All New Marvel Collected Editions

[Pete Wisdom]

Amazon finally shows what this Spider-Man: Tombstone Volume 1 contains:

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) 137-150, MATERIAL FROM SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL 8

Yeah, they added that last week. I intend to find out how this run reads without the other title, because that might be a deal-breaker.

[mike1981]

Luxury items like an omnibus -- "luxury" b/c of the price -- should not require the kind of upkeep you're talking about.

"Many regular books need this as well." (??). I don't know what this means. If by regular you mean OHCs, I haven' t seen that kind of problem yet. If by regular you mean hardcover novels, well no, they don't.

I mean, come on: if you're going to charge these kinds of omnibus prices, you should be producing books that will hold together on their own w/o cardboard or wads of sticky-notes under the page block. Good lord, it sounds ridiculous. And if that means smaller volumes, so be it.

Producing an 1100-1200 page volume that will collapse under its own weight in a few years is just wrong. But, hey, if you want to buy that kind of product and spend the time and resources on propping it up, more to power to you. I'm sure that's the same thinking in Marvel's Sales Dept.

A sagging book block is hardly detrimental to the actual structure of the book; it's just that most people who collect these types of hardcovers care about their condition.

It's not that these are poorly put together, either; it's physics. Any hardcover, from mass market novels to high end collectibles, will sag in the page block.

[sho nuff]

Especially with a sewn binding that is intentionality flexible.

[DrGregatron]

Right, but if you're replacing the headlights twice a year and spending lots of time working on your new car, then maybe your car sucks.
For $125, this book should last me decades. I have textbooks that cost less and are 45 years old. And they're massive hardcovers.

Amen to that! Marvel hardcovers just aren't very well made for the huge sticker price.

[grahamgg]

Yeah, they added that last week. I intend to find out how this run reads without the other title, because that might be a deal-breaker.

It will read fine. Back in the day subplots routinely flowed from one title to the other (in this case Spec over to Web and back), but the books weren't unreadable without the other like they are today (Avengers over to New Avengers and back, etc).

What I'm curious about is what the theoretical vol 2 will contain. I imagine they'll run from Spec 151-157 and butt up nicely to the Cosmic Adventures TP. Maybe some of the Web of issues will be included in vol 2 as well.

[SevDelta]

And we will see how omnibus' with or without support measure up in another 30 years on that time scale. Page sagging on books like this can't be a new phenomenon exclusive to Marvel omnibus', I personally don't comprehend that an 1/8" sag is going to completely destroy the binding on these books. If you are a collector who prizes condition to that degree that's fine but for the collector reader on these boards I think this issue is a tad over worried.

I ended up selling both my Wolverine Omnibus Volume 1 and my Thor by Simonson Omnibus because both were horribly sagged and you could see where it had started to tear off the spine. These books were still shrinkwrapped and I keep all my stuff pristine. They hadn't even been handled but maybe twice since I bought them. I sold them (buyer knew they were sagging) so that hopefully in the future they get re-released in a better quality. That future looks dim, though.

[SJNeal]

Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Man or Monster? (Vol. 1) - collects INCREDIBLE HULK (1962) 1-6; FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) 12, 25-26; AVENGERS (1963) 1-3, 5; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) 14; TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) 59; JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1952) 112

Maybe someone more well-versed in Hulk history can help me out here -

I've been procrastinating on pulling the trigger on starting the Hulk MMW, and now I'm wondering if I should just go with the Epics. MMW vol. 1 is pretty thin and only contains the first six issues of Incredible Hulk, so I'm wondering if the rest of these issues listed are just filler or actually worth it?

[GenericUserName12]

Here some pics of my three biggest HC books. The Thor and Infinite Crisis I've had for three years stored upright with no padding and the Shakespeare I've had for much longer. It's a 35 year old book and stored upright for at least 10 years. Theres definite sagging from all three books, but honestly not enough where I'm worried. I'm definitely no expert in the matter, but just thought I'd throw in a few pics for the discussion.

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[TomSlick]

"Many regular books need this as well." (??). I don't know what this means. If by regular you mean OHCs, I haven' t seen that kind of problem yet. If by regular you mean hardcover novels, well no, they don't.

No, I was talking about regular - non comic - books of hefty volume. And yes, they do sag. I've got plenty. Apparently you don't. I'm not trying to be a dick, but I don't see why you can't accept that books are going to sag. It's physics. Either stick something under them or don't. I do and it takes no time at all and I haven't thought once about it until this discussion arose.

It's not that these are poorly put together, either; it's physics. Any hardcover, from mass market novels to high end collectibles, will sag in the page block.

Exactly.

Here some pics of my three biggest HC books. The Thor and Infinite Crisis I've had for three years stored upright with no padding and the Shakespeare I've had for much longer. It's a 35 year old book and stored upright for at least 10 years. Theres definite sagging from all three books, but honestly not enough where I'm worried. I'm definitely no expert in the matter, but just thought I'd throw in a few pics for the discussion.

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'nuff said.

[Peter Parker]

Have I been staring too long or is the "Streets of Poison" title on the spine bolder than the titles of the other Epics?

[SJNeal]

Have I been staring too long or is the "Streets of Poison" title on the spine bolder than the titles of the other Epics?

It's bolder. Try not to stare though, that's rude.

[grahamgg]

Maybe someone more well-versed in Hulk history can help me out here -

I've been procrastinating on pulling the trigger on starting the Hulk MMW, and now I'm wondering if I should just go with the Epics. MMW vol. 1 is pretty thin and only contains the first six issues of Incredible Hulk, so I'm wondering if the rest of these issues listed are just filler or actually worth it?

Yes, Hulk MMW v1 only contains the original six issue series. While they're great from a historical perspective, and #1 is one of my all time favorite comics, you can tell they were still trying to figure out the character. One issue he was gray, then green the next. One issue he spoke in full sentences, another issue he was completely silent & mentally controlled by Rick Jones. Another issue he had Banner's brain, in one issue he could fly, etc. Even his transformations were scattershot. At first he changed with the setting/rising of the sun, then via gamma ray gun whenever Banner needed to change. In one issue he completely changed except for his head! To summarize: The content was all over the place. That being said, it's still goofy silver age fun and I really like those issues.

So it's not really all that surprising in retrospect the first Hulk series did not catch on and was cancelled after six issues. As the story goes, Stan received fan mail from college kids who had picked up the Hulk as their dorm mascot. So to keep the character around, Stan started putting him in other books whenever he could fit him in. After his series was cancelled the Hulk popped up in FF #12, Spidey #14 of all places, then they stuck him in Avengers for the first few issues. I'm perfectly happy that they are collecting all of his scattered early appearances, in order, for the post-IH #6, pre-TTA era. In my opinion the non-IH issues included in the upcoming Epic v1 are absolutely worth it. I'm really glad to finally have them all in one place, in the correct historical reading order.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I've got the Byrne F F Visionary tpb, volume 3-8. Is upgrading to the Omnibus worth it? Volume 0-2 of the visionary series works out to a chunk of cash anyways.

[Rimmer]

Maybe someone more well-versed in Hulk history can help me out here -

I've been procrastinating on pulling the trigger on starting the Hulk MMW, and now I'm wondering if I should just go with the Epics. MMW vol. 1 is pretty thin and only contains the first six issues of Incredible Hulk, so I'm wondering if the rest of these issues listed are just filler or actually worth it?

My two cents, but FF 25-26 is AWESOME. Flat out awesome. Especially 26 with the Avengers. I would get this book for that ('cept I already have all these issues in other formats...)

[grahamgg]

I've got the Byrne F F Visionary tpb, volume 3-8. Is upgrading to the Omnibus worth it? Volume 0-2 of the visionary series works out to a chunk of cash anyways.

A couple years ago? Yes. You could have gotten the Omni for dirt cheap. I remember seeing copies <$30. Now? Not sure. Depends on how cheap you can find the TPs.