Omnibuses v. Trades - How do you decide?

[clayholio]

Probably the biggest question is what's available when I get interested in a series. A good example - I just started in on BPRD, and the HC collections are nice and reasonably priced, especially for the quantity of content. I probably could have gotten the trades, but the HCs look nice and the price is about a wash. If I'd started on BPRD when there was only a couple of trades available, that's where I would have started.

There are series that I got in on the floppies, ones I got started because I found a cheap trade.

But for the giant, $75+ omnibuses, I just don't go in for that. I'd have to already love the series, and also not have any of the series in order to want to do that, which isn't a situation that pops up often.

[usually]

I prefer the Marvel omnibus series. I like HC and look great on shelf. They collect more issues than trades. I also like that they include the letters page.

[Cap'n_RDM]

Having just got back into comics a few months ago after about 7 or so years away, I'm currently trying to determine what my favorite format is. I've purchased serveral Ominbus (AMS v1, UXM v1, FF v1, & Superman Golden Age) and OHCs (Superior Spider-Man, Daredevil, Y The Last Man, Invincible, X-men X-tinction Agenda) and just recently my first Epic (Spider-Man Ghosts of the Past) in addition to starting up singles for current titles. I think I find myself leaning towards OHC but honestly I love them all for different reasons and see no need to choose. I love the Omnibus titles I have picked up for the number of issues collected in one volume and the inclusion of the letters pages. I love OHCs for being oversized, slightly more convenient than the Omnibus format. I really love the size and feel of the Epic collection title I just picked up. To top it off, I still love the single issue format and look forward to my issues being delivered every month. I guess if I have to pick on/be negative about any format, it would be the PHC as I like any collected edition I purchase to have more that 5-6 issues. Ultimately, it is just a great time to be a comics fan with all these options!

[Phakaday]

I love buying the Omnibus format when they are at a reasonable price I enjoy collecting deluxe edition because they tend to be easier to read while I'm laying in bed. Overall, I just love reading comics!!!! lol

[Mari]

I once tried to get omnibus but it was difficult to find, and once found it was much more expensive than the TPBs combined. So I think ever since, I have decided on trades.

If it is an ongoing series I like trades more because they are available sooner than the omnibus.

[Canucked]

Oversize is preferable but I'll get trades until a hardcover comes out. Then I'll sell/trade/give em away and move up.

[Mr`Orange]

For Marvel book, I pretty much buy all their hardcovers and omnibuses, but with the recent Infinity OHC and the poor paper quality I'm going to be a lot more discerning with the books I buy.

[Iron Fist]

I go for omnibuses if it's a series I really like or if the omnibus is crazy cheap. I've never read X-Statix but the omnibus for it was going for peanuts on cheap-comics.com so I nabbed it.

There are other omnibuses I've passed on in favour of the trades, like Alias, because I couldn't justify the omnibus price. Especially considering how skinny that omnibus is. The only exception to this rule would likely be the Eternals omnibus because of it's rarity in both omnibus and trade formats.

[JBatmanFan05]

Omnibus > HC/SC/Deluxe > Absolute

Essentials/Showcase=would never purchase, will not read something meant for color in B&W


Only Absolute I have because I'm impatient and no other way to get in its finalized art = Absolute Batman Inc

[Transmit Him]

OHCs are my main preference. They're more durable than a softcover, look better and over-sizing often enhances the artwork. I don't go for Omnibuses though - they're just too big to comfortably read. I've got a fair few Premier Hardcovers (and equivalent) but I've vastly gone off them. They're usually too light on material to really be worth the bother (thicker ones like Starman Omnibus are fine).

I also avoid Essentials and Showcases - I'm not wild on most black and white comics, let alone those that are meant to be in colour.

[John Aston]

I prefer hardcovers to trades. And deluxe hardcovers over regular hardcovers for the larger artwork.

I wouldn't buy an omnibus for, say, the Inferno crossover. But, if the price of the omnibus is a run of issues such as X-Men Omnibus 1 and cheaper than finding the single issues or trades (sometimes it's more expensive nickel an diming with monthlies or 5-issue trades), I may pick that up if interested.

On the other hand, sometimes the omnibus is grossly overpriced like the Hawkeye Omnibus. I'll stick with the trades.

I do like the fat trades DC has put out for Hellblazer, Animal Man, Hitman and some other upcoming releases. The whole 5-issue trade format is lame.

[awalk1227]

For me it all depends on how the material has been collected, how interested I am in it, and how badly I want to wait. I love big omnibuses as they look great on my shelves and are huge collector's items. At the same time, I'm still all about the story and the art, and I hate waiting to read something. Here are some examples:

East of West - Completely waited. A deluxe HC just got announced, so I'll finally read it then.

Invincible/Walking Dead - Read single issues digitally, then grab deluxe HCs as they're released.

Mark Waid's Daredevil - Waited a long while for any kind of an omnibus announcement, but broke down and bought the first three OHCs.

Hickman's Avengers/New Avengers - Got impatient and bought the first two OHCs. However, I will double dip and get the omnibus(es) when they eventually come out

Uncanny Avengers - Wasn't really ever that interested in it, so I waited all the way until the omnibus came out to try this title.

Chew - Don't have any, haven't read any. Currently deciding whether I want to get the Omnivore or Smorgasboard editions.

[legion_quest]

I buy omnibuses and OHC because I love how they look on the shelf. Nice big fat volumes.

Trades take up too much space to get a whole run and Marvel tend to do silly things like change spine design half way through a collection, or even just stop a collection half done. That breaks uniformity and annoys me.

[Shinglepants]

I much prefer OHC/Deluxe/Omniboo. I just prefer the bigger chunks of stories and some art just deserves to be oversized. Regular TPBs don't seem to be much of an upgrade on singles.

I have a few trades in my collection but they are either relics from before I decided to go hardcover or books not available in other formats.

[Mr`Orange]

I buy omnibuses and OHC because I love how they look on the shelf. Nice big fat volumes.

Trades take up too much space to get a whole run and Marvel tend to do silly things like change spine design half way through a collection, or even just stop a collection half done. That breaks uniformity and annoys me.

That bugs the hell out of me, the Marvel Oz books have a great cover and spine design... except for two which have the bog standard, really out of place red Marvel stamp on the spine. Ruins my shelf.