Do larger books make you more prone to becoming distracted or not finishing them?

[awalk1227]

This is a total "First World Problems" question, but it's something I've pondered. I'm a huge collector, and LOVE having my big omnibuses. I just got Colossal Conan and it's one of the coolest, best-built, most beautiful books I have.

However, I find cracking into a huge omnibus is sort subconsciously daunting. I got through 500 pages of JSA Omnibus vol. 1 and put it down. Liked the story, but just lost interest and moved onto other things. Read two issues of Uncanny Avengers and put it back on the shelf with a sort of "I'll finish it later" thought. I was SO excited for the Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus. I opened it, checked out the appendix and such, and haven't read an single issue. I really enjoyed the story and art of Uncanny X-Force, but I felt like my motive for reading was more for finishing the book rather than taking in the story.

Trades and 10-12 issue HC books I feel like I breeze through and enjoy thoroughly. I'll read a 4-6 issue trade in an hour or less, and I crank through an OHC in a couple of sittings. In between I'm thinking about it and longing to read more.

Am I thinking way too hard about this? I buy books based on artistic merit, collectability, and quality builds. I hate that I push these epic stories farther down my pile. Anyone dealt with a similar situation?

[Chojin]

I think it helps when you have a semi-OCD nature

When I buy hardcovers I buy them in two categories 1) Read at Work. 2) Read at Home.

This way the 12 issue books are easy to transport in my bag to take to work as I cycle about 10km a day so I couldn't be carrying an omnibus all of that way with me and it's easier to leave them overnight until I finish them in my lunch hours. Whereas the omnibus books get read at home, one at a time. I would NEVER start another omnibus or hardcover before finishing the one I'm reading. I do find it daunting sometimes choosing which book to start but I mostly use a chronological choice method so whatever was published first, gets read first.

This also carries over to other things in my life, for example I recently decided to watch the Fast & Furious films for the first time but no way was I watching seven before I had watched the other six so I consumed them over the course of a week.

...same thing with Xbox games. The two biggest OCD hits I took were:

1) Gears of War 3 - this took an entire year to get the full gamerscore on. The only break I took was to play Saints 3 for one week when I had some annual leave to use up. Other than that it was working on GOW3 all the way. I think I logged around 1,500 hours into this game playing against the AI killing them over and over and over...to get 50 gamerscore.
2) GTAV - in order to hit level 100 on the multiplayer it took around 80 hours of going round and round a race track with an elastic band tied around my controller. I used up about 5 days of annual leave to accomplish this. I read an omnibus whilst doing it though so it wasn't a complete waste of time This 80 hours was after the 120 hours I'd already logged on the game.

The biggest thing is disciplining yourself by only having one thing going on at once. This way even if you're not enjoying it much you can look forward to starting other things you may enjoy more.

I think I just like to be able to give a complete review/opinion on something rather than only a half arsed one.

[dern]

If I have a really large book, it just makes me more determined to finish it. I got the Invisibles Omnibus, was hating it, and just kept reading just to say I finished it. Pretty much how it goes for all of them. Now some, like the JSA Omnibuses for example, I'll look up and realize I've read the majority of it in one sitting.

[Dark-Flux]

I used to be the same, but recently started a strict "one at a time" policy.
With the exception of Dredd, whom i always read a bit on the side.
And my entire pullist of monthlies.

...

Need more free time.

[victorxd1999]

Nah I have no problems with that. The book I took longest to finish ever was Books of Magic and it wasn't because I didn't like it.

[The Cheat]

The biggest thing is disciplining yourself by only having one thing going on at once. This way even if you're not enjoying it much you can look forward to starting other things you may enjoy more.

I do this too, but it makes no sense really. We're turning something we've paid money to enjoy into a chore. Better to have a few things on the go and enjoy them all, if only my stupid OCD would let me

[AJpyro]

It's been a thing since 2013. I'm still working on it.

Though that one at a time thing might work. I think I have enough small books to do it.

[Dayle88]

I'm one at a time. I find I either enjoy them enough to want to finish or not enjoy them to the point that I want it out of the way and finished. The latter has rarely happened though, I've been lucky with my random choices. I read regular series digitally on Wednesday but otherwise no mixing.

[Bri]

For me it depends on the book. Omnis reprinting more modern comics such as Uncanny X-Force or Ultimate Spider-Man I have no problem reading all the way through. The issues reprinted in these books were "written for the trade" and read smoothly in large chunks.

For books reprinting more vintage comics, say Spider-Man by Roger Stern or Byrnes FF Omni's I read only 2 or 3 issues worth at a time. These comics were created with no intention of ever being collected, and were meant to be read a month apart. Reading many issues at a time can make for a clunky, repetitive read. (As some of each issue was needed to recap previous events.) Also stories were much more "condensed" and 2-3 issues of these comics would provide a years worth of plots for many modern comics.

You should read your comics in whatever manner provides you the most enjoyment. Reading comics should never feel like a chore.

[Phakaday]

I have the same problem of finishing up my omnibus books I think I prefer the Oversize Deluxe edition over Omnibuses, but I can't say no...... lol

[Ramsay Snow]

I do this too, but it makes no sense really. We're turning something we've paid money to enjoy into a chore. Better to have a few things on the go and enjoy them all, if only my stupid OCD would let me

I don't see it as a chore. Sometimes, a book may start off slow but gets better as it goes on.

The only omnis I bought and didn't enjoy were Chew & Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme......Chew was interesting for me to read the whole way through without suffering (I simply felt indifferent to it, as a large part of Chew is its comedic elements, none of which tickled my funny-bone in any way).....Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme I did have to force myself to read. It's an innovative book for its time, but, IMO, just wasn't good/entertaining.

[Henrik K. Kristensen]

I feel the same as the OP.
I never but collection of classic comics (pre-2000) if they are more than 600 pages. In addition to being unwieldy they are a chore to finish - even if the comics are good.

[Bad Wolf]

I don't think I've ever read an omnibus straight through. When I feel like I've had enough for a while, I take a break and read a novel. Then I'll come back to it later. Repeat as much as needed.

[Hellboydce]

I have never not finished a book, but I have left it so long between visits, that I have forgotten what's going on

[John Aston]

Depends. I breezed through the Morrison Animal Man Omnibus. I slogged through his Doom Patrol.

Generally, Silver Age Marvel comics typically recap the previous issue every issue and often too wordy, which be redundant when binge reading, but that's how they were designed editorially for publication with 30 to 60 days between issues.

Historically, quitting a comic partially into reading it was a no-no. But, I have a large to read list and a reread list, I dump them if reading a larger format and move one.

That said, sometimes, a comic needs to be sipped and not guzzled and reading a issue or two is all you need for a while. Others are meant to be binged. Depends on how the story is presented.

I use the Essential Avengers collection as a palate cleanser or filler slowly pushing through the series.