Reader or Collector?

[Steve Hubbell]

Seems like a pretty simple question. Some years back, before trade paperbacks started appearing all over the place with everybody's favorite comic stories bound up for easy consumption, everyone pretty much needed to be a comic collector to follow their favorite series. Now, with trade paperbacks collecting the comics, and even omnibus volumes collecting the trade paperbacks, buying and collecting the individual comic books (or floppies as some people affectionately call them) has become less and less important to being the fan of a series.

So, my question is, which are you?

Do you buy the stories in the easiest and most economical format in order to read them, or do you snatch up the comic books as soon as they are released to read and hoard away in your comic vault with all your other precious keepsakes?

Do you buy each new release of a story as it progresses through the various formats (comic book, trade paperback, omnibus) upgrading if and when you can, or do you anxiously await each new incarnation of the story in order to add to your collection?

In the history of the Usagi Yojimbo comic series, there have only been a few real collectable "comics" released...

1. Albedo #2 - first appearance and the "Holy Grail" for Usagi collectors
2. Space Usagi "ashcan" editions released by Mirage and Dark Horse
3. Usagi Yojimbo #123 (Dark Horse 100 Special Edition - limited to 1000 copies) Sep/2009
4. Usagi Yojimbo #136 (Special Dark Horse 25th Anniversary Edition) Mar/2011
5. Usagi Yojimbo #1 (Specially Priced #1 For $1 Promotional Reprint)
6. Usagi Yojimbo #15 (Specially Priced #1 For $1 Promotional Reprint)

Of course, there are a whole series of limited edition hardcover and omnibus books which are every bit as collectable....

A lot of comic series have really pushed the bounderies for "collectable" editions of their comics, releasing variant cover art, anniversary reprints, foil and / or hologram covers, and all kinds of other gimmicks to get fans and collectors to buy extra copies. While a lot of these were just tedious and excessive, but some were pretty neat, expesially if you liked the series they were made for.

I would have loved to have had a chance to get an Usagi Yojimbo Wizard variant with the clear acetate cover like what was made for Mike Allred's Madman, Paul Chadwick's Concrete or Jeff Smith's Bone....

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If you are into the whole "collecting comics" side of Usagi fandom, what would you like to see as a variant or special collectors edition release?

[BuckRogers]

I am definitely a bit of a collector.

I make sure to buy each new issue that comes out but I also let me kiddos read and really enjoy the individual issues as well. I just save them afterward knowning that they are not in Mint condition but that is okay. I also have all of the trade paperback volumes and they are literally falling apart. I have yet to enter into the HC collecting. That is for another time and bank account!

Now if a new "Special" limited/whatever UY issue was released, I'd do all that I could to obtain it and carefully save it. Like I did for the Senso series and the Stan Sakai Star Wars variants, etc. I have those and they are set aside.

I have a number of the issues that you listed above (I think I have all but one--UY #15 is the only one I am missing from your collectable list) and they are all in my "Special" glass display cabinet that the kids know not to go into and rummaging through! In fact, they are all CGC graded and slabbed except for the two Ashcan editions. I am thinking of maybe getting those two slabbed in the near future.

Anyways, I love collecting UY but I also love reading it so I am a bit of both, I guess.

[Steve Hubbell]

I have a number of the issues that you listed above (I think I have all but one--UY #15 is the only one I am missing from your collectable list) and they are all in my "Special" glass display cabinet that the kids know not to go into and rummaging through!

The issue I listed as #15 is designated as issue #1 in the comic by Dark Horse and it is marketed as #1 for $1, but it actually reprints issue #15 (Chapter 1 of Grasscutter). And it is also the second #1 for $1 issue of Usagi that Dark Horse released.

[jabba359]

I'm a bit of both. I've always enjoyed buying and reading books in hardback and special bindings (leatherbound, signed editions, hard cover box sets, etc) as long as they aren't disproportionately costly. My initial Usagi reading experience was when I purchased the hardcover Usagi Yojimbo Special Edition Fantagraphics set. After that, since the hard cover trades at that time were super expensive, I collected the rest in TPB form, as the pricing for the limited hard cover versions seemed way out of proportion compared to the paperback versions. With the Saga books, however, I've been slowly replacing my TBP collection with the hard cover books, as they seem to be priced modestly and I think the step up to a hard cover is well worth the extra cost. I also have picked up super-large Artist Edition format books here and there (Usagi, Bone, Hellboy and Groo). With Hellboy, I have the Library Editions and the BPRD hardcovers, but haven't picked up any of the TBP material yet. I'm hoping they do some hardcover releases of the Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, Frankenstein Underground, and other Mignolaverse books. In any case, none of my books are strictly collector items, as I read them.

Regarding individual issues, I don't purchase many individual issues, instead waiting for the trades to come out. I'll make the occasional exception for special covers (Stan's Rocket Raccoon and Star Wars covers) or if I know the artist or I want something for the artist to sign, but I'm not a fan of the ads that get placed in comics, as it interrupts my reading experience. Now, if I had a copy of Albedo #2 that would likely be a collector item only. I'd possibly read it once, but then I'd get it signed and framed. Alas, that's out of my price range so I don't think I need to worry about what I'd do with that issue if I had it.

I will admit that I've thought about picking up the softcover Usagi Yojimbo Special Edition to use as a reader's copy so that I don't use my rarer HC version, but I haven't quite made that leap yet.

[Steve Hubbell]

Regarding individual issues, I don't purchase many individual issues, instead waiting for the trades to come out. I'll make the occasional exception for special covers (Stan's Rocket Raccoon and Star Wars covers) or if I know the artist or I want something for the artist to sign, but I'm not a fan of the ads that get placed in comics, as it interrupts my reading experience.

The nice thing about the individual issues of Usagi Yojimbo is that they are basically ad free. They run a one page advertisement for Usagi Yojimbo itself and that is pretty much it.

[Lobster Johnson]

I With Hellboy, I have the Library Editions and the BPRD hardcovers, but haven't picked up any of the TBP material yet. I'm hoping they do some hardcover releases of the Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, Frankenstein Underground, and other Mignolaverse books. In any case, none of my books are strictly collector items, as I read them.

Hardcovers of those books are supposed to come eventually, although probably not for a while. Looking forward to the Lobster one.

I'm definitely more of a "reader" than a collector, but I am something of a collector. I will buy back issues of UY when I find them, even if I already have them in TPB form, but I don't actively seek them out (I do dig through longboxes looking for them, but I don't order them off of eBay or anything; the only older issues I have are the Mirage #1 and #3, I think - for some reason, my former LCS had two copies each of those issues, and no other ones at all). I also probably won't be collecting the hardcovers anytime soon (the one I have is really cool, though). UY is one of two series that I buy both the ongoing single issues and the trades (Lobster Johnson being the other), which is something I only do with my very favorite series. I take pretty good care of my copies, although a few books that a friend gave me are a little beat up from previous use.
I think I've got a long way to go before I can match the collections of most Dojo members. I only have a few books left to go, but my collection is a mishmash of paperback UY Saga books, one hardcover UY Saga book, single issues, digital comics (I have Yokai and one of the color specials digitally, and I'll have to get the last three books I need from Dark Horse Digital since I can't wait until the Saga book is out), and regular TPBs. I do hope to have every story in print form eventually, and I'll be getting the Saga collections of every story I have digitally when they are out.
I will buy stuff like the Gallery Edition, though, so I guess I'm something of a collector.
The Grasscutter 1 for $1 issue is pretty neat, and the book that made me realize what a high quality title UY is.

[Mayhem]

Well you know me, I've got pretty much everything in English heh. Comics, hardcovers, collections, Sagas, original art... it's all worthwhile

[Lobster Johnson]

Regarding individual issues, I don't purchase many individual issues, instead waiting for the trades to come out. I'll make the occasional exception for special covers (Stan's Rocket Raccoon and Star Wars covers) or if I know the artist or I want something for the artist to sign, but I'm not a fan of the ads that get placed in comics, as it interrupts my reading experience.

The nice thing about the individual issues of Usagi Yojimbo is that they are basically ad free. They run a one page advertisement for Usagi Yojimbo itself and that is pretty much it.

The Usagi Yojimbo single issues are some of the best individual issues in comics. The back cover and inside front cover have neat illustrations, and no ads throughout the book!

[Lobster Johnson]

Well you know me, I've got pretty much everything in English heh. Comics, hardcovers, collections, Sagas, original art... it's all worthwhile

I forgot to mention original art. One of the main reasons I don't collect the hardcovers is to save up for original drawings.

[Steve Hubbell]

I'm definitely more of a "reader" than a collector, but I am something of a collector. I will buy back issues of UY when I find them, even if I already have them in TPB form, but I don't actively seek them out (I do dig through longboxes looking for them, but I don't order them off of eBay or anything; the only older issues I have are the Mirage #1 and #3, I think - for some reason, my former LCS had two copies each of those issues, and no other ones at all).

Before I started reading and collecting Usagi Yojimbo, I was a fan of Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer. That is where I first heard of Usagi since Stan was part of the Groo Crew, helping created what was then my favorite comic book series. I danced around the idea of buying and reading Usagi for a year or so before I eventually took the plunge. The move to Mirage with full color provided by fellow Groo Crew member Tom Luth was what convinced me it was time to jump in. While Usagi Yojimbo is a natural in b/w, those sixteen color issues from Mirage are still some of my favorite stories. (I recently asked someone how many favorite stories I was allowed to have ).

[jabba359]

Regarding individual issues, I don't purchase many individual issues, instead waiting for the trades to come out. I'll make the occasional exception for special covers (Stan's Rocket Raccoon and Star Wars covers) or if I know the artist or I want something for the artist to sign, but I'm not a fan of the ads that get placed in comics, as it interrupts my reading experience.

The nice thing about the individual issues of Usagi Yojimbo is that they are basically ad free. They run a one page advertisement for Usagi Yojimbo itself and that is pretty much it.

The Usagi Yojimbo single issues are some of the best individual issues in comics. The back cover and inside front cover have neat illustrations, and no ads throughout the book!

Ahhh, good to know. All the recent single issues I've bought have been Marvel, so I thought everyone had ads.

[Lobster Johnson]

Regarding individual issues, I don't purchase many individual issues, instead waiting for the trades to come out. I'll make the occasional exception for special covers (Stan's Rocket Raccoon and Star Wars covers) or if I know the artist or I want something for the artist to sign, but I'm not a fan of the ads that get placed in comics, as it interrupts my reading experience.

The nice thing about the individual issues of Usagi Yojimbo is that they are basically ad free. They run a one page advertisement for Usagi Yojimbo itself and that is pretty much it.

The Usagi Yojimbo single issues are some of the best individual issues in comics. The back cover and inside front cover have neat illustrations, and no ads throughout the book!

Ahhh, good to know. All the recent single issues I've bought have been Marvel, so I thought everyone had ads.

Most Dark Horse books have one ad in the middle, and then most of the ads in the back. Usagi is even better, and has no ads. I think books from Dynamite Entertainment follow the same route as Dark Horse, and put most of the ads in the back, with one or two throughout the book.

[Trevis Woods]

I would say both for me as well. I have recently completed the entire Darkhorse run. I started buying individual issues around the Mother of Mountains storyline. No way can I wait for a tpb collection to come out when I know there is new Usagi stuff out there in individual issues. I only buy Usagi now and the occasional Batman storyline at least until Snyder/Capullo are done. Sixth Gun from Oni is wrapping up so after those last three issues I will only get Usagi Yojimbo from my LCS.
I sold my entire comic collection last March to finance my trip to Kansas City to meet Stan and buy some original art and a few other hard to find items.
I have a check list of older issues, magazines, posters, prints, etc. Slowly but surely making my way through the list. This week's missing piece was Amazing Heroes 187 which I finally found on eBay for a reasonable price.
Stan Sakai is and will be the only creator I will ever buy multiple copies of the same material all in different formats. I want reading copies, display copies, collectible copies, etc. I have all the softcover tpb reading copies and HC collectibles for only the Saga collections.

If it has Usagi Yojimbo in it or on it I want it. No other creator or book presents a more satisfying character and overall positive reading experience than Usagi.
Twenty years from now people will still be reading Usagi. Twenty years from now people may still be reading X-men or Justice league but it won't be the same version that existed in the past, it will be modified for the current culture or trend. Usagi is a constant, consistent and timeless property. Everything else is a distant second place.

[Maka]

I sold my entire comic collection last March to finance my trip to Kansas City to meet Stan and buy some original art and a few other hard to find items.

I admire you for selling your collection in order to meet your your favorite artists and by some art. That is a focus that is attractive to me. Nicely done, Trevis.

I am both. I buy the individual issues when they come out because I want to read the story. And because I made it a challenge to write a letter to the letters page for each issue.

I don't by the saga trades but I do buy the hardcovers and the regular trades when they come out. I've given up on collecting the early hard covers. I keep the trades at work so I can lend them out to people.

I don't buy original art anymore. But I'm lucky to own two amazing pieces and I still love the little sketches from Stan when I am lucky enough to have him sign my books.

I also buy the digital comics when they go on sale at digital dark horse. Every purchase seems a little excessive to me. But I like have all the issues on my phone and it makes it easy to reference for trivia contests. .

I am glad that the stories still delight me after all these years. This dojo community and Stan's interaction with us adds to that delight. It is really great to be a part of a group of good people who are into what I'm into. Thanks. Peace, maka

[Mayhem]

Most Dark Horse books have one ad in the middle, and then most of the ads in the back. Usagi is even better, and has no ads. I think books from Dynamite Entertainment follow the same route as Dark Horse, and put most of the ads in the back, with one or two throughout the book.

I'd completely forgotten how many ads tend to be in DC/Marvel comics until picking up the new TMNT/Batman crossover... spoiled as I am with Usagi and Mouse Guard (no ads), and IDW TMNT (a few at the back).