Comic books are a long running institution that spanned and endured for close to 2 centuries. Originating in Europe in the early 1830s before sowing their seeds in the minds of the readers across the world by the 1940s, These adventures have become a modern staple of geek culture. Comics will forever be linked to the zeitgeist of our geekdom and popular culture. Contained within the staplebound pages, lives the creative and ever fluid union of prose and artistry. Housed within the pages these books are creations of wonder, terror, empowerment, exploitation, evolution, romance and boundless imaginative endeavors of the ever growing definition of the term “Comic Book”.
When entering into the arena of reading comics, it can sometimes be quite daunting for a first timer. With so many different characters, titles, writers, artists and genres that first step may seem like a leap over a giant chasm. Fear not adventurers take my hand and jump into the multiverse of four color astounding tales.
Graphic Novels & Trade Paperbacks
So there is a long-running confusion for newcomers to comic collecting regarding the term Graphic Novel. So to clear up the confusion the proper definition of Graphic Novel is a self contained story bound in a single or a collection of hardcover or softcover binding volumes. The work itself is typically a singular self contained story or even sometimes a work of nonfiction. A great example of a graphic novel is Art Spigelman’s MAUS is a self contained story sometimes presented in two volumes. It is a biographical tale of the history of Spigelman’s father surviving told through the brilliant technique of using mice to represent the Jewish survivors and cats to represent German Nazi soldiers. In fact it is the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer prize, and is a seminal work in the history of the art form.
One accepted misnomer in the world of comic collecting, is the misidentifying of Trade Paperback collections as Graphic Novels. Trade Paperbacks are by standard definition a collection of previously published monthly issues of an ongoing comic book title. Collected in a bound volume or volumes, most Trade Paperbacks collect an entire story arc of an ongoing comic book series. One of all time greatest Trade Paperback collections is Marvel Comics; X-Men The Dark Phoenix Saga. Written By Chris Claremont with art from Dave Cockrum and John Byrne, the story arc took place in UNCANNY X-MEN Issues 101-108 (1976-1977) & Issues 129-138 (1980) respectively. These collected story arcs became the most popular superhero stories to date and forever shaped the landscape of X-Men lore. Trade Paperbacks exist to open a doorway into integral events and points in the history of sometimes decade old comic books. They exist for readers who may not have the resources to hunt down multiple expensive and/or scarce back issues of their favorite titles or story lines. In today’s world of comic collecting Graphic Novel and Trade Paperback have become interchangeable terms and that is quite alright. However, you now know where the terms originate from.
Single Issue Comics
“Why buy single issue comic books at all?” you may ask. Well the answer is fairly simple. What if we had to wait months or a year to get a comic book story line? I know some people would be fine with that, but I’ll put it this way. What if you had to wait and avoid all spoilers, or not know what other issues may tie into what is happening in the books you are reading? Would you wait for every single movie that comes out in the theater for a home video release? Maybe, but probably not if you love film. The same logic applies to the art form and pastime of collecting comics. While Trade Paperbacks and Graphic Novels are a great resource, single issue comic reading delivers a unique thrilling experience all of its own. Reading serialized parts of greater arcs immersed in every beat of the story, grabbing up multiple collectible covers from an array of talented industry artists and of course first dibs on hot new releases. Let’s not forget the exciting release of a month’s worth of trepidation. Seeing the resolution to a final panel cliffhanger unfold on the pages in front of you. Walking in to pick up your monthly pull list and seeing an issue on the rack that jumps out at you is one of many great feelings that only come with collecting single issues. Also there is a lot more flexibility in single issue collecting. Find an artist or writer you like? You can hop on a different series they may be involved in for a few issues. Bored with Batman? Give old Spidey your hard earned bucks for a few months. Speaking of hard earned bucks, single issue comics are limited in their print run and this can sometimes lead to a big return on investment in the secondary market. A recent example of this is BATMAN #89. This issue featured the cameo appearance of the new character, Punchline . Within weeks this single issue comic was selling for more than four times its cover price.
If you are tired of superheros. That is okay, there are plenty of other genres to explore and pick up. Some of the most diverse and cool comics are being printed by independent publishers like ACTION LAB and VAULT comics. Single issue comic collecting also helps keep local shops alive and makes reading a social experience. I find it a blast to hear what other people are into. Personally I have met some of my best friends in comic book shops. So do your part, true believer. Keep the dream of comic books alive.
