Transformers comic books vs trade paperbacks

[heroic_decepticon]

Other than Spotlight Optimus Prime and Spotlight Sideswipe, I've not bought any IDW TF comics as individual issues. I just don't think the quality justifies the prices justify. I do however, make it a point to buy all the TBPs because I do want to know what happened but am not dying to know, so I can wait.

With the 10% discount card at Kino, the TPBs can be picked up for around $26-28 per copy, which is pretty reasonable to me.

[Sharky]

im one of these tragic readers,

i like the month to month individual comic so i buy them, multiple covers,

then i get the trades when they come out

so whats next they release a nice special hard cover... ohhh that looks nice.. so i get it.


then they release a app on the ipad/iphone/ipod so i get it and then download some of the good stories i really liked...

and i must admit, on the ipad... they are good reading. and i spend a bit of time travelling so having a choice of stuff to do is allways goos

as i said tragic collector

[GoktimusPrime]

The UK stories were written to fit around the US stories, so you could get the US stories only and not notice any gaps in the overall story.

Not so much if you got the UK stories only; they tended to reflect what had happened in the US stories, but not vice versa.

The UK G1 series is like an "expanded universe" for the US series, but as most fans would agree, most of the coolest stuff happens in the UK series.

Getting the UK stories in addition to the US stories makes for a much richer experience, however.

Absolutely! For example, the Matrix Quest makes way more sense when you've read the story of Deathbringer in the UK comics. The UK issues enhance the US stories.

[Hursticon]

The UK stories were written to fit around the US stories, so you could get the US stories only and not notice any gaps in the overall story.

Not so much if you got the UK stories only; they tended to reflect what had happened in the US stories, but not vice versa.

Getting the UK stories in addition to the US stories makes for a much richer experience, however.

Thank you Snaketales!
This is exactly what I wanted to know, I probably should've asked better questions , because TFwiki doesn't really tell you that information.

Now that I know that I can get the US issues, read them and then get the UK ones later - knowing that I'm not going to be missing anything but can go back and explore deeper into the narratives... F@#$! Yeah Man!
I'm really looking forward to getting these collections now, cheers to both Goki and Snaketales for clarifying me on the G1 Marvel series and cheers to Paulbot for starting the thread.

I've no doubt that a lot of people would be interested in the many comics that have been produced on the Transformers universe, but simply have no idea where to start or what ones to read etc.
I know I'd like to know where my Dreamwave Micromaster comics fall in regard to that continuity, any hints?

[Paulbot]

I know I'd like to know where my Dreamwave Micromaster comics fall in regard to that continuity, any hints?

The DW Micromaster series contradicts IDW and Marvel continuity and has no connection to anything outside of Dreamwave.

Within the Dreamwave continuity it comes after War Within 3 and before their first Generation One series.

[Bartrim]

Well that goes without saying I reckon.
For me personally, I can't stay glued to a screen that contains nothing but lines and lines of text - so with a comic being on a screen it is sort of similar in that all one gets to do is scroll.
I've go the entire G1 US, UK & G2 Marvel Comic line in scanned format on a disc, I've never actually read more than one off it though for the fact that I just can't stand sitting in front of my PC to do it, that and some of the pages aren't scanned too well.

This is why I would much prefer to purchase a novel/comic/book in a hardcopy form, much easier to read and looks much better than a disc on a shelf.

Yeah I've got something similar to that but it also includes the DW stuff and a few other bits and pieces... only problem is it's been missing for over a year (since I moved house)

[UltraMarginal]

Great thread,
I've only ever really purchased the trades, simply because I'm a tightarse. I did start purchasing the movie related comics individually though, as a result I'm getting all of those ones as the singles. which is turning out to be fairly expensive given the prequel/follow on series as well.

i've picked up the first issue of a couple series, Drift, LSOTW and Ironhide but not AHM. As mentioned above the trades appeal to me cecause you get the whole story arc at once, it's like sitting down with a season box set of DVD's and working your way though in a couple sittings. the story glues a bit better and you don't have to wait around for weeks at a time for the next morsel.

Of course this approach caused me a fair bit of suffering when DW closed and didn't produce their third trade. I guess you win some and you lose some.

[Gutsman Heavy]

I get issues and then trades if the story is decent (ie, I'll get the BB trade, but not Ironhide, only single issues since it wasn't a good read)

Mostly 'cos I'm impatient, and have plenty of disposable income.