TPB or the actual comic book?

[NoMan]

Let's say you're deciding to re-read a run of comics and you can get decent reading copies for 2 or 3 bucks each, do you opt for the actual comic or do you get a TPB reprint book?

 

I've done booth: bought the comic and bought the TPB reprints. I like the smell of the comic paper and it's great to read the original ads.

 

Re-reading the entire run of Moon Knight and opted for the comics themselves.

[Jeffro.]

For cheap stuff - always the original comics

For not cheap stuff - trades

 

I also prefer the originals because many comics have back up features that do not get collected into the trade. For example, I have a couple Sgt Rock archives and they're great but they only have the Rock stories in them.

[Ken Aldred]

Trade paperbacks or hardcovers, preferably discounted.

 

I don't really have a great fondness for newsprint odour.

[oakman29]

Trade paperbacks or hardcovers, preferably discounted.

 

I don't really have a great fondness for newsprint odour.

 

Really? That odor is why I would rather read the actual comic, just takes me back every time.

[Gunnz]

I read the TPB all the time. Easier, plus they usually have extra art or something. I collect single books if there is a significant event, or first appearance or something.

[shadroch]

Omnis, if available. I like the larger size.

[FineCollector]

Reading copies. I want to read them as they were originally presented, I don't want glossy pages and recolored art. Ads, colors, smells, letters pages, promo ads... it's all part of the experience.

[romanheart]

For modern copies it's hard to justify paying $3 or more for a book unless there is something special about it. It's better to wait for a volume or tpb even digitally. You might want to pick an issue or two up just to see if you like it.

[Brian48]

I prefer the trades, especially HCs, but have collected runs I really like.

[jools&jim]

 

Reading copies. I want to read them as they were originally presented, I don't want glossy pages and recolored art. Ads, colors, smells, letters pages, promo ads... it's all part of the experience.

 

 

[porcupine48]

Trade paperbacks or hardcovers, preferably discounted.

 

I don't really have a great fondness for newsprint odour.

 

Really? That odor is why I would rather read the actual comic, just takes me back every time. [/quote

ditto]

[01TheDude]

TPBs are cool for reading a good story line. Collecting the books is fun for that too but also in many other ways mentioned by many above.

 

My answer is simply "it depends". It would be great to have the originals but too often that is not easy to do budget wise.

[Ken Aldred]

Trade paperbacks or hardcovers, preferably discounted.

 

I don't really have a great fondness for newsprint odour.

 

Really? That odor is why I would rather read the actual comic, just takes me back every time.

ditto

 

I know it seems surprising that I'd have this preference.

 

The problem for me is that newsprint odour brings back a lot of bad, associated memories: my school years in the 70s and 80s weren't particularly enjoyable, without getting too dark about it all.

 

Also, I find newsprint and its odour physically irritating ; one consequence of being autistic.

 

I prefer to read well-remastered reprints, which allow me to enjoy the stories and art again without any such taint.

[miraclemet]

More modern books? I'd rather just have the trade. Easier to carry around, easier to read multiple issues in a row. Dont have to deal with bags/boards, or taping/untaping (if you do).

 

Older stuff that I've had on the cheep that I love? I do the best of both worlds. I buy the run (did this with Atari Force for example) on the cheap, less than $1/book) Have a book binder bind the run (20-30 issues in one hardcover) and then I can enjoy the original paper quality, the art as it was intended for the paper type, the letters pages, some of the ads)

[nocutename]

It depends. I love trades because they are so much easier to access on my book shelf. They smell just as good as a comic, if you get the non-shiny paper ones. But for older material, nothing beats the original. I get the reprints if the original is too expensive but I love reading all my comic books. Nothing is spared at least for one read anyway.

[dupont2005]

I've jumped ship to fancy hardcovers. If it has a slipcase I'm in. I don't like stacks of longboxes of bagged and boarded comics I have to constantly organize as my collection fluctuates. There's still those series I like to have the floppies of, but I don't buy any new series in floppies anymore. Nothing that isn't small press anyway. Right now I'm only interested in Bronze Age mags and fancy hardcovers.

[sterlingcomics]

I've done both, depending on title. I have TPBs of comics I own (but may be raw or certified) and I also have TPBs of comics I would never own but want to read.

[Jking3437]

Omnis, if available. I like the larger size.

 

This . The only floppy I still buy is the walking dead . Most my books are graded also

[tmcneil82]

Floppies all the way for me, unless its crazy expensive to get a reader copy (SA keys) then I'll settle for trades. I really have an almost irrational hatred of TPBs though.

 

 

[Ebel 1911]

Trades for me because I can be clumsy & easily fold or rip indidual copies. However there's nothing like the smell of Bronze Age & earlier comics!