Debate: Are collected editions ruining the single issue experience or saving comic readers money?

I've been buying single issues for about 15 years now, mostly from a shop in Portland. Last year I decided to try switching to trade paperbacks and hardcovers for a whole story arc, specifically the Immortal Hulk run. What I found surprised me. The reading experience was smoother without the month long breaks between issues, but I missed the weekly ritual of heading to the shop and chatting with the guy behind the counter. I also noticed I spent about $35 on the trade versus $60 for all the single issues of the same arc. But then I realized I lost the excitement of speculating on what happens next with other fans online. So here's my question for you all. Do you think collected editions make for a better reading experience overall, or does the single issue format add something that trades just can't replace? I'm curious how other long time readers feel about this shift.

2 comments

2 Comments

rileyl982d ago

Oh man, the 'speculating on what happens next' part hit me hard. I literally have a stack of single issues I bought JUST to prove to myself I still like them, but then I wait six months to read them all at once anyway. I get caught up in the ritual of going to the shop though, like it's some kind of weekly pilgrimage where I also buy a bunch of snacks I don't need. My wallet definitely prefers trades, but my social life apparently prefers me talking to a guy named Gary about Spider-Man for 20 minutes. I guess I'll just keep doing both and pretending I have self control.

diana_king2d ago

Nah I see it a little different. I think there's something real about that weekly ritual that trades just can't replicate. That feeling of walking out with a fresh issue, sitting down and reading it right away, being one of the first to know what happened. You can't get that six months later when everyone's already spoiled the big twist online. Plus I've convinced myself I'm supporting the creators more buying singles, even if that's probably just copium for my wallet. Don't you miss that buzz of actually being in the moment with the story instead of catching up on old news?