A Cry for Financial Help
John A. Lent
Rarely, if ever, have I cried "poor mouth" on behalf of IJOCA. However, at this moment, the journal is facing hard times with the ever-increasing cost of postage and printing, the dwindling number of subscribers as we face competition from a number of periodicals started in this century, and the plight of financially-strapped libraries.
Perhaps, help can be found by ensuring that your university's library be convinced to subscribe, soliciting advertisements from book publishers and other groups tied to comics art, making sure that subscriptions are paid on time, asking subscribers to chip in a few extra bucks when renewing (which three or four already do), and convincing more of the comics studies community to subscribe. Over the years, there were requests that IJOCA also be put online. Mike Rhode took the time to format and digitize all issues, and we offered online subscriptions at $40.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions per year. That was two or three years ago, and only three new subscriptions have been received. A possibility that I would use only as a last resort is to raise subscription rates.
For a number of years, I have used my personal funds to pay an assistant's wages, purchase office supplies, and pay for other incidentals associated with IJOCA. I am willing to continue doing this, but the coffers of the journal need to be replenished. Thank you for any help that you are able to give.
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