There have been a few items in recent years that I passed on when offered by the publisher, but was able to get on the secondary market either at, or cheaper than issue price (the lettered versions of Riding The Bullet and Fifty to One to name a couple).
This title will be one of them, but I just do not see myself paying over $500 for this ever.
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)
Founder and publisher of Lividian Publications. My other website is BrianJamesFreeman.com. Please always feel free to email me or send me a PM if you have any questions about either!
There are only 26 lettered copies, rather than the usual 52, so the price will not drop as much as you may think.
So, the $1250 for the lettered I think we all agree is kind of nuts....but it is what it is.
Still, here's the breakdown, from Gauntley:
A definitive collection of Stephen King’s classic short story with which was adapted for television by Richard Christian Matheson. We start with King’s short story and then move to R.C. Matheson’s script for the opening episode of “Nightmares and Dreamscapes”, which starred William Hurt and was directed by Brian Henson. Henson will provide storyboards used for the episode which won two Emmy awards. The book will contain one signature (8 pages) of color photos from TNT’s archives; photos never before released.
Those contributing include:
Director Brian Henson
Executive Producer Bill Haber
Jeff Beal, who won an Emmy for his score for Battleground
Actor William Hurt
Michael Wright, Executive Vice President and Director of Programming for TNT
Visual Effects director Sam Nicholson
Producer Jeff Hayes
Lee Romaire, Special Makeup and Effects Designer
Editing the book is Richard Christian Matheson, who also wrote the screenplay for the episode.
So they have to pay King, the director, an actor, the screenplay writer, two producers, and an Exec VP for TNT...and other assorted people.
Granted, I'm sure they aren't being paid huge amounts, but I'm also sure they aren't doing it for free.
And all of that comes out of an approx. $50K pie, which isn't all that much, when you take out production costs, and then whatever Gauntlet hopes to earn. I mean, if I'm William Hurt - an Academy Award-nominated actor - and somebody wants my help for some book about a show I was in four years ago, I would need at least $2500 before I'd even answer the phone.
But...all speculation of course...entertaining, if nothing else. Anyway, not to defend Gauntlet, but I don't think it's a money grab (overpriced, yes, just not greedy).
Rahfa the problem as I see it is that most people probably only care about three of the potential signatures (King, Matheson and Hurt).
I totally agree....I think $1250 is crazy - but with just 26 copies, they will sell them. Not to me!
Hurt's not even signing it...I assume he contributed some written essay.
Bottom line - Gauntlet had to cross a lot of t's to get it done, and it cost them some money.
I know it is expensive, but try to give Gauntlet a little credit. Lining up all the approvals for this book seems (to me) to be impossible. It has taken some time, but Barry pulled it off! Kudos to him, and great for the collecting world. It gives us much to talk about.
I gotta agree with Jerome on this. As crazy as it may sound, given that it's only a King short story, it must have been daunting to get the permissions and signatures necessary to pull this edition off. I'm sure gauntlet is not gouging the price, it's just that there was so many folks with their hands out. Just MHO
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
I think most of you are missing the point. MY point anyway ...
And my point is ... iiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssss .... IIIIIIIIIISSSS!!!!!!
My point is that as a Stephen King collector and an eventual completist, in order for my collection to be "complete", I will need to buy this overpriced piece of crap with the Microsoft Paint cover. There is no "Oh, I won't buy that" ... it's "I will buy that eventually" ... and I am sad.
LOL you're so right. I looked around trying to see where the "real" cover was, assuming this was some placeholder or something....this overpriced piece of crap with the Microsoft Paint cover
I'm not a completist like many out there, so glad the production values on this book don't scream "buy me" at me.....
Does anyone have any thoughts on why they would hold a lottery rather than just sell on a first come basis? As a buyer, I'm not a fan of the lottery system but is there some advantage to the seller I'm not aware of?
"When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes."
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
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I like it. It's straight from the show/film.
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
Per Barry HoffmanI hope that helps, and thanks to Barry for responding promptly to my inquiry.I don't feel first-come, first-ordered is fair to those who might not be home when we send out our newsletter mentioning we are taking orders for a book. Depending when the newsletter goes out in certain parts of the world it's the middle of the night. It's not fair to them to miss out. By the same token if we send the newsletter in the morning there are many people who receive our newsletter who are at work. It's not fair to them either. So, the lottery seems the better option. If there is yet another option I would be happy to consider it. All I'm trying to do is be fair to our customers.
Anyone here actually believe they need to run a lottery?
I'm pretty sure you can still by a copy of Fifty to One.
Sure, there was about half as many printed, but since the price is nearly twice as much, it's about the same in my book.
The whole "lottery" idea is just creating hype.
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)
If I had to bet, I would say that there are more than 26 people lined up for this book. Maybe ...
A lottery?, I don't get it. If he is concerned about people not reading the newsletter in time then how about just sending out another newsletter the day or week before announcing what time it's going to be put up for sale on the site.
Didn't Gauntlet do the 'silent bid' thing with something related to HE IS LEGEND? And weren't there more 'winners' than there were supposed to be? I don't remember the details. But I would be wary of any other system than a straight first come/first serve-based sale.