DC's trade program?

[Zero Hunter]

I was looking to order a trade today of Injustice: Gods Among Us. I saw that Year 3 was over and Year 4 comes out in May so I thought I might catch up on Year Two. Then I saw that the end of Year Two doesn't not even come out until April. I know DC has always had a slower trade release schedule than Marvel but over a year? Has DC ever given a reason on why they wait so long to release things in trades? I mean I can understand not wanting a trade to come out a month or two after the story ends like Marvel seems to do, but I think if you wait over 6 months people really start to lose interest. It just seems like a pretty piss poor bussiness model.

[Marvel_Is]

DC can't afford to have a trade program like Marvel does. If it was the same, then IMHO more people would tradewait DC's comics than buy them monthly. For example, I'm forced to preorder Aquaman monthly because the trade release times are undesirable. Since for a lot of people DC are a second option for comics, there is no real incentive to buy the monthlies regularly, unless of course they really like a title. You could simply trade wait the entire DC line.

Another thing I find interesting is that DC's monthly trade sales are very good. But, their new trades release schedules are relatively 'terrible'. I'm always amazed at how they do so well there despite.

[GrandKaiser]

I hate it so, so, much. But there's nothing that can be done about it. I trade wait for Batman and a few other series and it's so damn hard for me. I have to wait month after month for a new release and when the new trades finally come out I'm tired of the series. It really sucks because I'm trade waiting for Futures End, World's End, Batman Eternal and Convergence too. God that's going to be such a pain.

[Doctor Know]

I too have wondered why DC's trade collections take so much time. I've been planning on buying the last trade of Azzerell's WW for awhile now.

However, I will say that DC is good at keeping their older books accessible and in print. I was able to read Bryne's run on Superman, JLI, Batman: Prey, No Man's Land, Knightfall, the Loeb/Sale collection from 92-98, 80's GL, 90's JLA, and 80's and 00's Legion of Superheroes all because DC keeps the books available at local comic shops and bookstores; Barnes and Noble, Borders (Miss them), Books A Million.

Instead of hunting for them online on ebay or amazon at jacked up prices. I guess that's the trade off I suppose. Delayed wait times for new books but old books are still accessible. I tried to catch up on JMS' Spider-Man run a few years ago and none of the books were carried by my local retailers. Just going back to 2002, and the trades were out of print. Went to Barnes and Noble the other day and the Thor books they carry start at JMS' Thor 2008 and through Godbomb. I don't think Marvel keep their older titles in stores as long as DC does.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

DC can't afford to have a trade program like Marvel does. If it was the same, then IMHO more people would tradewait DC's comics than buy them monthly. For example, I'm forced to preorder Aquaman monthly because the trade release times are undesirable. Since for a lot of people DC are a second option for comics, there is no real incentive to buy the monthlies regularly, unless of course they really like a title. You could simply trade wait the entire DC line.

Another thing I find interesting is that DC's monthly trade sales are very good. But, their new trades release schedules are relatively 'terrible'. I'm always amazed at how they do so well there despite.

Well that's pretty much the reason why DC do it so people buy monthlies first and no for a lot a people DC are not second option, you could also say that MARVEL since they release their trades relatively early, infact it's more easy to trade wait the entire MARVEL line.

[PyroSikTh]

I'd rather read by trade, so this annoys me as well. I honestly see no reason why they release the trades 6 months to a year after the story has finished, and it's even worse for those that get the hardcover treatment first. Batman for example, I'm still waiting on Volume 5. That finished in the monthlies almost a year ago, and isn't even due for another couple of months in paperback, all because they want a sizeable gap between hardcover and paperback. Forever Evil is another one.

[MajorHoy]

. . . all because they want a sizeable gap between hardcover and paperback. Forever Evil is another one.

So, you don't think they should have a chance to make money on a hardcover version before releasing a tpb version of that same book?

No matter what DC (or any other company) does, people are going to bitch / whine / moan because it isn't what they want. Some people even complain when DC doesn't offer a hard cover option and goes straight to the tpb collection!

Yes, it's frustrating to have to wait, but . . . it's all because people aren't willing to buy the single issues first. And DC is a business that does what it does to maximize revenue, not just to make five people who aren't part of the company happy.

[PyroSikTh]

So, you don't think they should have a chance to make money on a hardcover version before releasing a tpb version of that same book?

Some people prefer hardcover, some people prefer paperback. Releasing one 6 months before the other doesn't change that, it just annoys the minority that prefer paperback.

[FanboyStranger]

Has DC ever given a reason on why they wait so long to release things in trades? I mean I can understand not wanting a trade to come out a month or two after the story ends like Marvel seems to do, but I think if you wait over 6 months people really start to lose interest. It just seems like a pretty piss poor bussiness model.

Yes, it's a concession to retailers who don't want to get stuck with backstock books they can't sell because the trade is already out. The traditional sell-through period on a comic book issue is three months, but since most books run on six month arcs these days, DC tries to provide more space between releases. It's a system they've come to through conversations with retailers, and while some retailers have adjusted their business model to reflect quicker collection releases, most seem to be pretty happy with DC's system.

Marvel's adjustment for retailers is to allow collections to go out of print quickly, thereby giving the collections a collectability that they wouldn't have if they stuck to a model like DC's, where most collections are in circulation for years. They also do a fourth quarter "fire sale" to allow retailers to get their hands on these books at severe discounts. Some retailers like this model, but many that I've talked to-- including the owners of my LCS and three local stores-- prefer the traditional DC model and end up offering more Marvel collections in their discount sales because of market flooding. Marvel also offers a lot of incentive variants to reduce the sting of unsold issues.

Again, this is about what retailers, not fans, want. Fans (including myself) are going to want the collections as quickly as possible, but retailers are the ones that end up sitting on unsold issues that tend to lose their value if they're not sold in their three month window, certain key issues, variants, and speculation books excluded.

[SJNeal]

Since for a lot of people DC are a second option for comics, there is no real incentive to buy the monthlies regularly, unless of course they really like a title. You could simply trade wait the entire DC line.

For a lot of people, Marvel is the second option.

In fact, I'll officially be a Marvel tradewaiter once "Secret Wars" is over, and that's because it's so much easier to do so with them than it is DC.

[Zero Hunter]

So, you don't think they should have a chance to make money on a hardcover version before releasing a tpb version of that same book?

No matter what DC (or any other company) does, people are going to bitch / whine / moan because it isn't what they want. Some people even complain when DC doesn't offer a hard cover option and goes straight to the tpb collection!

Yes, it's frustrating to have to wait, but . . . it's all because people aren't willing to buy the single issues first. And DC is a business that does what it does to maximize revenue, not just to make five people who aren't part of the company happy.

Thanks for the totally not needed reply just to bitch about people asking a question. It added pretty much nothing to to conversation but at least you got to get on your soapbox for a few minutes.

[GrandKaiser]

So, you don't think they should have a chance to make money on a hardcover version before releasing a tpb version of that same book?

No matter what DC (or any other company) does, people are going to bitch / whine / moan because it isn't what they want. Some people even complain when DC doesn't offer a hard cover option and goes straight to the tpb collection!

Yes, it's frustrating to have to wait, but . . . it's all because people aren't willing to buy the single issues first. And DC is a business that does what it does to maximize revenue, not just to make five people who aren't part of the company happy.

I don't know if you thought this was funny/clever/helpful but it's actually really mean. OP was just asking a harmless question, they weren't complaining about anything.

[Marvel_Is]

Well that's pretty much the reason why DC do it so people buy monthlies first and no for a lot a people DC are not second option, you could also say that MARVEL since they release their trades relatively early, infact it's more easy to trade wait the entire MARVEL line.

For a lot of people, Marvel is the second option.

In fact, I'll officially be a Marvel tradewaiter once "Secret Wars" is over, and that's because it's so much easier to do so with them than it is DC.

Monthly sales show that DC comics are indeed a second option for most. I wasn't mentioning it as a slight. And Marvel rapidly releases it's trades, but it doesn't negatively affect the sales of monthlies. So, it's a win-win situation for everyone involved.

[MajorHoy]

Thanks for the totally not needed reply just to bitch about people asking a question. It added pretty much nothing to to conversation but at least you got to get on your soapbox for a few minutes.

I don't know if you thought this was funny/clever/helpful but it's actually really mean. OP was just asking a harmless question, they weren't complaining about anything.

I'm so glad everybody paid attention to the fact that my reply was more aimed at a different poster, who I had, you know, quoted when I responded?

. . . all because they want a sizeable gap between hardcover and paperback. Forever Evil is another one.

So, you don't think they should have a chance to make money on a hardcover version before releasing a tpb version of that same book?

No matter what DC (or any other company) does, people are going to bitch / whine / moan because it isn't what they want. Some people even complain when DC doesn't offer a hard cover option and goes straight to the tpb collection!

Yes, it's frustrating to have to wait, but . . . it's all because people aren't willing to buy the single issues first. And DC is a business that does what it does to maximize revenue, not just to make five people who aren't part of the company happy.

But the end of my response still stands:

Yes, it's frustrating to have to wait, but . . . it's all because people aren't willing to buy the single issues first. And DC is a business that does what it does to maximize revenue, not just to make five people who aren't part of the company happy.

We see things from our standpoint and our desires, but we don't take into account other fundamental facts that drive the business decisions of the company. And unless we become major stockholders, we probably won't have too much impact on what DC feels is a good working model for them.

[GrandKaiser]

I'm so glad everybody paid attention to the fact that my reply was more aimed at a different poster, who I had, you know, quoted when I responded?

That changes literally nothing. It was still mean.