Venerable Canadian Graphic Novel Publisher Drawn & Quarterly has just received a glowing company profile from Canadian Business Magazine, and writer Jason McBride. The business beat is pretty far outside my normal reading, but I enjoyed reading this take on the publisher. Essentially, McBride comes to the conclusion that D&Q’s unprecedented creator control, absolute creative freedom, and extravagant book design all add up to a winning formula for publishing in a down economy—and an economy growing increasingly hostile to books.
The whole thing is peppered with quotes from Beguiling boss-man Peter Birkemoe, author and academic Jeet Heer, and even “The Chief”, Publisher Chris Oliveros himself. It also—being a business article—even has some hard sales numbers:
“D&Q’s fastest bestseller, Chester Brown’s Louis Riel, an improbable “comic strip biography” of the controversial 19th-century Métis leader, sold 10,000 copies in its first season, and to date has sold more than 36,000, more than most bestselling books in Canada. Publishers Weekly called it a “major achievement.” ” – Jason McBride, Canadian Business
Congrats on such a glowing profile to the fine folks at Drawn & Quarterly!
– Chris
I hate to complain, but I think a name change for My “Daily” Dose of FUN is in order. :[
I have no idea what you’re talking about.