This is from True Red, organizer of the Knuckles Petition: Archie is reading the Knuckles petition. Here’s what Michael Silberkleit, one of the co-publishers of Archie, sent to me Monday:
>
>From: “michael silberkleit”
>
>Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 17:09:39 +0000
>Subject: Re: Knuckles Petition
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: Self
>To: Katrice Georges
>
>Subject: Re: Knuckles Petition
>Reply-to: mikes@archiecomics.com
>Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 12:42:59
>
>While we appreciate the petition and your concern,
>we had to suspend Knuckles because it is losing
>money on each issue. It just doesn’t make sense
>for us to continue losing money. While I am sure
>that there are many many loyal fans like you,
>there just are not enough buying the comics each
>month at the news stand. In the comic book
>business, a publisher has to sell a certain amount
>of copies in order to” break even” after paying
>for the stories and art, the separations and the
>printing and shipping. Unfortunately, sales of
>Knuckles are far from breaking even and we have no
>choice but to stop publishing it. I can really
>understand your disappointment and hope you
>understand our position. Hope you enjoy Sonic
>however.
>Sincerely, Michael Silberkleit
The petition is not being ignored, but I need more names than I have now to make them consider changing their minds. The total is at 80, which isn’t bad for only a month of operation and considering I have gotten several emails from people who swear I’m making up the Knuckles cancellation.
If you signed the petition and gave me your email address, I sent a copy of the email I to you. The email is also posted at my site, Save Our Knuckles.
BTW, I’m planning on organizing a procott, but I’ll need some help, a lot of it, for it to work. If anyone else has any other ideas or suggestions, they’re welcome. One last thing, the petition isn’t over, it’s just beginning. The petition is continuing until one of two things happen:
1) Knuckles is published again
or
2) I sense a lack of interest (I really hope this never becomes the case)
I think that the best thing to do now would be to organize a buying campaign (as well as signing the petition). If they’re losing money on the comic, then it will take A LOT of signatures to get them to change their minds. I think that everyone interested should get as many friends as possible into the comic and buying issue #32. In fact, buy as many copies as possible and try to get your friends to help. You should still sign True Red’s petition, but the biggest thing that could get Archie to change their minds would be a large profit on the recent Knuckles issues.