r/comicbooks • u/DramaticGiraffes • 1d ago
Discussion Single issues
Im relativity new to comics, im wonder what the general thought are on singles im trade waiting on alot of series, but going to the store and picking up singles for ongoing stuff I really like or new number ones is awesome. I guess I just want to know what the general consensus is what is the best way to be buying comics and are singles really worth the extra cost as someone 6 months into the hobby?
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u/XxOmegaSupremexX Venom 1d ago
If you want to keep up with a series month to month or just like the collectibility factor then go with the floppies, other wise trade waiting or reading digitally is the way to go.
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u/DramaticGiraffes 1d ago
Where are you reading digitally? I haven't considered this as i love the physical media collection but it could be a good option for exploration.
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u/XxOmegaSupremexX Venom 23h ago
I typically use the marvel and dc apps. For indies and older marvel/dc runs I liked, I preferto collect physically.
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u/CRA1964TVII 23h ago
I love singles. It’s the entire point of collecting for me. I really enjoy all the covers and just knowing I have them. You do what makes you happy. I have been collecting since I was 9. Forty years later and I still love it. The only real problem is choosing what comics to display out of thousands. Happy reading true believer.
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u/fuzzydice82 23h ago
There is no general consensus. Some people like Singles, some like Trade Paperbacks, others Trade Hardbacks, Collected Editions, Omnibus, oversized Absolute, Compendium, Compact, Digital, and every other format available.
It really all comes down to personal preferences and finances. Some people are adults with full-time careers and a full finished basement whose shelves would rival most mid-sized comic stores. Other people are students with no income who cherish the shortbox of comics in their closet.
I still buy Single Issues because that's what I'd buy off the spinner racks in the grocery store in the late 1980s. I went through a phase in the 2000s-early 2010s where I sold half my Single Issues and I only wanted Hardback Trades and Collected Editions. Then in the mid-2010s I sold most of my Hardbacks and paired down the whole collection. Then, in the 2020s I got back into Single Issues, trying to only pick up good single issue/"done-in-one" stories. Now I'm a big fan of the Marvel Epic Collection and DC Finest format, so I'm trying to also pick up those. I also read a lot of stuff Digitally through Libby and Hoopla with my local library access.
The only things I refuse to buy are the formats that are too large or too small. Omnibus and Compendium formats are way too large and unwieldy for me. And then Compact comics and other "digest" size reprints are too small because they weren't originally designed for that format, and the artwork and specifically the text is just shrunken down. Some of the text in them is literally unreadable without a physical magnifying glass.
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tldr; Check the free Libby and Hoopla apps. They use your local library membership. You'd be surprised at how many comics are freely available to you digitally through your library.
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u/Individual-Pay7430 22h ago
I don’t think there’s a general consensus. Personally, I can’t justify spending 3.99 or more on single issues. So, I wait to get the trade paper backs or read them at the library.
But I’m not a collector so my opinion will be different.
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u/Professional-Ice1071 1d ago
Singles are worth it if you enjoy the ritual of going to the shop and flipping through new stuff every week, but your wallet will feel it quick. For ongoing series you're hyped about, grabbing the floppies makes sense, trade waiting everything else keeps you from drowning in longboxes. Six months in, you're already doing the smart hybrid thing
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u/DramaticGiraffes 1d ago
Great to know, this is what I was thinking about.
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u/SolidFit2255 17h ago
I do a hybrid too. I love omnibus and have about 80 of them rn. And i have 4 subscriptions of my fav series, and get the occasional other comics that grab my eye. But most of my budget goes to omnis fs
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u/DramaticGiraffes 1d ago
Also for the record I have budgeted for a maximum of 40 bucks a week and absolutely no more to prevent me from buying random comics every week even when nothing is want is out
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u/BlueHarvestJ Hellboy 1d ago
If you are into monthly comics, buy floppies.
If you are into storylines and full stories, cut off online info and buy trades
There is no consensus
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u/Former-Complaint-336 1d ago
I do both, it just depends on the series. I tend to trade wait for marvel/dc stuff but am too impatient to wait for the indies and follow them monthly. I really enjoy my wednesday morning ritual of going to the shop, even if I cut down on my monthly books I'd still probably go every wednesday just out of habit lol
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u/Nemo_Griff 1d ago
The big question is: can you wait?
Do you have the patience to wait for a story line to end and then get published in a TPB or would you rather consume the meal one bite at a time.
Another thing to consider is storage. Can you make room for short boxes without them getting in your way?
You may pick up something that can become valuable later, but the odds are that more issues will be valued at less than what you pay for them. So if you need to make room, it usually is a loss when you sell.
There is nothing that everyone will agree on because our desires and situations are all different. Use the information given and decide something that works for you.
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u/DramaticGiraffes 1d ago
Thank you i think part of it for me is I want to get into the current scene, I can definitely wait for trades on some series, others I think id like to collect.
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u/Nemo_Griff 23h ago
Then mix it up! Give some stuff a try, it won't all be gold, but collecting single issues is fun.
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u/Dingo-Suit 1d ago
If I had to guess, I would say that most newcomers to the hobby probably start with buying trades.
The reason is that most newbies probably ask their friends for suggestions and these will probably be along the lines of "Watchmen", "Dark Knight Returns", "Dark Phoenix Saga", and so on, which are easiest to collect as trades.
Buying single issues can be fun because it feeds the collector itch (why buy a whole story in a single book when you can spend months hunting down each individual issue?) and since there is always a delay before the trade comes out, you will always get current comics quicker if you collect single issues.
On the other hand, I imagine some people feel that if they start out with trades and omnibuses, why not keep buying them? The opposite of the collector itch is the OCD itch that wants every part of one's collection neatly arranged on the same shelf in the same format. And I'm not just saying that because two of my Discworld books are slightly taller than the rest of the books on the shelf and it has bugged me since I bought them.
If you find that you really like trying out a new series before everyone has had a chance to read them and fan opinion has solidified, I would recommend buying single issues. If you find you prefer getting other people's feedback before committing money to a series, you might be better waiting for the trade.
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u/DramaticGiraffes 1d ago
When I first started I was recommended a bunch of trades and compacts which I finished and enjoyed may of but at the same time I did not feel like part of the greater comic community and conversation like I do reading current.
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u/Dingo-Suit 23h ago
I guess that gives you the answer you were looking for then.
If buying single issues helps you feel like more of the community, then it is worth it to buy them. It will be somewhat more expensive, so you might have to be selective about which series you follow, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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u/Environmental-Day862 Green Lantern 23h ago
Depends on the individual: your income, the amount of space that you have for storage, and your personal tastes.
I love single issue comics. I love getting that fresh, new story in my hands and reading it as soon as it comes out. Bagging it, boarding it, and adding it to my boxes of ongoing series that I collect.
However, my storage situation is such that I don't really have space for more than 5-6 shortboxes of ongoing books, and 5-6 shortboxes of books that I've "collected."
Single Issue Advantages & Disadvantages:
The advantages to buying floppies on release is (a) the books can increase in value (all my early Absolute Batman First Print Cover As are worth quite a bit now), (b) you stay current with the story (whereas trades take months to have enough issues to accumulate the stories into a trade), and (c) for me, it's a fun ritual of having a few comics to read each week, bagging them, boarding them, and adding them to my collection. The disadvantages are cost ($4-5 per issue is about the norm now) and needing storage space for lots of individual issues.
Trade Paperback / Collected Edition Advantages & Disadvantages:
The advantages of trades and collected editions include (a) they are less expensive (you can get them cheaper from certain online retailers, but even at MSRP, most trades average out to ~$3 or so per "issue" vs. the $4-5 per floppy), (b) easier storage on bookshelves than in bulky boxes, and (c) it's often a more cohesive reading experience going through 5 or 6 issues in one or two sittings, then reading six issues over the course of six months. The disadvantages are obviously that by the time the trade comes out, you're usually at least six issues behind the monthly readers in the story and you may see or hear things that can act as spoilers if you care about that kind of thing.
So there's no WRONG way to enjoy comics. I would ask that if you enjoy comics as a medium, please don't pirate the comics (we want the writers and artists to get paid and print comics to be a viable medium for years to come). Other than that, it's all just a matter of your personal preferences, resources, etc.
Happy reading!
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u/smittyplusplus 22h ago
I love the fun of picking up issues and being able to carve out time and read a single issue as they come out. The pitfall is it’s easy to oversubscribe and have too many things on your pool list and not have time to actually read them and then it turns into a stressful obligation, to read this stuff as it comes in and you have these things accumulating and taking up more space and you’re behind. I’m not doing anything right now, but if I start again I’ll probably just focus on a couple of titles at a time.
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u/CoreyWinter286 1d ago
I tend to go through phases of buying books. Since stuff goes out of print quite often, I prefer to buy omnibuses. Even when stuff is in print its easier to spend a little more at once and get the full story.
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u/mayorofanything Ms. Marvel 1d ago
I used to buy singles for every series I wanted to read, but after 15 years of collecting and several moves, I have lowered that number to only books I know I love. I can't be asked to move another long box of just okay titles.
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u/Ubik_Fresh 1d ago
Collected edition all day long. Singles are expensive, take up too much space and take a lot of time and effort to shift once you realise you've gone too far and have a silly collection.
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u/BipolarPrime Two-Face 1d ago
I go TPBs, Compendiums, and Omnis. I’ll hit a floppy every once in a while, but I’m not looking for all the covers, ads and whatnot. Comics are expensive these days. Collected editions give me more bang for my buck.
But as a new collector, you should do what feels right for you. We can all give advice, but you know how you want to collect, read and display your books. Go with your gut. Enjoy! And welcome to the hobby!!!
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u/Radiant_Respect5162 1d ago
I only buy singles because i collect comics not trade paperbacks.
I see people post their comic collections and it's a few TPBs and omnis. You don't collect comics. You enjoy comics and read them when available in a more book like form.
This is just my personal opinion
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u/jawsthegreat777 Storm 1d ago
Books I really care about I get as singles. Other series that I'm reading but not monthly, I'll grab as trades. For example I have Absolute Batman and Wonder Woman pulled as singles but I read Absolute Green Lantern in trades
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u/gus_m1 1d ago
I have fomo when it comes to comics, so I will get the single issues for most of the big two. I can't imagine waiting for the trade on Absolute Batman, lol.
Image and other indies I'll tend to sample a #1 and if I like it enough, add it to my pull. But if I have too many monthly books, I'll hold off until the trade. I currently do that with Geiger, Ghost Pepper, Lost Fantasy and a few others.
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u/ProfessionalShoe522 23h ago
Be financially responsible, do what you want, don't buy to many ongoing and fill your home with short boxes
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u/MalekethsGhost 23h ago
I mean do you want to follow it serially or in chunks? Do you want to be involved in the online discussion or be months behind? I read several things on marvel unlimited because I don't care if I am behind.
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u/DramaticGiraffes 23h ago
This is the thing, I want to become part of the scene, ive wanted to be a comic artist since I was a kid (I know that won't happen) and partly because of this id love to involve myself in the community and online discourse, and maybe collect a little (nothings serious like paying tons of money for first prints or rare cover) all while being financially responsible
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u/MalekethsGhost 22h ago
They're is no scene, just a bunch of dorks arguing about who is stronger. There is nothing chill or financially responsible about this hobby.
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u/BobbySaccaro 21h ago
I think it comes down to whether you want to be more a "collector" or more just a "reader". With the singles, there's all sorts of "maintenance" of bagging, boarding, organizing, trying to fill in holes, etc. If that sounds like a lot of unfun work to you, you might want to stick to trades and/or digital.
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u/SoundwavesBurnerPage 21h ago
My LCS has a deal where if you sub to 10 or more titles you get 20% off so I take advantage of that, nice to not have to worry about spoilers as much too
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u/Tandy600 2h ago
I've only been collecting for about 3 years and already my philosophy on floppies has switched twice. Right now I'm actually selling off a lot of my indie issues to get the trades and I've stopped pulling as much.
For me personally, single issues feel most appropriate either where the title is episodic and you can easily pick out an issue at random and read it without context, or a series that has been long running enough that getting my monthly installment feels eagerly anticipated and routine. I think also in situations where I want to collect a particular character.
Otherwise, for short running titles, ones that have clearer tight stories, or mini-series, I'm going to collect the trade.
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u/rabbitsmoon 1d ago
I buy singles but I try to make sure it’s only stuff I really love and get excited about. I prefer the floppy form factor, and hate when a splash page gets lost in the ditches of a trade. But the cost and storage issues with floppies means I also get a lot of collections from the library too.