Single-Issue vs. TPB vs. Hardcover

[J. J. Jameson]

Which do you prefer/Own more of?

In the past, I bought lots of TPBs, which I regret now, and I wish I'd bought HCs. If I could ever sell my TPBs, I'd definitely invest in the HCs...more durable and just look better. Lately, whenever I start collecting a new series, I buy the HC if it's available.

I'm not a huge fan of single issues simply because it makes it more difficult to re-read a story arc. I like being able to pick up a single book and read the story from cover to cover.

You?

 

[Addendum]

Generally, I get the TPB. If the Hardcover is out for something I've not yet bought, then I'll consider it. If a hardcover comes out of a couple TPB I already bought (such as the hardcover collection of Supreme Power #1-12, which was released after the trades of 1-6 and 7-12), I don't bother with the double dip.

I have no interest in single issues

 

[yenaled]

If you don't own the most single issues you are a weirdo.

 

[Manic]

A few years back, when I was getting back into comics, I read nothing but TPBs. It really helped me play catch-up with the general status quo of Marvel and DC, as I hadn't read either of them since the mid-90s. After that, I started buying single issues again.

These days, I mainly pick up TPBs if it's a more serialized comic that I can't afford to skip a few issues of just to start picking up singles. For example, I started reading Y: The Last Man in trades when the book was probably around issue 40-something. I certainly couldn't skip the 2-3 issues between the latest trade and the latest single issue, so I trade-waited the entire series up until the last trade came out a month ago.

I also pick up trades for independent comics that my local shop doesn't carry. Virgin Comics, for example. They publish(ed) Devi, 7 Brothers, and Ramayan 3392AD. My local shop doesn't sell the single issues of those books, so it was literally impossible for me to find back-issues. So I ordered the trades, and their single issues come out far too irregularly for me to put the current issues on my pull list. Also, with Ramayan and 7 Brothers, the stories are written in a more graphic novel-like format, so they're best read as trades.

As for hardcovers, I only own a couple. I bought Marvel's Alias when the series had already concluded, so it was much more economical for me to buy the hardcover omnibus. I have the first 12 issues of Astonishing X-Men as a hardcover because I'd never bought the book before, and it came out during that incredibly long hiatus between issues 12 and 13, so I had the chance to catchup. I have Darwyn Cooke's first volume of The Spirit as a hardcover because that's all I saw available.

I just bought DC's New Frontier in 2 trades from my local shop because they were having their 25% off trades anniversary sale. I would've preferred the hardcover.

 

[Cdnmouse]

I have always been a fan of the single issue. They just seems more of a collection item to me. I have collected single issues for like 10 years, but I have to admit that Trades are a great way to catch up on past stories.

 

[Nathan Petrelli]

I like Hardcover but I buy mainly TPB. The spines on hardcovers end up becoming loose over time after you read them more and more, where a TPB the cover slightly lifts, but if you put weight on it, it goes back down.

 

[Addendum]

I just bought DC's New Frontier in 2 trades from my local shop because they were having their 25% off trades anniversary sale. I would've preferred the hardcover.

I would have preferred a trade of the series in one volume, not a 6 issue series spread out over 2 books. I had to swallow my annoyance when I spent the 75 bucks on the Absolute Edition. I still have no clue where to put the damned thing since it can't fit in my bookshelf.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

I like Hardcover but I buy mainly TPB. The spines on hardcovers end up becoming loose over time after you read them more and more, where a TPB the cover slightly lifts, but if you put weight on it, it goes back down.

The thing that bugs me a lot of TPBs is that there's always that first and sometimes last page that sticks out from the rest of the book because of the way those two pages are glued. I dunno if it's OCD or what, but that bugs the crap out of me when I'm reading them. Some are better than others, but nearly everyone has one odd page that likes to stick out from the rest when i lies open.

 

[Manic]

I would have preferred a trade of the series in one volume, not a 6 issue series spread out over 2 books. I had to swallow my annoyance when I spent the 75 bucks on the Absolute Edition. I still have no clue where to put the damned thing since it can't fit in my bookshelf.

The absolute edition is $75? Good lord. The 2 trades are $19.99 each.

 

[Addendum]

It was the first and last Absolute Edition I'll buy. Hopefully the Starman omnibus won't be as huge when I get it, if I ever find a copy.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

i like tpb the best....... i own more.......


i don't mind HC but single's get on my nerves

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

Paperbacks,I used to collect single issues but I have gotten behind. The quality of most comics arn't worth my dollar,so I sometimes wait. I only have a few hardcovers,that's for the super good comics or valueables.

 

[Dark Victory]

I love collecting single issues but over the years you lose an issue or two and it's gets frustrating(especially when some really good stories aren't collected. Punisher vs. Bullseye anyone?) where for TPBs and HCs it's all there in one book. But to be honest I buy them all. I buy the comics, then when they're collected from #this-#that I get that, then when the special editon comes out with the nice hardcover and with some concept and notes from the artist or author, I get that. Overall I prefer comics because it's a lot more fun having all the issues instead of all the volumes even if you do lose a few over the years.

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

kraft singles......oh single issues i mean. Always have always will!

 

[Sparta*]

HC/TPB, it really doesn't matter to me. I just get whatever is out first. I used to collect single issues when I was younger but I haven't for years now, I just stick to the collections. I wanted to get some 'absolute' editions for more popular stuff ex new frontier because they are in an oversized format, but I had the trades and now I dont really want to drop 70$ for essentially the same thing but bigger.

 

[Themanofbat]

I couldn't be bothered with HC editions... especially of reprinted material... I'd get some type of HC Graphic Novel that has new material...

I voted "single issues" because that's how I grew up reading comics, and I still prefer it to this day... all these 33 years later.

However, there are some titles that I simply prefer getting in TPB format; ie Fables, Walking Dead, Powers, Age of Bronze, 100 Bullets, etc...

Nonetheless, I like the single issue format better.

 

[Themanofbat]

Also, with the single issue format, there's more flexibility to escape the "arc-driven" storytelling format and go for the on-going soap opera style ala Spider-Man these days...

When I read a comic, I like to feel that I can't wait for the next issue... and you really don't have those feelings with arcs/trades...

 

[CBG]

Depends on the comic book issue itself.

In general, I collect TPBs (Question); hardcover for the storylines/comic books that I really like and reread numerous times (Absolute Sandman, V for Vendetta); and single issues for special one-shot issues (The Sandman #8) or collector's stuff (Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis).

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Also, with the single issue format, there's more flexibility to escape the "arc-driven" storytelling format and go for the on-going soap opera style ala Spider-Man these days...

When I read a comic, I like to feel that I can't wait for the next issue... and you really don't have those feelings with arcs/trades...

Brubaker's title's (DD, Cap) give me the same feeling whether I'm reading single issues or TPBs. The way Bru sets up the arcs so that one leads right into the next and that his whole run feels like one arc keeps the story moving at breakneck pace either way your read it.

More comic writers need to be like that...

 

[Themanofbat]

Brubaker's title's (DD, Cap) give me the same feeling whether I'm reading single issues or TPBs. The way Bru sets up the arcs so that one leads right into the next and that his whole run feels like one keeps the story moving at breakneck pace either way your read it.

More comic writers need to be like that...

I couldn't agree more... unfortunately, too many writers follow the "safe" formula...



Kirkman's Walking Dead is a good example of the way Bru writes Cap...