Lightning Magazine - English Translation

[shelfthejeans]

I am currently doing some research into Lightning Magazine. i wanted to see if anyone thinks there is a demand for a English translation of the magazine to be sold across the US and Europe?

[mpcec]

I'd definitely be interested in that....

[akuma no uta]

Duh dude fuckin do that shit up man

[Sayword]

Of course there is

[pomata]

It would be great

[snuff_daddy]

sign me up

[Paulo]

While i would be all up for that is there going to be enough of a demand to actually pay someone's wages to do that.

[shelfthejeans]

that is why i am asking around to see what the reaction is like.

[Paulo]

Yeah but even if you got 500 replies here i still dont think it would be cost effective.

Have you actually worked out how many magazines you would need to sell and at what price point to cover costs?

[seenmy]

or the fact that to do it legit you would have to get a license from the publishers

[shelfthejeans]

yep. i have done my research and know my figures. just testing the water.

[shelfthejeans]

thanks seenmy.... we are working on that.

[Paulo]

Well if you done your figures then why not give us an idea of them. Clearly even though we are all saying yah sure ill buy it i wont be if its going to cost me twice the price then my current supplier.

[Sayword]

well you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Don't mass produce the mag, that might save some money.

[kiya]

This is something that Christophe and i were toying with the idea of doing, but neither of us has the time to take on something like that.

I say do it.

[fre-co]

Yeah, and while you're at it do free and easy too. I'd subscribe to both.

[akuma no uta]

Well what how many issues does lightning do a year? 12? And does that include thee denim books?

[SLAB]

id be down for both magazines (lightning & Free&Easy)

[almostnice]

like the idea very much.how are you going to get enough related ads which are lightning/free&easy are filled with to afford this?

[morse9443]

Printing an english edition will be difficult due to advertisers, printing, etc - very difficult to make money off.

Just make a digital edition, or post translations here along with pdf's of the pages:cool:.

[mpcec]

like the idea very much.how are you going to get enough related ads which are lightning/free&easy are filled with to afford this?

I imagine you could count on ads from History Preservation, Self Edge, BiG, Craft, Stronghold, Context, Mister Freedom, Superdenim, Kiosk 78, Eastman Leather and tons more that I can't think of. Maybe some Red Wing and White's advertisements, some other Canadian and European stores too. An english version of Lightning or Free & Easy would probably do well in other non english countries in the EU (assuming japanese versions of the mag are available there.)

[akuma no uta]

I imagine you could count on ads from History Preservation, Self Edge, BiG, Craft, Stronghold, Context, Mister Freedom, Superdenim, Kiosk 78, Eastman Leather and tons more that I can't think of. Maybe some Red Wing and White's advertisements, some other Canadian and European stores too. An english version of Lightning or Free & Easy would probably do well in other non english countries in the EU (assuming japanese versions of the mag are available there.)

exactly!! and im sure most of the cats here would pay a premium for an english version, considering a japanese version costs what, 30 and some change usually?

[mpcec]

For sure... you could count me in on a subscription. I'd be way more interested in a translated version at a premium than buying the japanese version for less.

[Paulo]

exactly!! and im sure most of the cats here would pay a premium for an english version, considering a japanese version costs what, 30 and some change usually?

For sure... you could count me in on a subscription. I'd be way more interested in a translated version at a premium than buying the japanese version for less.

You both say that but what do you consider a fair premium? Also how many people here consider buying them more then one or two times a year if its gonna cost you $30+.

[akuma no uta]

arent most people paying $30 plus an issue for a japanese issue?

[Paulo]

Well the one place i know that has them here in store sells for around $20 an issue. The magazines i get are mostly when my Japanese friends come and go so im lucky.

However i don't think its a huge amount of us who have the magazines let alone buy them regularly.

[mpcec]

The main thing that holds me back from buying them more often is the fact that it's in japanese and I only get so much from pictures. I don't know what a fair premium would be since I don't know the costs involved but I imagine it would only get cheaper once circulation increases and more people are taking out ads. I would definitely pay $30-40 to help get an english version of Lightning off the ground.

[akuma no uta]

yeah, 40 an issue is no problem, and would be a great service to everyone. everytime i go to buy one, i talk myself out of it cause its in japanese, and its not like its a local place, i have to order it online, if i could pay whatever to have them shipped to me, every month, in english, hell yeah, whatever it takes

[Paulo]

Yeah well i don't see many of us buying a magazine at $40 each possibly 6 times a year. Thats the price for a nice pair of jeans!

[mpcec]

Sure it's expensive for a magazine but denim/workwear/repro seems to only be getting bigger and I think the advertising would only grow as would the circulation. I would view it as an investment, something akin to paying a premium at a local business trying to bring something new to the market.