X-O Manowar Omnibus

[Ibero]

The problem to me is not that they have done anything awful, but that they should have done a normal size omnibus and pass de savings to us. This is paying for a block of black in each page, even if it is cheaper that the new valiant masters.

Nothing more than wanting to be heard for the next omnibus they produce.

[dbngaa]

Glad I saw this, as I was about to order a copy. Think I'll hold off for now. I can already read the comics at their regular size, so this doesn't offer me anything new. Kind of disappointed, as I really like their Deluxe Editions and the Q&W Omni.

[rkjock1]

The problem to me is not that they have done anything awful, but that they should have done a normal size omnibus and pass de savings to us. This is paying for a block of black in each page, even if it is cheaper that the new valiant masters.

Nothing more than wanting to be heard for the next omnibus they produce.

Which was sort of my point. There really isn't a savings to be passed on. They could have made it normal sized, but $100 would still be the competitive price based on the per issue values so far set by VEI.

[Ibero]

i doubt the company producing this books for them ask the same amount of money for two different sizes.

its a bad thing for valiant because if you read the collected comics forum from cbr or the one linked with the photos, people are responging in a negative way.

[rkjock1]

i doubt the company producing this books for them ask the same amount of money for two different sizes.

I'm certain you're correct. Production cost more. As such, VEIs margin is probably smaller. In effect, they make less so you get more.

ts a bad thing for valiant because if you read the collected comics forum from cbr or the one linked with the photos, people are responging in a negative way.

Yeah. People are absolutely entitled to thier opinions on this sort of thing. Frankly, I'd be astonished if VEI didn't anticipate the response.

But that doesn't mean I agree. Nor does it mean that detractors won't buy it. Controversy always seems to help sales.

[jeremycoe]

I seem to remember that they were working with scans of the actual comics when they made the original Birth hardcover. If they were still using that process then I don't think they could have printed any larger than normal comic size and not lose quality.

[riftt]

i doubt the company producing this books for them ask the same amount of money for two different sizes.

I'm certain you're correct. Production cost more. As such, VEIs margin is probably smaller. In effect, they make less so you get more.

ts a bad thing for valiant because if you read the collected comics forum from cbr or the one linked with the photos, people are responging in a negative way.

Yeah. People are absolutely entitled to thier opinions on this sort of thing. Frankly, I'd be astonished if VEI didn't anticipate the response.

But that doesn't mean I agree. Nor does it mean that detractors won't buy it. Controversy always seems to help sales.

You are being hilariously ignorant and/or naive. This isn't a matter of "I like red better, he likes blue better". The art in the OVERSIZED Omnibus is literally *smaller* than the art in the regular-sized hardcover. This has nothing to do with how many issues you get for your money.

We've been living in the "modern age of collected editions" for about a decade now and while Marvel and DC are well-oiled machines (Marvel obviously more than DC), Valiant continues to laughably fall short with both their modern collections and now with this debacle. And it is a debacle. No one in their right mind can think this is acceptable. If all you have are dark muddy scans with no one on staff to clean them up or get them up to snuff, you shouldn't be collecting them in the first place until you get better sources, least of all attempting to blow them up to a bigger size.

This is false advertising. This is mind-blowing ineptitude or craven swindling.

[ilzuccone]

That said, Masters editions are currently priced at $40 for an average of 8 issues. This was 2 1/2 times that cost, so 20 issues. Only its not. Its 32 issues. Buy it on Amazon or DCBS for $70 and thats barely more than $2 per issue. Thats an impressive HC edition for less than the cover price of the issues it contains and far less than back issue prices for just #1-6.

2$ an ish is actually very high. i've been completing a valiant set of back issues and for the most part you can find these issues for .15-.50 cents a piece. granted i haven't completed the xo run. i haven't got into the higher priced books which will alter the over all cost of completing the run. i picked the omni up because i love omnibuses. i'm returning it tho. bummer.

I seem to remember that they were working with scans of the actual comics when they made the original Birth hardcover. If they were still using that process then I don't think they could have printed any larger than normal comic size and not lose quality.

the increased size isn't so great that they couldn't keep if from being blurry by scanning at a higher DPI. until i see the original single issue page size vs the printed page on the omni i could be wrong but this is accurate judging by the photos.

[leonmallett]

While not rushing out to buy the omnibus, it is something I had been considering, but the thread has deterred me as I am not keen on that black bordering, and so thanks for posting the info.

[rkjock1]

You are being hilariously ignorant and/or naive.

Nah. You're just being purposefully mean because you're convinced your opinion is superior to all others.

This isn't a matter of "I like red better, he likes blue better". The art in the OVERSIZED Omnibus is literally *smaller* than the art in the regular-sized hardcover. This has nothing to do with how many issues you get for your money.

Actually, its exactly that. I don't mind it (likes red better) it has you out of your head crazy (likes blue) And the art is EXACTLY the same size as the standard HCs. Someone already scanned that for us. You get to have whatever opinions you want, but dont misrepresent facts to make your point.

Valiant continues to laughably fall short with both their modern collections and now with this debacle. And it is a debacle. No one in their right mind can think this is acceptable. If all you have are dark muddy scans with no one on staff to clean them up or get them up to snuff, you shouldn't be collecting them in the first place until you get better sources, least of all attempting to blow them up to a bigger size.

All conjecture and opinion. I like VEI trades. Bought every hardcover they've produced. And I'm even in my right mind.
Maybe it'll be a debacle, maybe not. But it isn't just because you say so.

This is false advertising. This is mind-blowing ineptitude or craven swindling.

In your mind, and that of others, it may well seem that way.

[ilzuccone]

[GammaJosh]

It's not swindling. It's not like they put out 3 volumes of X-O Valiant Masters, then pre-sold an Omnibus that people ordered just for the oversized art and ended up double-dipping and getting nothing extra. It does seem like a *SQUEE* up, especially after Atom said they delayed it to "get it right". The photos I saw clearly show the omnibus art being just slightly smaller than the Masters art. They should have just released this as separate Valiant Masters if they couldn't get the art to fill the oversized pages. Oversized art is implied and THE major selling point for most collectors when it comes to oversized collections. Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

[jeremycoe]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.
Edit: And of course what's on said pages, but art size has very little impact on whether I will purchase this book.

[GammaJosh]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.

So you'd rather hold up one huge omnibus than have 3 manageable Valiant Masters? That makes no sense to me, but I stand corrected. Usually I just see people complaining about having to hold up a 10 pound omnibus, or talking about whatever weird position they have to get into or weird contraption they use to hold it up so they can read it comfortably. I dig oversized art; if it's not oversized, give me a smaller book that's more comfortable to read.

[ilzuccone]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.

So you'd rather hold up one huge omnibus than have 3 manageable Valiant Masters? That makes no sense to me, but I stand corrected. Usually I just see people complaining about having to hold up a 10 pound omnibus, or talking about whatever weird position they have to get into or weird contraption they use to hold it up so they can read it comfortably. I dig oversized art; if it's not oversized, give me a smaller book that's more comfortable to read.

my current favorite book is the big damn sin city book. 1360 pages for under 70.

[jeremycoe]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.

So you'd rather hold up one huge omnibus than have 3 manageable Valiant Masters? That makes no sense to me, but I stand corrected. Usually I just see people complaining about having to hold up a 10 pound omnibus, or talking about whatever weird position they have to get into or weird contraption they use to hold it up so they can read it comfortably. I dig oversized art; if it's not oversized, give me a smaller book that's more comfortable to read.

I like the Valiant Masters collections too, but I'd rather have 1 $100 omnibus (oversized or not) that has 30 or so issues in it than 4 (they usually have 8 issues each) $40 Valiant Masters books. I also like the glossy paper the Q&W omnibus has more than the Valiant Masters books. I didn't have any problems reading the Q&W omnibus, so maybe I just have omnibus reading superpowers. I should put that in the create a superhero thread

[GammaJosh]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.

So you'd rather hold up one huge omnibus than have 3 manageable Valiant Masters? That makes no sense to me, but I stand corrected. Usually I just see people complaining about having to hold up a 10 pound omnibus, or talking about whatever weird position they have to get into or weird contraption they use to hold it up so they can read it comfortably. I dig oversized art; if it's not oversized, give me a smaller book that's more comfortable to read.

I like the Valiant Masters collections too, but I'd rather have 1 $100 omnibus (oversized or not) that has 30 or so issues in it than 4 (they usually have 8 issues each) $40 Valiant Masters books. I also like the glossy paper the Q&W omnibus has more than the Valiant Masters books. I didn't have any problems reading the Q&W omnibus, so maybe I just have omnibus reading superpowers. I should put that in the create a superhero thread

There is some threshold between Q&W omnibus size and Thor by Simonson omnibus size where most people seem to go "gahh, this thing is toooo big, how do I read it!?!?"

[Chris Campbell]

Man, this bums me out. I preordered mine from DCBS.

[SJS4]

Yikes, glad I didn't get this yet. Will be taking it off my amazon wishlist.

[rkjock1]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.
Edit: And of course what's on said pages, but art size has very little impact on whether I will purchase this book.

What he said.

[Savant]

Nobody prefers a big-*SQUEE* thick, heavy, unwieldy book just for the extra page-count. It's the oversized art that makes it preferable to a smaller collection.

The page-count is why I'll be buying this book.

So you'd rather hold up one huge omnibus than have 3 manageable Valiant Masters? That makes no sense to me, but I stand corrected. Usually I just see people complaining about having to hold up a 10 pound omnibus, or talking about whatever weird position they have to get into or weird contraption they use to hold it up so they can read it comfortably. I dig oversized art; if it's not oversized, give me a smaller book that's more comfortable to read.

Count me in as someone who'd rather have one huge book rather than 3-4 smaller hardcovers. For me, it's dependent upon whether I like the entire collection of stories. For example, if an omnibus comes out wherein I only like what comprises of what's in the first smaller hardcover, I'll just buy the vol 1 hardcover and skip out on the omnibus.... But, if I like the entire thing, I'll get the omnibus.

I like having one gigantic book to read. It doesn't feel awkward nor abnormally heavy to me, but perhaps it's because I lift weights.

As for oversized pages, that's not a requirement, but it's preferable.

And to the guy who stated Valiant has done crappy collections in comparison to Marvel & DC, there's nothing wrong with the Harbinger Wars deluxe hardcover. From what I remember, it's as well made as any similar-sized hardcover by the "Big 2".

[riftt]

[
And to the guy who stated Valiant has done crappy collections in comparison to Marvel & DC, there's nothing wrong with the Harbinger Wars deluxe hardcover. From what I remember, it's as well made as any similar-sized hardcover by the "Big 2".

except Valiant completely screwed up the mapping for Harbinger and Harbinger Wars, as the Harbinger Deluxe hardcover is basically nonsensical for the entire second half as you're missing half the story.

[riftt]

And again, this "one big book versus several small books" conversation really has nothing to do with the issue - what they did with this X-O Omnibus really is downright laughable. I mean, what if you opened up a regular hardcover and the pages were reprinted manga-sized with big black borders filling the space? That's essentially what happened here.

[jeremycoe]

And again, this "one big book versus several small books" conversation really has nothing to do with the issue - what they did with this X-O Omnibus really is downright laughable. I mean, what if you opened up a regular hardcover and the pages were reprinted manga-sized with big black borders filling the space? That's essentially what happened here.

If the content is what I wanted, I don't think I'd care. Honestly.

[jeremycoe]

I would care if 15 pages were missing, or if something was promised and it wasn't there, but that's not the case here.