Omnibus, Absolute, Deluxe, and HC Thread 19 19

[F For Fake]

I haven't looked in a while, but the marvelmasterworks.com forums used to have a forum for custom binding. Lots of folks out there who are really into it. I've considered it many times over the years. If any of you are interested, I'd suggest heading over to those boards and poking around, lots of good info. I may break down and have all of Giffen LoSH stuff (particularly the 5YL stuff) custom bound at some point, because I don't think DC is ever going to get around to it, the jerks.

 

Ok here it is, a link to the Homegrown Hardcovers binding forum. Get to readin'!

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/marvelmasterworksfansite/uncollected-editions-the-homegrown-hardcovers-bind-f2/

[Aweandlorder]

5 hours ago, F For Fake said:

I haven't looked in a while, but the marvelmasterworks.com forums used to have a forum for custom binding. Lots of folks out there who are really into it. I've considered it many times over the years. If any of you are interested, I'd suggest heading over to those boards and poking around, lots of good info. I may break down and have all of Giffen LoSH stuff (particularly the 5YL stuff) custom bound at some point, because I don't think DC is ever going to get around to it, the jerks.

 

Ok here it is, a link to the Homegrown Hardcovers binding forum. Get to readin'!

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/marvelmasterworksfansite/uncollected-editions-the-homegrown-hardcovers-bind-f2/

Yup also superboy and losh is on my list. There’s a b&w compilation of those and even they are up there in price

[theCapraAegagrus]

What is your favorite Absolute, Deluxe, or Omnibus?

Mine is probably this giant. It's about 2' tall. Alex Ross' Marvels Platinum Edition:

[srezvan]

I know there was a discussion about Half Price Books somewhere. Their current promotion is a free HPB calendar with a purchase of $50. The calendar has coupons, I guess. Is the calendar worth it? I'm waiting for another % off coupon, hoping to get the free calendar too.

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 hour ago, srezvan said:

I know there was a discussion about Half Price Books somewhere. Their current promotion is a free HPB calendar with a purchase of $50. The calendar has coupons, I guess. Is the calendar worth it? I'm waiting for another % off coupon, hoping to get the free calendar too.

Sometimes yes sometimes no.

They're worth it in that it is usually about 10% off around here in Dallas, which is basically save the tax. I found awesome items at the turn of the year from getting the calendar... but

Then my location stopped getting keys to buy, I figured it was because they were setting up at con's. I got about 5 calendars this 2019 January,  but only used them until spring. As the calendars were 1 use only in the months per coupon, I only used it maybe 7-10 times

$50 is steep, last Christmas it was free at first, then free with a $30 purchase. They actually had stuff that I spent full price on last Christmas to get the calendar, so at the time it was "worth it", just kind of dwindled off at my location though....

@F For Fake can tell you more he got them sometimes

in my experience it depends on location, and if you find the things to spend the money to get the calendar, then might as well...

I just wouldn't go out of my way to get them

Edited December 6, 2019 by ADAMANTIUM

[F For Fake]

10 hours ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

Sometimes yes sometimes no.

They're worth it in that it is usually about 10% off around here in Dallas, which is basically save the tax. I found awesome items at the turn of the year from getting the calendar... but

Then my location stopped getting keys to buy, I figured it was because they were setting up at con's. I got about 5 calendars this 2019 January,  but only used them until spring. As the calendars were 1 use only in the months per coupon, I only used it maybe 7-10 times

$50 is steep, last Christmas it was free at first, then free with a $30 purchase. They actually had stuff that I spent full price on last Christmas to get the calendar, so at the time it was "worth it", just kind of dwindled off at my location though....

@F For Fake can tell you more he got them sometimes

in my experience it depends on location, and if you find the things to spend the money to get the calendar, then might as well...

I just wouldn't go out of my way to get them

I haven't been to a HPB in a couple of weeks, so I haven't seen the calendars yet this year. I don't remember the $50 threshold to get the calendar before, I thought they just threw them in the bag for free, but it's possible I was spending that much every time I went! Or it's possible that my HPB was just friendly because I'm in there a lot, so they threw the calendars in because I'm a swell guy. Who can say?

 Like @ADAMANTIUM said, I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to get one, but 10% off is better than nothing. I tend to end up with two or three of them every year, and I just cut the coupons out and toss them in the glovebox of my car. That way, if I happen to be in a HPB and find something I want, I'll have that 10% off, which isn't amazing, but every little bit helps!

[srezvan]

On 12/6/2019 at 6:23 AM, F For Fake said:

I haven't been to a HPB in a couple of weeks, so I haven't seen the calendars yet this year. I don't remember the $50 threshold to get the calendar before, I thought they just threw them in the bag for free, but it's possible I was spending that much every time I went! Or it's possible that my HPB was just friendly because I'm in there a lot, so they threw the calendars in because I'm a swell guy. Who can say?

 Like @ADAMANTIUM said, I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to get one, but 10% off is better than nothing. I tend to end up with two or three of them every year, and I just cut the coupons out and toss them in the glovebox of my car. That way, if I happen to be in a HPB and find something I want, I'll have that 10% off, which isn't amazing, but every little bit helps!

Thank you both for the info @ADAMANTIUM

I did remember the amount incorrectly - it's $30 for the calendar, not $50. I only shop at HPB when there's a coupon, so I waited and got the free calendar and a 20% off coupon this morning. It was a rare/online only book, so I had to get the book online. Coupon code: GIFT20. So I get the free calendar and the 20% discount.

[Foley]

On 11/6/2019 at 8:55 PM, F For Fake said:

On 11/1/2019 at 2:25 PM, MisterX said:

This is a fun thread.

I enjoy the omnibus format, but it is tricky to read. The Epic Collections are easier, for sure.

I sold off my Alias and Tomb of Dracula Omnibi when prices were high awhile back with no regrets. I sold my Jack Kirby BA Captain America omnibus, regretted it about a year later, and bought another one.  Also sold off my Eternals omnibus, on the fence about replacing it, might get the reprint if it comes out. I, too, would like to see the Captain Britain omnibus reprinted.  I recently broke down and bought both Uncanny X-Men omnibi off eBay for a pretty good price.

Sold a bunch of EC reprints, but I'm keeping the war books.

Almost done collecting the Don Rosa Uncle Scrooge books, and I'm way behind on the Carl Barks duck reprints. 

I have my eye on the Alan Moore Swamp Thing absolute edition (finally!) and the Weird Western/ Jonah Hex absolute edition, although I own the complete run in floppies already.

Do you guys sell off your floppies once you buy the reprint? I'm pretty torn on this...

 

 

We have very similar tastes! I will say that the Fanta Duck books (both Barks and Rosa) are one of the few series that I've managed to keep up with, as I always ask for that year's gift sets for xmas from my mother-in-law. So every year at the end of the year I get caught up on my Ducks, and I try to space their reading out over the year. I usually save them for the fall and beginning of winter, when it gets dark out and seasonal blues start to kick in. They are remarkable comfort reading.

I will pony up for the Moore Swampy Absolute as well, for sure. I just finished re-reading my BA Swamp Thing Omni, and am ready to continue the story. I haven't read the Moore run since my 20's, in trade form.

As for floppies, I don't really buy new ones much, so not an issue for me. I have been keeping by Batman run going for a long time, and usually just file them and read the collections when they come out. But I'm tempted to just go ahead and drop the monthly book, as they just take up space and aren't read anyway. Otherwise, my relationship with floppies is that I will likely buy the first issue or two to sample, and if I like it, I'll then wait for the collection.

The Fantagraphics Barks books are amazing! They're bound well and I love how they open nearly flat regardless of what page you're on. Makes it easy to read the panels on the inside margins. I'm not fully caught up but buy them in spurts. 

This is my measly collection, about 3/4 of a shelf so far but hope to pad it out more.

[F For Fake]

1 hour ago, Foley said:

The Fantagraphics Barks books are amazing! They're bound well and I love how they open nearly flat regardless of what page you're on. Makes it easy to read the panels on the inside margins. I'm not fully caught up but buy them in spurts. 

This is my measly collection, about 3/4 of a shelf so far but hope to pad it out more.

Great selection! And yeah, I love everything about the design of the Fanta Duck books (in addition to the great quality of the material, obviously!) I'm actually finishing up the last volume of the Don Rosa collection right now, which is bittersweet, as it's the last volume, and he's not making any more Duck stories. The Rosa Library books are as gorgeous as the Barks books, but I think I may slightly prefer them as they're a little larger, which is easier on my eyes.

[Jking3437]

Y the last man omnibus !!! Let’s go 

[BCarter27]

Happy days are here again! The Strangers in Paradise Omnibus HC is back in print. Got my pre-order today...

Glorious.

As I told a buddy... If you are hesitating, don't. It's massive. The third volume has all of the covers in color. There is embossing on each hardcover, spot-gloss on the dustjackets with the 4 faces, and a bookplate (and I got a small B&W print for pre-ordering.) The endpapers are in color, reprinting some of the old wraparound covers. And again, it's massive. A bargain for the whole series. Very excited!

https://abstractstudiocomics.com/product/strangers-in-paradise-hardcover-omnibus/

Edited December 11, 2019 by BCarter27

[F For Fake]

17 hours ago, BCarter27 said:

Happy days are here again! The Strangers in Paradise Omnibus HC is back in print. Got my pre-order today...

Glorious.

As I told a buddy... If you are hesitating, don't. It's massive. The third volume has all of the covers in color. There is embossing on each hardcover, spot-gloss on the dustjackets with the 4 faces, and a bookplate (and I got a small B&W print for pre-ordering.) The endpapers are in color, reprinting some of the old wraparound covers. And again, it's massive. A bargain for the whole series. Very excited!

https://abstractstudiocomics.com/product/strangers-in-paradise-hardcover-omnibus/

Wow, that's a handsome set! I haven't read SiP for nearly 20 years, probably. This might be a good excuse to jump back in!

[Comics-n-ERB]

How do you know if you have a variant or 1st ed etc when the book is still shrink wrapped?

[F For Fake]

6 minutes ago, Comics-n-ERB said:

How do you know if you have a variant or 1st ed etc when the book is still shrink wrapped?

It would depend on the specific book. Most hardcovers these days are only printed once before moving onto trade paperback, so in many cases, the first printing is the only printing.

There are, of course, notable exceptions, such as popular omnibus volumes that have warranted a second, and much less often, third printing or more. In those cases, determining the printing could involve any number of factors, from the msrp price, to the width of the spine, to the color of the fonts, etc. it just depends on what book you're talking about. Many volumes have easy tells. Others don't indicate whatsoever. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

15 hours ago, Comics-n-ERB said:

How do you know if you have a variant or 1st ed etc when the book is still shrink wrapped?

That's the conundrum I faced when seeking the Spawn Origins Collection...

The "Printing" is located on the copyright page, so... I only bought opened books. I wanted First Printings of all 34 hardcover and paperback books.

It's uncommon for printings/edition information to be included on the outside packaging of a book.

[Comics-n-ERB]

Thanks for the answers. 

[dupont2005]

On 12/11/2019 at 2:54 PM, BCarter27 said:

Happy days are here again! The Strangers in Paradise Omnibus HC is back in print. Got my pre-order today...

Glorious.

As I told a buddy... If you are hesitating, don't. It's massive. The third volume has all of the covers in color. There is embossing on each hardcover, spot-gloss on the dustjackets with the 4 faces, and a bookplate (and I got a small B&W print for pre-ordering.) The endpapers are in color, reprinting some of the old wraparound covers. And again, it's massive. A bargain for the whole series. Very excited!

https://abstractstudiocomics.com/product/strangers-in-paradise-hardcover-omnibus/

I didn’t even know this came as a hardcover. I bought the softcover when it first came out. I’d like to upgrade to this now

[F For Fake]

4 hours ago, Comics-n-ERB said:

Thanks for the answers. 

@Comics-n-ERB if you have a specific book in mind, let us know, we may be able to help.

It's also worth noting that in the HC/TPB collecting world, for many collectors (certainly can't speak for all) just want the BEST edition of the book, which is not always the first. For instance, with many of the Marvel Omni's, the later printings are better books, as they switched from glued binding to sewn binding for several reissues. And in others, additional restoration had been done to the art files between printings. Seeking out first editions is certainly a valid method of collecting, but it's not the default for most valuable/desirable edition all of the time.

[Comics-n-ERB]

22 minutes ago, F For Fake said:

@Comics-n-ERB if you have a specific book in mind, let us know, we may be able to help.

It's also worth noting that in the HC/TPB collecting world, for many collectors (certainly can't speak for all) just want the BEST edition of the book, which is not always the first. For instance, with many of the Marvel Omni's, the later printings are better books, as they switched from glued binding to sewn binding for several reissues. And in others, additional restoration had been done to the art files between printings. Seeking out first editions is certainly a valid method of collecting, but it's not the default for most valuable/desirable edition all of the time.

Interesting.  Reason for the questions is I just purchased a personal collection of Omnibus, Archives, Masterworks, and hardcover trades.  All are still shrink wrapped  27 Mag boxes of stuff, no dup's.  .

[dupont2005]

On 12/13/2019 at 10:49 AM, Comics-n-ERB said:

Interesting.  Reason for the questions is I just purchased a personal collection of Omnibus, Archives, Masterworks, and hardcover trades.  All are still shrink wrapped  27 Mag boxes of stuff, no dup's.  .

Is it a flip?