- Absolute, Absolute Edition
- Absolute Edition refers to a line of HCs from DC
Comics. Absolute Editions are larger sized deluxe reprint
volumes.
Absolute Edition volumes measure 8.5" x 12" and have
slipcases. These are exceptional presentations of their
source material.
- Archive
- Archive primarily refers to a line of HCs from DC Comics which
reprints material on a superior quality paper. DC Archives
contain
about 10 issues and while more expensive than other reprint
formats are wonderful presentations of their source
material.
Archive also refers to a variety of reprint collections by
other comics publishers.
- Dallas Stevens (DS)
-
Mile High Comics has the Dallas Stevens collection for sale on consignment. More information
- Direct Market
- More information
- Digest
-
- A TPB which reprints comic books in a smaller, resized
format. Digests are about the size of a DVD case.
- A Squarebound comic book reprinting other comic books
(generally Archie Comics) measuring 5" x 7".
- DS (Dallas Stevens)
-
Mile High Comics has the Dallas Stevens collection for sale on consignment. More information.
- Essentials
- A line of TPBs from Marvel Comics which reprints color
material in a black and white format on a lower quality
paper. The
appeal of Essential volumes is the price: you can buy a
volume containing about 25 (usually sequential) issues for
under $20.
- Graphic Novel (GN)
- Often interchangable with TPB, a Graphic Novel is more
accurately a volume comprised of a stand-alone,
self-contained story or
set of stories. If the Graphic Novel is based on
pre-existing material/characters, it is usually separate
from the continuing
material or series.
- Hardcover (HC), Hard Cover (HC), Hardback (HB)
- A Squarebound volume reprinting material in hardcover book
format, generally the height and width of a comic book.
Usually HCs contain one story line, about 4 - 8 issues of a comic book,
depending on the story line's length. Though HC length can
vary. HCs are usually reprinted in color or black and white
depending on the source material. TPB paper is generally
slick and of
excellent quality.
- Marvel Masterworks
- A line of HCs from Marvel Comics which reprints
material on a superior quality paper. Marvel Masterworks
contain about 10
issues and while more expensive than their Essentials
counterparts are wonderful presentations of their source
material.
Marvel Masterworks come in two types: Regular and Deluxe.
- The Regular editions are numbered on the spine based on the
title being reprinted, so the first Marvel Masterworks
Uncanny
X-Men volume would be Vol. 1 on the spine.
- The Deluxe editions are numbered according to when the
volume was released in the Marvel Masterworks line, so the
first Marvel
asterworks Uncanny X-Men Deluxe volume would be Vol. 11 on
the spine, since it was the eleventh volume published in the
Marvel
Masterworks line. There is a marble pattern to the cover of
Marvel Masterworks Deluxe versions.
- Newsstand
- More information
- Omnibus
- Omnibus primarily refers to a line of HCs from Marvel Comics
which reprints material on a superior quality paper. Marvel
Omnibuses are larger sized deluxe reprint volumes. Marvel
Omnibuses measure 7.5" x 11". These are exceptional
presentations of
their source material.
- If reprinting a larger ongoing series, generally about 30
issues of the title.
- If reprinting a smaller finite series, than usually the
complete series.
Omnibus also refers to a variety of reprint collections by
other comics publishers.
- Perfectbound
- A binding which is not stapled. Generally the pages are
glued into the spine.
- Run
- A set of usually sequential issues of a comic book or
magazine title. Run could refer to either a series or
creative team.
- A complete run of X-Men
- Chris Claremont's run on the X-Men.
- Showcase Presents
- A line of TPBs from DC Comics which reprints color material
in a black and white format on a lower quality paper. The
appeal of
Showcase Presents volumes is the price: you can buy a volume
containing about 25 (usually sequential) issues for under
$20.
- Softcover (SC)
- A Squarebound volume reprinting material in softcover book
format, generally the height and width of a comic book.
Usually SCs contain one story line, about 4 - 8 issues of a comic book,
depending on the story line's length. Though SCs length can
vary. SCs are usually reprinted in color or black and white
depending on the source material. SC paper is generally
slick and of
excellent quality.
- Squarebound
- A binding which is not stapled. Generally the pages are
glued into the spine.
- Trade Paperback (TPB), Tradepaperback (TPB)
- A Squarebound volume reprinting material in softcover book
format, generally the height and width of a comic book.
Usually TPBs contain one story line, about 4 - 8 issues of a comic book,
depending on the story line's length. Though TPB length can
vary. TPBs are usually reprinted in color or black and white
depending on the source material. TPB paper is generally
slick and of
excellent quality.
- Vol., Volume
-
- A comic book or magazine series.
- A book.
Newsstand vs Direct Market
Newsstand copies are sold at periodical vendors, grocery stores, convenience stores, 7-11s, etc.
These are cover returnable.
This means you can rip the cover off unsold copies and return those covers for credit (Ow...that thought always hurts me).
This is why there is a note in the comic book indicia (fine print) indicating they are not to be sold without a cover.
The ascendancy of the comic book store brought a new market place for comics, termed the Direct Market.
Because the Direct Market copies were sold under a different set of rules/discounts, and the covers could not be returned for credit, a means to distinguish between the two was necessary.
The Direct Market starts at around the 40 cent level in 1979
Marvel was ahead of DC by some months on this.
At first a lined through barcode was indicative of a Direct Market copy, one sold through a comic book store.
X-Men 123 is an example.
Note that the intensity of the colors does not usually vary: the difference displayed below is merely a variation in our scans.
Later Spider-Man heads, Bat Symbols, or company adverts like "Who Watches the Watchmen?" were printed in the boxes, or even hieroglyphs.
Most modern comics use two barcodes, one for direct market and a different one for newsstand copies.
To be honest, I cannot recall when the two different barcodes originated, but certainly by 1993.
Both Newsstand copies and Direct Market copies are considered first printings by collectors.
Though today's Newsstands are far rarer than Direct Market copies.
|
