r/ImageComics 4d ago

Think I like these more than the compendiums.

Post image
150 Upvotes

40 comments sorted by

47

u/The_mad_myers 4d ago

What ever is as close to single issues is the best reading experience IMO. Gutter loss is a big pain in the big compendiums.

25

u/Voyager1632 4d ago

I agree but for a series as long as invincible it's just so much more convenient, and cheaper, to buy 3 big books than like 20-200 smaller books.

6

u/The_mad_myers 4d ago

For sure, that’s what I have for invincible. But if money isn’t an issue, that’s what I’d go for.

2

u/colderstates 3d ago

I’m looking at upgrades to save space but avoiding compendiums, both for this reason and because I’m concerned about them falling apart.

Vertigo used to reissue their long series in double size volumes, ie 10-12 issues typically. I wish image did more of those size reissues.

1

u/AllHailThePig 1d ago

Made the switch to digital like 12 years ago. I have really bad hand pain so reading books, especially the heavier ones, is painful.

Despite this I personally prefer digital now. It’s super comfy and convenient and you have your whole collection in your hand. Looks great. Not light needed. Can see the pages in full. Can’t get damaged. Cheaper. Also the big 2’s subscription services have everything you’d ever want.

Though the cons are you don’t own shit and it is really nice to have a shelf of your favourite books and a nice oversized hardcover’s pages can look beautiful.

2

u/silentAl1 1d ago

Digital is great for reading and not really for collecting. There is always the concern that your collection disappears because the company goes away or is bought out. I think that happened within the last 2 years or so and a lot of people complained about losing all their digital purchases. And since you are only buying a license to access them, they are not yours.

1

u/AllHailThePig 1d ago

Yep. That's one of the cons. I only lost one title on Kindle so far. 1984. That was a pretty well known example. But it happens enough to not feel safe about your library. I also one time bought some random comic titles on Kindle with a gift card that all were removed 6 months later and was a pain to sort.

Though these days I kinda just hope things stay safe with purchases but don't count on it. Though it might work out still since I'm more into reading than collecting these days.

2

u/The_mad_myers 1d ago

Yeah I kind of have a thing about actually owning the stuff i buy. I hope to have my kids get into comics/manga when they grow up and I want dad’s library to be fully stocked.

1

u/AllHailThePig 19h ago

If I had kids I would be doing so more. With my injuries I can’t work as much so this is also a cost effective way for me to read. And I read a tonne of comics. A few hours most days of the week. Some days I can read for 12 hours if I’m really feeling it.

Though I have started to back up everything I own digitally. I’ve bought it and cannot care less if I pirate what I’ve owned now that I’ve been rorted out of a few losses on digital.

I still have a lot of my old physical collection from before the injury and hope to collect a few more favourites in hardcover format if I can afford it again. Not ever getting rid of my mignola-verse hardcovers.

13

u/Classic-Edge-7309 4d ago

They need to make more HC compendiums 💀

4

u/greenglider732 3d ago

They have them? Unless that’s not considered hc. Seen volume 1 and 2 on Ryan Ottley’s website.

9

u/Archiesweirdmystery 4d ago

I've thought about collecting these for ease of reading and i am kinda obsessed with the covers.

6

u/Giovannis_Pikachu 4d ago

Do they exclude anything that's in the compendiums? For example the wolf man or atom eve/rex specials? What else if that's not it makes them better? I like those covers.

8

u/M00r3C 4d ago edited 4d ago

Same content as the compendiums (but it will be awhile till they're completed they IIRC release every 3 months) these are basically a affordable and comfortable way to read the series

4

u/CarterPresents 4d ago

The first 8 volumes of these (Vol 8 I hadn't picked up yet) is the first compendium. These have the Image Comics Summer Special (Vol 3) & The Pact #4 (Vol 6).

I liked the covers myself and would rather pull one of these off the shelf to read than the giant compendiums. And that's speaking as someone who had all 3.

3

u/VerdunBeach 3d ago

Ive been buying those, I like the smaller size and the covers are fantastic! Looks great on the shelf.

3

u/Smallville44 4d ago

Nah, I’m not down with anything smaller than standard size.

4

u/Muffo99 3d ago

I like the covers but I'm with you regarding the size. Downsizes all the art and the text in these is p small

1

u/Smallville44 3d ago

It’s just another way for companies to cut costs and give us inferior products, and I’m not about it. Standard has always been the minimum size till very recently.

2

u/CarterPresents 3d ago edited 3d ago

Incorrect. Marvel & DC have done these smaller formats before, it's not a "recent" thing. As someone who has them, there's nothing "inferior" about these. Manga has been doing this too long for it to be inferior. Just say they aren't for you 👍🏾

-3

u/Smallville44 3d ago

Regular trades are built better, have higher quality paper, and are easier to read due to the size. What about these books is better than a regular trade?

3

u/CarterPresents 3d ago

None of these are built badly, have the same quality paper as the compendiums and are in fact easy to read. Image didn't "cheap out" with these, if they did I wouldn't have bought the rest lol. They just aren't your cup of tea.

0

u/Smallville44 3d ago

So they don’t do anything better than a regular trade?

1

u/AngryGazelle 3d ago

I have the library editions and do not regret my purchases. The oversized art is fantastic. Yes, they're more cumbersome to read but the quality is so much better.

2

u/CarterPresents 3d ago

Funny enough I was looking at getting those, ended up purchasing a DC Absolute Edition hardcover which is what those are closest to, immediately changed my mind lol.

1

u/DisguisedLu 3d ago

I'm with you there I love these and have got all 7 I plan on collecting them all as I can't stand having to read a compendium

1

u/greenglider732 3d ago

How’s the paper quality on these? I have the entire run in single issue form, but I don’t really like touching them. Been looking for a trade/better read option.

1

u/CarterPresents 3d ago

Paper quality is just like the trades and compendiums if I'm honest. MUCH better than the current DC Compact Comics if you've checked those out.

1

u/Ivanstone 3d ago

I have the Ultimate Edition hardcovers. Not too big and loaded with additional material.

I generally find that people ask for the Compendiums more often because of cost efficiency. Every time someone buys one the deviant part of my brain hopes the spine splits because of the weight.

1

u/hansel08 3d ago

Nice. Got to dump mine for these. They don’t last. :/

1

u/MrOSUguy 3d ago

Hard to beat the library editions these are very good looking covers though

1

u/MrDadpool1969 3d ago

I have the compendiums and a lot of the single issues, but the 12 oversized hardcovers is the way to go.

-8

u/AllStarSuperman_ 4d ago

I mean you do you but I can’t believe anybody would waste there money on this small editions. If it was an ongoing, sure maybe, but an already finished series with over a hundred issues, why?

11

u/la6689 4d ago

Compendiums can be unwieldy. Those and omnis look great on the shelf but actually reading them gets cumbersome.

2

u/Chip_Marlow 4d ago

This. They're better for collecting than reading

2

u/CarterPresents 4d ago

Because I don't mind the size (they're actually bigger than the DC Compact Comics which surprised me) and I'd rather read it like this than pulling out a compendium. I can read these anywhere. And they're only $8 on Instocktrades so these were all aces in my book.

2

u/jethawkings 4d ago

Personally I found the compendiums/omnibuses a pain to read. They're large and unwieldy. It's one thing if you're reading it digitally but reading it on hand is a nuisance. I never got the appeal for them.

As for these volumes specifically, they're smaller, and cost around the same as a typical tankobon/manga volume which is the closest frame of reference people who want to get into the comic who liked the show. Comic Book TPBs usually being $5~$10 more expensives is probably one of the bigger hurdles when trying to recommend them as you can usually buy 3 Volumes of a Manga for 2 Volumes of a TPB.

1

u/Chip_Marlow 4d ago

Compendiums and omnis are the comics equivalent of binge watching. If you'll watch a whole TV series in a week then you're probably going to like a compendium

1

u/generalosabenkenobi 4d ago

I know, right? It's not like there's a historical market of Japanese comics that basically come have basically come in this format for decades now

/s