Should I make the switch to trades?

[Mr. Spider-Woman]

I have been weighing this question recently and the question is, should I give up entirely buying modern comics off the rack and instead wait for the trade? I do not read that many comics -- I have my subscriptions to FF and Cap through Marvel (which is not ideal, I admit) -- so not all that much would be changing, come to think of it. I just am not able to get out to the LCS every week. The only good one is close to half an hour away. To be totally honest, I was not even able to get out often enough to keep up with Civil War last summer.

 

So, would it behoove me to just stop trying and wait for the trades? I suppose the only real consideration is price. For example, take Civil War. I have the first three issues. The trade goes for $25. The remaining four issues would probably run me roughly $12, give or take, meaning the trade would be more expensive. Same goes for the Front Line trades. On the plus side, I can get the trades at Borders or Barnes & Noble (woe for my LCS). Or potentially somewhere else, discounted.

 

In the end, I suppose it comes down to whether or not the individual comic book -- the feel of it, even the ads -- is more important than just the story. And I am just not sure.

[seank]

Does your LCS have a saver program? With that, you can keep up with titles and not worry about going every week. I sometimes hit my own LCS biweekly. As long as you keep showing up, they shouldn't mind you skipping weeks.

 

As far as trades go, for me, it depends on the title. For FF, I want the individual books because they're part of a run. Fables I came to late and did the trade thing. 100 Bullets I started with the comics, but recently went to trades. The series is going to end with 100 so at some point I'll have the entire story sitting on my bookshelf.

 

One benefit of trades is that they're easy to store (no bags and boards) and if you don't want them anymore, you can donate them to the library.

[drice6900]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

 

Some links:

 

DCBS (I use and love)

 

mailorder comics

 

And Comic Supply (don't have link, but they are a board member)

[Sid]

I'm going for essentials and showcases but not too much modern trades unless it's at a deal through here. I enjoy owning individual issues more and also seems to be easier to sell off.

[matewan1990]

I buy individual issues, but would rather read trades. They're just so much more convenient and I can read an entire story in one sitting. I didn't buy Brian K. Vaughn's Dr. Strange each month, but waited until the trade came out and it was so much more satisfying to me.

I read Bone early on, but when one comic shop went out of business and I missed a few issues, I waited until the One Volume Edition was released and read it straight through.

I find that I'm reading more and more trades and have passed up many monthly comics because of the fact that I know they'll eventually appear in trade paperback form.

I've got more than 1,000 trade paperbacks ... now my biggest problem is finding room for more...

Mike B.

[delekkerste]

I have been weighing this question recently and the question is, should I give up entirely buying modern comics off the rack and instead wait for the trade? I do not read that many comics -- I have my subscriptions to FF and Cap through Marvel (which is not ideal, I admit) -- so not all that much would be changing, come to think of it. I just am not able to get out to the LCS every week. The only good one is close to half an hour away. To be totally honest, I was not even able to get out often enough to keep up with Civil War last summer.

 

So, would it behoove me to just stop trying and wait for the trades? I suppose the only real consideration is price. For example, take Civil War. I have the first three issues. The trade goes for $25. The remaining four issues would probably run me roughly $12, give or take, meaning the trade would be more expensive. Same goes for the Front Line trades. On the plus side, I can get the trades at Borders or Barnes & Noble (woe for my LCS). Or potentially somewhere else, discounted.

 

In the end, I suppose it comes down to whether or not the individual comic book -- the feel of it, even the ads -- is more important than just the story. And I am just not sure.

 

I was in a similar position as yourself and decided sometime last year to switch to trades (I still get a couple pamphlets a month, but will stop buying them all together once Y: The Last Man has its final issue).

 

It's gotten to the point where I've lost all desire to read individual issues - why worry about (a) going to the LCS every week, (b) storing and handling every (practically worthless) book with kid gloves, © having to assemble six issues to read a complete story, etc. As far as price goes, think about the hour of combined travel time it takes to pick up each single issue - isn't your time worth more than that?

 

In addition, TPBs are portable, more easily stored, take care of themselves (no need for bags and boards unless you are really, really anal)...what's not to like???

[cd4ever]

I have been weighing this question recently and the question is, should I give up entirely buying modern comics off the rack and instead wait for the trade? I do not read that many comics -- I have my subscriptions to FF and Cap through Marvel (which is not ideal, I admit) -- so not all that much would be changing, come to think of it. I just am not able to get out to the LCS every week. The only good one is close to half an hour away. To be totally honest, I was not even able to get out often enough to keep up with Civil War last summer.

 

So, would it behoove me to just stop trying and wait for the trades? I suppose the only real consideration is price. For example, take Civil War. I have the first three issues. The trade goes for $25. The remaining four issues would probably run me roughly $12, give or take, meaning the trade would be more expensive. Same goes for the Front Line trades. On the plus side, I can get the trades at Borders or Barnes & Noble (woe for my LCS). Or potentially somewhere else, discounted.

 

In the end, I suppose it comes down to whether or not the individual comic book -- the feel of it, even the ads -- is more important than just the story. And I am just not sure.

 

I was in a similar position as yourself and decided sometime last year to switch to trades (I still get a couple pamphlets a month, but will stop buying them all together once Y: The Last Man has its final issue).

 

It's gotten to the point where I've lost all desire to read individual issues - why worry about (a) going to the LCS every week, (b) storing and handling every (practically worthless) book with kid gloves, © having to assemble six issues to read a complete story, etc. As far as price goes, think about the hour of combined travel time it takes to pick up each single issue - isn't your time worth more than that?

 

In addition, TPBs are portable, more easily stored, take care of themselves (no need for bags and boards unless you are really, really anal)...what's not to like???

 

I agree completely. I stopped all monthly comics about 6 months ago and am going strictly with tpb's. Couldn't be happier. Easier to store, don't need to worry about condition, can read them all at once...the only issue is for those monthly comics that may never be released in tpb....but those seem to be very few. At least the ones I used to read

 

I do not miss the monthlies at all!!!

[Mr. Spider-Woman]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

I have thought of going this route. But I worry about the condition the comics will show up in -- the comics I get from Marvel subscriptions are often banged up. Still, it is something to look into. The Civil War trade is only $14.99 at MailOrderComics.com, which is a good price.

 

I was in a similar position as yourself and decided sometime last year to switch to trades (I still get a couple pamphlets a month, but will stop buying them all together once Y: The Last Man has its final issue).

 

It's gotten to the point where I've lost all desire to read individual issues - why worry about (a) going to the LCS every week, (b) storing and handling every (practically worthless) book with kid gloves, © having to assemble six issues to read a complete story, etc. As far as price goes, think about the hour of combined travel time it takes to pick up each single issue - isn't your time worth more than that?

 

In addition, TPBs are portable, more easily stored, take care of themselves (no need for bags and boards unless you are really, really anal)...what's not to like???

Exactly. Especially with limited series like Civil War, the latest Star Trek: The Next Generation comic (six issues) and the like that have a specific start and end date (not counting delays, of course).

 

On the other hand, for continuing series like Battlestar Galactica and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, the urge to rush out and buy all the printed issues to date may just overwhelm me. And since there is no way I can get to my LCS weekly or even every other week, it is either waiting for trades or hoping my LCS still has all the back issues.

 

Thanks for all the responses. This weekend, when I make my first trip to my LCS in many a month, I will get the remaining issues of Civil War and Civil War: Front Line one way or another, be it the trade or the individual issues.

[drice6900]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

I have thought of going this route. But I worry about the condition the comics will show up in -- the comics I get from Marvel subscriptions are often banged up. Still, it is something to look into. The Civil War trade is only $14.99 at MailOrderComics.com, which is a good price..

 

I have been using DCBS for 2 years now with not a single banged up book. I do order mine with mylars/boards, and they box things up expertly and ship via DHL. My books arrive in their mylars, within another larger mylar that is sealed, within a thick box stuffed with packing filler.

 

I seem to remember a thread that discussed this before, and others reported the same with the other services. needless to say, if a service gets a bad rep for sending out dinged up books, word will get around. And considering the strong competition out there, that is not a rep a business needs

[jonjesper]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

I have thought of going this route. But I worry about the condition the comics will show up in -- the comics I get from Marvel subscriptions are often banged up. Still, it is something to look into. The Civil War trade is only $14.99 at MailOrderComics.com, which is a good price..

 

I have been using DCBS for 2 years now with not a single banged up book. I do order mine with mylars/boards, and they box things up expertly and ship via DHL. My books arrive in their mylars, within another larger mylar that is sealed, within a thick box stuffed with packing filler.

 

I seem to remember a thread that discussed this before, and others reported the same with the other services. needless to say, if a service gets a bad rep for sending out dinged up books, word will get around. And considering the strong competition out there, that is not a rep a business needs

 

I remember the thread also! I have had 2 books that were messed up by the printer. I emailed them and they sent me replacement copies and told me to keep the messed up ones.

They are great to work with and mine come in nice shape also...!

[Scrooge]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

I have thought of going this route. But I worry about the condition the comics will show up in -- the comics I get from Marvel subscriptions are often banged up. Still, it is something to look into. The Civil War trade is only $14.99 at MailOrderComics.com, which is a good price..

 

I have been using DCBS for 2 years now with not a single banged up book. I do order mine with mylars/boards, and they box things up expertly and ship via DHL. My books arrive in their mylars, within another larger mylar that is sealed, within a thick box stuffed with packing filler.

 

I seem to remember a thread that discussed this before, and others reported the same with the other services. needless to say, if a service gets a bad rep for sending out dinged up books, word will get around. And considering the strong competition out there, that is not a rep a business needs

 

Heck, I use them and don't have the books bagged and boarded and they still arrive in much better shape than those I used to buy from my old LCS. Great packing. Much better than Amazon's

[Scrooge]

Oh and I'm reading the Astonishing X-Men my friend got through Marvel's sub service and not a single one in "un-banged"

[helionaut]

I'd like to switch to trades for all my books as a well-tended bookshelf is nice to have, handy to just grab something when travelling, saves trips to the LCS and they tend to be cheaper when purchased at Amazon et al. But I just can't. I've fallen a month or so behind in my reading, 2 on some books, but I can't imagine waiting 4-8 months or more to catch up. Even on the books I've dropped I still might pick up an issue or two here and there, which I'd be buying twice in a trade. Minis, on the other hand, I'm more than happy to wait for the trade on. Ultimate Galactus better be worth the wait.

[Mephisto]

TPB's are so much easier to deal with than single issues. What's even better is my library system has a ton of them, so I can read many arcs I want without paying for them. If I don't like them then it's no big deal. I became addicted to Walking Dead after reading the first 6 trades so when I saw the next issue was out I snagged it. I just graduated from college though and there really isn't any comic stores in the immeadiate area. Looks like I'll be going back to the TPB's for that.

[followtheleader]

Remain a purist, stick with singles!

 

Pat

[Paladin]

Trades--although tempting--still haven't hooked me yet.

[Dr_Neff]

yes and on ebay you can get them for less than retail including postage

ie

 

Wanted $11.99

Bite Club $6.99 these are with postage already

 

Just a couple tastires. Now I am going for 100 bullets (the comic)

[Mr. Spider-Woman]

Well, I ended up purchasing both of the Civil War: Front Line trades at Borders (could not find them at my LCS). I looked through the individual issues available and could not find every issue of Civil War or Front Line and the issues they did have were already marked up to $4 or more. Thankfully, I have a buddy with all seven issues of Civil War and he is willing to give them to me rather than throwing them out. So, no need to buy that trade.

 

Anyway, I have decided that trades are the way to go from here on out. It is so much easier.

[whetteon]

Go with an online service, get your books delivered to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, at a bigger discount than any store can give you.

 

Some links:

 

DCBS (I use and love)

 

mailorder comics

 

And Comic Supply (don't have link, but they are a board member)

 

Help me out here. I need a service where I can place a 'subscription' for 3, 6 or 12 issues and more. you know, buy and forget.

 

I can't seem to find a way to buy subscriptions. Am I just missing something?

[Scrooge]

Well, the closer to doing that with DCBS is to use their Pull List feature. Once a month, all you've got to do is Create an Order from your Pull List and check out. This can be done is about 6 clicks of the mouse once you've created the Pull List. Not as easy as subscribing and forgetting but simple enough. Otherwise, you'd have to subscribe direct from Marvel or DC but they (at least Marvel) don't take good care of the books when they mail them out.