Something's Missing
I wanted to make a recurring blog about things I'd like to stock for the shop that are unavailable, either because they are out of print, or difficult to get in Europe or the UK due to rights issues. Why exactly? I don't know, to bring attention to artists and agents and publishers that there's stores that would stock things if we could get our hands on them! This list is by no means complete! I'll make another post when I can think of more things to add. And there's a few purposeful omissions of books that are supposed to be coming out at some point and I don't want to bother artists who are working hard to get their books out!
Maybe if I win a prize bond these will become my lineup if/when Little Deer starts publishing.
If any of these become available again I'll cross them off and celebrate!
Picture Books
The Princess and the Pony - Kate Beaton's children books were such great sellers for the shop that even though we haven't been able to order or import them FOR YEARS, they're still on the top of our all time sales list.
King Baby
Shark Girl - I was very much looking forward to this one and pre-ordered so many but they never got imported by my distributor! Why? Who can say!
Leave Me Alone - Vera Brosgol and Kate Beaton basically started my Kiddos picture book section, the original plan was to only stock picture books by comic artists but it expanded over time and then lots of comic-artist-picture-books went out of print!
Memory Jars
Hug Machine - I couldn't keep this book in stock and now it's gone!
Our Little Kitchen
Comics
Bianca Xunise - for some reason Punk Rock Karaoke couldn't be imported by my distributor and never got it's own UK release! I need to get more from Bianca across the ocean somehow.
Hope Larson - Mercury, Gray Horses, Salamander Dream, the Four Points series, the Eagle Rock trilogy, SO MANY of Hope's books are out of print right now! And they would always be the top of my recommendation list!
Lucy Knisley - Almost all of Lucy's non-fiction comics are out of print! Can't get Kid Gloves, Something New, Relish, Age of License, French Milk, You Are New, Go To Sleep, these are all books I could sell copies of these every week if they were available.
Jess Fink - Jess's books only JUST went out of print but I still want them back on the shelf. I was trying to make a little pairing of We Can Fix It beside Future Me is Fat!
Luke Healy - Luke's books live at the top of the shop's best seller list and now 3 of them are out of print! Looking forward to getting Americana, How to Survive in the North and Permanent Press back in stock someday!
This Was Our Pact - wasn't this becoming a Netflix film? Why is it out of print? Where is the SYNERGY. Also if I were a publisher I would publish all of Ryan's gorgeous short stories!
A Softer World - Out of print since the Kickstarter, sure I have my personal copy (lucky me) but I could sell these forever and ever.
The Perry Bible Fellowship - Twice collected, twice out of print. Bring it back!
The Lesson Was Learned But the Damage Is Irreversible - Another incredible webcomic that was never collected and printed!
Art-Of Books
No art-of book for Tuca & Bertie? Over the Garden Wall? Scavenger's Reign? Bee & Puppycat? I could sell so many of these!
I also hate that so many Art-of books go out of print! Why can't the Steven Universe and Adventure Time book stay in print? Where's the Fiona & Cake book?
Live Action Films
Paying For It - a comic adaptation that just got a lovely blu-ray release but it's region locked and America only! Noooooo
Shortcomings - DITTO! Indie productions, you're killing me!
No Straight Lines - AGAIN (this goes for the comic anthology as well! Come back!)
Kikujiro - One of my favourite ever films and I've never been able to stock it.
Tarsem’s The Fall - A movie I couldn't keep in stock and now I can't get it at all.
Watermelon Woman - another one that Criterion is doing in the states but it hasn't reached the UK yet. I could get the DVD briefly but not anymore.
the films of Tom Tykwer - Especially Winter Sleepers (THE COLOURS) but also The Princess and the Warrior and Heaven
A New Leaf - All Elaine May films should be in print forever but especially this one and The Heartbreak Kid! I'm also dead serious about Ishtar! Dead serious!
Animated Films
the films of Stan Brakhage - my Alternative Sceen section is incomplete until this gets a UK release! Come on Criterion!
the films of Hayao Miyazaki - these have been out of print since before I started carrying films! what timing!
Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure - lives on Youtube but I'd stock it in a heartbeat!
The Brave Little Toaster - gone forever? buried?
Hugo the Hippo - this film got a restoration and a release about 10 years ago but it was a short lived one and now it's out of print again! Tiresome!
The Chipmunk Adventure - another one with a release 15 years ago that's long out of print.
Telly
Tuca & Bertie - Criterion or some TV equivalent of Criterion has to step in and save Scavengers Reign, Bee & Puppycat and Tuca & Bertie from streaming hell
Pushing Daisies - Never got a chance to stock it! I want to stock the soundtrack as well!
Steven Universe - Out of print before I started stocking discs, dang!
Adventure Time - SAME
Directors Series - Those amazing music video compilations, how I miss them so! Spike Jonze! Michelle Gondry! Jonathan Glazer! All their short work is out of print. Nevermind feature work! I can't stock any feature films at all by Jonze and Gondry!
Albums
Melvina Reynolds - it's mad that Melvina's albums aren't in print right now, of all times.
John Williams - Sugarland Express - tied with below for my current favourite Williams scores
John Williams - Always
Karen O & Carter Burwell - Where the Wild Things Are - One of my go-to listens! If only I could stock it!