Price Changes for Pandora’s Print Titles

Last year, as book lovers may have heard, the ongoing global supply problem reached the publishing shores in the form of higher costs caused by paper shortages. That, in turn, meant every publishing company had to increase its prices even on titles already in print, and unfortunately that includes StarWarp Concepts and its backlist of Pandora Zwieback titles. 

So, here’s how things are shaking out, effective immediately:

Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 and Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2 have both shifted from $14.95 to $17.95 US and £14.95 UK, with European and Australian prices also adjusted. (We’ll also be adjusting the prices in the SWC webstore shortly.)

We’ve also had to remove The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 from bookstore sales and distribution, and make it a StarWarp Concepts exclusive, which means it’ll remain in print but be available only from our webstore and at the conventions attended by the SWC Crew (once we start getting back into those). Due to the fact it’s a 52-page full-color comic, its printing costs have become just too high to maintain wider availability.

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, just to remind you, features stories by yours truly and acclaimed writer Sholly Fisch (whose latest series, The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries, launched last week from DC Comics), and art by Eliseu Gouveia(The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0, Carmilla), comic legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), and Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School). Cover art and color are provided by Henar Torinos (La Mala Estrella).

Of course, these changes don’t affect the prices or availability of the digital versions of the Pan books, or of the Pan Annual—those prices remain as is, and you’ll still be able to purchase and download them from online retailers (and from StarWarp Concepts, naturally).

I apologize for the bad news, but with prices going up everywhere, SWC has to change with the times if we want to stay in the publishing game—and we certainly do, considering the projects we have in the works!

Price Changes Coming for SWC Titles

Well, I suppose it was inevitable (like Thanos!) that the supply chain and printing paper availability problems that have been plaguing the world as much as the Covid pandemic would catch up to us at ’Warp Central. 

Starting late last year, StarWarp Concepts’ wholesaler, Ingram Content Group, and its printing arm, Lightning Source, began steadily increasing the prices of paper and production costs in the U.S. and abroad, and recently they informed us that our prices needed to be adjusted soon if we still wanted to be compensated for sales (and not wind up owning them money).

And so, in the coming weeks retail price changes will be going into effect for all SWC titles. E-book prices, however, are unaffected by this decision, and will remain as they are (unless the price of download fees suddenly goes up, too).

Sorry about the bad news, but in this topsy-turvy world these days, the old adage of “adapt or die” has never been truer—and since we have no plans of shutting down operations, “adapt” it is.

Thanks for understanding!

Publishing Industry Shakeup Doesn’t Affect SWC

highlander-only-oneA note to indie bookstore owners, or anyone who knows an indie bookstore owner:

As you probably know by now, Baker & Taylor announced last week the closing of its retail wholesale business to focus solely on the educational market—a decision that’s affecting indie bookstores just about everywhere. It will leave Ingram Content Group as the one major wholesale distributor.

Does this affect Pan’s publisher, StarWarp Concepts? Not in the least. Her books and the rest of the SWC titles are already handled by Ingram, and are always ready for order. In addition, if you’d rather not deal with Ingram you can always order directly from us; the information can be found at the “About Us” page at the SWC website.

So don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere! 😁