Comments on: The Big Switch http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:43:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kameron http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64061 Kameron Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:04:45 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64061 Yeah, I've always been more interested in the individual heroes than the universe-encompassing crossovers. I even bridled at crossovers involving heroes with multiple titles (e.g., Spider-man, Superman, Batman, X-Men) because of the varying quality of the creative teams (or the cast of characters, in the case of the X-books). I stopped collecting/buying individual issues about 10 years ago, but have been looking at TPBs recently. I imagine I may get back into individual issues when my son starts reading. He's already a huge superhero fan. <abbr><em>Kameron´s last post: <a href="http://www.kameronmf.com/2008/10/28/not-a-fan-of-fafhrd/" rel="nofollow">Not a fan of Fafhrd</a></em></abbr> Yeah, I’ve always been more interested in the individual heroes than the universe-encompassing crossovers. I even bridled at crossovers involving heroes with multiple titles (e.g., Spider-man, Superman, Batman, X-Men) because of the varying quality of the creative teams (or the cast of characters, in the case of the X-books). I stopped collecting/buying individual issues about 10 years ago, but have been looking at TPBs recently. I imagine I may get back into individual issues when my son starts reading. He’s already a huge superhero fan.

Kameron´s last post: Not a fan of Fafhrd

]]> By: LordVreeg http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64060 LordVreeg Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:44:56 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64060 Normally I am something of an iconoclast in these discussions, but maybe we are onto something. I've come and gone for years on the funny books, but the emotional return has dwindled and dwindled. Part of it comes from the constant attempt of the big 2 to outdo themselves in terms of scope, forgetting that as we get older, many of us crave depth and angst even in our escapism. We crave mortality in our superheroes. I daresay I will not be shouted down when I reiterate a few posts ago, when people were speaking between the 'Dark Knight' and the 'Watchmen' for quality reading. The old Miller Daredevil, even the 1970's Spiderman, their in-between status, part gods and part men allows them to lodge in our hearts in a way that the latest "This Will End the Marvel/CD World as You Know It" epic never will. <abbr><em>LordVreeg´s last post: <a href="http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Celtrician+Worship" rel="nofollow">Celtrician Worship</a></em></abbr> Normally I am something of an iconoclast in these discussions, but maybe we are onto something. I’ve come and gone for years on the funny books, but the emotional return has dwindled and dwindled.
Part of it comes from the constant attempt of the big 2 to outdo themselves in terms of scope, forgetting that as we get older, many of us crave depth and angst even in our escapism. We crave mortality in our superheroes.
I daresay I will not be shouted down when I reiterate a few posts ago, when people were speaking between the ‘Dark Knight’ and the ‘Watchmen’ for quality reading. The old Miller Daredevil, even the 1970′s Spiderman, their in-between status, part gods and part men allows them to lodge in our hearts in a way that the latest “This Will End the Marvel/CD World as You Know It” epic never will.

LordVreeg´s last post: Celtrician Worship

]]> By: The Game http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64059 The Game Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:12:01 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64059 Sounds like I'm in good company! I think stopping with the single issues will also expand my horizons a bit. While I've enjoyed quite a lot of smaller press comics in the past (as is evident by how much I spent at <a href="http://www.critical-hits.com/2007/10/14/comic-snap-reviews-spx-07/" rel="nofollow">SPX last year</a>), I now have additional budget for comics that's not just taken up by mainstream comics. Sounds like I’m in good company!

I think stopping with the single issues will also expand my horizons a bit. While I’ve enjoyed quite a lot of smaller press comics in the past (as is evident by how much I spent at SPX last year), I now have additional budget for comics that’s not just taken up by mainstream comics.

]]> By: count_crackula http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64058 count_crackula Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:58:01 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64058 Like Berin Kinsman, I also stopped reading individual issues about a decade ago. For me, one big reason was that after the comic market collapse of the mid 90s, many indies (my main interest) shifted toward graphic novels. This was a very happy tiding for me, as OGNs (and TPBs) are easier to read, easier to store, and most importantly, can be put on my Amazon wish list. Like Berin Kinsman, I also stopped reading individual issues about a decade ago. For me, one big reason was that after the comic market collapse of the mid 90s, many indies (my main interest) shifted toward graphic novels. This was a very happy tiding for me, as OGNs (and TPBs) are easier to read, easier to store, and most importantly, can be put on my Amazon wish list.

]]> By: Bartoneus http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64057 Bartoneus Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:14:39 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64057 I definitely mirror a lot of the same sentiment, but I stopped buying comics every week right after the Identity Crisis time. This wasn't because of DC in particular, moreso Marvel and the fact that House of M had prelude crossovers, the event itself, then aftermath which led immediately into a separate crossover's preludes, then that crossover, then aftermath from them. I stopped half way through the second crossover (Civil War) for a lot of different reasons. I definitely mirror a lot of the same sentiment, but I stopped buying comics every week right after the Identity Crisis time. This wasn’t because of DC in particular, moreso Marvel and the fact that House of M had prelude crossovers, the event itself, then aftermath which led immediately into a separate crossover’s preludes, then that crossover, then aftermath from them. I stopped half way through the second crossover (Civil War) for a lot of different reasons.

]]> By: The Game http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64056 The Game Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:34:33 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64056 Yeah, that's a good point about Marvel Online. I generally prefer to read comics and magazines online, because I hate storing them and I hate having to move them. If Marvel, DC, et al, every really get their act together on providing that service, I'd definitely sign up. Unfortunately, they seem more bent on chasing down those who are already doing it (granted, illegally) then implementing a good solution that works as well. There were so many Asimov's and other similar magazines in my old house that we had to give away I don't feel as though I ever have to pay for one ever again :) Yeah, that’s a good point about Marvel Online. I generally prefer to read comics and magazines online, because I hate storing them and I hate having to move them. If Marvel, DC, et al, every really get their act together on providing that service, I’d definitely sign up. Unfortunately, they seem more bent on chasing down those who are already doing it (granted, illegally) then implementing a good solution that works as well.

There were so many Asimov’s and other similar magazines in my old house that we had to give away I don’t feel as though I ever have to pay for one ever again :)

]]> By: Berin Kinsman http://critical-hits.com/2008/10/29/the-big-switch/#comment-64055 Berin Kinsman Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:25:05 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=2404#comment-64055 I quit single issues about ten years ago, for similar reasons. I've never been a collector, just a reader. I've come to embrace the Long Tail as well: once a storyline or mini-series is done I can read the reviews of the whole thing, and if it seems worthwhile I can go pick up the trade paperback collections at my leisure -- for much less than the individual issues would cost. An alternative I'm looking at is Marvel Online. For an annual fee (which seems kind of steep at first) you can not only read current issues online, but back catalog and exclusive online content. The drawback is that it's only Marvel; if other publishers follow suit, I'd have to pay separate fees to read DC, Dark Horse, etc. The other issues is that I see it being a potentially huge time-suck; I could easily fall into reading the entire run of a series from 196x to present. For geek reading, I'm happy picking up old issues of Dragon, Dungeon, and Asimov's for a buck to buck-and-a-half each at the used book store. I quit single issues about ten years ago, for similar reasons. I’ve never been a collector, just a reader. I’ve come to embrace the Long Tail as well: once a storyline or mini-series is done I can read the reviews of the whole thing, and if it seems worthwhile I can go pick up the trade paperback collections at my leisure — for much less than the individual issues would cost.

An alternative I’m looking at is Marvel Online. For an annual fee (which seems kind of steep at first) you can not only read current issues online, but back catalog and exclusive online content. The drawback is that it’s only Marvel; if other publishers follow suit, I’d have to pay separate fees to read DC, Dark Horse, etc. The other issues is that I see it being a potentially huge time-suck; I could easily fall into reading the entire run of a series from 196x to present.

For geek reading, I’m happy picking up old issues of Dragon, Dungeon, and Asimov’s for a buck to buck-and-a-half each at the used book store.

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