Marvel’s Marvels

marvels_10th.jpgIf you are reading this blog then I can safely assume that you’re somewhat interested in collected editions. You probably came by to check on the latest news, download a podcast, and grab some specific info on a book or two or maybe double check when a certain title is coming out. If you came by for any or all of those things, I give my sincere thanks, but to be perfectly honest; collected edition news has been a bit slow this week.
Sure there have been all the solicitations that we come to expect at this time of every month, the occasional “Amazon.com dump” and the Top 100 “Graphic Novels” for February. The Boys Volume 2 is #1, big surprise, eh? I will say I am happy to see a Showcase Presents: The Blackhawks on the Amazon list, you’ll remember my blog post from a few days ago. Other thenmarvels_var_13.jpg that, there have been no big announcements and no misprints to speak of, no one seems to really care about the Superman Family mishap (where’s the outrage?). No, it’s been a slow.

So I have to go find some news or stir up the pot just make things interesting around here. Let’s take on Marvel. Looking at their solicitations for the month of June, one book stuck me as odd: Marvels - Premiere Classic Edition. Yes Marvels, with an “s”. Don’t read me wrong, it is “Premiere” and it is “Classic”, but I think that this book is just a bit out of place at this time. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross’s masterpiece is being collected again for the umpteenth time. I dare you to walk into your LCS and see if no copy exists: back issues, Trade Paperback, Hardcover or the 10th Anniversary Hardcover from 2004. For those of you who collect the variant versions of the PC’s, it’s Volume #13. That alone looks strange. Why doesn’t marvel wait 11 more months and give it Variant #25? At least then they can call it the 15th Anniversary Edition. But look closer at the PC one and you’ll notice it has only 248 pages and collects #0 and #1-4, the same as the trade and regular hardcover. Sure I expect some new introduction, but it won’t bee vastly different from book already on my shelf. Except for the price, and that is a weird one, too. My first printing hardcover (September 1994) has a cover price of $35, while the new edition will be $25! And really, in this day and age of DVD extras don’t you want the full THX surround sound experience? Then spend $50 and get the 10th Anniversary Edition. With 400 pages, this book has everything you could ever want; all the issues, scripts, drafts and more. Think of it as a precursor to Marvels line of Omnibus’s.

In all honesty, it’s a great piece of work and everyone should own a copy, but I’m guessing you already do and there in lies the issue. To me, the Premiere Classic line is a way for Marvel to represent a storyline that has (or has not) been collected previously in a poor or mishandled way, allowing new and old readers to discover hidden gems from the Marvel vault in a new light. We have all read Marvels so nothing is new, and if you haven’t read it I implore you to go get the 10th Anniversary edition, it’s really the best representation of the work as a whole. And I really hope Marvel will get back to issuing classics, as in old and good and forgotten like they did with Avengers/Defenders War. Otherwise, we may just get Marvel Zombies as Variant #14.

March 21, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging 

Comments

3 Responses to “Marvel’s Marvels”

  1. noel on March 22nd, 2008 1:41 am

    If I’m not mistaken it collects Ruins #1-2 as well.

  2. Chris Marshall on March 22nd, 2008 8:23 am

    The 10th Anniversary, yes, I think it does. But not my hardcover. We’ll have to wait and see on the Classic.

  3. JB on March 25th, 2008 4:05 am

    the ruins were dropped in the last sollicits and the page counts does go into that direction… I think PHC are well classic stories from marvel either OOP or never reprinted but I think MARVEL just fits in a classic collection even if it’s already printed in a thousand editions….

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