Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 4:54 pm Post subject: Why does DC use rubbish paper?
This is a question that's been bugging me for some time now. DC's practices regarding the paper they print their comics on is just downright horrible compared to the standards of paper Marvel use for their comics.
The problem is simple. Thinner paper looks constantly smudged, images lose clarity when details appear from the other side of the page, the paper creases incredibly easily, and ink malfunctions appear in every other book I've picked up.
There's also a consistency problem with the quality of DC's paper. If you buy a Marvel trade paperback, you can always expect a little thicker glossier paper than the comic book issues. And with a Marvel hardcover, expect even more thicker glossier paper at an enlarged size to take advantage of the hardcover design. But with DC trade paperbacks, they can sometimes be as good as a standard Marvel trade paperback, or worse than a standard comic book issue, depending on whether DC's roulette wheel lands on "make it decent" or "make it shit". And DC hardcovers are just as bad. The new hardcover edition of Watchmen has worse paper than the current trade paperback edition. Tissues are more substantial than the paper DC used in that book.
It seems that the only way to get good quality consistently with DC is to buy one of the overpriced Absolute Editions, which I've heard finally gives you the quality of paper that Marvel gives for £40 less. What will it take to get DC to actually adopt minimum standards for what they will sell to readers?
I wonder if printing on lesser quality paper is DC's method to not increase their monthly comic books from $2.99 to £3.99...?
It's interesting to note that Marvel, who do use a better quality stock, are shifting their prices upward to the $3.99 on many of their monthlies.
My other thought is that DC may see it as a method to bump up potential sales on their titles. After all, if a comic fan were to remove two Marvel titles because of the higher dollar price, they may therefore be tempted to try out two DC titles at the lower dollar price. DC may be running with the idea that if one fan does this, another fan may do it too and so on.
Otherwise, I can't really say that there's anything about DC's production that remotely interests me. I have a passing interest in Batman; however, and let's all be honest here, a new Batman will only last for so long before Bruce Wayne returns to the helm. It's also nothing new, as readers of Knightfall will attest to after Bane infamously broke Batman's back and was temporarily replaced by Azrael.
In comics, the more things change, the more they stay the same. _________________ With Great Power, Comes Great... Potential to ROB BANKS!!! HAHAH! THAT'S HOW TO BEAT THE RECESSION!!!
I don't know if Marvel have done this yet, but I know DC use a form of sustainable paper, which would possibly explain the sometimes lower quality of paper.
However I don't believe this to be true, although in most cases you may be able to argue that this is true. I don't notice this difference between my Bosster Godl or Deadpool comics, however I will say that I did have a X-men Noir which was pratically illegible on a couple of pages [and that was nothing to do with the story].
I will say however that the Final Crisis issues have been printed on a definitely superior paper, but this is most likely because of the status the comic was meant to hold.
I will have a quick look this evening at the quality, and if I do see this I will come back here and own up to this. I can say for sure that they bothe use better quality than 2000AD use though. _________________ Itchy... Tasty
My problem isn't so much with the comic issues, but with the trades and hardcovers. I read a lot of trades, and I find it annoying when the paper quality just lets down the book as a whole.
Fraid I can't vouch for the tpb I haven't picked one up in years, bar watchmen, which wasn't that great quality I guess. The heroes hardbacks are pritty good though.
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