Franklin Harris has received some positive attention lately for his anti-floppy (that's a comic book, son) column, and Tegan Gjovaag has responded quite nicely.
I quite agree with her on the issue of the travelability of graphic novels. Especially as long as they're stored in a protective bag-n-board, you won't hurt them unless you treat them badly when you read them. Case in point- I recently took a dozen floppies with me on my trip to Nebraska, to read on the plane to Denver. I could have taken more, but I also had a couple of issues of Mojo to occupy me as well. I simply stuck them in my backpack, which I carried on board the plane with me, took 'em out before takeoff, and read 'em! No problem. I could have taken a dozen more, perhaps. The protective bags-n-boards kept them quite safe and sound, and they fit nicely in the compartment in the seat in front of me, until I could get 'em back in my backpack. I've never, to my knowledge, been overtly inconvienienced by carrying a moderate-size stack of comics to read, as long as I didn't try to tote 'em around in my arms. They slide around something awful that way. And if I so desired, I'd even read them on the beach, but I probably wouldn't want to- sunscreen and sand just ruin any paper product, graphic novel or pamphlet. besides, I never go to the beach. I would not read them in a box, I would not read them with a fox, or in a train or in the rain. Or...aw, forget it.
Which leads me to the question goes about collectability and the overly particular treatment of pamphlets in the name of same, which is where I disagree with Mrs. G. I take care of my comics, bag 'n board them and all that, because I've invested upwards of $2.50 for them and I want to keep them in as good condition as I can for as long as I can, until death do we part and they're left to one or both of my kids. And certainly not because I necessarily plan to resell them, but simply because I like to take good care of what is mine and what I've spent good money on. And if I do decide to sell some, like I did just recently, then I know they'll be in decent condition and therefore theoretically easier to move. I try to take just as good care of my trade paperbacks and hardcovers as I do my floppies...it just is against my nature to intentionally crease the covers or worse. Those things cost too much money to rough up!
If the evolution of the industry dictates that in order to survive, the floppy must die and trades will be the norm, so be it. Survival of the fittest, baby. But you'll excuse me if I don't get too enthusiastic about it, and continue to by those floppy pamphlet sequential graphic type comic books until the bitter end.
No comments:
Post a Comment