All New Marvel Collected Editions

[legion_quest]

Regular thread-readers may recall I issued a survey back in July asking for your top picks for new comic guides. To my complete surprise, a Thanos Guide was the overwhelming top vote. Honestly, I only threw him in to add some variety!

Thus, I'm very happy to let you know that The Definitive Thanos Collecting Guide and Reading Order is live at Crushing Krisis!

This guide is unique from my typical efforts for a number of reasons. First, it's my first guide for a villain! Second, though he didn't have his own title until the 2000s, Thanos's significant appearances are pretty darn close to 100% collected. I showed the breakdown in a blog post earlier this week - the only stragglers are a handful of the tie-ins to Infinity War and Infinity Crusade.

However, the biggest difference with this guide is the amount of guiding it does. Since Thanos mostly exists out of his own book, it's hard to know what's an important appearance what's just a cameo. You don't want to track down an issue to find out Thanos is only in a single panel! That's why I reviewed the contents of the vast majority of issues that profess to contain Thanos - everything from his Daredevil cameos to a mid-90s Silver Surfer graphic novel to every on-panel appearance he's made in the past decade.

If you're a Thanos fan, what are your favorite stories? Do you prefer Starlin's early Thanos, Infinity trilogy scenery-chewing Thanos, Cosmic Powers, fighting Thor, Infinity Abyss, Annihilation, Imperative, in Marvel now under the pens of Brian Bendis and Jonathan Hickman, or back with Starlin in his new Infinity Saga?

lunatik #1 - It's a two page pointless cameo by Thanos, just to try and build Lunatik up

[krisis]

lunatik #1 - It's a two page pointless cameo by Thanos, just to try and build Lunatik up

Thank you!!! I was pretty crafty in tracking down some of the other obscure ones online, but that eluded me.

When can we normally expect the new collection solicitations from hatchet?

I forget the exact schedule, but it's something like at the beginning of two quarters preceding - we got Jan-April Hachette in July. So, I think we can expect April-July Hachette next month? Time flies.

[Near Mint]

I forget the exact schedule, but it's something like at the beginning of two quarters preceding - we got Jan-April Hachette in July. So, I think we can expect April-July Hachette next month? Time flies.

Last year, it was posted on December 8th, so I wouldn't expect May-Aug 2017 until at least late November.

[legion_quest]

Thank you!!! I was pretty crafty in tracking down some of the other obscure ones online, but that eluded me.

No worries, glad to help. Your guides have helped me so much, it's nice to give something back to them, even if only a tiny thing!

[Russ840]

Thanks guys

[The Flicker Fade]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. This forum is full of examples of Marvel omnibus collections with rapidly sagging spines, unglued ribbons upon arrival, holes in pages, etc. I really don't think these things are built to last, and I've had smaller Marvel hardcovers fall apart on me as well. Both copies of Kraven's Last Hunt had pages falling out. Why? I handled them like delicate eggs.

On the other hand, how much damage can a floppy receive when bagged in a strong mylar sleeve for 90% of its life?

A lot of it comes down to the individual and the handling of their collections, but this is how I see mine standing the test of time.

Floppies from the 80s are already 30 years old (that's not even that long ago with comics). Now add another 30 years. If you think that paper is holding up even in a mylar bag, you're wrong. It's not acid free. It chemically changes. It wasn't made to last. And that's damage you can't repair. Sagging spines on hardcovers are a minor cosmetic issue and can be prevented with proper storage, which is much easier than storing comics properly. Even if you don't store it properly it doesn't substantially affect the book in any way. Unglued ribbons can be simply, easily, and fully fixed with bookbinder's glue. So can loose pages, for that matter. Balance that against the unfixable, substantive rather than cosmetic destructive ravages of time against the materials old floppies were printed with, and there's no meaningful comparison.

I think you're categorically wrong about this, and heading for disappointment down the line if you pursue it. Unless you just specifically like reading comic books as comic books, which many people do, and hey, I get that. But replacing hardcovers with floppies expecting they'll hold up better over time is speaking crazy talk.

[Ivan P91]

I've just started reading the Avengers Standoff OHC, not a good sign when the first page I read (the contents) has 9 of the 10 credits mispelling "Writer" as "Wrtier". Reminds me of Hopeless becoming Hopelss on the Spider-Verse spine (hopeless indeed).

[harrycuong]

X-men War of Kings omnibus.

TB2NKp7bX_AQeBjSZFBXXX22XXa_!!88775388.jpg

[krisis]

I know I don't need that (and the other two WOK omnibuses) because I have *all* the material AND they are on Marvel Unlimited AND it's an easy way to save $210 and 10" of shelf space, but OMG DO I WANT THOSE BOOKS.

[legion_quest]

Oh no, no no no no no.

I really dislike that spine. It isn't going to look right on the shelf at all.

You cannot have a wrap-a-round spine like that on the DJ. Leave it to the boards.

[Iron Fist]

X-men War of Kings omnibus.

TB2NKp7bX_AQeBjSZFBXXX22XXa_!!88775388.jpg

jesus, that's a terrible dust jacket choice. they didn't even put a transparent colour over the spine to darken it.

[OldManBrian]

Maybe I'm wrong, but that looks like the printed cover to me, not the dust jacket. I think it looks excellent, but I agree it wouldn't look right if it was the jacket.

[TomSlick]

Maybe I'm wrong, but that looks like the printed cover to me, not the dust jacket. I think it looks excellent, but I agree it wouldn't look right if it was the jacket.

I don't think so. Look at the bottom corner spine and you can see that the jacket has crept up to reveal the cover.

[OldManBrian]

I don't think so. Look at the bottom corner spine and you can see that the jacket has crept up to reveal the cover.

I just can't tell for sure, I'm zooming in on a kindle fire, but it just doesn't look like there is a jacket on there. This would be disappointing if that's the jacket though.

[Kowfish]

X-men War of Kings omnibus.

TB2NKp7bX_AQeBjSZFBXXX22XXa_!!88775388.jpg

That looks amazing. Probably awkward when lined up on a shelf next to the rest of the spines, but beautiful nonetheless.