GuyCC
Are you buddies with Sebastien, or do you just know something we don't?

Heh… if only, if we had a broadband connection to Sebastien's brain we'd probably be able to put some fears to rest…

I agree, Kingpin.

I was reasonably okay with the delays until Sebastien announced that he's going into hiding and cut off all links of communication to him (including that one “Contact” link he said he'd leave open on his site).

I have lost interest in what his excuses or rationales or hurt feelings may be, but hiding is most definitely not the answer. In fact, that's the worst thing he could have possibly done.

I don't think the guy's “the ultimate evil” or anything (not even an “ultimate cheeseburger”, to further clarify), but his trail of bad decisions just goes farther and farther along.

Sebastien just needs to be a grown-up about this.

I was reasonably okay with the delays until Sebastien announced that he's going into hiding and cut off all links of communication to him (including that one “Contact” link he said he'd leave open on his site).

I could be wrong, but I don't think he ever said that option would remain around while he wasn't.

I have lost interest in what his excuses or rationales or hurt feelings may be, but hiding is most definitely not the answer. In fact, that's the worst thing he could have possibly done.

Quite, although it depends if you consider it running and hiding or him getting away from the board… possibly (But not proven) to get the show back on the road.

This certainly isn't a jab at anyone in particular, but…..

Seb dropped his contact info from the site and retreated, and that's ludicrous. I'm beginning to grow tired of people saying, “well, no OTHER companies have CEO's with discussion forums!,” because that's a cop-out….the nature of 88mph was an online-centric, limited audience base. The only way we have to contact the company is Seb, because he IS the company. If folks would just start seeing it this way, they'd understand the fears.

Any company open for public investment (not by way of stock options, but with publicly-available goods) has a responsibility to the consumer….Seb, as the acting “body” of 88mph, has seemingly hit the road. All we get, quite literally, is nothing….not just the lack of some guy's input on a discussion board, but the literal disappearance of the company through Seb's vanishing act. No other companies have CEO's on discussion boards because they don't need them….the have other avenues of communication and addressing consumer concerns. In this case, the company is essentially gone, with no way of determining when it wil reappear.

“Leaving until there's better news?” That's absolutely crazy. True enough, at one point, I was in support of Seb and his work. But his subsequent actions and inability (or rather, lack of desire, period) to address the growing problem has simply disgusted me. I have no tolerance for being ignored and brushed aside. And don't anyone try to tell me that's not what happed here, because that's PRECISELY what happened…….we've been duped. Absolutely nothing productive can or will come from disappearing; it just makes us angry, and allows Seb to further remove himself from the problem he created.

Well said gjustis, couldn't have put it better myself and completely 100% agree with you.

I would try for a refund about now, however my order was done through Paypal, and their refund period is rather short compared to this atrocious amount of time passed with no resolution… hope he spent it well.

Kingpin

I could be wrong, but I don't think he ever said that option would remain around while he wasn't.

From the 88MPH site:

-Contact Updated
February 19th, 2006

Due to increasing junk emails and spam we changed all of our email accounts so if you wish to contact us please use the Contact Us Form below.

We apologize for any inconveniences and appreciate your understanding. Thank you.

He suggests any correspondence through the “Contact Us” link below, but it goes to a 404. So the only available “open” avenue is closed off as well.

Makes you wonder when the website itself goes down/away next.

As I said, it's not just the fans, but some professionals invested money to help him along with his repeated troubles and they've been outed of their money too. I got this directly from a credible source.

It's likely he spent the money on personal needs, and thought more money would come in to cover the expenses when it came book publishing time. It didn't, so he's trying to raise money again. Hence the lithograph idea.

I'm glad he's “not focusing on the boards to publish this book” (for as little as he's posted in the last few months anyway). My opinion thinks he should do one of these choices:

1.) Give us something, and just publish a softcover with all the hardcover extras included. At this point, I'm willing to accept that.

2.) Suck it up and take out a business loan. His personal expenses weren't our concern the first time, and he needs to stop offering the run-around and the hiding out, and just deliver the product. He should have invested the money from everybody where it needed to go in the first place: publishing the book. It's pretty obvious that's not where the money went, and what of the money made from the single issues? One of my friends works in the comics biz. Publishing is expensive, but it's not in the hunderd thousands/millions bracket. We're talking about 1,000 books. As he continues to hide out, people are going to keep cancelling. How many have now? How far does this continue to lessen the chance of this book ever being published? Who would be willing to continue buying product from him after this? I'd never pre-order items from his company again, that's for sure.

3.) Let someone else handle the license, like Image or Dynamite Entertainment. If there's any money left, give it to a company who can publish the book and cover the Ecto-1 licensing expenses. He's a football player who scores a great catch, runs with it, and drops it before he crosses the goal. Almost isn't as good as completing to the end. I bring up TRON often, but if someone else hadn't picked it up, it wouldn't have happened under his direction. The ongoing GB series is not going to happen ias long as 88MPH runs the business like this. All we're ever going to see from that is the three preview covers.

I thought it was cool a small company would get so involved with the fans. I thought it was admirable that he owned up there was a problem and that things could have been done better. But his disappearing announcement and finding out that not just the fans got stiffed when they tried to help him realize this book…. I've lost respect for him, and any desire to defend his further actions. It's like watching a train wreck. You know it could have been avoided, and there's still time to switch tracks or back up, but it plows forward anyway to the inevitible crash.

He could straighten this whole mess up, but he's given no indication that he's going to address this problem in a realistic manner.

We can go around to the end of time, but praising or condemning him isn't going to solve the issue.

Sucks being so negative/realistic about this situation.

Note: I'll expand this post later when I have more time (Taking a few moments out from work to reply).


That notice about the change of email is pretty old, the cancellation/closure/suspension of the Contact option at 88MPH only happened recently, when he announced his absence from the board… presumably as part of the ‘no contact’ thing he mentioned.

I think my little grumble fest is mostly because I'm just re-annoyed by the situation, and wanted to blow off some steam.

It's pretty much little more than that. I'm back to my “over it” phase again. Pay me not too much mind.

But I still wish someone would pick up the reigns of the comic and continue it. I don't think 88MPH can/will.

GuyCC
But I still wish someone would pick up the reigns of the comic and continue it. I don't think 88MPH can/will.

If they can get the creative team behind it while dumping the businessman, the series would be in good shape.

JerseyDevil

GuyCC
But I still wish someone would pick up the reigns of the comic and continue it. I don't think 88MPH can/will.

If they can get the creative team behind it while dumping the businessman, the series would be in good shape.

As long as they keep the businesman's passion and attention to detail (I will get back to your post, Guy).