Well, I see lots of people posting Journal entires about the fiasco of Simon & Schuster's "Sozin's Comet" Book having hit stores, giving us all access to the basic details of what happens in the finale of this awesome animated series... Over 2 Months before it will actually air on Television.

I guess I'll throw in my 2 cents too and see if I can't help add yet another perspective...

I see fans reacting to this event in frustration, dissapointment, and overall a struggle to decide whither or not they want to spoil themselves about what happens.

First, consider the source- The book is written for young kids. Its 64 pages of mostly text with a few little pictures. It's not really even a full novelization of the events in the traditional sense. It features the character's speaking from a first person perspective giving little summaries of what happened and throwing in their own inner thoughts as commentary.

Yes there are plot point spoilers, but it's disjointed, a little confusing having not seen the episodes and totally written in a speaking style that's aimed at 4th graders. In short, it was meant to be a simple supplement to the finale for young kids, and it is by no means anywhere near being a decent substitute for it.

So why then if it's meant to be a supplement, did this mix up of release dates happen? Why couldn't the publishers have just held the copies back until the new air date?

After talking to my friend Amira, who's worked in retail for years, she helped me understand exactly how these things work:

A manufacturer makes a product, in this case the book, and schedules it's production run by the time frame they are told they can expect the best timing to coincide with the licensed propriety.

This is done months in advance. Production does not happen overnight. So back when the assumed date for the airing of Sozin's Comet was in May, apparently even by Nick, that was the time frame Simon & Schuster aimed for and began writing & printing the books.

Now when you have a huge volume of your product finished, in this case thousands and thousands of these little 64 page kiddie books, you NEED to move them. You can't just let them sit in a warehouse. Believe it or not, it costs $$$ to store these things and remember, it's no small volume. Plus- When you sit on an inventory of anything you also run the risk of it getting damaged over time and thereby ruining your product and ruined product can be returned and no money made.

So it's very much a money factor. Sit on those books until July and take big money losses on storage and potential additional loss of inventory due to damage, or just ship them to stores as planned and not lose the money invested in production. It's a business no-brainer and I don't blame Simon & Schuster one bit.

It happens all the time. I can't even count how many movie-based toy lines hit shelves months in advance of the movie they were based on because the film's release dates got pushed back.

So what's done is done, and it's going to be impossible to be online and avoid hearing the spoilers. That's a fact. However- We DO have a choice

Don't want to be spoiled? Don't read the book. See what looks like a discussion about the book online? Don't read that either. As insane as that sounds, it's not impossible. There's lots of life to be lived away from cartoon fandom until July and joining it until then may be fun too.

There's parts I decided I'm staying away from. I want some details left for my own enjoyment when I see them on the screen. I can do it. So can you!

While this isn't the best of events, I'm pleased to say for those who do spoil themselves that I don't think this is going to result in a complete loss of enjoyment in the finale either.

I wish we didn't have to be faced with the reveal of these plot details so early... But that's what happened and we have to deal with it. I am happy to say, it's only made me more excited to see how all those loose details come together and play out in a linear form that makes more sense. It's still going to be a fantastic finale filled with surprise & excitement I promise you that!

And just think... We'll get to see it July 29th when they release it on DVD which is probably before they air it on TV as well!

P.S.

After peeking a bit I have a new home for my Sozin's Comet Book until July...



All I have to do now is keep my socks freshly laundered and it'll remain out of sight & out of mind.