Trade-Waiting For Godot
WetRats
Posts: 6,314
OK. I have made the transition I once railed against.
I have become one of them--a Trade-Waiter.
There are still a few books I pick up in the monthlies to make sure they continue, but they pile up unread. I'm over a year behind on Silver Surfer and Astro City (both of which I love).
But I'm reading trades. I like the format better. I really do.
I know I'll get big revelations and plot twists spoiled sometimes, but considering how hard it is to really surprise me after 40+ years of reading comics, I don't really care.
I'd like to use this thread as a place to discuss the things I'm reading behind the curve.
Fellow TWs, please join in.
I have become one of them--a Trade-Waiter.
There are still a few books I pick up in the monthlies to make sure they continue, but they pile up unread. I'm over a year behind on Silver Surfer and Astro City (both of which I love).
But I'm reading trades. I like the format better. I really do.
I know I'll get big revelations and plot twists spoiled sometimes, but considering how hard it is to really surprise me after 40+ years of reading comics, I don't really care.
I'd like to use this thread as a place to discuss the things I'm reading behind the curve.
Fellow TWs, please join in.
Comments
Holy Cats.
Talk about Pure Comic-y Goodness™.
I love the tone. I love the art. I love the unapologetic silliness.
More please.
I just finished Sandman Mystery Theatre vol 1 containing the first 12 issues. It was great.
Right now I am reading the first volume of the IDW Dick Tracy archives.
I'll still pick up one or two issues of a new series just to see if I'm interested in picking up the trade when it comes out. And then there's things like Supergirl where if she's in it, I'm picking it up.
What I'm really loving as far as DC trades go these days is the repackaging of the series I enjoyed from the 80s and 90s. Mike Grell's Green Arrow run, Infantino's (AND David's) Supergirl runs, etc.
About the only issue I have these days with trade-waiting is I have limited space on the bookshelf, money that needs to go to other things (when did I *ever* give a crap about getting new cabinets in the kitchen?!? :) ), and the onset of old-age where I just don't want as much clutter. A book has to work three times as hard for me to consider getting it these days.
Ms. Marvel is one of my favorites, and I have read it exclusively in trades.
I started reading Spider-Man again with the Superior storyline, and have continued to really enjoy what Slott is doing. (I consider Renew Your Vows one of the best Spider-Man stories in years.)
Greg Rucka's Lazarus is another series I follow strictly in trade, and almost gave in to the temptation of floppy purchase now that I'm caught up, but then I saw my teetering "to-read" stack and regained perspective.
1 - one sourcebook per volume of the aforementioned Absolute Essential Omnibus.
2 - a specific collection for sourcebooks. Hock is coming.
Either way, even if the hardcover collections are including all of back matter from the floppies, the responses to the letters are well worth the price of the floppies. I probably spend almost as much time on those 3-4 pages as I do on the rest of the book. Also, the in-story ads on the back covers are equally entertaining.
I'm trade waiting the new Vision series, but didn't want to get the 1-6 volume one because I knew the run would be limited once Tom King went exclusive to DC. So I avoid spoilers, knowing it will eventually be collected as one HC (or at least one trade).
But I am a trade-waiter as well. I have a short to medium list of runs I'm waiting on in a note on my iPhone.
I'm still not going digital with my comics. As long as my fantastic LCS stays in business, they will have my loyalty.
I'm of two minds when it comes to trade-waiting. On the one hand, because the only titles I read anymore are non-Big Two, I feel guilty not supporting the books I feel really need the help. On the other hand, indies and smaller press books tend to have more inconsistent release schedules and there are so many I find interesting, so I'd rather have the option to buy and read them when it suits me rather than overwhelming myself financially and having to endure delays in shipping anyway.
I prefer to avoid purchasing online if I can, so in the end I simply make my rounds to various comic shop cheap bins, flea markets, thrift stores and book store discount racks to buy whatever trades are available.
After all, with a little bit of patience I can avoid spending $3.99 an issue and instead spend $5 or less on a used or discounted trade.
This used to be a mild issue with me. Now though with how much is released (and rereleased)It seems ridiculous to give it any concern. I was looking at my Avengers collections and there are Omnibus, Masterworks, essentials, epic, and just regular hardcovers and trades. No consistency at all.
DC:
Batman Legacy
Mark Waid's Flash vol 2
Justice League: Breakdowns
Legionnaries
Who is Wonder Woman
Young Justice vol 1 (Peter David)
Superman: Man of Twomorrow (first Triangle stories). Not sure why is this a hardcover when everyother post COIE, pre Infinite Crisis Superman edition has been in paperback with the exception of the Death & Return of Superman Omnibus.
The Silver Age Doom Patrol Omnibus - with a DCBS discount, this is a steal. I do have concerns though. Does this era of Doom Patrol have enough interest for this book to get enough pre orders to avoid cancellations? I know that material has already been released before in the Archives so maybe the financial risks are not as great to DC. Also, with this being 1000 pages, if DC goes cheap with production, this could be an unweldy gutter loss mess.
Marvel:
Black Widow vol 2
Steve Rogers Capt America vol 2
Capt America Secret Empire
There are Epic Collections for early Avengers, X Men, and Capt America. I already have the material for these in other collected editions.
Avengers #200: This is the wacky Ms. Marvel story that will probably only bring negative publicity if published. I doubt it will see the light of day anytime soon. It may be in a black & essential. Not sure. The Avengers Marvel Master works series will be up to issue #177 this summer.
Batman #400: My guess the reason that this has not been published in trade is that it is a royalty issue since so many people worked on the issue. I remember getting this issue as a kid and loving it.
All Star Squadron: They released a black and white showcase volume and a couple cross over issues in a infinity inc collection but no effort to release the series on its own in color. Suprising since DC has published/is publishing other JSA stuff. The America vs the JSA miniseries was released and the Last Days of the JSA is solicited. That is about as far out of continuity as you can get now.
Bronze Age Wonder Woman: After the end of the Twelve Labors trade (issue #222 in 1976) none of the series is collected until the Post Crisis Perez reboot. That is about 10 years and 107 issues in a void.
Amazing Spiderman #283-288: #283 ties into the Avengers Under Seige Storyline and #284-288 is the Gang War story. I have no idea why these are not collected. Marvel has published Amazing Spider Man editions all around these issues multiple times.
Legion 5 Years Later: I am hopeful that this is in the works. It looks like DC is going to publish a bunch of Legion stuff this year. While I have not seen this on the schedule yet, I think it has a shot.
The original Arion run
The original Amethyst run (they DID do a showcase, but I want color!)
The original Captain Carrot run (see Amethyst, above)
The complete Ambush Bug (see Amethyst, above)
The complete 'Mazing Man run
Here's one from roughly that same time period, Blue Devil. The first year was really well regarded at the time (basing this on articles and award nominations at the time).
DC has been mining the 80s well for a while now and it seems like some of these could show up if they wanted to make a nostalgia buck...assuming there's a nostalgia buck to be made.