Goodbye Masterworks?

[jbud73]

While I do own several Masterworks volumes, I greatly prefer the Essentials series. IMO, the Masterworks re-coloring is very distracting. I think the bright, glossy pages pull you out of the silver age reading experience as well. For a lot less money, the Essentials give you more stories and a very acceptable rendition of the line art.

 

I'm with you on this one. The Essential books are fantastic. I love reading all the old stories for very little money. It's great to read stories like Tomb of Dracula, Frankenstein Monster, Defenders, etc. without having to buy the old issues or reprint books.

 

Ditto for me, I just finished reading the first 3 Essential TODs for the price of about one Masterwork. Man that was a great run by Wolfman and Colan.

[Mr. Zipper]

low grade readers or the squarebounds mentioned above (Marvel Tales, Marvel Collectors Item Classics, etc), and sit on the couch on a Sunday afternoon and read them, complete with the old cheesy ads, Stans Bullpen hyperbole, and of course, the letters sections. Do the CDs have that?

 

Yes. The CDs contain the complete books, cover to cover including ads, letter pages, etc. You won't get this from the Masterworks or the reprint books such as Marvel Tales, etc.

 

Regarding Masterworks... As much as I like the QUALITY of the presentation (hardcover, heavy slick pages, etc.), the actual art reproduction is poor, IMO. The whiter than white whites and garish re-coloring often bears little resemblance to the originals. In this regard, I prefer the creamy off whites of the CD scans or the reprint issues.

 

Well, I will continue to buy the Chronicles of Conan or perhaps the Barnes & Noble softcover versions of the Masterworks, but at retail prices of $35+, I just can't justify the MM hardcovers when exponentially less expensive alternatives exist.

[Fan4Fan]

My favorite reprints for early Marvel silver age are still Marvel Tales and Collector's Items Classics. Sitting down with a nice copy is almost as enjoyable as reading the real thing.

 

Agreed...the format of these was the best way to read early Marvel in my opinion...

 

Jim

 

Here, here. Just got a batch of Collectors Item Classics.

 

The unfortunate thing was that these (at least the later Marvel's Greatest) had panels removed. So, not quite a complete story.

 

As for the original question... since I work in front of a computer all day, that is the last thing place I want to be to read a comic.

 

However, I do agree that the Masterworks should have gone with less glossy paper (like the DC Archives).

 

And I might get the FF collection at some point to fulfill my completist desires...

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Fan4Fan]

Well, I will continue to buy the Chronicles of Conan or perhaps the Barnes & Noble softcover versions of the Masterworks, but at retail prices of $35+, I just can't justify the MM hardcovers when exponentially less expensive alternatives exist.

 

Unfortunately, I believe the B&N softcover Masterworks will not be extended to cover the rest of the hardcover line...