your order form.
Pre-orders for the rest of the world will open up the week after WorldCon, about August 15th. I’m planning to do “around 1000″ sketch editions, but if people pre-order that many at Comic-Con (I really doubt that will happen) I’ll up the number to accommodate web customers.
Explore posts in the same categories: Books, Conventions, Merchandise
July 16th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I wish I was in the US! Just waiting for pre-orders to start …..
July 16th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Ah the irony. I live across the street from where ComicCon is held, and yet have to attend a trade show in Europe every year during that time. So once again I’ll miss out on Schlock sketch goodness, book pre-orders, the Kevin Smith stand-up routine, and Charles Stross in the house.
Now that I’m done crying like a little girl with a skinned knee, I’ll ask those lucky ones among you who do attend to have just a little extra fun on my behalf.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
The real hope is that eventually you can have over a million regular customers…so that rabid C.S. Lewis fans can choose the numbers 2456317 or 6152347.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
What, no more “Ton of books”? :)
July 16th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
These books weigh less. I’d have to sign more, and after my little Advil overdose last December we’ve decided that my limit is around 1000.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Well, that news certainly helps me decide exactly where I should begin my Comic-Con experience Thursday morning!
–GS
July 16th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Nooo! and i wanted #42 ;) alas. i will get a #ed copy though!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Bother. I’ll go back to sulking now.
D.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I take it, then, that anyone *not* able to attend this event is
officially More Screwed Than The Turkey At Thanksgiving Dinner?
July 17th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Bummer. Wonder if you’re going to break 2000 for the pre-orders this book.
July 17th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Howard, I have a question about the economics of the sketch editions. I realize you charge more, but do you *benefit* more? If I, as a loyal web reader, want you to benefit the most from the book purchase – and furthermore, I primarily want the book content – do I help you more by buying the sketch edition, or by buying the plain edition?
July 17th, 2008 at 7:34 am
csadn: We do not expect more than about 100 pre-orders at Comic con. This leaves 900 sketched editions for everyone else. The one thing you do lose out on, is being able to pick your number. Comic con is a very expensive convention for Howard to attend. We’re trying to make it profitable.
Chris Smith: Yes we benefit more from the sketch editions, otherwise Howard would not do them. However there are enough people salivating after sketch editions, that no one should feel obligated to buy a sketch edition unless they really want the sketch.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Personally I buy two, a sketch issue to preserve and a non-sketch issue to read. So doing a sketch issue certainly does benefit the Taylers!
Actually is it possible to make it a double order somehow? That would cut the packing down a bit but could well be adminstratively difficult with over a 1,000 orders to process! No, on second thoughts, I don’t think it is viable.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
A double-order is easy. Sandra does those all the time. Yes, there is administrative difficulty, but you wouldn’t believe how efficient she’s gotten at rounding these things up.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Sandra Tayler: OK. I wasn’t real particular on getting a particular
number. However, it did read as tho’ this would be the only shot at
a sketch edition. (The phrasing of my question was just my innate
cynicism showing through. :) )
July 18th, 2008 at 7:15 am
[fume, fume, fume]
Why can’t I afford to go to all these comic conventions? Guess I gotta wait for the general offering to the unwashed masses.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:37 am
On the up side, it’s exciting that the new book is visible on the horizon – even for us unwashed masses (eww).
I *will* wash before reading it.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Schlock must have digested his twitter device.
July 19th, 2008 at 1:20 am
I thought # 666 was mine, by right of…um…something? Please?
July 19th, 2008 at 2:23 am
I think that can be arranged. Especially since we’re using you on the back cover again. :-)
July 19th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Did you list me as more than an Amazon reviewer, to milk any fame I might add?
July 19th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I listed you as a “military science-fiction author,” I believe.
July 20th, 2008 at 1:50 am
But….but…I’m an obnoxious @#$%^. I get told so all the time.
July 20th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
yes Mike, … frequently by friends and family. Will miss you at Pennsic, but I’m not going to be there either.
July 21st, 2008 at 1:27 am
MadMike: “But….but…I’m an obnoxious @#$%^. I get told so all the
time.”
Ugh — White Man serve up Softball Straight-Line, act surprised when it
get knocked out of park…. :)
August 18th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
did i miss preorders because i have never seen any announcements for preorders adn its all most sept