Should I get the RUNAWAYS hardcover or lil digests?

[west3man]

There's a RUNAWAYS hardcover that contains the first 18 issues of the series. It sells for $34.99, I believe.

There are at least 4 (but maybe more) digest-sized Runaways paperbacks, containing 6 issues of content, each. They're $7.99 a piece.

After my local discount, I think I figured that I'd end up paying about $24.99 for the 18 issues in hardcover or about $14.99 for those same issues in digest (itty-bitty) format.

That's a good ten buck difference between the two. Obviously, based on the story content:price ratio, I should go for the digests, but hardcovers can be really pretty, sturdy, and offer extras that help make up for the extra moolah.


So, which way do you think I should get the first 18 issues of content - tpb/digest or hardcover format?

...or other?


Thanks, in advance.

[Tommy]

I really didn't like the Digest versions. The coloring process is a lot darker, making the art look murky. Combine this with the smaller size and sometimes it is really hard to tell what is supposed to be going on in certain panels. So I would go with the Hardcover (in fact I did.)

[Beast]

Go for the oversized HC. If you shop around, you can get it for a good price. :)

[kalorama]

I just bought the HC off Amazon.com 488 pages for $23 bucks. Not a bad deal.

I had never read the series before but after hearing all of the raves, I decided to give it a try. I enjoyed it (although maybe not enough to keep following the series).

I'm not a big fan of digests in general, but at the same time I don't believe in paying more than I have to. Ultimately it comes down to which is more important to you: saving the $10 bucks or getting a more expansive visual experience. (Personally, I didn't think the art in Runaways was that impressive, so I don't know that the bigger size is really value added. The story is the same either way.)

[stealthwise]

Hardcover. The digests have those colouring problems, as someone else has mentioned. If you don't like the hardcover, I'll swap you the digests and eat the difference (seriously).

[Expletive Deleted]

Unless it's an economics or portability issue, I always go for the big 'ol hardcovers. You've got the whole run in one volume, on better paper, oversized, and in a format that looks quite nice on a bookshelf. Can't beat 'em.

[Arrjay]

I already went and bought the little digest things 'cause I can cart them around in my back pack. As for which is better I really can't say.

Ask Hi-Fi. (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/member.php?u=7978) He'd know.

[GreatLakesAvengers]

in keeping with the bookshelf theme, though... you might want to go with the digests. it's more likely that volume 2 will be released in digests than in another oversized hardcover. therefore, all those digests (and ones to be released) will be all match and line up on your shelf.

[Sandoz]

The Hardcover's the better deal.

[west3man]

The Hardcover's the better deal.
How so?

____________

[Faded]

The only digest I bought was the first volume of the first series, and it seemed perfectly fine to me. :confused:

...Then again, I've never flipped through ANY hardcovers. I usually go for the least expensive one.

[Arrjay]

I usually go for the least expensive one.

A wise choice.

[BeastieRunner]

My girlfriend and I follow in digest. It's faster to catch up and cheaper. I still buy the monthlies but that's for collector's purposes. She can't wait for volume 6, nor can I!

[west3man]

If the art isn't particularly impressive or if there aren't great extras, the hardcover probably isn't for me.

I don't think anyone's suggested, so far, that either of those things is hardcover-worthy.

[west3man]

Go for the oversized HC. If you shop around, you can get it for a good price. :)
I just bought the HC off Amazon.com 488 pages for $23 bucks. Not a bad deal.
I haven't had good experiences with Amazon and the ones I have had aren't terribly encouraging.

But like I said, I can get it for about $24 locally.

[Ullar]

I want digest cassue i can't wait for a hardcover. and i need uniform in ym collections or i fell dirtry.

[chickrockguitar]

I'd say go for the Digests.
I'm not a fan of Hardcover, in comics or novels.

Also, I like my shelf to look.. um... "right", lol. I'm not sure if marvel are planning a second hardcover. There are currently five digests, 1-3 is the first series, 4-5 are the second. I would say 6 will be out at the end of the year, after this latest arc.

[superhornet34]

Ge it on amazon and pick up another cheaper trade get free shipping. I have had all good experiences with amazon. Buy directly from amazon, im guessing you bought from the other sellers on there from other non amazon sources. I buy all my trades for like 40% off, no tax, no shipping.

[Gaz]

If the art isn't particularly impressive or if there aren't great extras, the hardcover probably isn't for me.

I don't think anyone's suggested, so far, that either of those things is hardcover-worthy.
You get the original pitch and charatcter sketches, as well as Joss Whedon's gush letter from issue 18 in the HC, and I've always thought the art was quite striking and appealing.
(Not to mention there was some minor editing in the digest... the only change that stuck out was to a drug reference that is omitted, making the line containing it nonsensical.)

[Doom Hammer]

The HC is purty. Much better looking than the digests, and the art is amazing super-sized. Alphona is kind of McNiven-esque, and I mean that as a compliment.

[Hi-Fi]

Get the HC. The art is gorgeous and deserves the better format.

[west3man]

Ge it on amazon and pick up another cheaper trade get free shipping. I have had all good experiences with amazon. Buy directly from amazon, im guessing you bought from the other sellers on there from other non amazon sources. I buy all my trades for like 40% off, no tax, no shipping.
It was Amazon I was dealing with, not an independent seller.

I'll stick with 30% off locally, but thanks for the suggestions.

[west3man]

You get the original pitch and charatcter sketches, as well as Joss Whedon's gush letter from issue 18 in the HC, and I've always thought the art was quite striking and appealing.
(Not to mention there was some minor editing in the digest... the only change that stuck out was to a drug reference that is omitted, making the line containing it nonsensical.)
The HC is purty. Much better looking than the digests, and the art is amazing super-sized. Alphona is kind of McNiven-esque, and I mean that as a compliment.Get the HC. The art is gorgeous and deserves the better format.
Awwwww, SHIZ!!!

The hardcover's startin' to look preeeeettty gooowid.

[milhouse123321]

(Not to mention there was some minor editing in the digest... the only change that stuck out was to a drug reference that is omitted, making the line containing it nonsensical.)

Where was that exactly?

I've got the digests, and I'm very happy with them, I get a lot of Digests.

[Sandoz]

Where was that exactly?
Edits in the first digest:
*The Invisible Woman sim has an undershirt added to cover up her cleavage.
*The line "You're supposed to be the Invisible Woman, not Mrs. Skank-tastic" is edited to remove the mention of "skanks."
*Nico's line, "Our parents always lock themselves away so they can, y'know, smoke pot or whatever" is edited to remove the mention of marijuana.
*The blood on Geoffrey Wilder's knife is altered from red to black.
*In #3, Karolina's exclamation "Oh my god!" is cut.
*In #4, Mrs. Minoru's line "Are you making ecstacy?!" is cut from the laboratory scene.

Only vol. 1 was edited; it was released at a time when Marvel was marketing Runaways directly at kids, rather than the slightly older audience it's written for. (Semi-spoilers for those who haven't read the series)Interestingly, though, the jokes about pornography and all of the hints pointing to Karolina's homosexuality were left in. One would think those would be the first things to go.

[west3man]

Heh. You'll never believe this, but I'm thinking I might get'em both.

I'm not sure, yet, but the digests are so convenient and inexpensive that I might use'em for casual re-reading.


I dunno. *beats head against wall*

I think I'll take a look at some RUNAWAYS back-issues at the comic shop to get an idea of how nice the art can be (hopefully it hasn't changed for the worse). If I really dig it (and I seem to remember being underwhelmed before, now that I think about it), I'll go for the hardcover, then think about the digests later. If I don't dig it that much, I'll jump on the digests and see if something inspires me to go for the hardcover, later.

If I ever regret the decisions, I can always sell/trade whichever I don't like, I guess.


EDIT: Of course, the whispers of edits makes me wanna go hardcover b/c I wanna see how it originally looked. I skipped the meat of the "edit" posts to avoid spoilers.

I think I'll scoop up the hardcover, first.

[west3man]

A buddy just told me that there are two series. I'd want to start with the first, I think. Which is in the digests/hardcover?

[milhouse123321]

The hardcover is the entire first "season"
The first 3 digests make up the entire first "season"
It ran for 18 issues

The next two parts of the 2nd season are out now in digest form, I'm gathering they'll eventually put that into a HC too if the original sold well (which I think it did)

[BeastieRunner]

It was Amazon I was dealing with, not an independent seller.

I'll stick with 30% off locally, but thanks for the suggestions.

Amazon.com screwed me over out of $100 worth of books. So no more of that.

Back on topic, I like your new plan. GET BOTH!

[paracasso]

I just bought the HC off Amazon.com 488 pages for $23 bucks. Not a bad deal.

I had never read the series before but after hearing all of the raves, I decided to give it a try. I enjoyed it (although maybe not enough to keep following the series).

I'm not a big fan of digests in general, but at the same time I don't believe in paying more than I have to. Ultimately it comes down to which is more important to you: saving the $10 bucks or getting a more expansive visual experience. (Personally, I didn't think the art in Runaways was that impressive, so I don't know that the bigger size is really value added. The story is the same either way.)
(GASP) You didn't enjoy it enough to follow the series? The art isn't impressive? Blasphemy! I wonder what's on you pull list, Runaways is easily one of the most original and well done books on the shelves right now.

[twilight]

Why not both?

[west3man]

Well, like I said, I'll get one, then decide how much I "need" the other.

I don't wanna buy'em simultaneously then figure out that I don't want both. I could save myself a bit of trouble by buying one at a time.

[Faded]

Now I want the Hardcover! :p

Character sketches and the original pitch sound interesting.

[west3man]

Now I want the Hardcover! :p

Character sketches and the original pitch sound interesting.
:p I don't blame you. I think I'll pick it up, either this afternoon, or tomorrow.

[west3man]

I scooped up the hardcover, yesterday.
The extras didn't do much for me, at a glance, but I didn't look too closely because I did that with that huge INVINCIBLE hardcover and barely side-stepped a series of spoilers. I mean, it IS at the end of the book, so maybe it'd be best if I waited til I've read through to the end to see if they mean anything to me.

So far, I'm not any more impressed with the art and am thinking that the digests might've been a fine choice. The hardcover still has some things going for it (or potentially going for it), though, so I'm not too regretful, at the moment.

One thing I didn't care for was the fact that APPARENTLY, digest volumes 1-3 cover the first series, then digest number 4 covers the first six issues of the second series. I find that problematic for a number of reasons. One is just that I don't like the idea that they started the numbering over for the series issues, but not for the digest volumes.

While it's a bit odd-looking, at first, I think the current trend to tweak the names of series reboots is a very good idea. "Ultimates 2" ain't sexy, but it's practical as heck.

I wish they'd done that with RUNAWAYS. While I'm wishing, I wish that DC had numbered the GREEN LANTERN tpb's. I can see why publishers might not have done this, initially, but I'd say it took them way too long to catch on.

[kalorama]

(GASP) You didn't enjoy it enough to follow the series? The art isn't impressive? Blasphemy! I wonder what's on you pull list, Runaways is easily one of the most original and well done books on the shelves right now.

A simple matter of differing opinions, I suppose.

[west3man]

I just finished the hardcover, this morning. Good stuff.

I'm left with mixed emotions about what happened to and with them. That's probably a good thing. It certainly is a good thing that the creators were ABLE to squeeze these emotions from my cold, black heart. It's just kinda weird feeling them.

It wasn't neat and clean or anything. That's good, too, although it feels weird.

I'd say that I could get at least another reading out of this, so I'm glad I own it. The quality and anti-formulaic technique make me glad that I own it in a nice hardcover voume with extras.

Big-time thanks to everyone who took the time to help a stranger decide which version of a funny-book he should purchase. I'd have liked the digests, I think (they didn't look so bad), but I'm glad I went for the hardcover.

I don't think I'll purchase both. Not for myself, anyway.

[Crash-Man]

I really enjoyed that series until *that thing happened*. Probably a sign of how immersed I was that that one moment (and its consequence) could turn me off the book so much.

[west3man]

I really enjoyed that series until Alex revealed himself. Probably a sign of how immersed I was that that one moment (and its consequence) could turn me off the book so much.
Understandable.
I'm wondering if I'll still like the follow-up series, for some of the same reasons.

I added spoiler tags, by the way, since this thread has been spoiler-free and that last post might catch a Runaways newbie off-guard.

[Crash-Man]

I couldn't get into the follow-up partly because of that, but mostly because it seemed to lack direction in the first few issues.

I might get the digest if I can find it cheap.

[west3man]

I couldn't get into the follow-up partly because of that, but mostly because it seemed to lack direction in the first few issues.

I might get the digest if I can find it cheap.
Cheaper than $7.99?

[Crash-Man]

Wow...didn't know it was that cheap. Thought it would be comparable to a trade or omnibus.

Well, I might get the digest.

[west3man]

Wow...didn't know it was that cheap. Thought it would be comparable to a trade or omnibus.

Well, I might get the digest.
Just a single digest? Nah.
I'm pretty sure they're only $7.99.

[Nick MB]

Got here too late to weigh in on your buying decision, but glad you liked it, is one of my favourite series as well. And that hardcover is beautiful, am planning on ebaying my individual issues to fund a purchase of it.

I can highly recommend volume 2, the direction is very much there. And if they do an 18 issue HC again, it looks like it'll be another good unit, cos the correct storyline, going up to #18 is kicking arse.

[kidpernicious]

Are there ever going to be any traditional softcover non-digest trades of this series? I've never gotten hardcover as a simple money thing, and at this point would prefer to keep it that way, and don't wanna screw up that feng shui bidniss with any tiny fat digests funkin' it up. If you get me.

[west3man]

Are there ever going to be any traditional softcover non-digest trades of this series? I've never gotten hardcover as a simple money thing, and at this point would prefer to keep it that way, and don't wanna screw up that feng shui bidniss with any tiny fat digests funkin' it up. If you get me.
I feel you, but with so many volumes under their belts, I wouldn't expect Marvel to do the regular-sized tpb thing any time soon.

Which, of course, means that that is exactly what they will do. Okay, well now they won't. Will. Won't. Will.

:confused: