Posbi Invasion Canceled

Vector’s Rhodan English effort on Hiatus

Original post follows:

I can’t say it any other way, folks.   After trying over and over again to get Posbi Invasion done and out to fans, VPM has now said this project can not go forward.

An explanation is in order.

 

VPM has stated that it prefers to deal only with large publishing companies.  This is understandable in a business sense.  Why take a chance on a small company when there is a chance for much larger royalties from a bigger company.  I can disagree with this but ultimately the decision is theirs – they own the copyright.

 

If anyone could set up a larger publisher, it is the current editorial team.  Staunch Rhofans, they are currently making an effort.  I wish them luck.

 

At the same time, history argues against their success.  Except for my own efforts, no one else has published Perry Rhodan material in English for the past 23 years.  I am aware of several potential deals that have come and gone that, for reasons of professional courtesy, I will not detail.  Without a publication history it seems unlikely that a larger company would find a market.

 

It is for this reason that I have always believed a small scale effort was necessary before a large one could be mounted.  I have always worked with VPM with this in mind.  Taking an example, Anime obtained a fan base in the US first through the efforts of fans.  Later on this underground effort created a fan base large enough to enable Japanese companies to sell Anime in stores.  It would never have happened without the small scale efforts of those fans.

 

I would also like to explain my silence of the past few years.  Long term fans will remember that, when we had to stop publication of the magazine, my tepid comments were greatly over interpreted by the German fans.  In a matter of days the rumor mill had created all sorts of things that were not true.  As you can imagine, VPM corporate was not happy.  On their request I limited my remarks.

 

Over the past two years, I have remained in communication with VPM.  I have suggested several avenues for continued publication of Perry Rhodan.  Technology has really caught up with the small publishing company, and several things are possible that were not when we started.  The possibility of e-books was discussed and some fans may remember that I provided PR 1804 for this effort.  Print on demand is now feasible.  I also made it clear that I would not hamper their efforts if they wished to bring in someone else.  There was at least one deal that I would have enthusiastically supported.  For others I would have been willing to become the backoffice for a larger publishing company, but these never materialized.

 

During this period, VPM has held out the possibility that Vector could become the English publishing arm again.  Most recently, we negotiated a contract for Posbi Invasion, which their corporate office killed. 

 

Folks, I give up.  I have been working behind the scenes since the magazine ended, and all for naught.

 

It would be one thing if there were absolutely no hope for Perry Rhodan, as occurred after Forry’s efforts with the Masters books.  But it is very frustrating to have material, to be ready to go, and to have a profitable business model (print on demand) ready…and then to be told not to even try.

 

For the record, in addition to Posbi Invasion (Perry Rhodan 146-149) I have the first Silverbound book in the Masters of the Island series (PR 200-207) translated.  PR 1805 has been translated.  In addition, I have fan translations (not quite as good as Dwight but could be edited up to publishable standards) of The Time Police, another Silverbound book.  Also fan translations of issue 1000, The Terran (Der Terraner) and two issues in the 1800 series.  I will not reveal the specifics of my discussions with Dwight but believe we could have earned sufficient revenue from print on demand to make it worth his while to do translations.

 

My intentions in re-starting the English run were as follows: 

1)     Print Posbi Invasion

2)     Do the Masters of the Island book as Print on Demand.

3)     Issue PR 1800-1805 as a Print on Demand book

4)     Use the Time Police book to satisfy subscriptions

5)     Ongoing print on demand for the Masters of the Island line and the 1800 line

 

I can only hope that VPM corporate will change their mind and allow this to happen.

 

If you want to complain, well, I can’t give out any private email addresses.  I’ll just note that there is a contact page for VPM here.  Unfortunately your emails will probably go to people who are sympathetic and not the corporate office.  However it couldn’t hurt to try.

 

I’ve set up a Web Board for discussion.  Go here.

 

 

Send emails to RhodanEnglish@netscape.net  

Webmaster John Foyt