All New Marvel Collected Editions

[Near Mint]

As someone who grudgingly gave up on Marvel in the mid-90s, I found the following article an interesting read, attempting to place the Clone Saga in historical context:

http://www.denofgeek.us/books-comics...the-clone-saga

I debated picking up the upcoming omni, but I think it's a pass for me. Knowing that Marketing's desire to emulate AoA's success from the X-titles was a primary motivator for the drawn-out storyline, I don't anticipate finding much enjoyment in the read. Had I experienced the saga at a younger age, I'm sure nostalgia would change my mind.

Bring on ASM volume 3!

[producte]

I'm fully down for a 3 volume Clone Saga Omni.
As noted by another it's got some flawed arcs in there, mainly in the second half, after Peter is revealed as the Clone, but does wrap somewhat nicely. I hate they killed Ben only to later find out the Scarlet Spider moniker and character were so loved they've tried to replicate that since killing Ben. Kaine's solo title worked for 3yrs, so there's that but us Clone Saga fans want/demand the real Ben Reilly be Scarlet Spider.
Let's also not forget that Marvel had a change at the top during this, the EIC position was handed over IIRC so some upper level decisioning stretched out the CS longer than originally intended.

I see the Clone Saga as something overly hated by some, disliked on rumored principal by those who've never read it and it's now some legendary event that "no one likes" and is "all bad". It's not. No more so than a $300m grossing Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is somehow "universally panned and hated". It's not, neither is Clone Saga.

I agree. And let's not forget about all those Clone Saga TPBs that are out of print or very hard to find. That means there is a public for this saga.

[World1]

The Spider-Man Clone Saga Omnibus was printed by the European Publisher (Panini??) in Italian before IIRC.
I remember seeing a pic of it somewhere on the net but can't find one now... maybe i'm mistaken.
Can anyone confirm this and if it's a multiple volume book?

Found it:
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/books/c...2-hd_100296676

It's in French and it's a vol.2

[Ben11345]

So what's the difference between the new Age of Apocalypse trades and the old ones (If any)?

[krisis]

So what's the difference between the new Age of Apocalypse trades and the old ones (If any)?

I know that the four old volumes are totally duplicated (and then some) by the Omnibus and Companion, but I haven't compared them side by side with the new trades. Here's why it's so complicated:

- The original TPBs collected EVERYTHING AOA that had been released through 2005 chronologically by story, including prelude material and later retcons but not the Anniversary series from 2006. That meant the first volume barely scratched the actual present-day 1996 AOA story.

- The Omni jettisoned prelude material from the main book even if it was released during the original 1996 run in favor of a strict chronological presentation of the 1996 AOA timeline starting from Age of Apocalypse: Alpha to Omega as released in 2006. However, it included the other 1996 material in the Companion, as well as the other retcon material, PLUS the 2006 anniversary series.

- The new TPBs take the approach of the Omnibus and present a strict chronological story progression starting from AOA: Alpha without prelude or sideline stories, which means X-Men Chronicles and some of the retcon stories seem to be excluded entirely based on solicitcs. However, the 4th volume does include the later AOA stories that moved forward in story chronology, including the anniversary seres.

Confusing enough for you? I do own the old ones, so I can take a closer look when I'm at home and update my Events page with a definitive comparison.

[Magnum Valentino]

I don't anticipate finding much enjoyment in the read. Had I experienced the saga at a younger age, I'm sure nostalgia would change my mind.

I like the Clone Saga in general and even love parts of it, but nostalgia is a BIG big part of it. This was the entire world of Spider-Man when I first started reading comics, so I feel predisposed to defending it. Reading the 11 trades, though, I found I enjoyed a lot of it objectively, rather than subjectively. A word of advice for any potential readers, though - consider skipping any of the extra titles at the time, like Punisher/Spider-Man: Burial Plot or Funeral For An Octopus. All the extra minis (not the crucial stuff like Lost Years, Redemption etc.) flat out sucked.

[CrazyOldHermit]

First they're doing a adjective-less omni, and now they're following it up with a Clone Saga omni?

They're releasing two Spidey omnis in a year and this is what they're doing?

[kodave]

First they're doing a adjective-less omni, and now they're following it up with a Clone Saga omni?

They're releasing two Spidey omnis in a year and this is what they're doing?

Just wait for 2017's Spider-Man: One More Day Omnibus!

[manymade1]

Just wait for 2017's Spider-Man: One More Day Omnibus!

Counting down the days for this beauty.

It actually just recently occurred to me (I'm sure its been discussed already), with the reprinting of both ASM volumes this year, is that a likely sign that Vol 3 will be with us next year?

[Near Mint]

Counting down the days for this beauty.

It actually just recently occurred to me (I'm sure its been discussed already), with the reprinting of both ASM volumes this year, is that a likely sign that Vol 3 will be with us next year?

Seems like a setup for ASM Volume 3 to me, yep. They've reprinted the first two volumes of both FF and UXM near the release of their respective third volumes. Next July is movie tie-in time too!

Besides, tigereyes' annual survey named ASM Volume 3 our community's top pick last year, so now Marvel HAS to do it. (In all seriousness, though, there is an established pattern of his survey's annual #1 seeing print relatively soon after...)

[manymade1]

Besides, tigereyes' annual survey named ASM Volume 3 our community's top pick last year, so now Marvel HAS to do it. (In all seriousness, though, there is an established pattern of his survey's annual #1 seeing print relatively soon after...)

What were some of the other high scorers on the most recent survey?

[mtop2036]

His post clearly says it was 9 issues, and has now been spread across 7 chapters in the collected edition...

YUp. chapters is what was confusing to me, i got it now

[Near Mint]

What were some of the other high scorers on the most recent survey?

Here's the top ten from the 2015 survey:

#10
PUNISHER MAX BY ENNIS VOLUME 1-30

#9
DAREDEVIL BY NOCENTI & JRJR

#8
MASTER OF KUNG FU
Marvel Special Edition 15, 16 MoKF 17-51

#7
UNCANNY X-MEN
CLAREMONT and John Romita Jr

#6
ALPHA FLIGHT BY JOHN BYRNE

#5
EXCALIBUR VOLUME 1
Excalibur One Shot, 1-23, Mojo Mayhem

#4
NEW MUTANTS
Marvel Graphic Novel, MTU 100, 1-34

#3
Doctor Strange
Strange Tales 110-111, 114-168, Doctor Strange 169-179

#2
Incredible Hulk by Peter David
Vol 1 330-363

#1
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
68-99, Annuals


Of those, we know we're getting Dr. Strange and MoKF. Not too shabby, but I'd love to see PAD Hulk, New Mutants, Excalibur, and Alpha Flight. Hoping that this year's two-volume Byrne-themed omnis might lead to that Alpha Flight one soon. Was thrilled to see his Sensational She-Hulk TPB among the recently fished titles on Amazon!

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

First they're doing a adjective-less omni, and now they're following it up with a Clone Saga omni?

They're releasing two Spidey omnis in a year and this is what they're doing?

My theory on this is that they are cashing in (trying to anyway) on Spidey's appearance in Cap Civil War and the upcoming Spidey movie with these "lesser" Omnis and will eventually give us ASM somewhere down the line.

This is I believe what they did with the UXM Omni Vol. 2. With all the X-Men movies, they kept giving us various X-Men related Omnis and OHCS good and bad for what seemed like ages before we eventually got what we really wanted i.e. the UXM Omni Vol. 2.

BTW, you can count me in with the Spidey Clone Omnis.

[manymade1]

#5
EXCALIBUR VOLUME 1
Excalibur One Shot, 1-23, Mojo Mayhem

#2
Incredible Hulk by Peter David
Vol 1 330-363

Make. These. Happen. Now.