Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Fantastic Member osakafanz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    336

    Question Is it possible for single issues content to be better than collected editions?

    Am I making sense

  2. #2
    Mighty Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    The north.
    Posts
    1,386

    Default

    I've recently found myself enjoying some stories more when read in single issues. Grant Morrison's Multiversity for the experience sakes, but especially his recent Green Lantern. Each issue has a self contained adventure and a setting and tone which feels unique to the issue. Why I feel reading it in single issues makes it a richer experience.

  3. #3
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    1,491

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by osakafanz View Post
    Am I making sense
    It all depends.
    For exemple, on of my favorite Batman/Robin story is a 1 issue story (Batman & Robin new52 annual #1: Batman Impossible)

  4. #4
    Spectacular Member Fromper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Posts
    187

    Default

    There used to be a lot of single issue stories. It's only the last couple of decades that writing longer stories for trade paperback collections has become the norm.

    Also, in rereading my old collection recently, I sometimes like reading the letters pages on those old comics, to see how fans at the time responded to specific things a few issues earlier. And sometimes, it's interesting to see the historical context of what types of ads and things were printed in the old floppies. Seeing an ad for a story that's now considered a classic, back when it was new, can sometimes be a shock.

    So I prefer single issues over collected editions. I'll only buy collected editions if I'm trying to read a specific story, and it's significantly cheaper than buying the single issues.
    Just re-reading my old collection, filling in the occasional gap with back issues, not buying anything new.

    Currently working my way through 1990's Flash, Impulse, and JLA, and occasional other related stuff.

  5. #5
    Astonishing Member LordMikel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    2,469

    Default

    Sure, why not? I'm sure we could find many examples where one single issue is better than a trade.

    Your question is pretty vague and out there, is there some hidden agenda point you are wanting to make?
    I think restorative nostalgia is the number one issue with comic book fans.
    A fine distinction between two types of Nostalgia:

    Reflective Nostalgia allows us to savor our memories but accepts that they are in the past
    Restorative Nostalgia pushes back against the here and now, keeping us stuck trying to relive our glory days.

  6. #6
    Fantastic Member osakafanz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    336

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LordMikel View Post
    Sure, why not? I'm sure we could find many examples where one single issue is better than a trade.

    Your question is pretty vague and out there, is there some hidden agenda point you are wanting to make?
    Agenda?!

    Singaporeans r more docile than u can imagine...
    Last edited by osakafanz; 08-27-2019 at 03:19 AM.

  7. #7
    Spectacular Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    FL, USA
    Posts
    145

    Default

    In addition to reasons already listed above, the experience of single issues can be better if you prefer the original paper quality or original coloring versus a revised collected edition. Also, you sometimes have to contend with gutter loss in collected editions because you can't open the pages completely.

    On another note, I seem to recall an Image (?) book made a point of saying the single issues would have exclusive backmatter that would not be reprinted. That kind of makes the single issues "better".

    I'm sure this has all been discussed many times before.

  8. #8
    Incredible Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    884

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by osakafanz View Post
    Am I making sense
    Sentimental-wise, yes.

    For instance, a long, long time ago, when I was a wee kid, with the book "Spider-Man: Strange Adventures", it had a reprint of Morbius. I once proudly boasted to my brother "I got the first Morbius story!", only for my brother shot me down "That does not count", as in it is a REPRINT book, with a REPRINT of the first story of Morbius.

    To me, I can actually say I have an actual Savage She-Hulk #1, paid twenty dollars for it, rather than others would probably only have it on Essential She-Hulk Volume One.

    Or, on a comic book shop shopping spree, with a wallet full of tax refund dollars, among my buys that day, Shazam! #1, from 1973, that brought back Captain Marvel into the modern world, in glorious C. C. Back art. Others would probably only have it on Showcase: Shazam!

    Or, a handful of parts of Hush on Batman, actual segments on Jim Lee-drawn Batman vs Catwoman, Killer Croc, Riddler, Harley Quinn, Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, and Hush, some of them even paid ten dollars each, that was years ago, they could potentially be more higher priced now, rather than others would say "I have Hush" as in the common mass-produced reprinted trade.
    Last edited by ngroove; 08-28-2019 at 10:49 PM.

  9. #9
    I am the law Judge Dredd's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Mega-City One
    Posts
    1,817

    Default

    Good example of this is 52 the single issues contained origin back up pages that were not collected in the trade form.

  10. #10
    Member Supreme Morsoth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    198

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Judge Dredd View Post
    Good example of this is 52 the single issues contained origin back up pages that were not collected in the trade form.
    Those are collected in the TPB "DC Universe: Origins". It includes origins stories published in "Countdown to Final Crisis", "52" and "Justice League: Cry for Justice".

  11. #11

    Default

    Ed Brubaker's been making a point with a lot of his Image work the last few years to put extras in the single issues that won't be put in the collected editions in order to push single issue sales.
    Last Read: Zatanna and the Ripper vol. 1

    Monthly Pull List: Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, Batman, Batman/Superman: World's Finest, Beware the Planet of the Apes, Birds of Prey, Daredevil, Green Arrow, Jay Garrick: The Flash, Justice Ducks, Justice Society of America, Negaduck, Nightwing, Phantom Road, Shazam!, Superman '78: The Metal Curtain, Thundercats, Titans

  12. #12
    Member Supreme Morsoth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    198

    Default

    Nowadays, I only collect single issues for special anniversary titles, comics with gimmick covers (I like them!), and only if one of my favorite characters has a guess appearance, and that I don't want to buy the whole TPB only for that issue alone.

    I used to buy everything in single issues on Wednesday, but it was expensive and just not very practical for a quick re-read. I prefer to read the story arc in TPB and it looks better in a bookcase than in a long/short box. It also take less space, and I don't have to pay for seeing the adds in the single issues!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •