CBR: When Words Collide - Jun 13, 2011

[CBR News]

Tim considers how best to read certain serialized comics and spotlights recent books of interest like Paul Cornell's "Action Comics," Rozum and Irving's "Xombi," and Jeff Parker's "Thunderbolts."


Full article here.

[NickFury90]

That reminds me of how I read Claremont's Uncanny X-men. I love the run, especially the Paul Smith and Silvestri/Outback era, but I can't read more then one issue in a row. They just work so much better in single issues, that's just how the comics were structured back then, and that's how I feel about them now.

[Janissa]

I have to disagree about XOMBI. Don't get me wrong Frazer Irving's ART is BEAUTIFUL. But the story is about as coherent as a Schizophrenic on DMT.

Callahan, I've found that you're far too influenced by how good the art is for a comic book. For example, that Hellboy one off issue by Kevin Nowlan was f-ing beautiful but the story was thin and shite. There wasn't any there there. Yet you loved it.

[uthor]

See, I just make my Pile #2 my Amazon wish list. Lets me have time to hear some buzz about it, good or bad, and some distance to decide if I really want to read a series.

[Sir Duke]

Xombi is such an amazing series. God I hope it doesn't get cancelled after issue #6.

[RockyBanks]

So...would it be possible to come to a sort of consensus over what titles belong in each Pile?

For example, I doubt many would disagree that Abnett's Heroes for Hire belongs in Pile #1. Even though it's not a done-in-one type of series, each issue is a fully satisfying shot of adrenaline.

Same with Slott's Amazing Spider-Man. He's telling his stories in short arcs of three or four issues, but each issue is structured in such a way that you never feel cheated. (In particular, the back-up features at the end of each issue give a sense of completion and closure.)

By contrast, Bendis' Avengers is only satisfying when read back-to-back-to-back, so it belongs in Pile #2. In fact, anything with Bendis' mark on it is unapologetically written for the trade.

Likewise, Fraction's Invincible Iron Man is a heavily decompressed title that belongs in Pile #2 without a doubt.

[Lexor7]

Without overtly mentioning it, or perhaps even especially considering it, you've helped me to put in context the types of books I will collect digitally Vs in paper form. I'm commiting myself to moving to a hybrid of the two when the DC relaunch happens in September. I love my weekly pilgrimage to the comic store and I love paper comics. Over the past year though, I've become more accustomed to reading them on my iPad and have begun to collect some older works (Promethea & Walt Simonson's Thor run specifically) in that format for later reading.

Using a more formal Pile 1 / Pile 2 format, which I loosely and organically adopteded, but it's scattered and coincidental at best, means I can now let my "pile 2" comics exist as a virtual pile by collecting them digitally, and benefit from lower price point when the price drops to $1.99 an issue after a month of release. I see my days of trade buying significantly dropping off as I do love to support issues as they are released, and this gives me the opportunity to support multiple formats, individual issues of current series, and maximize my reading enjoyment...while saving a bit of money, to reinvest in even more comics naturally to support the industry I love!

Great column!

[Nytwyng]

Tim charged people 10 cents apiece for Bendis books? That's highway robbery.

[Rollo Tomassi]

There is no way to predict and/or feel responsible for any great yet still short lived comic series like AntMan and MI:13. The longer you read/collect comics, the inevitability of cancellation due to the vagaries and whims of the larger collecting community are no match for a single readers enthusiasm for a specific title. Its sad but true.
So my version of Pile 1/Pile 2 is buy what you like (or think you'll like). And the rest, write down(or make a list on your smartphone so you always have it handy) and then scour the internet, comic shop inventory reduction sales, quarter and dollar boxes at trade shows,etc.
The latter alows you to experience the second best part of collecting comics(after reading them): The hunt.
Then you can appreciate a run of books all at once, and knowing you paid a fraction of the cover price let's you appreciate them in a more objective manner, without thinking 'okay, that was a decent read I guess, but not worth $3-4.'
I can't begin to tell you how many great comics I've picked up for 10 cents or 50 cents each that I never wouldve thought about reading. And if they aren't great? Well, then I've only wasted a couple bucks on an entire miniseries. Which is less than what a single issue cost initially. And certainly less than the Trade costs.

[starman]

I've got tons of comics I don't read anymore. My wife tells me to get rid of them, but I have no idea how or where to start. Got any advice or maybe a column dedicated to clearing/cleaning up your comics?

[Lou7]

I've got tons of comics I don't read anymore. My wife tells me to get rid of them, but I have no idea how or where to start. Got any advice or maybe a column dedicated to clearing/cleaning up your comics?

I'm in the same boat here.I really don't want to throw out my old comics, but they're taking up space. Any ideas anyone ? Thanks

[Not_A_Zombie]

I'm in the same boat here.I really don't want to throw out my old comics, but they're taking up space. Any ideas anyone ? Thanks

Don't buy anymore comics. Or buy less comics. And while you're doing that maybe check out your old books and figure out what it is you want to keep because you want to read again, and other stuff decide it's time to let go. Pass it on to another reader. Even stuff if you need to decide it's weak, see needs to go, may still be cool. Especially for some other reader. It doesn't have to be much, but each thing you get rid of creates space for other more prized stuff.

[mistergoodman]

I'm in the same boat here.I really don't want to throw out my old comics, but they're taking up space. Any ideas anyone ? Thanks

I know some people read them, scan them into the computer and get rid of them. And soon new comics will be available digitally from the start on the iPad and web.