Warren Ellis's Fell-Style Comics Have New Name and Future

[Kefkataran]

Ever since Warren Ellis began a trend with Fell (so far carried on in only one other book, Matt Fraction's Casanova) of making smaller issues with full stories in each issue that are stuffed full of content and a dollar cheaper than normal, fans have latched onto it. Both Fell and Casanova have sold very well, and Image has said that a third "Fell-style" book is on its way. In today's edition of Ellis's newsletter, we got a bit more info on the plans for this style of book:

The FELL-format books at Image are now called Image Slimline. I happened to read a proposal for another Image Slimline book last night -- I've been hooking Image up with a few people -- and I'm glad to say that not only does the format look like it's here to stay, but that people are studying it in very inventive ways.

Great news, in my opinion. The more $1.99 books, the better! And it's hard to ignore the quality so far. Certainly as the number of Slimline books expands, the quality could weaken, but both Fell and Casanova are good enough to be nominees in our Evil Avatar Comic Book Awards 2006. And despite being several pages shorter than the normal comic, they both tend to take much longer to read. I say bring on more!

[Manzy]

I'm kinda out of it right now, but I don't exactly understand what the "style" is. Smaller issues with full stories?

[WastelandDan]

You know, I was beginning to get the feeling I was the only person on the planet who read Casanova. When I ask about it in comic shops none of the people working ever have any idea what I'm talking about and I have yet to see a single review of it anywhere. I'm glad to see this and Fell are getting attention though, as I'm big fans of both. Unfortunately since moving to NYC I have yet to pick up all the back issues of the many comics I read so I think I'm going to have to go down to Forbidden Planet soon and do some catching up.

[Manzy]

Haha, I finally got it but to anyone else that didn't exactly 'get' what the style is (I may be the only one here, but oh well) its making comics cheaper by using a format that fits more panels on a page in order to have a less page count, therefore decreasing the cost.

[thecrazyd]

Casanova and Fell are probably my two favorite books on the market. I am a fan of the format, and will most likely check out the new book as well.

[agentgray]

I remember when books were 75 cents. I thought it was an atrocity when it went up to $1.25

[Kefkataran]

You know, I was beginning to get the feeling I was the only person on the planet who read Casanova. When I ask about it in comic shops none of the people working ever have any idea what I'm talking about and I have yet to see a single review of it anywhere. I'm glad to see this and Fell are getting attention though, as I'm big fans of both. Unfortunately since moving to NYC I have yet to pick up all the back issues of the many comics I read so I think I'm going to have to go down to Forbidden Planet soon and do some catching up.

Lots of Casanova readers around here! Go vote for it!


I haven't read any Casanova, but everything after the first couple of issues of Fell actually did feel shorter to me. Not that I dont think it's a great idea, but so far I still prefer the larger format. I'm hoping newer issues can change my mind on this.

Really? Well, with Casanova it's DEFINITELY the case, but even with Fell I've found that Ellis packs a LOT of content and dialogue into each issue so that they take longer to get through than a lot of full-length comics.

[JimmyDanger]

Like episodic gaming - these are really more about distribution and promotion models as opposed to artistic styles. One of the problems with the industry is the need to overpublish, and continually reprint issues,, if you're trying to push a series into a new market. Whereas - once the series is completed - one volume trade paperback is a lot easier to keep in print. Essentially tho - the single issues or "pamphlets" - more so in creator owned works as opposed to the indefinitely running monthly "pulps" are promotional tools for the Trade Paperback.

Most writers - like Ellis, Gaiman and Moore - get most of their mainstream exposure - and income - from Trade Paperbacks - usually collected volumes of their work.
The dedicated "pamphlet buyers" are dying out (or so all the studies, TP/issue sales breakdowns tell us) - and the casual fan of his work will buy the trade if he hears good reports.

(I'm pretty sure in my store - Preacher Vol.1 tp has sold 4 times what any single issue sold - and Sandman vol.1 about 10 times - as an example)

Similar to the way bands bring out singles to promote an album. The dedicated "fan" buys all the singles - then the album - and probably the tshirt and the concert ticket. Where the interested listener - usually judges the album from the strength of the singles they've heard and judge their purchase of the album on those.

My point is - there are plenty of Ellis fans out there who'll just wait for the TP regardless of issue price.
really - 16 pages of Fell for $2 or 22 pages of Fell for $3 really wouldn't bother me. Do I feel ripped off if I paid $5 for a CD single - or $2 for an itunes song - and it only goes for 3 minutes whereas I just bought another song for the same price that lasted 6? No.

What is more important is the overall story/quality of the work is good - and the writer doesn't feel constrained by any of the limitations of monthly storytelling.
Warren had in interesting idea with Fell to shake the traditional distribution methods up a bit - and people are following suit. His original story in the back of Fell about coming up with a cheaper format because plenty of fans would come to signings with downloaded/printed/photocopies of his work - crying poor that they couldn't afford to even buy one single issue - but their "huuuuge" fans. What a load of BS. (from them). Warren - if they'll download every issue under the sun, print em out, then call themselves fans - but "poor" ones who can't take $3 out of their monthly budget to slap down on the continuing works of one of their "fave" authors (even just a one time purchase of one issue to get him to sign when they meet him)- they sure as hell ain't paying 2 bucks. Smack must be expensive.

Oh yeah - And Fell's great.

[Kefkataran]

Jimmy, I agree with almost everything you said, although I'm not totally sure how the trade paperback thing connects here. That said, Fell HAS sold a LOT more in single issues than you would normally expect from the "pamphlet" as opposed to the trade. Of course, Ellis has also said they may never collect it in trade, but that's almost certainly a lie.

Also worth considering: a lot of people (like myself) who buy the single issues also eventually purchase the trades, which ups trade sales even more.

[thecrazyd]

Like episodic gaming - these are really more about distribution and promotion models as opposed to artistic styles. One of the problems with the industry is the need to overpublish, and continually reprint issues,, if you're trying to push a series into a new market. Whereas - once the series is completed - one volume trade paperback is a lot easier to keep in print. Essentially tho - the single issues or "pamphlets" - more so in creator owned works as opposed to the indefinitely running monthly "pulps" are promotional tools for the Trade Paperback.
I disagree. Nine panels to the page is a huge stylistic and artistic change, not just a distribution change. It changes the way you have to write and draw drastically.

[Spigot]

Well, I love Fell and I finally found and read my copy of Casanova #1 yesterday. Suffice it to say, I'm going to have to go track down however many other Casanova's there are now that I've finally read it. Great stuff.

I find both books just seem more... personal. Between the stories themselves and the little notes in the back by the creators, they have a more intimate feel to them than your average Marvel or DC book.

Plus it's nice to have a cheaper and self-contained story in every issue.

[Dylan McCrae]

Its only a dollar cheaper than a normal book, which you failed to point out up top Kef, you priced it as $2.99. :]

Hardly anyone's bought in to these "slimline" books, because no one knows anything about them. If Image's marketing/advertising team started getting behind all their new books like say DC gets behind their books, then just maybe an upward swing would occur. Maybe let people know Fell is out there and the first issue is in its fourth print.

As Jimmy pointed out, both books, like any book these days, particuarly indy orientated books will get its real push when its put in trade. In trade you can get at least six issues a few dollars cheaper than it would cost to buy them in singles, plus the reprint life is alot longer, as pointed out again by Jimmy, everyone's already seen it and passed up the single issues on the shelves.

What would actually be awesome, if writers like Ellis, Morrison, Vaughn, etc began doing original 200 page stories accompanied by stunning black and white art in a digest format priced at $7.99 or thereabouts. Cutting out the middle man, middle man being the single issues, and going straight to the bigger market, bigger market being the TP market. That would be something to talk about. I'm actually surprised they haven't started doing it already. Though again, it hinges on marketing and advertising.

[Kefkataran]

Well, I love Fell and I finally found and read my copy of Casanova #1 yesterday. Suffice it to say, I'm going to have to go track down however many other Casanova's there are now that I've finally read it. Great stuff.

Each issue gets better and better, too.

Between the stories themselves and the little notes in the back by the creators, they have a more intimate feel to them than your average Marvel or DC book.

The back matter is some of my favorite stuff!! I'm also glad that Brubaker's Criminal is having lots of notes and other random back-up material. So great.

Its only a dollar cheaper than a normal book, which you failed to point out up top Kef, you priced it as $2.99. :]

Eep! My bad, fixed. :)

Hardly anyone's bought in to these "slimline" books, because no one knows anything about them. If Image's marketing/advertising team started getting behind all their new books like say DC gets behind their books, then just maybe an upward swing would occur. Maybe let people know Fell is out there and the first issue is in its fourth print.

As Jimmy pointed out, both books, like any book these days, particuarly indy orientated books will get its real push when its put in trade. In trade you can get at least six issues a few dollars cheaper than it would cost to buy them in singles, plus the reprint life is alot longer, as pointed out again by Jimmy, everyone's already seen it and passed up the single issues on the shelves.

See, but you're wrong -- both Fell and Casanova have been selling extremely well for non-Marvel/DC books. Sure, not Walking Dead numbers, but there's a reason Fell is going into 4+ printings per issue...


What would actually be awesome, if writers like Ellis, Morrison, Vaughn, etc began doing original 200 page stories accompanied by stunning black and white art in a digest format priced at $7.99 or thereabouts. Cutting out the middle man, middle man being the single issues, and going straight to the bigger market, bigger market being the TP market. That would be something to talk about. I'm actually surprised they haven't started doing it already. Though again, it hinges on marketing and advertising.

I may be wrong, but I believe some of Ellis's Avatar projects have been just this style. But as was pointed out already, single issues are sort of like advertising for the trades -- the more hardcore buy the single issues and give it rave reviews and then a ton more buy the trades.