2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

[Tomwe]

To be fair, they're actually responding quickly today:

We are still waiting for new stock to arrive we will send the issues earlier to go back to the proper schedule . there december holidays has delayed the subscription we are working on fixing that .

Long-time subscribers will remember they said exactly the same thing when they delayed everything for the covers volume. Still, who knows? But I'm seeing subscribers online who are already three issues behind getting a mite pissed off that their subscriptions have been delayed further. (I was one issue behind – maw two.)

Oh dear this is not good. As ever, I am not short reading material but GOOD GOOD HACHETTE!

[IndigoPrime]

On the plus side, they're not taking monthly direct debits, and only charge you when they dispatch something. Well, apart from the guy I saw online complaining that Hachette randomly cancelled his direct debit, but carried on sending him stuff, and despite the fact he repeatedly alerted them to the problem, they've now dispatched a debt collection agency.

[sintec]

that's about 1 in 5*, so really there shouldn't even be every other month

It's the distribution of the unknown slots in the schedule that means there'll probably be a back to back Slaine month.  If every 5th book from now was Slaine then it wouldn't occur.  But we already know that we won't see the 6th Slaine volume until at least issue 49 meaning the remaining 8 volumes will all be crammed into the last 32 books.

[Tomwe]

On the plus side, they're not taking monthly direct debits, and only charge you when they dispatch something.

...unlike Eaglemoss who charge in advance and have just taken the next payment for Batman books, the last pair of which are yet to turn up.

[moly]

Had a reply from my enquiry on Facebook, they've said 35,36,37 and 38 and the next premium gift have been dispatched but will wait until delivery as somehow I doubt it, also online account doesn't show anything for January.

To be fair the service on this collection has made it a chore rather than a joy like the judge dredd collection was

[IndigoPrime]

I think we got lucky with the Dredd series. It seemed to suffer from relatively few problems, bar the rubbish packaging early one. This one seems par for the course for these things. But having to chase up so often is really beginning to grate. I shudder to think how much all the replacements costs Hachette, too.

[rs_jr]

Slaine and Dante are my favorite 2000 ad characters and i am glad they are being collected

However i really hope this gets a 10 or 20 volume extension to collect less know series that haven't been collected before

[moldovangerbil]

I'm against an extension, but purely because they'll start falling off the end of my shelf. 

[Tomwe]

Finally an entry on the Hachette site with 18th as allocation date. I've shifted my calendar forward assuming this is the new normal. Oh well.

[IndigoPrime]

I'm told: "Issue 39 and 40 will be dispatched on the 12/02/2019". [sic]

In a follow-up, I asked what the delay was down to, and was told (and this is baffling if you know how magazine/book distribution usually works):

"We are still waiting for new stock to arrive we will send the issues earlier to go back to the proper schedule . there december holidays has delayed the subscription we are working on fixing that". [sic - again]

[rogue69]

just got an email from hachette they are looking for 2000AD fans to take part in a focus group  on Thursday 24th January near Oxford Circus from 7;15 to 815pm
In anyone is in the London area & wants to take part you need to email them  at info-hpw@hachettepartworks.co.uk by 5:30pm today (23 January)

[Tomwe]

just got an email from hachette they are looking for 2000AD fans to take part in a focus group  on Thursday 24th January near Oxford Circus from 7;15 to 815pm
In anyone is in the London area & wants to take part you need to email them  at info-hpw@hachettepartworks.co.uk by 5:30pm today (23 January)

Wow! No way I can do that but YES to extension, YES to more Kingdom, YES to Indigo Prime and any other John Smith they can rustle up!
Is this worth sharing other places?

[Tomwe]

I'm told: "Issue 39 and 40 will be dispatched on the 12/02/2019". [sic]

"We are still waiting for new stock to arrive we will send the issues earlier to go back to the proper schedule . there december holidays has delayed the subscription we are working on fixing that". [sic - again]

Here's my similar question & unhelpful reply:

ME: with issues 37 and 38 now allocated on 18th rather than 4th will issues 39 & 40 be allocated 28 days from 18th or will you attempt to get back on schedule?
THEM: We are still waiting for the next6 dispatch confirmation once its confirmed we will inform you.

[IndigoPrime]

ow! No way I can do that but YES to extension, YES to more Kingdom, YES to Indigo Prime and any other John Smith they can rustle up!

One more Kingdom volume would take us through to what we got in the Prog, right? And I would dearly love to see the Firekind/Leatherjack volume that I won't shut up about. (The series has had other combined tales, and they would fit nicely together. Imagine them both in hardback. Just imagine. MMMMMM.)

Also: short notice. If only they could deliver books that quickly, eh? OHO ETC.

ALSO! Your reply from them neatly contradicts mine. The stock issue is baffling. I've no idea how it all works. How can they at any point be waiting for books that are already in stores (an excuse I've had from them before)? Argh.

If anyone does go to the focus group, please tell them in a polite way to get their shit together and keep subscriptions on schedule, because subscriptions keep these things ticking over. And then barricade the door until they agree to an extension, obv.

[IndigoPrime]

I just started an extension-specific thread, which may prove useful in the event they want some ideas:

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=45652.0

It'd be great if people want to add their thoughts. (I've suggested limiting people to one book, so we don't get a deluge of strips from everyone, and to try and make posters focus a bit!)