Hi, my name is .......

andy

While glancing over the latest e-mail from Tales of Wonder today, two items jumped out at me, those being....

Spider-Woman Prem HC Agent Of Sword - $15.49
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Penciled by ALEX MALEEV Cover by ALEX MALEEV Popular creators Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev team up for their first Marvel work together since their Eisner award-winning run on Daredevil! Ripped from the pages of Secret Invasion and New Avengers, this explosive saga follows the new adventures of the gorgeous and mysterious Jessica Drew - a.k.a. Spider-Woman - as she reenters a society she did not make...as an AGENT OF S.W.O.R.D. Containing new story and artwork not available in any other format, this is the start of a major chapter in one of the most high profile characters in all of Marvel Comics! Collecting SPIDER-WOMAN #1-7. 176 PGS./Rated T+

Siege Thor Prem HC - $12.39
Written by KIERON GILLEN Penciled by BILLY TAN, JAMIE MCKELVIE amp; NIKO HENRICHON Cover by MICO SUAYAN Asgard lies under SIEGE! As the evil eye of Norman Osborn falls on Asgard, what happens to neighboring Broxton, Oklahoma? What unexpected enemies will be drawn to the scene like carrion to a carcass? And what unlikely heroes will rise to the town's defense? The Asgardians face the battle of their lives…and the showdown that's coming may end their new life on Earth as quickly as it began! Then, delve into the world of Siege's most devious major player in SIEGE: LOKI! And in NEW MUTANTS, with all the Asgardians falling in the Siege of Asgard, someone needs to deal with the dead, and who better to do so than a Valkyrie. But where is Dani Moonstar supposed to be bringing these dead? Collecting THOR #607-610, NEW MUTANTS #11 and SIEGE: LOKI. 144 PGS./Rated T+
So, I read these descriptions, and then I started thinking about the content.  The Thor book 6 full issues of Siege goodness that I bought for $3.99 each.  So I spent roughly $24 (before my comic pull discount)....but had I waited I could purchase the hardcover for $12.39.  LESS If I shop at DCBS, or eBay.

I am pretty sure the Spider-Woman issues were $3.99 a pop...so that roughly $28 worth of Spider-Woman hardbound for almost half the price.

This just gets me wondering...Why do I, or any of us, but single issues anymore?  It really isn't worth it when compared to these HC TPB prices these days.  It used to be a long wait for HC TPB's to be released, if ever...but now the industry is set up to support TPB sales like never before...and the creators get MORE Money from TPB sales than they do regular issue sales, so THEY prefer you buy the TPB...although without monthly sales the industry would take a huge hit.

It just bugs me.  Why do I do this to myself every week?  I took 2009 off from buying comics, opposed to my 2008 pull list...and I have been going back and getting HC's of Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers, and New Avengers at a fraction of the cost.  But the Siege storyline pulled me right back into a weekly pull.  

I know the answer, so I suppose I should just say admit it freely.

I am an addict.  Thank you for listening!

The way things have been going I too wonder why I still buy monthlies when tpb and HC work out cheaper. I guess I just need my monthly fix

I still buy single issues, but there are a lot of titles that I just wait for the TPB for.  I don't think I could completely convert to just buying TPB.  I have a lot as it is, and they take up a lot of room.  The single issues are a lot easier for me to store and put away.  

Not to mention that TPB don't really hold much value, if any.  I still find some comfort in knowing that single issues could potentially be worth something down the line.

i switched over a couple years ago.

I get my monthly comics free well pretty much a case of beer here and there quot;damagedquot; from a friend of a friend at a LCS.
They are missing the front and back cover then if it's something I really like I have it scanned and put into digital format.
I used to download my comics but now instead I have my own made.

I, too, am an addict.  It makes no sense as you've pointed out.  I question myself frequently about this.  But I just can't help myself.

I made the switch a couple years ago.  It was tough in the beginning but I'm glad I made the change.  I'll still buy a monthly once is a while but I've pretty much made the switch to HC trades.

I'm just addicted, Even though I do my some titles in HC and Trades ( Fables, Y, 100 bullets, Hellboy, Conan etc. ) but i need to get that weekly fix..
I need to stop, but i just can't..