Progs, trades or both?

Colin YNWA · 28 October, 2009, 05:32:48 PM

For a while now I've noticed there's a great deal of love for the 2000ad trades here. Which always surprised me a little as I assumed many folk here would have many of the Progs. What I'd like to ask then is do people prefer to have the stories in trade format getting rid of the progs, or keep the original progs and therefore don't bother with the trades (I'm in that camp). The last option, which I suspect may be the one a lot do is to get both? If you do get both is it purely as you find reading stories in trade more convenient?

Anyway yeah so how do you prefer your thrills?

stacey · 28 October, 2009, 05:35:58 PM

as a fairly new reader this is an easy question to answer. I buy both the progs cos they're new like and the trades to catch up. S'funny how humungous back histories puts me off reading Marvel and DC titles whereas with 2000AD stuff I get all excited and "oh thank god there is more of this stuff"

Queen Firey-Bou · 28 October, 2009, 05:42:26 PM

the sacred comics are precious things to be saved & guarded, but too much hassal to rummage through boxes for re-reads, books on shelves better for that. so both.

mygrimmbrother · 28 October, 2009, 05:42:48 PM

I know just what you mean Stacey. I returned to the fold around Christmas, so I'm buying both too.

Proudhuff · 28 October, 2009, 05:49:28 PM

I don't horde the progs, so any story I really, really like I buy the Trade, have to say that isn't too many, the odd Dredd collection, Stickleback, Cab inc and Cradlegrave when it appears...
I'd rather spend my shekels on something I haven't read yet: Rainbow Orchid, Scarlet Traces,The Yellow M etc

but you'll find I'm the odd one out of the oddities here

HdE · 28 October, 2009, 05:52:22 PM

I'm actually a member of the oft-reviled 'trades only' club. I just like to have those shiny, luxuriant books over flimsy magazines. My income just wouldn't support a comics habit for all the stuff I follow.

I really like the format of the Rebellion trades a lot. The slightly caustic smell of the print I could live without, but it's great to just have some of the classic strips from my youth preserved in those nice floppy books.

I'll never forget the day my copy of ABC Warriors: The Black Hole arrived direct from Rebellion. That was a happy day indeed.

stacey · 28 October, 2009, 05:52:44 PM

ahhh how fab is Rainbow Orchid?!

Mattofthespurs · 28 October, 2009, 05:53:34 PM

Quote from: Queen Firey-Bou on 28 October, 2009, 05:42:26 PM
the sacred comics are precious things to be saved & guarded, but too much hassal to rummage through boxes for re-reads, books on shelves better for that. so both.

This.

I have all my progs, the entire run, bagged and boarded and housed in 22 comic boxes. For me to find a run and then read them is a real fecking pain.
The trades are nice and easy to dip into. I still do get my progs out from time to time but on a daily basis the trades are sooooooo much easier to live with.

Mike Gloady · 28 October, 2009, 05:57:07 PM

I much prefer the trades - it avoids the whole resentment of buying a prog and finding two, three or even four of the slots are full of stuff you don't like or (worse, and far rarer) stuff NOBODY likes. Having said that, despite swearing off the progs years ago, I've been back as a regular for about 18 months now. It's far too expensive really, but I can't NOT buy the prog when it's this damned good.

SuperSurfer · 28 October, 2009, 06:23:19 PM

It's progs only for me. I only have a few of the older graphic novels which were presents. When I received them it was a case of me thinking "Er, you know I read 2000AD – I've read those stories."

Having said that, I like the idea of having the stories to hand in book format on my bookshelves. Guess I can't justify spending the money though and space is not exactly in abundance here.

My short long walk away from 2000AD (while I was abroad) I think coincides with the latest Case Files so I might get that.

Would be good to have some trades though for ref material for the comps.

As I mentioned a while ago I recently did 2000AD catchup as I read all the progs since around March, story by story, rather than prog by prog and I really enjoyed reading full runs of these great stories in a couple of sittings. Made me think that these trades would be great reads as opposed to the prog experience.

COMMANDO FORCES · 28 October, 2009, 06:56:44 PM

Comics for me, with the Dredd Case Files just cause they are there. I did buy Origins, mainly as it was the Origin story. I suppose you could call the Dredd/Batman and Dredd/Lobo stuff TPB's so they are included.
I think if the wife thought I was spending money on stuff I alreay had you would see all my stuff suddenly listed on ebay and I don't want that, you lot might though!

worldshown · 28 October, 2009, 07:06:18 PM

Other than the Complete trades (Dredd, Strontium Dog & Nemesis), I've only been picking up trades where the content was originally published while I wasn't reading 2000ad.

I've mainly stuff like Eniss Dredds, Robo-Hunter Verdus, Indigo Prime, Skizz II, Young Death and Anderson Childhood's End.

Personally, I find it hard to justify buying the trade when I have the progs, although I'd shell out for a complete Caballistics Inc when it gets a proper conclusion.

Paul faplad Finch · 28 October, 2009, 07:17:08 PM

I get the prog every week and do keep them all, so buyig the trades of recent stories would be an expense I'd be hard pushed to justify at the moment.

On the other hand, the Case Files format has been a godsend. An inexpensive, attractive collection of classic stuff I never thought to see collected and in as close to complete a run as we'll probably ever see. I'll be buying them for as long as Rebellion keep them coming.

Mike Gloady · 28 October, 2009, 07:46:37 PM

Obviously the Case Files and S/D Agency Files are essential, any Squaxx not picking them up is missing out massively.

Robin Low · 28 October, 2009, 08:21:47 PM

I've collected the comic since Prog 466 and I'll continue at least until John Wagner stops writing Dredd and Strontium Dog.

However, stacks of comics are really inconvenient, especially when you're having a continuity debate, so I've been been buying stuff that I consider part of Dredd continuity (Case Files, SD, Invasion/Savage, Ro-Busters, Robo-Hnter, ABC Warriors, Nemesis) or classic 2000AD (Dante, ACE Trucking, Bad Company, Rogue Trooper, Slaine).

There are several other collections I should get (Button Man, Halo Jones among them), but they're not priorities.

On the whole, I've been very impressed by the Rebellion collections and the respect that's been shown for the fans' hopes and wishes. I'd encourage everyone to support the collections, even if that's only by persuading new fans to take a chance.

Regards

Robin