Marvel Collected Editions

[Balakin]

So, the shipping from cheap-comics is 25 Euro for a box up to 32KG, which is not bad if I order more stuff from them (which probably not gonna happen now).

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

I have ordered a few times from them. Shipping cost to Hugary is 25 Euros/20kg (4-5 omnibus).

So, the shipping from cheap-comics is 25 Euro for a box up to 32KG, which is not bad if I order more stuff from them (which probably not gonna happen now).

Thanks for the info. guys. I suspect the shipping will be similar for Poland, although, there's nothing at the moment that tickles my fancy.

[Ari Gold]

hey y'all,

What are the main differences between the Epic line and the Ultimate Collection line? Is it page size? Number of issues? Paper stock?

Thanks in advance. Appreciate all responses.

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

I have it and it's NOT worth it, even for the hardcore fan. Everything in it is easily accessible anywhere else. There aren't enough extras. It's hardly as definitive as the Wolverine one. Wolverine I got for my birthday and I love it. I bought this one to make a pair, and I admit, while I got a discount, it was a stupid decision.

It also cannot be read. My partner and I were looking through it and found the combination of super high gloss paper and the size of the thing require you to move while reading it. It's almost laughable, but slightly forgivable because it comes with free digital.

If you are an x-men fan and don't have god loves man kills, days of future past or The X-men 57-59 AND you find this book on clearance then MaYBe.

The inclusion of the first arcs from Morrison, Whedon and Bendis are fine but really fit better with the runs they belong to. The painful part of it is the Issue where they move to San Fran. God I hated that nonsense.

I think everyone who posts here could put together a good collection, maybe a better one, but the issues here (except for San Fran) are good.

I will give the team a high five for binding and paper quality. Do this to your omnibuses.

Final note: sorry for my late night iPad typing. Skip this book.

Thanks Canucked for the Adamantium pics and the candid review. I'm not a big fan of the adamantium books but they do look pretty good. If they went at "glitch" prices, I would definitely consider them.

[Shinglepants]

Still no sign of my Secret Warriors omnibus.
Michelinie's Spider-Man and the Dark Avengers book have arrived though so I have plenty to keep me busy. Especially looking forward to rereading DA. Some of Bendis' better work and one of the better Avenger books of the last 10 years.

[asher_]

Picked up the Wolverine Adamantium Collection over the weekend at Half Price Books. At 50% plus another 20% off for the holiday weekend I could not resist. The thing is so huge it fits perfectly into one of the TSA screening bins at the airport, but I should have just checked the darn thing in my bag...it was wayyyy to heavy.

[deltasun]

Got my package of 4 books from IST. First time order here and am very impressed with the packaging. Just wow! Similar sized books were all plastic-wrapped together. Then there's the conforming foam protecting all corners and keeping the books from moving around. Finally, all inside a sturdy box. Kudos to them for this packaging and definitely will get much more of my business in the future.

[krisis]

hey y'all,

What are the main differences between the Epic line and the Ultimate Collection line? Is it page size? Number of issues? Paper stock?

Thanks in advance. Appreciate all responses.

Both:
- Standard page size

Epic:
- Released in a seemingly random order once every six months
- Only certain longstanding characters/series
- Content currently always predates 2000 and may not have been previously collected
- Collects chronologically by release regardless of story or creator
- Minimum of 6 volumes per line (estimated based on Moon Knight)
- Duller, matte paper stock
- 12+ issues, 300-550 pages

Ultimate/Complete Collections
- Released in order in a seemingly random interval
- Any character or series
- Content from any time (some as old as the 1970s) that has almost always been previously collected
- Sometimes collects based on a single story or creator
- Can be one-and-done; so far the longest line has been six volumes
- Thin, glossy paper stock
- 12+ issues, 300+ pages (Devil Dinosaur is an outlier)

I can't think of anything else, but I'll update this post if you do!

[Diamond]

One question about the Essential line: I heard there are books that collect comics from the 90s. Has someone one of those? How are they? I just can't imagine 90's comics in the Essential format. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

[krisis]

One question about the Essential line: I heard there are books that collect comics from the 90s. Has someone one of those? How are they? I just can't imagine 90's comics in the Essential format. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

A few essentials lines have progress through the 90s - specifically, Wolverine, Punisher, Uncanny X-Men, and X-Factor. Web of Spider-Man is the next closest.

Sometimes the art in these volumes is shot directly from the colored comics, since B&W line-work is not available. In those cases, the art is effectively a grayscale version of the comics compared to the classic material. (That said, even some of the classic Essentials have scanned color art, like the Hulk Magazine issues in Moon Knight. It's just down to the availability of the original artwork.)

If you have trouble picturing the difference, think about a character's face. In B&W line-work, the unshaded flesh of their face is white - only their features and shadows are inked in black. In grayscale version, the face will be a light gray as it was converted from the flesh tone of the colored art.

[Balakin]

like the Hulk Magazine issues in Moon Knight.

speakin' of which: how lost would I be if I would start with Moon knight Essential vol 3? I've only read the character in WCA, really liked it, but only Essential vol 3 is still in print (I will probably pick up the epic in october but if the Essential vol 3 is a good read without the first 2 volumes, that would be the cheapest option to try whether it's my cup of tea or not)

[Rimmer]

hey y'all,

What are the main differences between the Epic line and the Ultimate Collection line? Is it page size? Number of issues? Paper stock?

Thanks in advance. Appreciate all responses.

Krisis hit the main points. From a high level perspective, they're pretty much the same thing - high page count paperbacks.
Like he said, they're often 1-and-done, like Gillen's Thor, or they reprint a certain run, like Gillen JiM (2 volumes), the classic Invaders line (2 volumes), DnA's GotG run (2 volumes), and Slott's She-hulk (2 volumes). they're doing PAD's recent X-Factor run, but that'll be quite a few volumes.

As far as the difference between "ultimate collection" and "complete collection", I honestly don't think there is any.
Aside from the hardcover snob in me, these are solidly built, good physical books. I have a few and also some Epics, and they're essentially the same build quality - i.e. really good. Would I prefer these to be OHCs? Of course, but we're not going to be OHCs of everything, so these are a good option.

Thanks.

P.s. I really hope we get an OHC or better yet an omnibus or three of Hickman's Avengers run. I saw the comments about him and the Avengers a few pages back. I wonder, if they do end of omnibusing his work, if they'll combine Avengers and New Avengers together, or split them up? They combined the F4/FF books in his omnibuses, rightfully so as they were so intertwined together, but so is New and std. Avengers, too. Time will tell I suppose!

[CrazyOldHermit]

Both:
- Standard page size

Epic:
- Released in a seemingly random order once every six months
- Only certain longstanding characters/series
- Content currently always predates 2000 and may not have been previously collected
- Collects chronologically by release regardless of story or creator
- Minimum of 6 volumes per line (estimated based on Moon Knight)
- Duller, matte paper stock
- 12+ issues, 300-550 pages

Ultimate/Complete Collections
- Released in order in a seemingly random interval
- Any character or series
- Content from any time (some as old as the 1970s) that has almost always been previously collected
- Sometimes collects based on a single story or creator
- Can be one-and-done; so far the longest line has been four volumes
- Thin, glossy paper stock
- 12+ issues, 300+ pages (Devil Dinosaur is an outlier)

I can't think of anything else, but I'll update this post if you do!

FYI, the JMS Spidey UCs were five books.

[bob fett]

Got my package of 4 books from IST. First time order here and am very impressed with the packaging. Just wow! Similar sized books were all plastic-wrapped together. Then there's the conforming foam protecting all corners and keeping the books from moving around. Finally, all inside a sturdy box. Kudos to them for this packaging and definitely will get much more of my business in the future.

This is why they continue to receive my business.Between the discounts, and packaging of orders,its a win win.

[graves0777]

Heres a picture of my Wolverine Adamantium Collection. I know what you mean guys as I went to put it on my bookshelf and then scratched my head. I ended up putting it on my desk with wolverine keeping it safe for me I have no interest in getting the xmen one though.