Why aren't there oversized hardcover editions of hellboy??

[lukewarmwater]

Why aren't there oversized hardcover editions of hellboy?? I would love if darkhorse did these. I think the dc absolutes are great.

[PoprocksAndCoke]

There is no good answer to why there aren't. I think the fans are just as dedicated, if not more than Sin City's fans. We'd all buy them.

[David Glassey]

I like the DC absolutes too. I am thinking of getting the Absolute New Frontier by the incredible Darwyn Cooke.

Maybe Mike just doesn't think it is justified right now, he'd have to be asked to find out.

[el seth]

Scott said they're working on hardcovers... but I'm not sure if they'll be oversized.

[Neil Hill]

Scott said they're working on hardcovers... but I'm not sure if they'll be oversized.

I second this. When I checked with Scott earlier in the year, he mentioned DH was getting around to it. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.

[Juno Reactor]

Well, Absolutes ususally weigh in at around 300-600 pages (take Batman: Hush at one end of the scale, and the forthcoming Absolute Sandman at the other). So, a supersized edition would likely collect more than one tpb...

The Hellboy tpbs average around 150 pages (a more conservative estimate might be 140). If you put the first five together (Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil, The Chained Coffin and Others, The Right Hand of Doom, and Conqueror Worm), that would be around 750 pages, not including the bonus material that makes each Absolute-style collection a must. The reason I think the first five (Seed through Conqueror) would fit together well is because they follow Hellboy's time at the BPRD, giving an overall theme to the first volume...

However, 750-800 pages is ridiculously big. It would crush your lap while you read it. I know I get sore from cradling Absolute Watchmen, and that's 400-500 pages; we're talking about something twice as big!

So, perhaps the following would work better: three volumes (for now), with Volume One collecting Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil; Volume Two collecting Chained Coffin and The Right Hand of Doom; and Volume Three collecting Conqueror Worm and Strange Places. Each would have over 300 pages, plus hundreds of pages in bonus material. And of course, each would be supersized, hardcover, dust jacket-ed, and come in a slipcase.

I personally would love to own the short story volume. :)

[glue]

However, 750-800 pages is ridiculously big. It would crush your lap while you read it. I know I get sore from cradling Absolute Watchmen, and that's 400-500 pages; we're talking about something twice as big!



The UNCANNY X-MEN and FANTASTIC FOUR omnibuses are both around 850 pages and the NEW X-MEN is over 1,000, so it's not unheard of.

[Otto66]

I could fill this entire box with why Hardcover Editions are ludicrous.

I'll make it simple. Why WASTE Mignola's time with this project?
Time better spent doing new Hellboy stories rather than repackaging
the same stories that are collected in the TPBs.

Aaaarrrrrgagagaghhhh!:mad:

[lukewarmwater]

"I'll make it simple. Why WASTE Mignola's time with this project?
Time better spent doing new Hellboy stories rather than repackaging
the same stories that are collected in the TPBs."

That doesn't make any sense. Mignola wouldn't have to do anything really, just approve the books, it's not like he would be have to take time off of drawing to go and assemble the books together. And the majority of comics coming out have hardcover editions, hellboy should too. You may not like them, but a lot do. It would also be nice to see mignolas art in it's original size, rather then shrunk down like it is in the tpbs.

[Neil Hill]

I could fill this entire box with why Hardcover Editions are ludicrous.

I'll make it simple. Why WASTE Mignola's time with this project?
Time better spent doing new Hellboy stories rather than repackaging
the same stories that are collected in the TPBs.

Aaaarrrrrgagagaghhhh!:mad:

Although I understand and can empathize with the spirit of your comments Otto, I agree with Lukewarm that Mike's involvement would most likely be purely approval related, with maybe minimal input as to overall design of the books.

[Juno Reactor]

Whenever I buy comics, I opt for the hardcover collections when they're available. It just feels like they'll last longer down the road, and they fit better in my personal library. It also gives them an air of sophistication, to get the hardcover treatment...

So yes, if Dark Horse releases Hellboy in hardcover, I'll gladly buy the stories again.

[Otto66]

That doesn't make any sense. Mignola wouldn't have to do anything really, just approve the books...
Not true. Mignola took a lot of time crafting the TPBs. I would expect
the same with the HEs (Hardcover Editions).
...and they fit better in my personal library. It also gives them an air of sophistication, to get the hardcover treatment..
That says it all. Yous guys want something that looks nice on yer shelves.:rolleyes:

SAY NO TO HARDCOVER EDITIONS.
SAY YES TO TIME BETTER SPENT ON NEW STORIES.
(sorry:o, didin't mean to yell)

Say what ya will, we extremely disagree on this subject. Label me the
grumpy old guy what didn't want the HEs.

[Mike Cross]

I'm on the Otto train this time. I like my trades, hardcovers are for Stephen King and Jackei Collins.

[Otto66]

TOOT,TOOT
Thanks, skinny.:D

[Mikolaj]

There is one reason I would love the HC to be finally printed and made ready-to-buy... Well actually two reasons: first the fact that I would love to see few new Mike's pinups in every one of these and second... And, well: becouse I haven't been buy'n any of the english TPB becouse of waiting for them. ;)

[Jankenstein]

Nothing personal, but I'm throwing the switch and de-raling Otto's train! :D

I vastly prefer oversized hardcovers. At the risk of sounding insensitive, I am not a teenager on the Tokyo subway who needs to fit a book into a tiny backpack. A pox on this trend towards digest-sized tomes!

Seriously, I find hardcovers last a lot longer than TPBs, and the covers don't curl.

Otto.....what the hell are ya doing in Max Meadows? That's like a half hour from me *LOL*

[Generic Eric]

I thought I read somewhere that each hardcover collects two of the trade paperbacks. Anyways I don't have all the trades because the hardcover versions coming out sound to be more definite and complete edditions of the Hellboy stories. Wait and see if this is true.

[Neil Hill]

A pox on this trend towards digest-sized tomes!

I'm going to have to throw my two cents in Janken and conditionally disagree with you. I would have thought the same until I purchased the digest sized hardcover German b/w editions of the Hellboy trades. They are the perfect size for carrying around with you, and I've found that the smaller page size doesn't detract at all from the beauty of the artwork inside.

[Otto66]

Nothing personal, but I'm throwing the switch and de-raling Otto's train! :D

I vastly prefer oversized hardcovers. At the risk of sounding insensitive, I am not a teenager on the Tokyo subway who needs to fit a book into a tiny backpack. A pox on this trend towards digest-sized tomes!

Seriously, I find hardcovers last a lot longer than TPBs, and the covers don't curl.

Otto.....what the hell are ya doing in Max Meadows? That's like a half hour from me *LOL*
We agree to disagree. I've briefly stated my view on TPBs versus HBs.
Maybe next time this comes up (as it always does) I'll be a bit more
mature (unlikely) and really try and understand the other side of this
arguement (when monkeys fly out of my ***).

I will say that TPBs are not exactly digest size.

As to what I WAS doing in Max Meadows... just driving thru.;)
The vistas in VA and WVA are amazing.

[Jankenstein]

I wouldn't mind having HCs the same size as the TPBs, either. I just don't like the teeny tiny little manga-esque format.

Yes, both WV and VA are gorgeous states. Should give me a yell next time you pass through this way.

[Otto66]

Appreciate the invite.:)

[6are54]

I would love IT in a box. You know the kind you pull out your book shelf with textured gold lettering and silver bookmarks and 3D pages, commentaries and Mike Mignola portraits done by other illustrator along with his biography and a delux HB figure. Scented too. ;)

[Mike Cross]

I know, while we're at it, let's get a can, fill it with Mignola-scent and charge bazillions of $$$. While everyone is waiting for their hardcover versions of th etrades, I will read the trades and revel in my softcoveredness.

[Hellcow]

I could fill this entire box with why Hardcover Editions are ludicrous.

I'll make it simple. Why WASTE Mignola's time with this project?
Time better spent doing new Hellboy stories rather than repackaging
the same stories that are collected in the TPBs.

Aaaarrrrrgagagaghhhh!:mad:

Seems like Mignola's not going to being giving us many more hellboy stories anyway. So we might as well get the HCs for the great stories that do exist.

[Mike Cross]

Why is everyone forgetting the new short in the new Dark Horse Book of...?

[Neil Hill]

Seems like Mignola's not going to being giving us many more hellboy stories

Whoa, whoa, whoa, nowhere has that been stated. Let's not start misquoting now. :) I think Mike said that what we'll see will be shorter stories and fewer of them, not necessarily less trickling down to nothing.

[jnapper]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, nowhere has that been stated. Let's not start misquoting now. :) I think Mike said that what we'll see will be shorter stories and fewer of them, not necessarily less trickling down to nothing.

I don't think it was a misquote, just an observation-- "Seems like ..." indicates an observation to me. :)

[el seth]

If these drop the same year as Absolute Sandman, I'll probably have to sell a kidney. But I hear you only need one.

[jnapper]

If these drop the same year as Absolute Sandman, I'll probably have to sell a kidney. But I hear you only need one.

I didn't even know about this-- just googled it. Something for me to consider peeking at. Thanks.

[Jankenstein]

I've already got a copy of the Absolute Sandman on order :D

[evening]

Why is everyone forgetting the new short in the new Dark Horse Book of...?

Y'mean those teeny tiny books? ;)

[Neil Hill]

I don't think it was a misquote, just an observation-- "Seems like ..." indicates an observation to me. :)

Yeah, but you know how easily "seems like" can be turned into "is" in the click of a keyboard Jonell. :) I've been guilty of it myself, so no comments about the pot calling the kettle black here people. :p

[Mike Cross]

I wouldn't call them teeny tiny..they're chock full o'sweet goodness. The animal stories are some of the best i've read in a long time and i really did the prose like ones contained therein. Having HB stories are icing

[Jankenstein]

Actually those "Book Of" compilations are rather nice. When you have talent of the caliber of Mignola, Gianni, P. Craig Russell, and Jill Thompon within the same book, you can't beat that with a stick.

[Otto66]

Its true. Its a crime to beat a book with a stick.
Books are for reading. Sticks are for beating.
(Otto66 is very anxious for hockey season to start):D

[evening]

I keeed! I keeed!
I have the "Book/s Of..." which I cherish and love.
I just think it's kind of ironic that the new HB story we get there *will* be in hardcover format (as some people would like), except....small.

It's almost like taunting those who wait patiently and hopefully for their full size HB hardcover.:evilsmile

[Otto66]

Wonder when we'll get an Absolute Mouse Guard?:confused:

While I'm waiting, can I get an Absolute Bloody Mary?:D

[Jankenstein]

That was Absolutely ridiculous.

[Otto66]

No. Its Absolutely true.