All New Marvel Collected Editions

[JJ87]

I'm not saying they wont finish some of them but I dont think the Epic line will stay around long enough to fill most of them. You have series' with volume 17 and 18 epics without a volume 1 or two lol My main point is that its stupid. I greatly believe it will stop before finishing and guys will be left with like a volume 1, 5 and 16 of a series. I'd atleast be more understanding if they started with volume ones and had to stop before finishing but what they have going now. No thanks. They should stick to doing Omnibus' and MMW or Omnibus' and Epics. They're doing too much collecting in different formats and not enough collecting and completing collected lines.

I like how they've been focusing (for the most part) on previously uncollected gaps. So, using Amazing Spider-Man as an example, most of the first mapped Epic Collection volumes have been covered by Omnis and MMWs, so they've been releasing latter volumes first.
I do get your point, though, and also doubt we will ever have a title with, say, 22 consecutive Epic Collections released. But, it's a format I really like so far.

[evilomar]

While I am buying most of the Epics that come out. I really wish that Marvel had focused on the original four Epic titles and had finished those first. From a business perspective, it makes sense to release titles like X-men and Wolverine.

[Drakul]

We're visiting (last 2 weeks) - living in San Vincenzo and visited Florence, Pisa, Siena (probably our favourite city in Tuscany), San Gimignano, amongst others. Tuscany is beautiful, delicious food and wine, friendly locals, quaint villages and fantastic architecture and historical sites, amazing rolling fields and landscapes and lovely beaches.

Not to derail the thread just finished reading and enjoyed Krisis's 35-31 Omnibus writeup.

I don't want to derail further but I've been to Rome, Venice and Capri 3 times and now I really need to go to Tuscany next time

[krisis]

I'm at peace with the idea that some of the Epics might skip out on major chunks that are well-covered in other formats (or, at least, leave them for last if we ever make it that far). Their early marketing was frank that they were specifically building around the gaps in omnibuses we likely own already.

I've always understood the Epic line as a way for Marvel to accomplish a trio of feats all at once:
(1) re-issue early material in an affordable format that's longer than the paperback MMWs
(2) keep popular runs in print and accessible in an evergreen format
(3) print gap-fills in a way that entices their purchase even though there is little about the runs to market.

Now that we're 4-6 Epic volumes deep into some of the lines we are seeing them cross major stories that have seen print before, like Avengers with the recent "Under Siege" and a portion of the Simonson Fantastic Four. I think it's likely a partial question of how well the original book sold, especially with material covered in retired formats like MPC or standalone OHCs that cannot go back to print as they were previously issued.

For each of the "big nine" silver lines (FF,ASM,Thor,IM,Cap,Hulk,DD,Avengers,XM) there remain handful of crucial runs that have no reprints to cover them (compared to the ancillary lines, which tend to be series with less coverage like Moon Knight and Surfer). I'd lay solid money on the general rule of thumb that for the Silver lines 1 in every 4 Epics released in a line will hit those gap-fills, while 2/4s will build out the early material and 1/4 will re-cover something we've already seen.

PS: In-depth write-ups of Omnibus Survey #35-31 and #30-26 are up on my blog. I might take a breather tonight - the runs I know about are fun, but the ones I don't know as well turn into mini research papers!

[World1]

I like how they've been focusing (for the most part) on previously uncollected gaps. So, using Amazing Spider-Man as an example, most of the first mapped Epic Collection volumes have been covered by Omnis and MMWs, so they've been releasing latter volumes first.
I do get your point, though, and also doubt we will ever have a title with, say, 22 consecutive Epic Collections released. But, it's a format I really like so far.

I have some epics myself. I quite like the ones I have and I like the potential of the line if done in an orderly manner but its madness. There would be no uncollected gaps if they would commit to a format or two.

While I am buying most of the Epics that come out. I really wish that Marvel had focused on the original four Epic titles and had finished those first. From a business perspective, it makes sense to release titles like X-men and Wolverine.

It's just like focus on and complete something for once lol

[World1]

-- Since I'm already complaining. I want a DD silver age Omnibus and Spider-woman Omnibus too!

[Johnny Thunders!]

Any thoughts on the Shang Chi Omnibus? Will this sell out?

[krisis]

-- Since I'm already complaining. I want a DD silver age Omnibus and Spider-woman Omnibus too!

From your lips to the Collection Department's ears on that Spider-Woman omnibus. With the Masterworks out at a $75 price point and it taking 4-5 volumes to wrap up this especially niche line, it would have been much much easier on all involved to just give us a $125 omnibus of the whole darn thing.

At a minimum 58 issues to match the Essentials it seems like it would be a hair too big to wrap up in one omnibus volume (the biggest tops out around 55), but the two Essentials combined are under 1200 pages - totally doable!

[World1]

From your lips to the Collection Department's ears on that Spider-Woman omnibus. With the Masterworks out at a $75 price point and it taking 4-5 volumes to wrap up this especially niche line, it would have been much much easier on all involved to just give us a $125 omnibus of the whole darn thing.

At a minimum 58 issues to match the Essentials it seems like it would be a hair too big to wrap up in one omnibus volume (the biggest tops out around 55), but the two Essentials combined are under 1200 pages - totally doable!

Yeah, I've seen guys try and map into two volumes but I wouldnt be mad at a it being done Roger Stern Omnibus style. I know it just got a MMW #1 not too long ago but really they can keep that and collect it for me in a big book.

the 58 issues plus like extras it would be ridiculous but I want it. feedme.png

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

I don't want to derail further but I've been to Rome, Venice and Capri 3 times and now I really need to go to Tuscany next time

Absolutely agree

[krisis]

I would suggest arranging a Collected Editions European river cruise outing, but that doesn't really sound like a great place to bring a lot of omnibuses

[Tony]

I'm not saying they wont finish some of them but I dont think the Epic line will stay around long enough to fill most of them. You have series' with volume 17 and 18 epics without a volume 1 or two lol My main point is that its stupid. I greatly believe it will stop before finishing and guys will be left with like a volume 1, 5 and 16 of a series. I'd atleast be more understanding if they started with volume ones and had to stop before finishing but what they have going now. No thanks. They should stick to doing Omnibus' and MMW or Omnibus' and Epics. They're doing too much collecting in different formats and not enough collecting and completing collected lines.

I agree and when they did a complete 180 (originally it was stated short runs would never be epics just the original lines) I was angry. Over that now I just buy the ones I want and never double dip. So for Thor I have 11 and 16 and will buy 12. 1 2 and 4 are a complete miss for me. If you treat it as just a gap filler it is so much less anger inducing

Even if a miracle happened and they finished all the lines I'll still have saved a bunch of money not replacing Omnibus and Masterworks or even random trades like the 5 volume walter simonson set (old one with the real coloring).

[Henrik K. Kristensen]

I like how they've been focusing (for the most part) on previously uncollected gaps. So, using Amazing Spider-Man as an example, most of the first mapped Epic Collection volumes have been covered by Omnis and MMWs, so they've been releasing latter volumes first.
I do get your point, though, and also doubt we will ever have a title with, say, 22 consecutive Epic Collections released. But, it's a format I really like so far.

It is my favourite format.
Actually they mix up how they publish them.
They run a random approach for most of them while also publishing sequentially from the beginning with a volume each late spring/winter.
Last year we got vol. 1 of most lines.
This year we will get vol. 2 of most lines.... while still getting the more random volumes rest of the year.

Great approach if you ask me.

[Near Mint]

I too love the advent of Epic Collections, chiefly as a means to finally get some precious '80s material on a routine basis. Although they have many other advantages - striking a perfect balance among quality (paper & color), quantity, and pricing - their killer feature is the freedom to publish collections out of sequence. Omnis can too, but they are too infrequent to realistically hope to collect an entire long-running series. MMW volumes are pristine treasures, but these are taking forever to get into '80s goodness. Some of us hope to have our favorite Shooter-era tales on our bookshelf before the onset of age-related dementia.

I doubt Marvel will follow through with Epics to the completion of any title, but I'm content to accept them as welcome gap-fillers. Considering these were preceded by both Essentials (affordable but with abysmal phonebook quality and regrettable lack of color) and paperback MMW editions (wonderful quality but stuck with sequential publication order and less bang for your buck length-wise), Epics are as close to perfection as Marvel is likely to get.

[DrGregatron]

I too love the advent of Epic Collections, chiefly as a means to finally get some precious '80s material on a routine basis. Although they have many other advantages - striking a perfect balance among quality (paper & color), quantity, and pricing - their killer feature is the freedom to publish collections out of sequence. Omnis can too, but they are too infrequent to realistically hope to collect an entire long-running series. MMW volumes are pristine treasures, but these are taking forever to get into '80s goodness. Some of us hope to have our favorite Shooter-era tales on our bookshelf before the onset of age-related dementia.

I doubt Marvel will follow through with Epics to the completion of any title, but I'm content to accept them as welcome gap-fillers. Considering these were preceded by both Essentials (affordable but with abysmal phonebook quality and regrettable lack of color) and paperback MMW editions (wonderful quality but stuck with sequential publication order and less bang for your buck length-wise), Epics are as close to perfection as Marvel is likely to get.

That's a sad thought....forty dollar paperbacks.