There are definite advantages to hard covers, but for me they are outweighed by the extra space they take up. I am running out of shelf space for books and comics and graphic novels, and I can't keep buying A4 size hardbacks, I need the smaller US-size paperbacks or else I'll soon have to start a one-in, one-out policy.
Also, the cheaper price should hopefully mean that more people will be willing to take a chance on buying it.