B5Erik

Recently, I've been collecting Omnibus editions of Spider-Man, Iron Man, The New Teen Titans, and, most recently the 2nd Brave and the Bold collection. I've found that they're easier for me to store (and access), and that means I've got easier access to actually read them. My comics in boxes almost never got read.

So I'm dumping at least 2/3 of my collection as I've been gaining many of those issues through the Omnibus editions, Marvel Masterworks, & Trade Paperbacks.

I just sold Amazing Spider-Man 361-363 and the individual Maximum Carnage comics to start paying for the books I've been buying. I know there are a handful of titles I'll never get rid of for sentimental reasons (Amazing Spider-Man 32 & 33, 76, Incredible Hulk 171 & 175, etc) - most of which I bought in the 70's, but the more I can get in collected works the more I can sell of the individual issues.


Anyone else moving to the TPB/Omnibus/Masterworks thing, or do you still prefer individual comics?

davidh777

stingermck

I went from singles to trades and now back to singles. I was all in on trades, HC's and Omnibus for a few years. But then I was wanting to read stuff that just never appears in trades, so I started collecting runs in singles. Now that is my preference again. To me an old single is a time capsule. The ads of the time, the letter pages, all the period stuff you just cant get in a trade, appeal to me as a total package. Also they are much easier to read since you can lay them down flat, which trades and giant omnibus you can not. I would find I would start skimming an omnibus as well, because there is just so much to read. But a single issue is a smaller bite to take and I would read those thoroughly.

fujishig

It makes no sense to collect single issues in the modern era. Even if you wanted a time capsule, there are like no ads or they're all the same each month. If you want to get all the singles, the print runs are small enough that you probably have to get them as the series come out. And everyone who collects comics has a problem with how to store them, and then how to find them. If you buy them as they come out, you pay exorbitant prices, and you basically buy sight unseen... sure you have solicitations but creative teams and storylines can change at the drop of a hat. It seems like most of the time it's just an addiction, because people will hang on to series just because they've always collected it or to keep their collection complete even through renumberings and storylines they absolutely hate. I just can't justify spending four or five bucks a month on something I don't even like.

With collections, you can just collect the stuff you either hear buzz about or that you absolutely love and want to keep. And not every storyline is worth keeping around, I mean how often do you go back into your comic box and read everything?

I converted from singles to trades to omnibuses, while still buying singles just because I wanted a monthly read. But I found what would happen is that the single issues were either largely unsatisfying on their own or I would forget what happened last time, so I would save them up to read them in bunches. Prices rose, and DC decided they wanted to reset continuity, and it got me off the monthly addiction. In addition, even my bookshelves were filling up with omnibuses, so I started buying newer stuff just digitally, on sale.

stingo

I prefer TPB and Omnibuses, despite it being a little more difficult to find an individual issue within them - I'm all digital, or as near as I can be.

One thing I noticed in the TPBs I've been reading they don't seem to include references that the single issues do. For example, in Deathstroke Rebirth Vol I or II a a character makes a reference to a past event that happened in another comic. In the single issue there's an asterisk and note to say the issue that's being referred to, but in the TPB there's nothing. I was told that references are removed from TPBs - is that correct? I can't think of a reason why they would do that.

stingermck

My comment about time capsules refers to older comics, not modern. With crazy ads for X-ray specs and kung fu lessons. I keep modern singles as well, that I enjoyed reading and will re-read again later. No different than getting a trade of a modern book and keeping it around.

Collectors who have a wall full of omnibus books are now just the same as someone with a lot of long boxes. Unless your digital, like any collection, space is space.

Plus just like every movie didnt make it to DVD or Blu-Ray, not every comic or series gets collected. And collecting is still fun for me, finding a book I need for a particular run.

Mike86

I pretty much only buy trades. The only times I really buy single issues are for big events or milestone issues. I also occasionally will pick up the first issue (or few or whatever is out) for a new comic that I’m interested in but doesn’t have a trade out yet.

fujishig

Right, I'm just saying that the time capsule appeal isn't there for modern comics, and for modern comics, basically everything gets collected or at the very least put up digitally. For older comics, I totally understand, I doubt I'll ever part with my LoSH run, for example. But what actually stopped me collecting Marvel comics monthly long ago was the fact that they put everything out in trade (and at the time, DC didn't)

The omnibus thing is why I stopped collecting every omnibus that came out and decided to be more selective. It's why I stopped collecting the floppy because I was doubling down on the trades, then tripling on the omniboo, and even those are just backlog. What also hurts is when they change the trade/omnibus dress and the volumes either no longer match or aren't collected in the same style.

But I really just want to read comics, not really collect them. My mom got me into comics when I was really young and we didn't even bag and board them, I read basically the whole Claremont/Byrne Uncanny run on comics that were worn from reading and re-reading. It's why something like Marvel Comics Unlimited or even the DC online service are so appealing to me.

B5Erik

Hey, if anyone has omnibuses or Masterworks or Epic Collections they don't want I've still got several that I need to be able to get rid of most of my singles collection...

PhantomStranger

I pretty much only like buying omnibuses and larger trades these days, but I'm starting to get an itch for individual Silver Age comics. I've been following eBay auctions recently and getting a gauge of their worth. Half the fun of a comic book to me is a great cover, which doesn't feel the same seeing it in a larger trade.

leahcim

I got into comics so big time around 2003, ended up buying ENTIRE run of Batman and Tec from 1986-2003. Added LODK, SOB and all the other Bat stuff, along with tons of DC. IT seemed I loved the reading first, and the "collecting" was like an addiction. Ended up selling all flippies right after the New 52 because I hated the new stuff so much vs the older stuff. Now the Rebirth stuff is getting old and the Marvel SJW stuff just kills me.

Fast forward to today, I own every single FF floppy from 1975 to when they ended a few years back, everything else is digital, cbr/cbz. It is a HUUUUUGE digital collection, just unreal due to uhm, lets just say they are cheap if you get my drift.

I want to psychically own so, so much it is hard, very hard!

Like about, the feel, the ads, oh my GOD the smell of any comic especially from pre glossy paper, I just love it!


Right now on the fence with Omnibus, no adds, not vintage feel, not sure what to do. Still want a few key floppies for nostalgia but my addiction is very bad, once I buy some floppies, I need runs, then before you know it I have 6 long boxes full!!

Right now a buddy has the complete 80's-90's Green Lantern 1-181 run, amazing condition VF++to NRMT, he only wants $230 for them, soooooo tempting!!!!

brayzie

I prefer individual issues but then again, I haven't bought comics for a while now. I think I stopped buying regularly around the time that the Dodsons left Wonder Woman.
I like the idea of buying an issue, reading it on a lunch break or after work, and tossing it. I might keep it if it has an exceptional cover and story.

I guess it'd be cheaper to buy the omnibuses but I'm not a fan of the write-for-the-trade style.


I've never been the type to keep buying a title just because I like the character. It has to have good art and a good story.
I have about 3 long boxes, and all of the comic issues are worth it. Yeah I've bought some so-so to crappy comics here and there, but they went straight to the trash.

I remember trying out an issue here and there of Ed Brubaker's Captain America run. I'd heard great things about it.
It felt like I was throwing money away.
$3 or $4 for decompressed storytelling, where nothing really happened in 22 21 pages and the art was only okay. Considering how versatile the comics medium is, it didn't really feel like the author or artist was taking advantage of it.

PhantomStranger

Complete runs are always so tempting. I've found it's usually cheaper to combine a few shorter runs found on eBay than go after full runs, but it's always nice when someone else has already done the work.

B5Erik

The more I read through my old comics as I organize the ones I'm selling vs keeping the more I want to replace all of them with Omnibuses, Masterworks, or Trade Paperbacks.

The pages have yellowed and the color has faded, even on comics only 25 years old. It makes them harder, and less enjoyable, to read.

I've replaced about half of my collection with books, and will end up keeping only a few key issues that aren't in any trades.

slop101

I long ago started doing what B5Erik's doing - no regerts!
Besides getting a mostly complete story in one purchase, the quality of the pages, them being oversized (if an Absolute, an Omnibus or a deluxe hardcover), the lack of ads, all makes it a much better proposition.
And that's not to mention how buying an omnibus (since you can usually get them at 50% off) comes out to about $1.50 to $2 per "issue" collected therein. Try getting 50% off of a $4 floppy!

Quack

Just got into the omnibus game the last week or so, my local shop actually had a couple on clearance for what I would have paid online, picked up The Amazing Spider-Man, McFarlane, and the Carnage omnibus both for $64.99. Then of course I went online and purchased the Venomnibus Volume 1, Spider-Man Micheline/Larson and Spider-Man vs Venom.

Oh and I purchased Captain America Vol. 1 and 2 from CGN during their current sale that ends today.

My wallet hates me right now.

How often to OOS omni's come back into print? Was hoping for the Iron Man's and the Infinity Gauntlet just off the top of my head to come back into print.

rocket1312

Generally speaking it's hard to predict when books will come back in print. Key volumes like Ditko Spidey, Lee/Kirby FF and Claremont/Byrne X-Men have had multiple printings, but I don't think Iron Man v1 ever has been reprinted. Lee/Kirby X-Men is another that has inexplicably never been reprinted despite being oop for well over a decade. There is scuttlebutt on the interwebs that quite a few Marvel omnibuses will be reprinted this upcoming year, so hopefully they're on the list. I'd say Infinity Guantlet is likely to be one that marvel goes back to print on semi regularly.

Red Hood

I doubt any of those come back to print anytime soon. The Omnibus are not great sellers for retailers and the McFarlane one was recently discounted to retailers so Diamond could dumb the overstock they had. Usually, those Omnibus are printed once and that's it. Later on, some of the stories may be printed in small TPBs, for example, the Infinity Gauntlet.

davidh777

PhantomStranger

Marvel works in mysterious ways regarding omnibuses. For years the X-Men volumes were out of print and commanded big bucks.

Josh-da-man

Precisely. WIth Marvel you never know how they're going to handle reprintings of their books. Some stuff will remain unavailable for years even though there is demand for it, and then content that has little appeal will be reprinted immediately.

Red Hood

For the Infinity Gauntlet, they went even bigger this past year by doing a deluxe boxset called the Infinity Saga and retailing at $500. The box set included everything from the Infinity Gauntlet to the Infinity Crusade, including crossovers, tie-ins and epilogues.

B5Erik

Since I originally started this thread I've picked up several Omnibi and boatload of Masterworks collections, as well as a few Epic Collections and other trades.

Which has allowed me to sell half my comic collection. The other half will hopefully be sold within the next year. It's a slow, tedious process, but it feels great to cut them loose and save some space (as well as getting more readable copies of the issues in these collections).

stingermck

You have to be careful with some omnibus. For example the upcoming Zero Hour has around 40 issues for $150 retail. All of which can be found in the $1 bins as singles. So you have to decide if having it all in a HC volume is worth that.

fujishig

Even digitally they're available for 1.99, so .99 when half off, if you can't find them locally.