The Comic Book Industry - Collected vs Single Issues

[WeirdSpace]

Personally I prefer single issues, so I never buy collections unless the originals are too expensive.

The single issues will have to continue. It is a matter of cash flow for the companies. You can't have 3-5 months of work tied up with no income.

[ukbondraider]

I only buy collected formats. I would go as far as saying that I would buy an average comic in collected format over a highly rated one in singles. I absolutely detest the single format and the fact that an issue lasts 10mins and then you have to wait a month for the next 10 min issue.

[DrGregatron]

Personally I prefer single issues, so I never buy collections unless the originals are too expensive.

The single issues will have to continue. It is a matter of cash flow for the companies. You can't have 3-5 months of work tied up with no income.

It's not like they wouldn't have the opportunity to sell other books in the meantime. How do you think the publishing industry outside of comics works? Besides Marvel must solicit about 100 single issues per month, it's not like publishing only OGNs would cause alternating states of feast or famine, it's just that they like to repackage the stuff a dozen times comic->PHC->TPB->OHC->Omnibus->Ultimate Collection->TPB->ad infinitum.

[Dorktron]

I've only been really into comics for about a year now since the industry is finally catering to those of us who don't really follow superhero comics. I only buy TPBs and OHCs right now and, when I bring this up to die-hard comic fans, they kinda sneer at me and tell me I should support the creators by buying more singles. The problem I have is that singles are so small (although I avoid the ads with Image titles) that I don't feel like I can justify the 3 dollar cover price. Plus, storage of singles is clunky and ugly. Can someone with more comic book experience shed some light on why buying singles helps support the industry more than buying TPBs and OHCs? I would be OK if Image raised their TPB prices a few bucks if needed to support the industry, I just like the format so much better than singles.

[DrGregatron]

I've only been really into comics for about a year now since the industry is finally catering to those of us who don't really follow superhero comics. I only buy TPBs and OHCs right now and, when I bring this up to die-hard comic fans, they kinda sneer at me and tell me I should support the creators by buying more singles. The problem I have is that singles are so small (although I avoid the ads with Image titles) that I don't feel like I can justify the 3 dollar cover price. Plus, storage of singles is clunky and ugly. Can someone with more comic book experience shed some light on why buying singles helps support the industry more than buying TPBs and OHCs? I would be OK if Image raised their TPB prices a few bucks if needed to support the industry, I just like the format so much better than singles.

I think singles are probably used as a barometer for a series popularity in the short-term and thus the potential to profit from the series later in reprints, too. I imagine the philosophy is, "if it can't make a profit in the short term, then why sink more money into it in the long term?" The comic industry has always done things on a periodical basis, changing to direct to trade/collected edition would take a different mindset for those who have worked in the industry for years. If single issues offered more than an eight-minute read for $3.99, people might see more value in the single issue. The value you're getting per issue--or lack thereof--is what's increasing the demand for collected editions IMO.

[Balakin]

I've only been really into comics for about a year now since the industry is finally catering to those of us who don't really follow superhero comics. I only buy TPBs and OHCs right now and, when I bring this up to die-hard comic fans, they kinda sneer at me and tell me I should support the creators by buying more singles. The problem I have is that singles are so small (although I avoid the ads with Image titles) that I don't feel like I can justify the 3 dollar cover price. Plus, storage of singles is clunky and ugly. Can someone with more comic book experience shed some light on why buying singles helps support the industry more than buying TPBs and OHCs? I would be OK if Image raised their TPB prices a few bucks if needed to support the industry, I just like the format so much better than singles.

Okay, I don't want to anger anybody with this, but here are my 2 cents: It's your money, you spend it on the format you prefer, and that is it. Maybe I'm an ignorant little prick but I will only buy something I want and I wont spend money only because I was emotionally bullied by saying that my favourite creators will starve if I don't buy their single issues.
Flopies look ugly when you store them, don't have enough content but are filled with ads and also, I have a big book fetish.

[Billy Batson]

I've only been really into comics for about a year now since the industry is finally catering to those of us who don't really follow superhero comics. I only buy TPBs and OHCs right now and, when I bring this up to die-hard comic fans, they kinda sneer at me and tell me I should support the creators by buying more singles. The problem I have is that singles are so small (although I avoid the ads with Image titles) that I don't feel like I can justify the 3 dollar cover price. Plus, storage of singles is clunky and ugly. Can someone with more comic book experience shed some light on why buying singles helps support the industry more than buying TPBs and OHCs? I would be OK if Image raised their TPB prices a few bucks if needed to support the industry, I just like the format so much better than singles.

It's mostly for the big two who mainly look at the issue sales for indication of a series being profitable but you're still giving money when you buy collected editions. It doesn't matter either way to the likes of Image & co.

[Groo Odyssey]

I've only been really into comics for about a year now since the industry is finally catering to those of us who don't really follow superhero comics. I only buy TPBs and OHCs right now and, when I bring this up to die-hard comic fans, they kinda sneer at me and tell me I should support the creators by buying more singles. The problem I have is that singles are so small (although I avoid the ads with Image titles) that I don't feel like I can justify the 3 dollar cover price. Plus, storage of singles is clunky and ugly. Can someone with more comic book experience shed some light on why buying singles helps support the industry more than buying TPBs and OHCs? I would be OK if Image raised their TPB prices a few bucks if needed to support the industry, I just like the format so much better than singles.

We've had a few comic creators chiming in the past here about how sales of individual issues are so important to the continuing success of a title. If a title don't reach a certain amount of sales, it becomes unprofitable for the creators to continue putting out the title and title will be dropped. Antony Johnston (Fuse, Wasteland) said to support your LCS by buying single issues and even collected editions from your LCS if you can. You may save a few dollars from buying collected editions from places like Amazon but those few dollars are important to comic shops and will keep them in business. If no one buys the singles and tpbs from comic shops anymore, the shops close. What will happen to the industry then? Less comics will be made and we'd see a lot of creators leaving the industry because it's unprofitable anymore as well as new fresh creators coming in.

That's why Eric Stephenson always rants about how comics (single issues) should be cheap for the better health of the industry. I would totally agree. There's lots of titles that I would try out but the $3.99 price tag stops me from picking up random titles. I'll read the reviews for titles that I find moderately interesting and see if I would get them in singles or collected editions. Right now I'm only getting singles of issues that I absolutely love. If the single issue prices were lower my pull list would be a lot bigger and will discover and become fans of series that I wouldn't have picked up otherwise.

[ohmshalone]

Can you post the link for which episode it was for comic geek speak where the comic shop owner was ranting about the high prices? This is a really interesting topic and I would like to hear a shop owner's point of view on this.

Your wish is my command. See Comic Geek Speak Episodes: (Link's broken at the moment, but you can download the podcasts I'm sure).

Episode 1487 (Not sure where it starts from exactly, but try 1hr, 02 mins in).

and

Episode 1494, from the 10:20 mark onwards.

Regarding the "issue" (pun unintended) about low sales of floppies hurting the writers and artists, it could also be argued that if we vote with our wallet and show the publishers that we prefer collections, they'll have more reason to re-negotiate with the writers/artists for royalties on those products. It's not a short term solution, but we shouldn't only look at short-term solutions in anything. That's one of the good things about distributing digitally: it doesn't cost as much, so (one should hope) writers/artists could make some money in the short term through digital sales, and then really start earning the reward for their work once the book is out. I agree with a former commentator that I wouldn't mind paying a little more for collections *if* (1) we weren't being ripped off, and (2) it meant more royalties to the writers/artists, and therefore an incentive for them to continue providing more stories without financial restrictions.

[mars]

I haven't bought a single floppy since the fifth or sixth month of the new 52. I gave all my floppies to a friend's kids and doubt I'll ever buy another. I prefer collections for a few reasons. They're easier to store, I don't have to worry about whether or not something is written for trade or not, and most importantly I can get a better idea of whether or not it's something I'd care for before getting. I've even started moving more toward omnibuses (which I used to dislike), because it seems that (much like Criterion Collection for films) if it gets collected in omnibus it's probably going to be enjoyable.

[Dorktron]

Okay, I don't want to anger anybody with this, but here are my 2 cents: It's your money, you spend it on the format you prefer, and that is it. Maybe I'm an ignorant little prick but I will only buy something I want and I wont spend money only because I was emotionally bullied by saying that my favourite creators will starve if I don't buy their single issues.
Flopies look ugly when you store them, don't have enough content but are filled with ads and also, I have a big book fetish.

Oh, I wasn't saying I was changing my buying habits, I just found their response strange because, at the end of the day, I am still supporting the creators by legally buying TPBs and OHCs. I have a big book fetish, too. Floppies, in my opinion, just don't make sense financially and functionality-wise for me.

[Hero]

Regarding physical ownership, I only buy collections of stuff I really like for the bookshelf. I sold off all but one long box of my floppy collection, just kept key issues that hold some nostalgic importance for me.

All other reading is done digitally.

[Groo Odyssey]

Your wish is my command. See Comic Geek Speak Episodes: (Link's broken at the moment, but you can download the podcasts I'm sure).

Episode 1487 (Not sure where it starts from exactly, but try 1hr, 02 mins in).

and

Episode 1494, from the 10:20 mark onwards.

Regarding the "issue" (pun unintended) about low sales of floppies hurting the writers and artists, it could also be argued that if we vote with our wallet and show the publishers that we prefer collections, they'll have more reason to re-negotiate with the writers/artists for royalties on those products. It's not a short term solution, but we shouldn't only look at short-term solutions in anything. That's one of the good things about distributing digitally: it doesn't cost as much, so (one should hope) writers/artists could make some money in the short term through digital sales, and then really start earning the reward for their work once the book is out. I agree with a former commentator that I wouldn't mind paying a little more for collections *if* (1) we weren't being ripped off, and (2) it meant more royalties to the writers/artists, and therefore an incentive for them to continue providing more stories without financial restrictions.

Thanks for the links, just downloaded it. Will have a listen.

[titansupes]

Bought singles monthly/bi-weekly for a few years, ('04 to '07 to be precise). That was in combination with trades and hardcovers. Singles down here in South Australia are like $6.99 or even more. So, through a combination of prices, plus relative lack of content/volume of story in a single issue, plus the store being in the CBD 40-60 minutes away from my house, plus having to pay $14 or so for a decent parking space, PLUS me being quite unhappy with the direction of all the books I was buying toward the end... I said 'screw it'. I didn't really buy much comic related stuff for a few years after that, just the odd hardback or two if I happened to be near the LCS for a meeting or something (and I stuck it out for All-Star Superman, hands down my favourite ever comic story, since issue #1).

The last single issue I bought was Action Comics #900 or whatever it was.

The first time I bought online (Amazon.com) was for Superman: Earth One Vol #1. With shipping, the price evened out to about what it would have been at the LCS, only I didn't have to pay petrol and parking, and it shows up at my door. I was impressed!

Then The Dark Knight Rises came out, which I loved almost as much as its predecessor, and wanted to know more about Ra's and the League, which I never really came across in my years of reading. So I started looking into a bunch of trades and hardcovers again on Amazon, but couldn't decide and then stumbled across... these forums. You guys gave me even more options for great, complete stories and, wait a minute... "What are these 'omnibus' things?!"

Haven't looked back since. I understand the 'support the industry with singles' argument, but for me and my finances (plus my want for a complete story wherever possible) it's just not feasible. Plus, bar one or two titles, I've got no interest in trying The New 52, so I stick so far with the previous 70 years of work. And with Marvel, since I'm such a novice to that universe, it only makes sense to me to hit collected works.

No brainer, for me.

[antony]

We've had a few comic creators chiming in the past here about how sales of individual issues are so important to the continuing success of a title. If a title don't reach a certain amount of sales, it becomes unprofitable for the creators to continue putting out the title and title will be dropped. Antony Johnston (Fuse, Wasteland) said to support your LCS by buying single issues and even collected editions from your LCS if you can.

Technically accurate, but you've mis-emphasised it. I was actually responding to someone asking "is it OK if I tradewait", and I said I really don't mind, but whichever format you choose to buy, please do so from your LCS if possible, because it's the best and most direct way to support both creators and the industry as a whole. And note that pre-ordering is still very, very important, even if you tradewait.

This Multiversity piece with creators and retailers gives a really good overview on the economics of it all, albeit with a focus on creator-owned indies.

Digital is wonderful, and definitely the future, but it's not there yet. Even if print comics went away tomorrow, and fully 50% of print readers switched to digital instead, it still wouldn't be enough for many books -- and even some publishers -- to survive.

And regarding OGNs, believe me, I would love a viable and vibrant OGN market in the US market. By my reckoning, I've written more OGNs than anyone else in the current industry. (Which sounds crazy to me even now, but with 17 OGNs and counting, I can't think of anyone who's written more. Maybe an OEL mangaka?)

The point being, I love OGNs, for all the reasons given and more; time to sink your teeth into a detailed and complex story, freedom from the cliffhanger mentality, freedom from hard page count requirements, and -- most importantly -- the ability to write it like a novel, with full revisions to the whole script before publication.

But OGNs are, and always have been, a really tough sell in the US market. My last was THE COLDEST CITY, a Cold War spy thriller from Oni. It sold pretty well for an indie hardback OGN, but still not enough to actually earn out and begin generating royalties, because of the production costs involved.

This is what people often forget about singles & trades; singles are used to amortize production costs as much as anything, which is what allows publishers to put out those $9.99 trades. Without that... well, a 200pp OGN is equivalent to 10 issues of a Big Two capes book. If publishers paid creators a regular page rate to produce it, that OGN would have to retail at something like $40 to turn a profit at current sales levels.

If the entire market was OGNs, of course, things would be different; we'd operate more like prose publishers, with advances, rolling publication schedules, a focus on trilogies, etc.

But switching to that model from our current, gotta-know-what-happens-next focus would be incredibly painful for the industry as it stands. And, once again, many titles, publishers, and stores simply wouldn't survive it. We'd see a scouring of the industry the likes of which even Wertham couldn't dream of.