Do you read Vertigo titles as trade or single issues? [Archive]

Sleeper

10-02-2005, 08:48 PM

Voted for "Mixed, more singles"

I say that as there are a lot more trades than singles but it's easier for me to check out a single than throw down for an entire trade. Time wise and all.

tk421atpost

10-02-2005, 09:13 PM

The only Vertigo titles I collect regularly are Y and Hellblazer. I get Y in trade format and Hellblazer as the single issues. Don't know why, lol.

Lurker

10-02-2005, 09:15 PM

More singles than trades here, but mostly cuz I must have my monthly dose of Y and WE3 is the only trade I can remember picking up this year so maybe I'm in the wrong demographic to vote.

chicainery

10-02-2005, 11:53 PM

I voted more trades than single issues. I buy Fables and Y: the Last Man in trades when they come out. I bought Swamp Thing, Sandman, Preacher, Doom Patrol, Invisibles and The Filth all in trades in the last few years. The only single issues I have of Vertigo are Sea Guy, Vinamanarama and WE3 (besides the ones I've picked up in the quarter bin).

pennywisdom

10-03-2005, 02:03 AM

I get more trades than single issues, period. Vertigo or otherwise. I used to buy 100 Bullets in single issue form, but it's better in trade.

Ryan K

10-03-2005, 09:04 AM

I think I own maybe one old Swamp Thing Vertigo comic. But I probably own 50 Vertigo tpb's (more than that most likely).

I only buy them in trade. I just like the way they look on a book shelf (Vertigo's pretty good about making a series' spines uniform).

I guess I just like the more mature themed stuff in tpb's.

GeorgeG

10-03-2005, 09:22 AM

I read it in singles, but buy both.

MarkSullivan

10-03-2005, 09:59 AM

I went with "mixed, more TPBs." I'd cheerfully buy just trades, but it's not always practical. Hellblazer is still a good two years behind, for example...and there were no trades from the Carey run until recently. On the other hand, Fables and Y got regular trade treatment early on, so I switched. Finally did the same with 100 Bullets, since I thought they read better that way. And Lucifer was well into its TPB run when I got interested in it, so I've never bought it any other way.

stealthwise

10-03-2005, 10:33 AM

Most Vertigo titles I'm reading are older ones, so it's usually trade. I'm getting Y every month because Vaughan's cliffhangers are too damn good to make me wait for five to seven months at a time.

FanboyStranger

10-03-2005, 01:57 PM

I tend to buy single issues with the exception of 100 Bullets, which I only buy in trades. In general, I will pick up trades when the issues are collected, thereby saving me the time of digging through piles for single issues. So I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I buy both.

JTLauder

10-03-2005, 02:25 PM

I've gone exclusively trades only on about 95% of all my comics reading with the only exceptions being picking up an issue of two on a new comic to see whether I like it enough to buy the full trades.

I prefer reading storylines in their entirety because I can't wait a month being left on a cliffhanger, and by the time next month comes, I end up forgetting what happened, so I would have go through the previous again anyway. So I just end up putting them all aside until I've got the whole story arc to begin reading. And sometimes it's a pain trying to find all the right issues together.

Plus, trades are cheaper.

But I miss seeing the glossy covers.

ocelotrevs

10-03-2005, 05:18 PM

I'd say trades, I have a couple Constantine trades, and all of the Fables trades (I only found out about it the other day)
It's way easier than looking for singles from years back. However, with Fables, I'm wanting more, so what I may do is buy the singles, then get the trade and flog the singles somewhere (unecomical I know but...)

Babylon23

10-03-2005, 09:07 PM

Usually, I buy trades. The last title I bought single issues of was Trigger, and it was cancelled after 8 issues.

Papergirl

10-03-2005, 11:00 PM

I voted "mixed, with more singles than trades." I like getting the new issues when they're released, and use the trades for back-issues.
I do the same thing. Lately, I've been picking up trades simply to fill in the gaps in my runs. Or to get something that I lost when my ex-husband absconded with my comics.

~Bev

pennywisdom

10-04-2005, 01:42 AM

Are original prints of Gaiman's Sandman particularly expensive on the back issue market? I love that series, but I've only read the collected editions.

I do the same thing. Lately, I've been picking up trades simply to fill in the gaps in my runs. Or to get something that I lost when my ex-husband absconded with my comics.
He can get away with that? It's not theft? I was under the impression everything had to be divided up evenly. I can't imagine someone just swiping shit.

miles_smily

10-05-2005, 10:15 AM

I have more trades than singles, only because I came late to the comic game. Gotta have me some Sandman.

joint venture

10-05-2005, 12:38 PM

I find it easier to acquire and to travel with when it's only TPBs. I would like to collect Fables or A 100 Bullets regularly, but it takes some wiring to achiev it here in Costa Rica.

And you can always carry the complete history, or set of works of a single author/artist in a single book.

Only rarely do I buy the single issues, most of the times because of a cover i do not want to miss.

There.

Smokin' J

10-14-2005, 09:03 AM

I get 100 Bullets in issues and everything else in trade.

noodleboy

10-14-2005, 10:29 AM

Y & Fables Monthly

Losers & 100 Bullets in TPBs

Right now I am evenly split, but I plan on getting the new series in trades (Loveless, Testament, etc) when they get released the TPB route and I plan on getting the Doom Patrol trades that have been released. So soon it will be more trades than singles.

sunsetdayglo

10-19-2005, 07:23 PM

I buy everything in trade anymore, on the presumption that if something's good it will be put in a trade. I also do so because I think books are the best packaged form for the medium. The whole Warren Ellis, vote with your wallet thing.
I would (and have) STRONGLY suggested that any new fan also do the same.
The downside, is that I'm usually the last person to experience a good new series, and some of the work, particualarly work that talks about politics, news, etc. is a little stale by the time I get to it.

New Question: For those of you who read all or mostly in trades... how does your comic retailer respond to that philosophy. It seems like most are VERY happy when you come in and buy a bunch of books, but their very against it, like they don't have the confidence they could servive if fan-addicts weren't coming to the store for their little doses on a weekly basis.
How do your retailers react when you tell them how and why you buy?

dancj

10-20-2005, 06:13 AM

My comic shop probably isn't too chuffed becase I get my trades from eBay and Amazon - and pay about half what my comic shop is charging

MarkSullivan

10-20-2005, 09:50 AM

New Question: For those of you who read all or mostly in trades... how does your comic retailer respond to that philosophy. It seems like most are VERY happy when you come in and buy a bunch of books, but their very against it, like they don't have the confidence they could servive if fan-addicts weren't coming to the store for their little doses on a weekly basis.
How do your retailers react when you tell them how and why you buy?

My shop's been fine with it; they even relaxed the minimum titles restriction they have for pull lists to qualify for a discount. I'm not sure how they'd respond if I went all-TPB. I buy some things online, but as long as they're getting books on time I'm happy to pay a little extra to support a local merchant.

JeffreyWKramer

10-20-2005, 09:59 AM

Mostly trades. Many of the books read much better in trades.

Current Vertigo stuff I buy in trade-only includes LUCIFER, Y, FABLES, 100 BULLETS. I think the only Vertigo books I've recently bought in single-issues were HELLBLAZER and... what is that fantasy thing Phil Jiminez is doing? I bought that before deciding it wasn't to my taste.

ratzo

10-20-2005, 11:25 AM

That would be Otherworld. I wasn't impressed with it either.

I buy Fables, Losers and 100 Bullets in trades and Y as single issues and my retailer has no problem with that at all.

JeffreyWKramer

10-20-2005, 03:17 PM

That would be Otherworld. I wasn't impressed with it either.

That would be the one, yes.

BlueOrange25

10-20-2005, 03:48 PM

I buy them in trades. With Vertigo titles, I know at some point they're going to end as they're titles that are the projects of their creators. With trades, I get the opportunity to get the whole series complete in trades (like with The Invisibles and Sandman).

With monthly series from Marvel and DC, I stay away from trades since to have a complete collection, I'd need to buy all the time. If that's the case, I might as well have the monthly editions. The exception to this is when I see a mini/maxi series that takes my interest.

AlterEgo

10-26-2005, 08:00 AM

i buy everything in monthly form. there's been a lot of discussion about trade vs monthly on supporting a book. i firmly believe buying the monthly is the strongest way to support a title and if you're enjoying a book, support the title and the writer now...not months later via trade.

even during the period when i was not collecting, i eventually went back and bought the separate issues of the titles that i missed out on. complete runs of vertigo titles are not hard to find on ebay. i did this for sandman, swamp thing, etc.

the only trades that i have of any comic title is astro city (yes, i know it's not a vertigo book). given busiek's irregular timetable on that title, i'd venture to say that 'new' readers who climbed on board after the title had already started, probably did it via trades.

Headhunter

11-06-2005, 04:52 PM

All trades; a good 30-40% of my entire trade paperback collection is Vertigo, and I've purchased maybe 3-4 issues total.

TomGun13

11-06-2005, 06:41 PM

I buy 100 Bullets in trade.

Adem

11-06-2005, 06:49 PM

I buy almost all my Vertigo titles in trades.

vazel

11-06-2005, 10:58 PM

mostly trades. no preference, just cheaper and easier to pick up the trades than tracking down the individual issues. wanting to start picking up fables and lucifer monthly once i'm done catching up with the trades. it would be nice having something to look forward to each month and reading it as it comes out.

davelevine

11-14-2005, 12:26 PM

I read just trades. I bought Y: The Last Man for about 6 months (# 19 - 26) before deciding to go back and read the trades. I've read the first three so far. I'm also getting caught up on Losers and Human Target the same way. I also read most stuff from other publishers in trade. I usually only buy single issues to try things out.

I'm still holding out in hopes that one of these days they'll collect the rest of HT in trade format. :o

Viking Bastard

11-14-2005, 01:03 PM

Just Trades.

I don't recall ever buying a Vertigo single.

No137

11-15-2005, 11:06 AM

Mostly trades for me.

Ignotum

11-29-2005, 01:53 PM

Some reason i'd rather pick it up an issue at a time. Trades are much appreciated though.

dekard49

12-15-2005, 11:34 AM

3/4 trades, and 1/4 singles...

NDHorse

12-28-2005, 11:24 AM

I buy all single issues, but if it is a multiple issue story I just set them aside until I can read them all in one sitting. I know, I know, then why don't I just get the trades? It's the comic book collector in me who wants the single issues. Also, the things they mostly add in trades, like scripts and sketchbooks, just don't interest me.

Also, someone needs to buy the singles so that they get made in the first place.