On July 1, 1981, the first issue of "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly" was released. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

I chose to launch the journal in July because July is the summer vacation, and all kinds of exams are over, and it is the time for students to relax. Hong Kong's game arcades, cinemas, and amusement parks have all benefited from this, and business is booming. Comic magazines, of course, should also choose the auspicious day of the zodiac to publish.

This is because the distribution capacity of Flame Publishing House and its parent company, New Venture Press, in Hong Kong can be said to cover 90% of the sales outlets.

In addition, the publicity campaign before the listing was intense, and the sales performance was good, which was also expected.

"Boss, how much does Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly cost?" asked a four-eyed teenager at a street bookstall

"20 bucks. The bookstall owner said.

"So expensive?" the boy was a little upset, after all, bookstalls should be cheaper than bookstores. Moreover, half of the unsalable inventory that bookstores and magazines cannot sell is often entrusted to these less formal bookstalls for cheap sales. Therefore, bookstalls can often find magazines for one or two yuan a piece at a low price.

"It's not expensive, this is this issue of the book, a 500-page magazine, only 20 yuan, which is already the price of conscience. Buy a comic book alone, 500 pages in at least four copies, sell a single copy for 10 yuan, and at least 40 yuan. The bookstall owner explained.

The price of 20 yuan is relatively expensive in Hong Kong magazines.

In this era, movie ticket prices are less than 10 yuan. Half of the magazine's price is based on small profits, and rarely exceeds the price of 10 yuan.

But a normal 10-dollar magazine is only more than 100 pages at most.

As for the comic magazine, which only sells for seven or eight yuan a copy, each issue is only about 34 pages, precisely because it is as thin as a newspaper.

How can the kind of magazine with a retail price of 8 yuan per issue of only 34 pages be compared with the large capacity of 500 pages of "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly"?

This thickness alone already stands out from the crowd in magazine stands and bookstores. Selling for 20 yuan is definitely not black, but a conscience price.

On the third day of its launch, the circulation of "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly" has exceeded 50,000.

Even Lin Qi, who has more big business in his hands, also shows great concern about the results of "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly".

In all the streets and alleys of Hong Kong, as long as there are outlets for the sale of books and magazines, "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly" is basically indispensable.

Because, "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly" gives more profits to buyers, with a purchase price of 16 yuan per copy, and stall owners can sell it at a price of 20 yuan.

There are magazines that can't be sold, and you can recycle them for 15 yuan a piece. In this way, the major distribution outlets are not afraid of buying and selling.

The reason why it is necessary to recycle 15 copies is to prevent someone from maliciously purchasing in large quantities, and then hoarding the magazines in the warehouse and not selling them, and then returning them to the magazine company afterwards.

At present, the newly launched "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly", which has attracted the most attention from readers, is the comic version of "Breaking the Sky" serialized in the magazine and "Bruce Lee" supervised by Shangguan Xiaobao.

As for the two mini four-wheel drive-themed comics, although they received feedback from some readers, because the first episode was serialized, the response was not strong enough.

However, the fact that readers can give feedback from readers in more than 20 long-form serialized comics is a fifth and a seventh, indicating that there is still great potential.

Relying on mini 4WD-themed comics and animations to stimulate the sales of mini 4WD vehicles is not something that can be achieved overnight, but requires a slow process of gathering popularity. When the manga gathers popularity and is adapted into an anime, it will be the time for the sales of mini 4x4s to be harvested.

Ma Rongcheng and Niu Lao, relying on the comic version of "Breaking the Sky", became the pillars of the Holy Flame Publishing House, which was not only expected, but also made Lin Qi feel that he had made a lot of money.

Niu Ma and the two of them, if they don't paint "Breaking the Sky", they can be just as popular, maybe they will be even more popular!

This has been proved by the achievements of later comics such as "Chinese Heroes", "Fengyun", and "Crazy Boy".

However, it is precisely because of the painting "Breaking the Sky" that the two became an instant hit, and the two were full of gratitude and gratitude to Lin Qi. stabilized the two Niu and Ma, Lin Qi couldn't help but be proud - the Niu and Ma were the hidden dragons who could separate one side of the Hong Kong comic industry.

In fact, if Huang Yulang is swallowed again, it is basically equivalent to monopolizing the Hong Kong comic industry.

However, Lin Qi was not ready to do this for the time being, after all, Huang Yulang was now the time to be proud, how could he easily sell his company and be below the rest?

Later, in order to avoid being acquired, Huang Yulang cheated on the finances of Yulang International Company, so he was imprisoned. After coming out, Huang Yulang did not choose to continue to stay in Yulang International, but sold his equity and only exchanged 200 million in cash, which is certainly not comparable with the value of more than one billion at the peak.

Relying on the 200 million obtained from the sale of equity, a new company Jade Dynasty was founded in the 90s, relying on masterpieces such as "Divine Soldier Xuanqi" and "Legend of the Son of Heaven", it once again recovered to the first place in the Hong Kong comic industry. As for the original Yulang International, after changing its name to Cultural Communication, it was slowly moving towards death.

From Huang Yulang's choice later, he knew that it was impossible for him to compromise. Even if he buys his company and wants to cooperate with him, he would rather sell all his shares and start a new business than be your little brother.

Therefore, Lin Qi never considered wooing Huang Yulang from the beginning.

Of course, it doesn't matter if Huang Yulang is a competitor, after avoiding losing the stimulation of competitors, the Holy Flame Publishing House gradually becomes corrupt internally.

In the case of opponents, constant competition is the only magic weapon to maintain the combat effectiveness of their own team.

……

The inauguration of "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly" is only a trivial matter for the whole of Hong Kong. But this little thing has really affected thousands of creators who love comics.

After all, it's a newly launched comic magazine, and 80% of its content is solicited from outside. A 500-page accepted manuscript per issue can indeed change the trajectory of many people's fate.

"Zhou Qing, there is your mail!" said a postman, who had climbed more than ten floors, knocked on the door.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Zhao. "A teenager opened the door to pick up the mail.

After closing the door.

The parents asked, "Zhou Qing, what kind of email is it?"

"The email of the magazine "Juvenile Hong Kong Man Weekly". ”

"Didn't the editor come to the door a few days ago to deliver the manuscript fee?"

"I don't know, maybe it's a sample issue. But how can the sample be so heavy?"

Zhou Qing is only a fourteen-year-old student, with average homework grades, only a good talent in art, and the most serious course he listened to since he was a child was an art class that other students did not pay much attention to. Even after class, I often ask my art teacher for advice, so I have practiced a good hand. Later, he became obsessed with comics, began to imitate the characters and storyboards in comic books, and began to teach himself comic techniques.

Of course, he also tried to submit his manuscript, but most of the comic companies threw his manuscript in the wastebasket. There have also been comic companies that expressed their willingness to hire him as a full-time assistant, but they had to take a leave of absence, which made it impossible to pass the parents' hurdle.

However, now Zhou Qingshi is running, and the submission is favored by "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly", and the 11-page "Girls at the Same Table" was accepted, with a manuscript fee of 100 yuan per page, a total of 1100 yuan.

When the editor of "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly" sent someone to the door and sent the manuscript fee, Zhou Qing's parents did not object to his amateur creation, except for insisting that they did not agree to let him become a full-time cartoonist.

Of course, Zhou Qing is self-aware, and there is no future at all for studying with his grades. Because, with a medium level of academic performance, you will not be able to get into a university in Hong Kong. If you don't do your best to study, not only will you not change your fate, but you will also "be impoverished by education".

The premise that reading changes destiny is that the diploma has a high gold content and the cost of reading is extremely cheap, which is the best investment. Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, the cost of reading is very expensive, specially designed for families who are not short of money, and the bottom is not trying to change their fate by reading, unless they are talented reading seeds, otherwise, they will only be reduced to a poorer and more impossible situation because they are not able to do their best.

Zhou Qing's parents are low-level workers, who have worked for nearly 20 years and have a monthly salary of just over 1,000. Even if his grades are not good, his parents still have interesting fantasies that if he can go to university and study a popular major such as medicine and law, he will be able to get ahead in Hong Kong.

Of course, in Zhou Qing's view, parents' expectations are actually unrealistic.

The mail package was opened.

The first thing that catches your eye is the sample issue of the inaugural issue of the 500-page "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly", which is the rule of the publishing industry.

In addition to the sample magazine, Zhou Qing found that there was a special gift box inside, which contained a variety of special pens, rulers, compasses, inks, paints and various tools for painting.

This set of painting tools alone is worth at least a few hundred yuan.

In addition, there is also a letter from the editorial department: "Zhou Qing, as the first batch of authors to submit articles in the inaugural issue of "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly", your work has been published in the inaugural issue. Please refer to the table of contents and page 437 for details...... This is a small gift because of the special sponsorship we have given you. The editorial department of "Hong Kong Man Youth Weekly" attaches great importance to every creator, and hopes to continue to receive your contributions in the future. In addition, as a student, you can create short comics in your spare time, and you should not delay your studies for the sake of long-form serialization......"

Zhou Qing's parents saw the editor's letter and couldn't help but say with emotion: "It's still the editorial department of "Hong Kong Man Juvenile Weekly" who not only pays a lot of manuscript fees and is timely, but also gives gifts, and in addition, encourages young children not to delay their studies. ”

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth and said solemnly to his parents: "Although I will work hard in my studies, with my grades, I may not be able to make any progress." Of course, comics are also a skill that can support a family, and it can't be wasted. It is not certain in the future, and I hope to make a living along the way. ”

"Yes, yes, but cartoonists should have to make a living in long-form comics, right?" Zhou Qing's parents are no strangers to the comic industry.

Most of the short comics are contributions from amateur cartoonists.

The dilemma with short comics is that they are submitted separately each time. Half of the manuscripts can be accepted by the magazine, which is already a high approval rate. This means that even if the manuscript fee is the same, half of the work of a short story artist is wasted paper.

Short story artists tend to be exhausted by constant submissions, and a lot of time is wasted in the process of continuous submission, rather than creating.

Long-form serialized comics only need to be drafted at the beginning, and they can be created step by step, and they can continue to get a stable manuscript fee until they end normally, or the popularity is too poor and they are cut in half by the editorial department.

Of course, even if a serialized cartoonist, only the work he is serializing can guarantee its income, but it may not be able to guarantee that the next work will still be able to be serialized.

Because they know the instability of comic creation, the editorial department of "Hong Kong Man Shonen Weekly" will not blindly encourage cartoonists to engage in professional creation. Only a part of the talent is very good, and, through long-term cooperation, it has proved its stability, this kind of cartoonist, the object of the magazine's efforts to woo.

Contributors like Zhou Qing are only regarded as objects of observation by the editorial department. Based on the results and quality of his more short works, it was decided whether to provide him with a long-form serialization agreement.

There are many contributors like him, and the magazine will record the address and contact information of each contributor whose manuscript is accepted, as well as the evaluation of the work and creative ability. Eventually, a reserve talent warehouse was formed, and when appropriate, even short manga artists who actively contributed to the manuscript were asked to write long-form serialized manuscripts.