Ongoing Series vs Limited Series

[GutterTalk]

I'm curious about everyone's reading preferences. Do you prefer ongoing series, such as monthly releases with an indefinite number of issues, or limited series that are a set number of issues?

 

[gohei_]

Well it really depends. A writer can hop on an ongoing series with a pre-determined number of issues planned out. So in those cases it's really not any different.
A limited mini-series on the other hand though is most of the time pretty stand-alone and doesn't require so much (if any) knowledge of previous stories/runs of that particular character.
With that said, I would be more inclined to start reading an ongoing series of a character that I have prior knowledge of, as opposed to someone I'm not familiar with.

 

[GutterTalk]

You are right, a writer can join an ongoing series for a planned out arc, but I think this can sometimes make ongoing series disjointed. Even when it is done well, the writer is confined to the starting point they were given. I like that in limited series writers can do something crazy with no consequence. They aren't limited to the story as told so far, or leaving the story open to continue. It is similar to "What if?" comics in Marvel, you can completely change what motivates a character, kill people off, etc and it has no effect on the main continuity.
Limited series are also nice for getting interested in new characters. As you said, it is hard to start reading an ongoing series for someone you aren't familiar with. You can read a self-contained story and if you like the character, seek out more of the ongoing stories.

On the other hand, ongoing series have the opportunity to go much deeper into characters. You can just tell more story in hundreds of issues than a dozen or less.

 

[Primal Slayer]

I'm curious about everyone's reading preferences. Do you prefer ongoing series, such as monthly releases with an indefinite number of issues, or limited series that are a set number of issues?

I want 'seasons'. Why they havent adopted that model is beyond me. Right now DC isnt doing one better than the other. Batman/Catwoman is a limited series that is constantly delayed and now has fill in artists.

Just let the writers break their stories up into seasons, X story takes X amount of issues to tell, etc...

 

[super85]

They do make "seasons" in comics too. Not all comics. But Morrisons GL was seasons, as is the Batman:The Adventures Continue book.

To answer the actual question, some years back I would have said that I prefer ongoings, but these days I really dont have much interest in what the big two companies are publishing that I usually just check out miniseries/limited series etc.

 

[Babillygunn]

Interesting question. I voted a few days ago but have been pondering my response.

I’d say limited series tend to be better quality, but my preference is ongoing series because I appreciate someone taking the challenge of an established continuity and consequences to their stories. I also feel like that makes me more invested in the character.