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Something I contemplate from time to time is not buying all the different titles that I collect in a monthly format, and instead going to a trade paperback format for at least a few. With the current trend and expectation that titles have nicely set stories that last for a specific number of issues, rather than a continually evolving story, the possibility is there. Now, I am fully aware that smaller stories may actually make up a "larger" one. As a reader of all the various Green Lantern titles it would be very difficult for me to escape that reality. However, the thing that has concerned me the most about looking to reading some titles in the trade format is that you don't necessarily know what you're getting yourself into at times. If a writer or artist changes for a title it can dramatically affect the enjoyment of it. But, still the investment of finances is where my concern is rooted. While trades usually come in at a lower price, it's a bigger chunk of change at once.
Now, while I am not a Captain America fan I do like the character. Also, having read (and disliked) Civil War I kept up with some of the fallout. As with so many others I was shocked when I heard that Captain America was going to die. We all knew he would return, but the bigger picture was one of figuring out how the heroes, United States, and Earth of the Marvel Universe would deal with the situation. To me, that was an interesting idea, but due to how much I disliked Civil War I didn't follow into reading those stories. Yet, when I heard that Steve Rogers would be returning to life, I knew that I wanted to read how it came about. As luck would have it, one thing led to another and I never ended up getting the original issues of Captain America: Reborn. After I missed the first two I decided that I would get the trade at a later date. Well, that date finally came recently. I was in a book store and saw the trade and decided it was time for me to dive in. Sure, I could have just sat and read the thing in the store, but I'd prefer to actually buy my comics because I can. I don't want to be one of "those people". You know who I mean.
Anyway, I purchased the trade of Captain America: Reborn and read it the following night in one sitting. I must say that the story contained in those pages is one of the worst things I have ever read. Frankly I am astonished that they bumped it up to six issues from the originally planned five. Now, please keep in mind it's not that I was "lost" in regards to what had gone on in the world of Steve Rogers' former teammates. I had picked up Captain America #600 when it first came out, and of course I am well aware of Steve Rogers' new role in the Marvel Universe. So, it was none of that.
What I didn't like about the story was how much stuff was simply not explained. In my mind there could have been such simple explanations, or in-depth ones, to bring about the "how" of Steve Rogers returning. I'm fine with either. Some things don't need to be explained, they can be alluded to and the readers can fill in the blanks or just accept things. The other option is a solid in-depth explanation. Captain America: Reborn went for the middle ground, but rather than ending up with the best of both worlds it ended up with poor implementation of each. There were important pieces of tech, planning, science, and even communication involved. Each were mentioned, and then dropped. No expansion, no explanation, and worst of all no connection between the pieces other than "knowing" they brought Steve Rogers back. It was like biting into a chocolate candy ball only to find out there is nothing inside other than air. No filling at all. Now it's compromised, and while you decide to finish it it just kind of comes apart from that point forward. I'm not an Ed Brubaker fan, but I really did expect a whole lot more from the man.
So, how does this tie into what I was talking about at the start? Simple, it's just another thing that makes me stop and pause on wondering if I should go the trade route for my regular titles. Captain America: Reborn was a set story. It wasn't a part of a regular title. It had been planned for a while. It was written by a very good writer. It still ended up sucking. If I had actually gotten the first two issues I don't know if I would have gone beyond them. It would have been a battle between the part of me that is a completist and the part of me that keeps me from spending my money on crap.
As comic prices continue to rise (even with DC drawing their line for now) this is going to become a battle not just for me, but probably for others. I'm fairly certain there are many that have already made the move to trades. I don't see DC and Marvel pushing all these hard cover trades if the market hasn't been shown to have buyers. Still, I wonder if going the route of a trade paperback to read a title won't be overshadowed by a trade in value in regards to what I pay. Is six to eight bucks being spent to find out if a title should be followed after two issues (and having an incomplete story) a better or worse investment than spending fifteen to twenty on a collected story you don't enjoy? It's difficult to say. Oh, and don't even get me started on IDW's "digest" trades.
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