Alan Moore Swamp Thing Compilations ---- Complaints about terrible paper

[tgm1024]

The Alan Moore (author bows in reverence) versions of "Saga of the Swamp Thing" TPB's (collections of the original comic once taken over by DC's Vertigo and Alan Moore) have many complaints on Amazon regarding the quality of the paper.

Complaints: Not opaque, low quality like the original comic "newsprint" style paper, ink soaked into pages making white text on black background hard to read, etc.

Is there a high quality compilation of the Swamp Thing similar to the quality of the "Absolute Top Ten" compilation?

Or even just something with better (perhaps glossy) paper?

Thanks!

[Lake Nowhere]

The Alan Moore (author bows in reverence) versions of "Saga of the Swamp Thing" TPB's (collections of the original comic once taken over by DC's Vertigo and Alan Moore) have many complaints on Amazon regarding the quality of the paper.

Complaints: Not opaque, low quality like the original comic "newsprint" style paper, ink soaked into pages making white text on black background hard to read, etc.

Is there a high quality compilation of the Swamp Thing similar to the quality of the "Absolute Top Ten" compilation?

Or even just something with better (perhaps glossy) paper?

Thanks!

I'm pretty obsessed with having the best quality editions of all my favorite stories, but I must be the only person who doesn't mind the paper used
in the six Swamp Thing volumes. It's appropriately pulpy for the subject matter. I even like the inky original dust jacket for the volume one hardcover.

[Hellboydce]

I find it amazing that DC put out so much crap and yet have never put out what is arguably the best ever run of comics in some sort of premium format, Morrison takes a dump on a piece of paper and it gets an absolute, Moore does a medium changing run of comics and all we get are 6 crappy HC's

[t hedge coke]

I think the inks and colors probably look a lot better on newsprint.

And, personally, Tatjana Wood's colors are the part that's held up the best.

A slick or sturdier paper is going to mess with some of the densities and separate elements too much.

[AJpyro]

I think the inks and colors probably look a lot better on newsprint.

And, personally, Tatjana Wood's colors are the part that's held up the best.

A slick or sturdier paper is going to mess with some of the densities and separate elements too much.

Is newsprint the style used for JLI by Giffen, DeMatties, and MacGuire? Because that paper seems more durable than the paper my recent tpbs have.

[JackDaw]

I find it amazing that DC put out so much crap and yet have never put out what is arguably the best ever run of comics in some sort of premium format, Morrison takes a dump on a piece of paper and it gets an absolute, Moore does a medium changing run of comics and all we get are 6 crappy HC's

It's a real head scratcher on why it's not available in more formats, but who knows what thoughts whizz around brains of DC managers?

Might be worth thinking about going digital, and reading it on a good quality tablet? I did this with the issues before Alan Moore run (because I couldn't afford any physical format), and thought it was a pretty good reading experience.

Some pretty good stories before Alan M took over, well worth reading...in some ways it puts the achievement in perspective. He took a basically good series, struggling for sales, scheduled for closure in near future...and turned it into a magnificent series that survived because of the force of his imagination, and quality of the writing.

[DialHForHagai]

Is newsprint the style used for JLI by Giffen, DeMatties, and Maguire? Because that paper seems more durable than the paper my recent tpbs have.

That's the one. It's been a subject of many complaints, as it's rather thin and vulnerable. However, in some cases (Like JLI, AKA "the best damn series ever"), I think it actually works better.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Just like the New God Books, I appreciate the fact they are not on glossy paper. The feel of the book is different and the colors seem deeper. The glossy is great too, but I don't have complaints.

[Johnatellodi]

As a stickler for quality, I actually don't mind this paper too much. Seems to hold up alright so far, unless anyone has any horror stories to share about it.

I just wish DC would release an Absolute Swamp Thing.

[t hedge coke]

You'd think there'd be some money in some kind of Swamp Thing Archives, but then, there, to make it sell, you'd probably end up with cheap paper and binding, anyway.

I find the post-Moore Swamp Thing a lot more consistently enjoyable, to be honest, but I realize an archives type situation is the only way I'm likely to see a fat collection of Collins or Veitch comics.

[The Cheat]

Just like the New God Books, I appreciate the fact they are not on glossy paper. The feel of the book is different and the colors seem deeper.

Me too. The paper used in the Fourth World Omnis is perfect.

[tgm1024]

Just like the New God Books, I appreciate the fact they are not on glossy paper. The feel of the book is different and the colors seem deeper. The glossy is great too, but I don't have complaints.

The color shouldn't be deeper just because they're not on glossy paper, unless they botched the printing. While the more "raw" exposed pulp of the bulk printed comics do absorb more, it also does so laterally....the fibers pull a bleed which effects the overall clarity. It doesn't need to be "glossy" per se, but a less absorbent material would help, particularly with white text on black backgrounds, which ST had a lot of.

A thicker page also has more depth in the paper to absorb the ink, causing less bleed through and lateral bleed as well (the ink in super thin paper either has to be scaled back dramatically, or it has "no where to go" but bleed somewhat).

The big unknown here is whether or not the illustrations were done with the target paper in mind. There's no way to know for sure unless we actually ask one of the artists, but even in this case I'd much rather have a more durable, less newsprint-y paper.

[TomSlick]

I find it amazing that DC put out so much crap and yet have never put out what is arguably the best ever run of comics in some sort of premium format, Morrison takes a dump on a piece of paper and it gets an absolute, Moore does a medium changing run of comics and all we get are 6 crappy HC's

I couldn't have said it better. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten Absolute treatment yet, as DC is making its way through his ABC stuff in that format.

[Johnny Thunders!]

The color shouldn't be deeper just because they're not on glossy paper, unless they botched the printing. While the more "raw" exposed pulp of the bulk printed comics do absorb more, it also does so laterally....the fibers pull a bleed which effects the overall clarity. It doesn't need to be "glossy" per se, but a less absorbent material would help, particularly with white text on black backgrounds, which ST had a lot of.

A thicker page also has more depth in the paper to absorb the ink, causing less bleed through and lateral bleed as well (the ink in super thin paper either has to be scaled back dramatically, or it has "no where to go" but bleed somewhat).

The big unknown here is whether or not the illustrations were done with the target paper in mind. There's no way to know for sure unless we actually ask one of the artists, but even in this case I'd much rather have a more durable, less newsprint-y paper.

I feel like when I open my books, the colors still seem wet, they're perfectly dry, but they have that feel to them. I think the slick pages have a bit of glare to them depending on my light source. Anyhow, I guess Absolutes would be a step up, but those books feel like comics, really nice good looking comics. Glossy pages remind me of Time Magazine.

[CliffHanger2]

Yeah DC graphic novel paper is horrible. It's like regular newsprint from the 70s or something my DC novels are already starting to age and turn color the Marvel stuff is still new looking because of the paper quality.