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Post by G on May 24, 2008 11:04:35 GMT -5
I dont know how to feel about these. I know if you want to read a story and you dont want to hunt down individual issues than Trade Paperbacks are the perfect vehicle to accomplish just that. And I dont have a problem with that. But, Ive been reading the Overstreet Market Reports (something I always try to do when I get a new Annual) and more and more Trades are being talked about. And in a couple of regards. 1) Im seeing a lot of advisers saying..."Dont buy the individual issues when they come out, its a waste of money as 95% of the books will be in the dollar bins in a year anyway. Wait for the Trade Paperback to come out and then you will have it all to read in one volume" -end quote. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Although it makes sense, it seems at the same time very damaging to the comic book market as we know it. If everyone waits for the trade, the comic sales will suffer and pretty soon the only thing to collect will be the trades. And me personally...while I think they are great to read, I think they suck to collect. But that brings me to #2. 2) Trades used to be something for only readers to care about. They were basically thought of as a big bound reprint. But not anymore. Trades have become collectible and some are commanding high prices. I have to admit, I never mind having anything worth money. So this is why I created a new thread area. When those in the know know something and want to share it.... Please, come here and share it in its own thread! (repeat own thread!) That way we can discuss individual Trades separately from the others. I want to know what is REALLY worth picking up. Either for the fact that you truly are better off getting the trade if you want to read it or more importantly on my end, I want to know the ones identified getting hot and making money. Because honestly, I dont know. And by time I do know, its WAY too late! And, I want your opinion overall. Is this helping or hurting the market? Is it enhancing or killing the hobby we love? Because one thing I keep reading....Trades are the next evolution in comics. And that makes me feel like....  Discuss Please!!! |
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Post by cfs on May 24, 2008 11:58:31 GMT -5
There is no reason why TPB's can't be collectible and I think a lot of the value they reach has to do with how many are printed. Some indy trades have really low print runs and the dealers that have them don't make an assumption that people are actually looking for them.
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Post by G on May 25, 2008 9:31:24 GMT -5
I dont have a problem with trades being valuable or collectible. I consider them another aspect of comics, sorta like Treasuries as an example. There is no reason for them not to be collectible and gain value. I just dont like the "wait for the TPB" mentality. I want TPBs to be like 1 - 2% of my collection. Not over 50% because that is how things went going forward into the future.
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Post by cfs on May 25, 2008 18:37:50 GMT -5
I dont have a problem with trades being valuable or collectible. I consider them another aspect of comics, sorta like Treasuries as an example. There is no reason for them not to be collectible and gain value. I just dont like the "wait for the TPB" mentality. I want TPBs to be like 1 - 2% of my collection. Not over 50% because that is how things went going forward into the future. It's a constant struggle to have comics make money. The publishers want to pump out TPB's to resell the art they've already paid for while publishing the comics. The fans are tired of buying stories twice or buying series that are canceled. New TPB's are not going to sell well enough to make money. It's just going to quicken the end of collectors buying regular comics. TPB's have a higher price point and people are less likely to gamble on a $15 & up intial purchase price. cfs |
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Post by cyberstrike on Jul 11, 2008 15:12:05 GMT -5
In some cases TPBs are cheaper than buying the single issues.
Case in point: IDW's Transformers 6 issues mini-series are going for $4.00 @ that's $24 for 6 issues!
You can double that amount for all the stupid variant covers that they do for each issue. Why should I spend $24-$48 plus sales tax, gas, and waste my time with single issues that have nothing extra in them other than some stupid one page Transformers fan comics called "Mosaics" which I can find all over the net with little or no trouble, when I get the same story in a trade for $20 that has all the covers, sketchbooks, and stuff that I actually want?
If IDW wants me to buy single issues again then make it worth my while have content that won't be reprinted and that I actually WANT to read.
I'm on a very strict budget now of days and when books are late even a week it hurts my budget and that might mean the difference between my getting my next meal or not.
Once a trade or hardcover is out is a lot easier for me to figure that in my budget than a bunch of single issues.
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Post by cfs on Jul 11, 2008 21:11:35 GMT -5
Looking at the store's prices and budget is the small picture. Looking at the profit model and determining a business model to be profitable is the big picture. The affordable TPB's exist because the single issues were made. The publisher gets to milk extra sales out of the artwork they paid for when they published the comics. The TPB you see as affordable would not be affordable if everyone quit buying the individual issue. They'd have to charge more. I guess what I'm saying is that you need the people who are buying the individual issues to keep doing so. Those people being there brings the cost down on the TPB's that you hold out to buy.
cfs
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Post by cyberstrike on Jul 22, 2008 18:12:47 GMT -5
It's not case of which is better for the industry as a whole it's a matter of which is cheaper for me. I know it's a selfish attitude and I'm not proud of it but for right now it's purely matter of my survival.
I remember when trades were more expensive than the single issues but now of days it seems to be reversed where instead of spending $24 for six issues I can get the same story plus extras for $20, so why waste $4 on a more expensive way to get the story that I want to read?
Around here that extra $4 might be the means so that I can eat for another day and I'm not starving myself for comics.
Simply put prices on single issues needs to come down and/or have material that is not going to reprinted in TPB that I want to read otherwise I'm going to have stick with the trades.
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Post by G on Jul 22, 2008 19:29:15 GMT -5
Heard that, as far as reader goes....TPBs give the best value.
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Post by azbatx on Jul 22, 2008 21:55:31 GMT -5
If everyone (or enough people) stopped buying single comics there would be no tps to buy due to there being no material.
Also, if all the was made was tpbs how long would it take for them to come out? Would it take the six months for each book to come out as the single books did?
How would new series even work?
I think the fan base would drop so much that the industry would just close up shop.
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AC
Standout Worker
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Post by AC on Apr 5, 2009 3:04:27 GMT -5
Man, TPB's are absolutely the best value... if you can wait. Growing up Wednesday just couldn't come fast enough... back then the very thought of waiting for a trade to come out several months down the line would'a killed me.
Now, though... I can see the benefit of following series thru trade... though, I still don't. I probably go to the LCS once every couple of months... and I still buy the singles, even if the trade's available... just the way I grew up in comics... can't really picture doing it any other way.
Back to the value point... the "bargain" type of trade is a Godsend to "try out" a series you may wanna start collecting, by offering a whole story arc in one package. The flip-side is that it seems lately, the big two are trying to package these trades as hardcover "coffee table" books, or something, pricing them ridiculously higher than their bargain trade counterpart w/o much in the way of bonus features.
Hate to blow on the manga horn again here... but, those prices really can't be beat... granted the art's in b&w, which surely won't appeal to everyone... plus it's read right to left... ehhh, forget the manga thing, hehe... just trust me that their priced awesomely... especially in the used market... a 300 page used manga is comparably priced to a new release 23 page single Marvel/DC comic.
Anyhoo... crap, didn't realize I'd be bumping such an old thread here... not sure if there's any etiquite about that here... if so, sorry
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