I really don’t know what to make of this. According to the press release below, Digital Manga is trying a new tack that strikes me as being close to a print-on-demand setup: They will take pre-orders on a couple of books that aren’t scheduled to be published for a while, and if the pre-orders hit a set level they will print up the books, in a limited edition, and ship them out. This is interesting in a lot of different ways. I’m not sure you could try this with any other type of manga, to be honest; yaoi fans seem to be uniquely devoted to their genre. It also gives an indication of how much money a book must make to be profitable. I wonder if the quality of the limited-edition books will be the same as their regular publications. The price seems to be lower—$8.95 for the first one. Despite the notion that fans can take things into their own hands, though, a successful webathon would only move the publication of this book up three months, from January 2010 to October 2009. Read on for all the details.
Gardena, CA (June 11, 2009)- Digital Manga Publishing, one of the industry’s most innovative and unique companies, is pleased to announce a special program for yaoi fans who have been waiting patiently for titles to see print an opportunity to make it happen themselves! Junémanga.com is finally offering awaiting yaoi fans an opportunity to acquire selected anticipated yaoi titles, months in advance, through Juné’s new Pre-Order/Demand for Publication Web-A-Thon program. This is for those long-yearned titles eager fans have been waiting for, which have yet to see publication anytime soon from Juné’s immediate release schedule.
Through this program, we are offering a limited selection of Demand for Publication titles in which you can choose and pre-order a title, (originally set far into Juné’s future normal release schedule, or was held back in publication), for early limited print publication (even several months earlier if fan demand is high). Each title offered will have its own minimum dollar amount goal to reach for its print publication. Once that dollar amount goal is reached, the book will be printed and copies will be sent off to those who have participated in this program immediately. This could mean acquiring a title several months in advance before its scheduled street date. All sales will be through PayPal, using a credit card or your PayPal account, meaning your purchase is secure and verified. Shipping is available domestically and internationally, so this program is for all yaoi fans all over the world!
You can monitor the progress of a title’s Demand for Publication through the status bar posted on the website. As more Pre-Orders are placed for a title, the status bar will increase, coming one step closer to its dollar amount goal for print publication.
If the dollar amount goal is not reached by the particular deadline date we set, the book will continue back on its normal path of its original scheduled Juné release date. Pre-Orders placed will still get their books early before the street date, but only a couple weeks earlier before it actually hits store shelves.
For those of you who just can’t wait for Juné’s long scheduled release of your favorite awaited title or artist, this is an opportunity for you to be among the select few to get the publication several months in advance. Be one of the few on your block to get the book early!!! Don’t wait—Pre-Order/Demand for Publication NOW!!!
Visit: www.junemanga.com/webathon for more information and to see the very first book up for demand…the novel “All You Need Is Love, Vol. 1″!
—————————————
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE VOL. 1 (novel), written by Jinko Fuyuno, illustrated by: Noboru Takatsuki, rated M+ (18+), 4.3″x6.8”, MSRP: $8.95, Regular Scheduled Release: January 27, 2010, Deadline for Pre-Order/Demand For Publication: September 30, 2009, Pre-Order/Demand For Publication Advance Release Date: October 30, 2009
After eight years, Junya Sawa has never forgotten his first love.
It was in high school that he’d first met him: Uzuki Kobayakawa, son of a notorious yakuza boss. As class representative, it had become Sawa’s responsibility to help this intimidating young man adjust to his new school, where rumors about the gangster spread like wildfire. But as he got to know Kobayakawa, he discovered there was so much more to him than met the eye.
Now, after a chance meeting in Tokyo, Kobayakawa is thrust into Sawa’s life once more. He’s changed, of course, but Sawa can’t deny his feelings, nor refuse Kobayakawa’s erotic demands. But does Kobayakawa feel the same way, and can he forgive Sawa for betraying him eight years ago?
——————————————

About Digital Manga Publishing
Located in Gardena, CA, Digital Manga Publishing is one of the industry’s most unconventional and innovative companies, specializing in building corporate and cultural bridges from Japan to the Western Hemisphere – specifically through the licensing, importation and preparation of anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comic books) and related merchandise for the North American mainstream and subculture markets. In this capacity, DMI serves as a catalyst for the expansion of Japanese pop culture institutions into global arenas. The company’s imprint line includes DMP: its mainstream imprint, DMP PLATINUM: its classic manga imprint, JUNE´: its boys love imprint, 801 MEDIA: its adult boys love imprint, and DokiDoki: its exclusive co-publishing imprint with Shinshokan Publishing.
For more information about Digital Manga Publishing, visit www.digitalmanga.com
