Marvel Hardcover collections - Price and Quality

[Mr`Orange]

So I've just finished reading the Infinity hardcover (fantastic story) but the paper quality was appalling, really thin, cheap magazine style paper. The colour looked a little drab, but overall seemed fine but I was so worried about ripping each page as I turned it that is was almost distracting.

For a $75 hardcover I was expecting better, especially when you compare it to older collections such as Avengers vs X-Men which had a much better paper stock.

Is this the new standard for Marvel's oversized hardcovers and omnibuses? Have they kept the same paper stock for the releases post this one?

[SJNeal]

Build quality is a favorite (and frequent) topic of discussion here.

You might want to make some popcorn and settle down somewhere comfy; the replies will start pouring in soon...

[Thesanmich]

That seems to be the case. Kinda disappointing, Marvel has really fallen with these new big books.

[Dorktron]

My advice would be to support companies who put out high quality omniboo and TPBs (Image, Dark Horse, Humanoids, etc.)

[Mr`Orange]

Build quality is a favorite (and frequent) topic of discussion here.

You might want to make some popcorn and settle down somewhere comfy; the replies will start pouring in soon...

I did a quick scan of the threads but didn't see anything specific, I'm guessing a lot of it happens in the bigger threads?

[Mr`Orange]

My advice would be to support companies who put out high quality omniboo and TPBs (Image, Dark Horse, Humanoids, etc.)

Oh I do, the majority of books I buy are Image, Artesia, and want to pick up more Humanoid and European books once I've exposed myself a little more to the market. Need to know what I'm buying.

With Marvel, I only buy the hardcovers and omnibuses, but as Thesanmich states in the previous post it is disappointing.

[Dorktron]

Oh I do, the majority of books I buy are Image, Artesia, and want to pick up more Humanoid and European books once I've exposed myself a little more to the market. Need to know what I'm buying.

With Marvel, I only buy the hardcovers and omnibuses, but as Thesanmich states in the previous post it is disappointing.

I was pretty underwhelmed by the UXF omnibus from Marvel. The paper was way too thin and the colors were washed out, just as you said. I've only bought the Oz omnibus from them since. 95% of my money goes to the companies I mentioned in my first post.

[Mr`Orange]

I was pretty underwhelmed by the UXF omnibus from Marvel. The paper was way too thin and the colors were washed out, just as you said. I've only bought the Oz omnibus from them since. 95% of my money goes to the companies I mentioned in my first post.

Is that the Remender Uncanny X Force?

What Humanoid books would you recommend?

I recently read The Killers, a European book republished by Archaia which I really enjoyed.

[Dorktron]

Is that the Remender Uncanny X Force?

What Humanoid books would you recommend?

I recently read The Killers, a European book republished by Archaia which I really enjoyed.

Yep, sure is. I may actually sell it considering the prices it is fetching these days.

Humanoid books that I like: The Incal, Shamanism, Metabarons, Sword of Glass (this is on order now), Pandemonium, Shadows of Salamanca, and the White Lama (if you can find it).

I will check out The Killers!

[Mr`Orange]

Yep, sure is. I may actually sell it considering the prices it is fetching these days.

Humanoid books that I like: The Incal, Shamanism, Metabarons, Sword of Glass (this is on order now), Pandemonium, Shadows of Salamanca, and the White Lama (if you can find it).

I will check out The Killers!

Cheers dude, I'll give them a google.

Just deleted a half dozen books from my next trade order,but might be adding a few of these!

[Balakin]

My 2 cents and some thoughts picked up from other forum members: usually the ohc-s that are made withing 3 months from the end of the floppy publishing are the lower quality ones, like Infinity or AoU. The ones made in 6 months are higher quality, but still not as high as it used to be a few years ago (thick paper, faux leather cover).
While the thin paper doesn't bother me (thinner books = more shelfspace) the prices do, because they lowered the quality but raised the prices. 540 pg Punisher Max omni with $100 RRP? F&@{ you Marvel!
From Humanoids I have Millennium which I really enjoyed, gonna get Swords of glass next.

[Thesanmich]

My 2 cents and some thoughts picked up from other forum members: usually the ohc-s that are made withing 3 months from the end of the floppy publishing are the lower quality ones, like Infinity or AoU. The ones made in 6 months are higher quality, but still not as high as it used to be a few years ago (thick paper, faux leather cover).
While the thin paper doesn't bother me (thinner books = more shelfspace) the prices do, because they lowered the quality but raised the prices. 540 pg Punisher Max omni with $100 RRP? F&@{ you Marvel!
From Humanoids I have Millennium which I really enjoyed, gonna get Swords of glass next.

Yeah that Punisher Max omni price is absurd.
I have a set budget each month dedicated to comics and manga and a good part of it always ends up going to Marvel for better or worse. Their tendency of having omnis go OOP so quick forces me to snatch them up as soon as I hear of any price jacks and I end up buying books that are somewhere at the bottom of my wishlist rather than books I REALLY want(Image OHCs, Valiant OHCs, DH Library Editions, etc.) Picking up Annihilation Conquest because of this. I don't completely agree with it's price point either, but I don't want to regret it half a year later when it starts showing up on eBay for $200. Much rather give my $$ to the companies that deserve it but sometimes I can't help it. Thankfully Marvel doesn't have a whole lot of big books lined up for the summer so I might just be able to pick up some of those Valiant/Image deluxes.

[Balakin]

Yeah that Punisher Max omni price is absurd.
I have a set budget each month dedicated to comics and manga and a good part of it always ends up going to Marvel for better or worse. Their tendency of having omnis go OOP so quick forces me to snatch them up as soon as I hear of any price jacks and I end up buying books that are somewhere at the bottom of my wishlist rather than books I REALLY want(Image OHCs, Valiant OHCs, DH Library Editions, etc.) Picking up Annihilation Conquest because of this. I don't completely agree with it's price point either, but I don't want to regret it half a year later when it starts showing up on eBay for $200. Much rather give my $$ to the companies that deserve it but sometimes I can't help it. Thankfully Marvel doesn't have a whole lot of big books lined up for the summer so I might just be able to pick up some of those Valiant/Image deluxes.

yeah, almost the same here. While I love annihilation and Conquest I had to miss out on Annihilation so I'm not too bothered to pick up Conquest now. But I preordered the busiek Avengers omni, because the new ones just go OOp in a blink of an eye. Still not sure about v2 though as I don't enjoy reading superhero books currently and had to put off v1 after 100-150 pages.
And yeah, instead of ordering books from image or Humanoids I picked up the Alias and the Punisher MAX omnis before the prices go higher, even though I felt dirty after that (especially after the punisher one).
I think the only omni I still want to pick up is X-statix, but enough was enough and I rather threw my money towards the Hellboy LE-s, so I feel a bit less dirty now.

[Thesanmich]

yeah, almost the same here. While I love annihilation and Conquest I had to miss out on Annihilation so I'm not too bothered to pick up Conquest now. But I preordered the busiek Avengers omni, because the new ones just go OOp in a blink of an eye. Still not sure about v2 though as I don't enjoy reading superhero books currently and had to put off v1 after 100-150 pages.
And yeah, instead of ordering books from image or Humanoids I picked up the Alias and the Punisher MAX omnis before the prices go higher, even though I felt dirty after that (especially after the punisher one).
I think the only omni I still want to pick up is X-statix, but enough was enough and I rather threw my money towards the Hellboy LE-s, so I feel a bit less dirty now.

Spend money on stuff you like but don't love, then spend money on stuff you DO love to feel better about spending too much money before, that's collector's logic, lol!
I was in the same situation with Claremont's X-books. Blew my budget on Infinity Gauntlet in fear of it going OOP, but decided to skip out on UXM vol.1 in hopes that would've gotten a reprint...which I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. Speaking of which, is Marvel bringing back old omnibuses, or is IG the exception?

[DrGregatron]

My advice would be to support companies who put out high quality omniboo and TPBs (Image, Dark Horse, Humanoids, etc.)

Totally agree! Marvel, owned by a multi-billion dollar company, has been raising raising prices while decreasing quality for the last few years on their most expensive books, while smaller companies like Dark Horse, IDW and Fantagraphics release more affordable, better quality collections. Don't support Marvel's substandard produc--support the smaller companies that still care about quality and customer satisfaction.