William Schanes Writes

The Complete Pacific Comics Re-Reading Blog Series presents:

William Schanes Writes

William Schanes, one of the Schanes brothers, has been writing down anecdotes about his time with Schanes & Schanes, Pacific Comics and Diamond Distributors over at Face.

The majority of them are from the post-Pacific era (which isn’t that strange, because that’s a longer time period), but most of these stories are fascinating anyway. These are rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of what goes on in comics publishing and distribution, so I thought it might make sense to link to these posts and categorise them slightly.

So, most are about Diamond, but:

  • (nothing): Diamond
  • *: Pacific Comics
  • **: Pacific Distributors
  • +: Other

I’ll be quoting a bit from the * and ** posts in the blog posts about individual comics.

The good news is that Schanes is apparently writing a book about these things. That’s great, because I like the way he writes: He’s very matter of fact, and doesn’t beat about the bush. The bad news is that since he decided to write the book, he’s stopped posting these reminiscences on Facebook.

Interview with William Schanes.

Cerebus**

How does a brand new publisher attempt to compete with DC and Marvel*

Build a better mouse trap

Entering the sports trading card market

NFL Super Pro

Back channels

Expense Reports

From our Pacific Comics mail order catalog dating back to 1977.**

Christmas presents +

14 conventions in 6-weeks**

Bongo

Blackmark*

Boycott*

Steve Ditko*

Strange meetings with the Image Comics partners

The phone call that changed everything

Special Needs**

Channel 6

Everything but the kitchen sink

April Campbell, Bruce Jones, David Scroggy and myself, in the way back machine from the early 1980’s.*

Swamp Thing 1982 Movie*

Visiting the enemy

Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter

Turner & Hooch

100 army solders+

10-4 big buddy

And the Gemmie goes to…

Halloween+

I’m a rock star – not!

Band on the run (loose in the front yard)

Oatmeal

Battlegrounds

Bungee Cords

New York City Bagels

The great white north*

The tooth fairy (NOT!)+

Delivery times

Made in the U.S.A.

The mailman

Chester, Illinois **

Accommodations

Personal goals

Giving up control

New York Toy Fair Showroom

The last day*

Phil Seuling’s New York Comic Con**

On the shoulders of a giant

Taxi

My Little Pony

Hot Wheels

This is war!

T-Shirt Armageddon **

Mowing the grass**

Let them eat cake*

The move

New Dynamics Tour

3 days

7 wonders

Open bar*

Creator rights*

An offer to good to refuse, right out of The Godfather playbook**

The day Robert Crumb wrote me a hand written letter.**

Blown Away!

Old Bay Seasoning

Crossing the picket line**

Bay Area Comic Retailers (BACR)

Sol Harrison **

Work permit

Titan Distributors offices and warehouse in London*

2 Diamond executives injured in London within minutes of each other

Duck Hunt+

The Schanes signed one dollar bill*

Buying new comics at whole sale prices **

Steak Knives and tanks (it’s a very long story)

Yoda Lamp (or was it)

From time to time, I’m going to start to post some true crazy and or amazing stories from the past which I was directly involved in.**