Plan 9 Publishing
Encyclopedia
Plan Nine Publishing was a small press book publisher known for publishing webcomic
s in printed form. The first series published, and perhaps its most famous, was Kevin and Kell
.
In addition to Kevin and Kell, Plan Nine published a number of other notable comics, including:
Plan Nine also published Black Box Voting
by Bev Harris
, a nonfiction book discussing the issues involved in computer-based balloting. They also published I Lived With My Parents and Other Tales of Terror, a collection of nonfiction and humor essays by Mary Jo Pehl
, in 2004.
The company was named after the Ed Wood film Plan 9 from Outer Space
. It was owned by David Allen, who worked publishing alongside his day job as a systems engineer at Financial Computing in Winston-Salem. The company was started in 1996, and in January 2000 Allen left his job to concentrate full time on the publishing business.
98% of Plan 9's products were sold direct to customers through their website. With low print runs (typically less than 2000), the company were able to run with a profit with runs as low as 300.
The low running costs meant that the company was able to have a 70% gross profit margin, and was able to give its artists a 20% royalty
, more than 4 times the industrial average.
In April 2008, the Plan Nine main page was replaced by a message stating: Plan Nine has gone on hiatus for re-tooling and transition to new owners. Please check back with us Sept 1st, 2008. Thanks for your support! That page remained until the site finally went offline in 2010.
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
s in printed form. The first series published, and perhaps its most famous, was Kevin and Kell
Kevin and Kell
Kevin and Kell is a furry comedy webcomic strip by syndicated cartoonist Bill Holbrook. The strip began on September 3, 1995. It is one of the oldest continuously running webcomics....
.
In addition to Kevin and Kell, Plan Nine published a number of other notable comics, including:
- Bastard Operator From HellBastard Operator From HellThe Bastard Operator From Hell , a fictional character created by Simon Travaglia, is a rogue system administrator who takes out his anger on users , colleagues, bosses, and anyone else who gets in his way....
- BucklesBucklesBuckles is a comic strip by David Gilbert about the misadventures of a anthropomorphic naïve dog. Buckles debuted on March 25, 1996.King Feature's Syndicate: "More of an only child with canine instincts than he is the family pet...
- College Roomies From Hell!!!College Roomies from Hell!!!College Roomies from Hell!!! or CRFH!!! as it is known to fans, is a webcomic strip by Maritza Campos-Rebolledo. Running since January 1, 1999 and featuring a new comic strip every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday , College Roomies from Hell!!! depicts the lives of six college students attending an...
- Doctor FunDoctor FunDoctor Fun is a webcomic by David Farley, which ran from September 24, 1993 to June 9, 2006. It was one of the first online comics. It was preceded by Witches and Stitches which was distributed via CompuServe in 1985, and Where the Buffalo Roam which was distributed via Usenet in 1991. Dr...
- General Protection FaultGeneral Protection Fault (comic)General Protection Fault is a webcomic created by Jeffrey T. Darlington. It centers on the employees of a small software company called GPF Software and their misadventures...
- Ozy and MillieOzy and MillieOzy and Millie is a webcomic, created by D. C. Simpson, which debuted in January 1997. The comic was part of Keenspot from 2001 to 2003, going independent for several years before returning to Keenspot in November 2006. It follows the adventures of assorted anthropomorphized animals...
- Sluggy FreelanceSluggy FreelanceSluggy Freelance is a popular, long-running daily webcomic written and drawn by Pete Abrams. The comic has over 100,000 daily readers and premiered on August 25, 1997...
- The Suburban Jungle
- User FriendlyUser FriendlyUser Friendly is a discontinued daily webcomic about the staff of a small, fictional Internet service provider, Columbia Internet. The strip's humor tends to be centered around technology jokes and geek humour....
Plan Nine also published Black Box Voting
Black Box Voting
Black box voting signifies voting on voting machines which do not disclose how they operate such as with closed source or proprietary operations. The term, as described by Dr. Arnold Urken of Stephens Institute of Technology, comes from the technical jargon use of the term black box, a device or...
by Bev Harris
Bev Harris
Bev Harris is an American writer, activist, and founder of Black Box Voting Inc., a national nonpartisan, nonprofit elections watchdog group. She helped popularize the term Black Box Voting, while authoring a book of that title....
, a nonfiction book discussing the issues involved in computer-based balloting. They also published I Lived With My Parents and Other Tales of Terror, a collection of nonfiction and humor essays by Mary Jo Pehl
Mary Jo Pehl
Mary Joseph Pehl born February 27, 1960 in Circle Pines, Minnesota, is an American writer, actress and comedienne. She is best known for her various roles on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000.-Mystery Science Theater 3000:...
, in 2004.
The company was named after the Ed Wood film Plan 9 from Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 science fiction film written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr. The film features Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson and Maila "Vampira" Nurmi...
. It was owned by David Allen, who worked publishing alongside his day job as a systems engineer at Financial Computing in Winston-Salem. The company was started in 1996, and in January 2000 Allen left his job to concentrate full time on the publishing business.
98% of Plan 9's products were sold direct to customers through their website. With low print runs (typically less than 2000), the company were able to run with a profit with runs as low as 300.
The low running costs meant that the company was able to have a 70% gross profit margin, and was able to give its artists a 20% royalty
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
, more than 4 times the industrial average.
In April 2008, the Plan Nine main page was replaced by a message stating: Plan Nine has gone on hiatus for re-tooling and transition to new owners. Please check back with us Sept 1st, 2008. Thanks for your support! That page remained until the site finally went offline in 2010.