Absolute Gimmicks

[ILLUS]

Final Frontier was one of my favorite books in recent years and I got the trade paperbacks recently. Of course now I just find out the are releasing an absolute edition with new story pages in an attempt to get more of my money. They need to stop this practice. It's a gimmick and a horrible way to do business and I am a publisher. Sue it's great for their pockets but as a fan it realy turns me off to publisher's who practice this type of publishing. If anything...put them all out at once and let the fans choose. I would love this new hardcover version but I WILL NEVER buy it because of the fact that they have turned it and many others into gimmicks.
When I buy a comic or watch a movie I want the whole story and I want to know I paid for the whole story. DOn't tell me I have to buy another version to get the whole story or that I have to see a movie again because I didn't stay until after the credits (X3!). This is just lame.
Maybe I am the only one that feels this is a scam. I guess everyone is following in bloated George Lucas footsteps in order to make their pockets even fatter. Greedy bastards.

[Michael P]

Assuming you're talking about New Frontier:

No one's putting a gun to your head and making you buy it. It's quite possible to live a fulfilled life without special features. The New Frontier Absolute Edition is for (a) people who haven't bought the trades yet, (b) people who want the whole series in one volume, and (c) Joe Rice to masturbate over. You bought the trades already? Then you're good.

As for DC's primary reason for publishing it being to make money: Well, duh. As a publisher yourself, you should know that the primary reason any serious publisher publishes anything is to make money from it. And you should also know that publishers stagger different editions to avoid flooding the market with product, and to increase the shelf life of the material. If this Absolute Edition (which has been rumored for quite some time, by the way) is a scam, then so's the whole publishing industry.

[Jeff Brady]

Do you mean New Frontier?

The Absolute Editions ALWAYS include additional material, whether it be new pages, scripts, sketches, notes, pinups, etc. They are not essential to the original story. An added bonus. YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY IT.

Absolutes also have extremely high quality printing, oversized, etc. They are beautiful books (I have 1/2 to 2/3rds of them). I've been clammoring for an Absolute New Frontier since Day 1.

Another thing to consider is we would never have seen an Absolute edition if the original issues & trades hadn't sold the way the did, if it hadn't been praised the way it was. If it was a dull book cancelled after the third issue, no one would care.

Edit: Dammit Mike, ya just had to squeeze that in while I was changing ink cartridges.

[Pól Rua]

Final Frontier was one of my favorite books in recent years and I got the trade paperbacks recently.

I love the way you're complaining about the Absolute Hardcover while admitting that you bought the Trades recently.
How long've the trades been out?
How long has it been since #1 of the series came out?

Here's the deal, if you were so committed that people who wait should receive no extra material, you would have bought the single issues AS THEY CAME OUT.

I mean, I'm not trying to be a prick or anything, but you see the inconsistency.

[ILLUS]

I love the way you're complaining about the Absolute Hardcover while admitting that you bought the Trades recently.
How long've the trades been out?
How long has it been since #1 of the series came out?

Here's the deal, if you were so committed that people who wait should receive no extra material, you would have bought the single issues AS THEY CAME OUT.

I mean, I'm not trying to be a prick or anything, but you see the inconsistency.

Yeah I meant New Frontier...too many late nights. And to answer your questions..I was only able to get my hands on the first issue when it originally came out which is why I bought the trades. And yeah making money is fine and I understand the reasoning of course but I think these options should be presented at the same time. Not all of us are aware of everything that is rumored to come out in the future. Just my opinion but i would never practice this type of publishing. Money is great but i do fine without gimmicks.

[Jeff Brady]

Not all of us are aware of everything that is rumored to come out in the future. Just my opinion but i would never practice this type of publishing. Money is great but i do fine without gimmicks.

See, it's not a gimmick. No one knew that when NF debuted, that enough people would want an Absolute edition. No one had any idea how well the original would sell. It's not like they released a chromium cover variant to each issue.

Absolutes aren't gimmicks; they're art books, and should be treated as such.