For those who felt the other day's list of DC Comics' early 2011 trade paperbacks lacked a certain "oomph," here's two doses of "oomph" for you.* Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne deluxe hardcover
Details and such on this will surely change, but right now it's listed as 224 pages. The biggest surprise here, though it shouldn't be, is the deluxe size -- since Batman RIP and Batman & Robin were both deluxe, it stands to reason that Return of Bruce Wayne should be deluxe, too. Perhaps the better question should be, when will the Batman titles stop being deluxe?
* Brightest Day Vol.1 hardcover
Rats. At twenty-six issues, I guess I was silly to think Brightest Day wouldn't be two volumes, but I really hoped it would follow 52, Countdown to Final Crisis, and Trinity in coming out in paperback. Of course, I'm disappointed because Brightest Day is the kind of series I want to read first-run, no waiting. Anyone already sure they're waiting for the paperback on this?
Looking out over the landscape of 2011 graphic novels already announced, I see a lot of hardcovers -- Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, Brightest Day ... might we be headed for a situation where all, or at least the majority, of DC's collections come out in hardcover first? What do you think of that? Are Marvel or other companies headed the same direction? I know at some point I'll have to "push back" -- with the major events in hardcover, that'll mean I might have to skip some of the marginal titles in paperback for a while.
I think Marvel are in a similar position already; I believe most of their 'top-line' books are released in the Premiere Edition HC first. However, as I've said many times (so often now, I'm sure people can guess what I'll say before I say it!) - the gap between a Marvel HC and its TP re-print is considerably shorter than the one DC imposes.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have a problem with books being released in HC first and having to wait a little bit longer to read them in TP format, if I felt I wasn't being unfairly punished for making that decision. With Marvel books, I never feel that I'm *that* far behind on major storylines because of the usual 4-5 month wait between HC and TP. If Marvel ever start increasing that gap to DC levels, I may weep.
DC's 12 month gap is an absurdity beyond measure. Not only does it make trade-waiters feel hopelessly behind the times on major stories, but it's a completely outdated way of operating in the current market. How can DC make any claim to wanting to draw in new readers when it doesn't have reasonably-priced TP collections arriving on the shelf in a timely fashion?
No, sorry, I refuse to support DC's arse-backwards trade programme. I'll be waiting for the TPs, ignoring the HCs, and hopefully others will follow suit until DC get the message.
Even on something like Return of Bruce Wayne? I guess I don't have that kind of willpower ... maybe that's why that green ring hasn't shot through my window yet ...
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to me that I should temper my note above by stating that I'd be more inclined to buy hardcovers if they were all deluxe. In the deluxe format, I feel I'm getting something for my additional money, even if it's just a larger-sized comic book (which may be perceived rather than actual value, but at least it's something). I'd sooner a deluxe Return of Bruce Wayne than a regular-size Superman: Codename: Patriot, is my current philosophy, at least.
Well, the way I look at it is this: I'm already so far behind on the Bat-books, there'd be little point in buying The Return of Bruce Wayne when it's first released in HC anyway. Hell, I only got my TP copy of Batman: R.I.P. last week!
ReplyDeleteI guess once you make the decision to go TP-only, and manage to survive the fall behind, it's much easier to stay there (though by no means less frustrating). If I'd already been reading some books in HC, I might find it harder to avoid the 'bigger' books too.
Plus, having already tied myself in knots trying to read the last couple of Supergirl trades whilst still waiting for the related Superman books to arrive in TP form, it's not something I'd want to repeat.
(BTW, is a recap page really too much to ask for, DC?)
I should point out, that in the case of big event books, I sometimes will buy the single monthly issues to keep up with the story, but I'm talking Final Crisis/Blackest Night stuff here. I'm very selective. Stuff like Flash: Rebirth and even Return of Bruce Wayne, I'll wait for.
So I'll be happy to join in the Return of Bruce Wayne discussion when I finally get to read the book in February 2012!
I could never trade-wait on amazing stuff like Morrison's Batman because you will inevitably get certain things spoiled no matter what. Morrison really designs his issues to be read serially and stewed over in the brain in the off period.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm with Gareth on this. Marvel is significantly better at the timeliness of the TPBs. You figure (for example) Dark Avengers started in January of '09 and the HC AND TPB were both available before the year ended.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, R.I.P. (a story that ended November. of 2008!) is just now getting to its softcover. It's absurd, really.
Marvel seems to be better with the time taken to put out a paperback. The flipside, however, is that anything and everything from them seems to get a damn hardcover, or at least that was the way it was when I last paid attention. Even old, old stuff is slapped in a hardback and dustjacket for sale; it's understandable for new material, but I really don't feel like waiting to read OLD material, so Marvel routinely pissed me off with that one. So with Marvel it's a nine some odd month wait from story to paperback almost across the board versus DC's policy which at least allows for B list books on down to come out in paperback straight off. Both have their pluses and negatives.
ReplyDeleteDC seems to work with the regular book policy. As in putting out a softcover close to a year after the hardcover. This is aggravating, yes, but the flipside is that it makes them more money. A lot of people just straight up cannot wait that long and will get the hardcover; then after sales die down but good, a softcover is there to mop up the rest and have staying power on book store shelves.
It annoys me from time to time - that we're closing in on the return of Bruce Wayne when we only JUST got the story that took him off the board in softcover is insane - but I'm patient enough that I win out on that fight. I look to save money with my comics so I buy only softcover with the added benefit that it looks nicer on my shelves. I'm always close to a year behind on any given story, but I honestly could give a crap. I only really mingle on blogs like this place and Iceberg Lounge anymore, so I'm out of the discussions elsewhere anyways; I got sick and tired of comics forums and the fans that tend to frequent them.
Really annoyed about Brightest Day going the Hardcover route.
ReplyDeleteI really wish now that DC had made batman and son and the black glove HC's in deluxe format to complete for all of Morrison's run. They just started doing the Deluxe stuff a year or so ago, oh well.
ReplyDeleteYou know what I think will happen with those early Morrison batman trades? Damn DC for this but I think they'll re-release Batman and Son and Black Glove in deluxe or just re-release his whole run like they did JLA.
ReplyDeleteNow, his JLA trades (all of them pretty much) were on cheap paper so I can kind of understand re-releaseing them; and the oversize deluxe editions are nice and you kind of feel like you get a little extra like collectededitions said.
The reason I hate re-releases is because I bought those early JLA trades and then I re-bought the deluxe editions when they came out. I don't like when I do that but they are nice and I did end up selling most of them online. I can't believe they're re-releasing Hush again. How bout re-releasing some current stuff: Dini's early run on detective; I enjoyed his run just as much as morrison. I can't believe detective and death and the city are selling like they're out of print.
I mad at the flash 2010 secret files I picked up. DC is not good about collecting these secret files issues - at least in the past - I picked it up because I didn't think they'd include it in the TPB and sure enough, the day after I bought the issue collectededitions posted 2011 trades and that secret files issue was going to be in the trade.
I was a TPB only guy but wanted to try a monthly so I started with BaR (still follow), GL #43 and BN #1 (dropped these two after those issues); and now I'm following RoBW. I'm not a fan of monthlies after trying it; I like getting the story in one sitting. Once RoBW is finished, I'm done with monthlies. If I can go back I never would have tried the monthly.
Agree with all comments- my god do DC make you wait for collections, it just means by the time a collection does come out that i have lost a lot of that initial excitement i had for the story.
ReplyDeleteI am a HC freak so don't mind that MArvel and DC release HC's first, but the way i see it going for me is electronic. I would imagine in just a few years time i will download most new comics on an ipad or something, and only buy hard copy collections of my favourite stories. It will solve my issue of almost HAVING to wait for collections which i have to do now as i live in Europe and access to single issue comics on the week of release is difficult and expensive.
My only other issue is because DC and MArvel books (Marvel much more in this case) often tie in so much together, if you are up to date with one character it will often mean you get spoilers for the other characters which i hate. Its a clever marketing ploy to make you read everything basically.
My last issue is with the reading order of a collection. Say Blackest night- if like me you will read this in collected form, how will you do it? Read the core 8 issue collection then the tie ins? Because from what i hear that will ruin the story- therefore i'd love a reading list order to read all the collections in. Yes that might be annoying in that you are flipping from one issue in one collection to the others and back, but at least you then read the story how the single issue readers read it. Any ideas on this? I guess you could just list the dates all issues were released....
yeah, I'm also so far behind that I can afford to wait for paperback. and THEN wait for that to be on sale or on ebay for cheap.
ReplyDeleteThe one benefit of being nowhere near caught up, haha
@Tom, even with the issue release dates it's still confusing. I've just given up and tried to come up with a best possible order for crossovers.. and then just fill in the blanks in my head. I don't tend to sit with a stack of books - I'll take one with me to read on my work break or in bed.. so I do my best. It is frustrating though - I don't care if they release it in Vol. 1-10, I'd rather have that and everything in order then spread across 10 themed trades each vol. 1 and 2.
Marvel is way better than DC in his TP Policy and everyone´s is happy. DC is retarded in many things. TPB is one of them, For Gosh sake All Star Superman Vol II was released on feb 10 more than a year after the first TPB. That´s not a good way to treat a costumer.
ReplyDeleteAnd they should have released the whole 12 issues in one TP.
I'm also well enough behind (in the Countdown to Final Crisis books) that I should be able to wait for Blackest Night and Brightest Day in softcover.
ReplyDeleteI picked up the little Blackest Night checklists at my local comic store while the event was ongoing, because I knew I'd have to flip back and forth between the trades. You can download the first 2 (of 3) checklists from DC's site:
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/greenlantern/?action=checklist
I may fall out of line here, buuuuuuuuuuut I freakin' LOVE Hardcovers! If I had my will I also would have a Red Robin Hardcover. I just like them so much more than tpbs because I really do appreciate the look and feel of a hardcover book. So, I won't be complaining about that. Only thing I hate is that marvel puts out hcs or tpbs of their current storys 3 months after the story wrapped. Dc waits much longer.
ReplyDeleteIn the "Codename Patriot" thread, I said that I view the hardcovers as an investment, that they will be more durable and last longer than a standard TPB.
ReplyDeleteBut I also think DC Comics...
1.) Has gone hardcover happy.
2.) Has a ridiculous release policy for HC's and TPB's. Marvel's got the edge and DC needs to adapt if they want to stay ahead of the competition.
I'm of two minds. I agree that DC has gone hardcover happy -- Brightest Day in hardcover, launching the new Flash series in hardcover, starting Superboy in hardcover -- but I also know it's my-ish fault -- if I and we didn't buy them, DC would have no reason to publish them.
ReplyDeleteI put my foot down with certain hardcovers -- Dini's Detective, Green Lantern Corps -- and maybe that's the way to stem the tide, by only buying hardcovers when you agree the series really deserves it. My guess is the newest Green Lantern series will also be in hardcover, and that's probably one that I'll wait for paperback. Not Brightest Day, though -- I'm too weak!
Tom, I gauge my reading order in those situations terms of what's going to net me the fewest spoilers. Yes, reading Blackest Night first will probably spoil some aspects of Rise of the Black Lanterns, for instance, but I know the story wouldn't make any sense at all if I read Rise first, so that's a lock for me. Indeed it will sometimes be confusing -- see Tales of the Sinestro Corps, which lives fitfully between the pages of that series' other two volumes.
Most definitely will be waiting for Brightest Day TPB. I mean, once I start earning money again, I know I'm going to get Tales of Sinestro Corps and SC Wars Book 2, but with Blackest Night, I'll wait for the paperback, because I'm not shelling out one price for 2 parts of a story (considering Rebirth, SCW, and BN are considered a trilogy) and another, higher price for the 3rd. That's just ridiculous.
ReplyDeletePlus, I'm a freak about book size. The parts of GL I have, I have in TPB, so I'm going to keep buying them in TPB format, because it'd look really weird.
And, as the sequel to BN, Brightest Day will be bought by me the same way. In paperback. Because that's how I like it.
Probably rambling a bit but you get my point!
I actually don't mind hardbacks - they're more durable and they sit well on the shelf. I find paperbacks damage too easily. I just wish that everything was available in hardback. Johns' Flash run, for example, or the early books in the relaunched Green Lantern Corps.
ReplyDeleteI'm much more discerning about hardcovers nowadays. Anything by Grant Morrison gets an automatic purchase, so the Bruce Wayne stuff is a no-brainer.
ReplyDeleteAs for DC getting hardcover-happy, I'd point to Wonder Woman, which had been getting the hardcover treatment for years since its relaunch, but have eased back into softcover starting from Rise of the Olympians. To me, at least, they do seem to be paying attention to the market when deciding whether or not they can get away with releasing a hardcover. It annoys me too that Brightest Day will be a HC, but the fact is a LOT of people will buy it.
Anyone bought the WEDNESDAY COMICS hardcover? Gorgeously designed; DC can be magnificent at book design when they really want to.
Having said that, DC has room to improve. Releasing the Golden Age MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL years after Jeff Smith's Shazam! run comes out? That was just stupid, and I'm sure DC missed out on easy money.
Nothing but hardcovers for this guy. I like the way they fit/sit and look on my bookshelf. I no longer have to worry about buying/bagging/boarding and storing single issues and trying to purchase TPBs that are in good condition (hardcovers last longer and are less flimsy). The only exception I have made is for the older Grant Morrison Flash titles, Robin TPBs, Batman War Games and Brubaker Daredevil collection since I cannot stand the 1,000,000,000 page 300lb omnibus. Because of my hardcover rule I had to stop collecting Thor since Marvel put the latest title in pb form. So Batman, GL, Superman, Captain America, Daredevil and Invincible Iron Man.
ReplyDeleteSince Batman: Year One is set to be the next animated DC movie, I hope they reprint that story on deluxe hardcover. I missed it back when it was released in 2005.
ReplyDelete...and i'm all for Dini's Detective+Death and the City in hardcover too!
I personally buy everything in hardcover when available, as I wrap the dustjackets in Brodart library paper before putting 'em on the shelf. I'll occasionally even upgrade a title previously only released in paperback if it's something I deem important enough (i.e. the new Seven Soldiers HCs) and then sell or give the paperbacks away to friends. I have no problem with DC adopting Marvel's HC-first policy, and further wish they'd adopt a few more of Marvel's collection practices (like waiting for a story's run to complete rather than issuing it in seperate trades as "part 1" & "part 2", etc.!)
ReplyDeleteI've never used that library binding material. It's like an invisible shield of sorts, right? What do you find in terms of warping or if it's affected by humidity?
ReplyDeleteQuestion, Mike: Where do you FIND this library paper?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shopbrodart.com/supplies/book-and-magazine-protection/book-jacket-covers/adjustable/
ReplyDeleteA large used bookstore near my house started carrying graphic novels a few years ago and wrapping them in these exact dust jacket covers orderable in varying quantities from this company that invented them decades ago. There's been no warping or humidity-related damage to any of them for the years I've been using the covers; when I get home from work later tonight I'll find the exact product code of the kind I've been ordering! (Which in turn I got from the type the bookstore had been using)