Single issues vs Trades & Hardcovers

[Cyberstrike]

OK since the upcoming Harbinger: The Beginging collects #0-7 of the same series this raises an intresting question for me (at least) is buying eight single issues worth the trouble? I mean I plan to read them
(and since I have the old Valiant TPB of Harbinger and I've yet to read #0, 5-7) is buying the single issues worth it? Is there anything in the single issues other than Shooter's editorals, the coupons (aren't they suppose to be in HC as well), ads, and letter pages that aren't going to be in the HC?

When you're on an extremely tight budget and buying a lot of books of eBay is not only expenivse it's time consuming as well, and it plays havoc with your budget as well.

I mean I bought Transformers: Esscalation in TPB because buying the trade was cheaper at $20 than buying all 6 single issues that would've cost me a total of $24.

[Second_Death]

Of course nothing beats having the original issues but, for just reading purposes, save money and buy the HC. After all, most of us have those issues but will be buying the HC collection as well.

[Elveen]

A valid question. If your buying the HC, do you / should you also buy the indivdual comics? (this is your question, right?).

Only you can answer that.

But I can tell you, I was so excited the first time I held my Harby #1, and alll the sigs. on the first page are sure pretty.


And then the there is the entire valiantcompletistmusthavealltheissuesorelseitis.

But that is an entire another issue.

[thePike]

If only for the sake of reading, then no, you don't need the single issues. If its reading/collecting that you're doing (and by that, I mean collecting for the purpose of value or later sale, not for the purpose of re-reading again) then you'll want the single issues also.

With the whole budget thig, you're probably in the HC only boat - which isn't a bad place to be! The book will have all of the old material, with some new material to boot!

[slym2none]

I will answer this question with a somewhat related story about my novel collection - I read, a lot. I usually find new stuff by either reading anthologies and remembering good stories/authors, or reading paperbacks from the PB swap at my local library. Either way, when I find something I like, I buy the hardcover. This way, I am not cluttering up my shelves with HC versions of stuff I don't like or want. I hope the correlation isn't lost on everyone except me...



But really, having something other than the original of something that is valuable (whether monetarily or just personally) to read makes good sense. I have the entire "Classic X-Men" run just so I won't have to break out my $25-$100 an issue Uncanny X-Men to read. I have the Essentials for even earlier stuff.

PLUS - there is the fact that although a TPB already exists, it doesn't tell the "whole story," so to speak. I think getting the first 7 issues together will tell the origin story better than only the first 4.

So, my view isn't really determined by the fact that it's a hardcover, just a better version of the entire origin story put together. To be honest, this will be only my 5th comic HC I will have owned. I have the two-volume "Hush" set, the "Marvels" HC, and the Solar A&O HC. I really don't have that many TPB's, either, now that I think about it... maybe 12-15 or so.





-slym

[Cyberstrike]

A valid question. If your buying the HC, do you / should you also buy the indivdual comics? (this is your question, right?).

Only you can answer that.

True and I already answered it a long time ago. But lets expand it into other companies as well (since I really doubt that buying old Valiant comics off eBay or at LCS is really going to help VEI), I bought The Astonishing X-Men, in hardcover and Transformers: Escalation
in trade and I have never bought and have no plans to buy a single issue of either a single issue of either series.

Why should I?

Marvel and IDW already get enough money from me from buying the trades and hardcovers. So why should I pay IDW $44 for the same story twice or pay Marvel about $95 for the same story 3 times for Astonishing X-Men #1-12 (12 single issues at $2.99 @, 2 trades at $15.00 @, and 1 hardcover at $30)?

[Daniel Jackson]

If you can get the trades for cheap and you don't really care about the collecting aspect then I wouldn't bother with regular issues.

[Dr. Solar]

I actually prefer trades to individual floppies for most comics. They are neater and easier to store and read. Also, I don't have to deal with my anal habits about the condition.

There are a few things I collect though, and I want the individual issues of those just to have them. Every VALIANT comic falls into this category. Like Slym, I want a reprint of those as well so I can read them without opening up my "collection copies". If you are getting them just to enjoy the awesome story, then I can see no reason to get the individual floppies.

That said, I still need a "collection copy" of Harby 1. My only copy has the coupons cut

[tarheelmarine]

I mean I bought Transformers: Esscalation in TPB because buying the trade was cheaper at $20 than buying all 6 single issues that would've cost me a total of $24.

I get trades when it's cheaper than the originals for recent stuff. It's nice to have a trade for Valiant so that you can have a reading copy.

[Daniel Jackson]

I actually prefer trades to individual floppies for most comics. They are neater and easier to store and read. Also, I don't have to deal with my anal habits about the condition.

There are a few things I collect though, and I want the individual issues of those just to have them. Every VALIANT comic falls into this category. Like Slym, I want a reprint of those as well so I can read them without opening up my "collection copies". If you are getting them just to enjoy the awesome story, then I can see no reason to get the individual floppies.

That said, I still need a "collection copy" of Harby 1. My only copy has the coupons cut

With the Harby HC coming out it's not really a good time to need one. Bidding has been getting kinda crazy for it.

[Dr. Solar]

I actually prefer trades to individual floppies for most comics. They are neater and easier to store and read. Also, I don't have to deal with my anal habits about the condition.

There are a few things I collect though, and I want the individual issues of those just to have them. Every VALIANT comic falls into this category. Like Slym, I want a reprint of those as well so I can read them without opening up my "collection copies". If you are getting them just to enjoy the awesome story, then I can see no reason to get the individual floppies.

That said, I still need a "collection copy" of Harby 1. My only copy has the coupons cut

With the Harby HC coming out it's not really a good time to need one. Bidding has been getting kinda crazy for it.

I can be patient..

I just had a few big non-comic purchases, so my comic spending budget is down to just what comes out new weekly for the time being.

When prices settle down I'll snag one up.

[myron]

A valid question. If your buying the HC, do you / should you also buy the indivdual comics? (this is your question, right?).

Only you can answer that.

But I can tell you, I was so excited the first time I held my Harby #1, and alll the sigs. on the first page are sure pretty.


And then the there is the entire valiantcompletistmusthavealltheissuesorelseitis.

But that is an entire another issue.

[Daniel Jackson]

I actually prefer trades to individual floppies for most comics. They are neater and easier to store and read. Also, I don't have to deal with my anal habits about the condition.

There are a few things I collect though, and I want the individual issues of those just to have them. Every VALIANT comic falls into this category. Like Slym, I want a reprint of those as well so I can read them without opening up my "collection copies". If you are getting them just to enjoy the awesome story, then I can see no reason to get the individual floppies.

That said, I still need a "collection copy" of Harby 1. My only copy has the coupons cut

With the Harby HC coming out it's not really a good time to need one. Bidding has been getting kinda crazy for it.

I can be patient..

I just had a few big non-comic purchases, so my comic spending budget is down to just what comes out new weekly for the time being.

When prices settle down I'll snag one up.

Patience is the key. It'll save your wallet from the onslaught of bidding wars that are going on right now.

[andrew]

i hope they release all the pre-unity stuff. after all these years, there's still a few issues that have eluded me and i just want to read them.

[Thomas Crown]

Interesting discussion, I have just been having this same argument with myself. I really want to buy TPB's but I go into the Comic book store and I just want to buy the comics to read the story, they get me every time. I'm trying to find this balance where I Collect 4 or 5 titles and just buy TPB's for the rest, but it's like I ad a new title every month.

Why I like TPB's:
1. I Have my own business and don't have time to be going to the Comic Book Store weekly.
2. 30 pages is way too short for a read
3. I don't have to worry about keeping it in mint condition

I'm all for TPB's I unfortunately I'm weak when I get to the LCS.

[*SQUEE*]

I buy TPB for a series I want my friends to read, comics fall apart after the 4th person has got ahold of it.

[leonmallett]

I buy TPB's for older stuff that I feel investing in won't be worthwhile, or if I re-read a staory a lot. Proces on hardcovers now seem so reasonable in some cases that I prefer these to TPB's.

[Cyberstrike]

There are a few trades that can be worth just as much if not more than the issues that they reprint. Miracleman is great example of this try finding a fine condition correct version of Miracleman vol. 3 on eBay or at your LCS for under $150 if you can buy it.