Would you prefer that DC Comics printed on cheaper newsprint paper stock?

[BohemiaDrinker]

Yeah, but the beauty of Brazil is you don't have to pay for the book, you can just read it in the store. When I was in Brazil a year ago, I read THE THIN MAN, THE MALTESE FALCON and the first volume of THE WALKING DEAD--in the store. I also tried out various books of poetry, language books and guide books. I soon caught on that this is what everyone does--people are literally sitting on the floor reading books in some stores. I never could find a library, so that's where I did all my reading. I was impressed that so many people still read books.

Of course, I bought several books anyway--because I'm Canadian and we feel guilty about these kinds of things. It's the price of living in a cold climate.

1) You shopuld have said you were coming. I'd bought a beer if in São Paulo.

2) Your experience with the store is not necessarily a rule (and neither are the presence of bookstores, for that matter). But we do have, in most big cities, specific comics libraries (gibitecas) with considerably sizeable catalogs. I've read a lot of struff on those on my lunch breaks a decade or so ago.

[ZinenkoAj]

Hi, does anybody know what are paper characteristics on which DC printed "Super Sons"?

[LooneyKoala]

I'm just glad that they've done away with the gloss! Wish all publishers would do the same. I don't read much DC/Vertigo at all but they're a joy to read because of this!!

[C_Miller]

Perhaps not newsprint, but I really miss the matte finish paper that was closer to paper in prose novels (don't know if that's the right word, but I think you know what I'm referring to). To me, the glossy paper makes comics slightly harder to read in certain lights and I honestly don't think it holds up as well. Plus as a bibliophile, book smell is my favorite and while they didn't smell exactly like books, they did have a certain smell of their own. It was the paper predominantly used by DC in the 90s - the early 2000s, which is when I started reading comics, so I have a bit of nostalgia.

[dancj]

A bit OT - but I just noticed that Trey Strain has been banned. Anyone know why? I liked him. He kept the place interesting.

[Restingvoice]

Depend on art and color. Neal Adams work with the flat coloring wouldn't look out of place in the newspaper. In fact, modern realistic coloring doesn't fit his art.

On the other hand, I've seen what Jim Lee and Alex Ross art on newspaper and they look awful. Not blurry in the sense of low resolution, but murky because all the colors darken and muted. Jim Lee's art is meant to shine on glossy paper. Alex Ross realistic painting, meaning the colors are muted already compared to Jim Lee, need a paper that brings out the color just like painting in galleries have little spotlights above them.

[Jekyll]

Oh no......not this topic again!

[Jekyll]

A bit OT - but I just noticed that Trey Strain has been banned. Anyone know why? I liked him. He kept the place interesting.

Hmmm I was wondering why I haven't been extremely irritated here of late

[Adekis]

My understanding is that cheap newsprint isn't actually substantially cheaper than the paper the companies use right now, but it does fade more over time, so... I'm against it, I suppose.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Ah, this old topic again. I will say this, though: the new paper that DC has been using in its comics is really great. It feels nice and solid, does justice to the colours and the art, and doesn't have the annoying reflection problems of glossy paper.

I haven't read any collections since this change, though - have they switched the paper in their trades and HCs as well?

[Lee Stone]

I think I would like the current paper more if they would...

1. Tint the paper off-white or pale yellow before printing.
2. Go easy on photoshop gradients, filters and effects.
3. Lower the saturation to about half.

Right now, I’ve been finding my digital comics look better for me if I run them through photoshop and overlay the image over an aged paper texture, darken the ink lines and desaturate the colors.
Gives it a warmer feeling that I don’t get from print anymore.

[MajorHoy]

A bit OT - but I just noticed that Trey Strain has been banned. Anyone know why? I liked him. He kept the place interesting.

He's been gone for a while, his last post appears to have been back in August (2018).

Oh no......not this topic again!

Ah, this old topic again.

Don't blame me for that!

ZinenkoAj was the one who resurrected this thread after almost a year of it being in a vegetative state.

[cranger]

I love the new paper, it has actually got me to pick up a few more books.

Ah, this old topic again. I will say this, though: the new paper that DC has been using in its comics is really great. It feels nice and solid, does justice to the colours and the art, and doesn't have the annoying reflection problems of glossy paper.

I haven't read any collections since this change, though - have they switched the paper in their trades and HCs as well?

I think the NAoH books are still old paper, and probably Scooby Apocalypse if I recall correctly. I could see som trades switching and others not (for now), but I'd like to know what the plan is with trades, I am behind on them but eventually will try to catch up and if they are switching over to the new paper I might try to catch up sooner. My impression is that the trades might be a bit thicker with the new paper.

[DCStu]

I'll just take it as it comes. I do love the smell of that old paper though! Really does bring back memories!

[Jim Kelly]

Remember when publishers used to do limited run ashcan editions? Do they still do those sometimes?