Chapter Text
The X : Spring Issue Releasing Soon! Preorder Now!
“… What is going on here,” Charles says.
It’s a statement, not a question, and it comes out with all the icy severity of a managing editor finding their office floor buried under piles of books pushed haphazardly here and there.
All the books are their latest issue, as a matter of fact; Charles bends down to pick one up off the floor— really, they’ll all be covered in dust at this point, what the bloody fuck is going on— just as Jean unfolds herself from behind another pile of books and blinks up at him tearfully.
“Our books came printed wrong!” she says. Scattered across the floor around her, their expressions in similar contortions of dismay, Scott, Hank, and Sean—the main editorial team of The X, their university’s premier literary journal (never mind what others might say)—bob their heads in panicked affirmation.
“Okay. Printed wrong how,” says Charles levelly. He ignores the way his palms have begun to prickle with sweat.
“The last few pages of each story is missing,” Hank moans. He’s flipping through the copy he has clutched in his hands. He pauses; something in his face crumples a little more. It’s almost like watching a puppy get kicked. “Oh. Oh. The first few pages of this story, too. That’s new. Did we catch that yet? Fuck, Sean, check page 45, is it like this in your copy, too—ohmygod—”
Charles watches from the doorway as Hank and Sean unravel. He switches his gaze to Jean, who is marginally calmer. Jean will have some solution, he knows; she’ll have some reasonable explanation as to why some—
“They’re all like this,” Jean says. “All our copies!”
“… All? ” says Charles. His voice has gone a bit faint. Or perhaps he just can’t hear himself right, with the panicked ringing that’s now going off in his ears: a high-pitched, frenetic shitshitshitshitshitshit.
Then he pulls himself together. Wheels himself around the stacks of books so he’s in the office properly, now. Opens the book in his hands, which is the first time he’s done so since their final print order was shipped.
Issue 55, his brain tells him automatically; his fingers run lovingly down the cream-colored title page. His name is listed on page 3, right next to the title: Managing Editor, and it’s a bit embarrassing how seeing those words in print still give him a bit of a thrill.
15 stories, student-produced, spring edition, 204 pages —or, at least, it should be 204 pages. He checks. The last page is, indeed, the 204th. He flips back a few pages. 180? Turns the next page. 165. Paws madly through the whole issue.
Missing page, missing page, missing, missing, missing.
“Oh, hell,” he breathes. They are so fucked.
From: The X ([email protected])
To: Westchester Copy and Printing ([email protected])
Subject: Urgent Inquiry – The X
Hello,
Hope you all at Westchester Copy are doing well.
We at The X have an urgent inquiry regarding the print copies we received today of our spring issue. All of these copies—all—seem to be missing several pages throughout the book. Can you determine the root of this printing error? We are quite puzzled as to how this error could have occurred, given that the proof we received a week ago was in perfect order.
Once the source of error has been adjusted on your part, we would like to reprint our copies under the previous budget ($4000). Our distributions cycle is now behind schedule, so we would like to have our prints back as soon as possible.
Thank you. Let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Charles Xavier
The X Managing Editor
From: Westchester Copy and Printing ([email protected])
To: The X ([email protected])
Re: Urgent Inquiry – The X
Hello,
We’ve looked into it. The misprints did not come on our part. The adjusted pdf sent to us after we printed the proof copy was formatted with the missing pages noted in the email above.
See the pdf attachment below. We printed what we were sent last week. Any further prints will be charged related fees. Our latest invoice has also been attached below.
Sincerely,
Westchester Copy
Attachment file: ISSUE55_Post-Proof_Final.pdf
Attachment file: WestchesterCopyandPrinting-May2-Invoice.pdf
From: Charles Xavier ([email protected])
To: Jean Grey ([email protected])
Subject: Edited Final PDF – check this [Please Read]
Jean,
We heard back from Westchester C&P today. Got this in The X email. Have you seen this pdf before? Apparently, it’s the final version C&P received after they gave us our proof copy. I don’t recognize these edits; it’s definitely not the final version I checked on ID. Maybe someone in Editing?
Also, C&P will not be printing a new round for us without charge, since this is on our end … presumably.
Charles
From: Jean Grey ([email protected])
To: Charles Xavier ([email protected])
Re: Edited Final PDF – check this [Please Read]
Omg no that is not our final ID draft … why would anyone in Editing delete ENTIRE PAGES
Did we just blow our entire budget on misprints. Are you having a meltdown.
From: Charles Xavier ([email protected])
To: Jean Grey ([email protected])
Re: Re: Edited Final PDF – check this [Please Read]
Jean,
I’ll be in contact with someone from the student association and work this out. Can you go into the email and pay C&P from our ASU account? They very kindly sent us their invoice for the misprints.
Charles
From: Jean Grey ([email protected])
To: Charles Xavier ([email protected])
Re: Re: Re: Edited Final PDF – check this [Please Read]
What a shitshow!!!
The X : Preorders temporarily closed.