Read the Sojourn #25 $1.00 issue and finally saw why it is one of CrossGen's most popular books. But it also suffers from the same problem as the rest of it's titles: It reads too damn quick! I like CrossGen's stuff. I have been reading Scion since issue #5. But is too is quick read. Somehow I don't feel I have gotten my moneys worth. Not that I don't get enjoyment from reading the storyline and the fantastic art. I do. But it just seems that a lot of monthies do give me the same level of enjoyment as they used too. And don't get me wrong. There are still some monthlies on my pull list that I cannot wait for. Gotham Central is just one such title.

I attribute this to my age. Now that I am older and have children of my own, I am finding far more enjoyable reads out of the trades. That enjoyment that once was soley found in 22 pages on newsprint now resides in thick high-grade trade paperbacks. Hellboy, Fables and Xenozoic Tales have been the recent buys that have given me the bang-for-my-buck feeling. I know Peter David has spoken out against waiting for trades because that is one sure way to help publishers decide not to collect your favorite title into a trade. But I would liken this purchasing trend to the way I know see movies.

My children are too young to take to the movies. So the majority of my movie viewing has been limited to what's on DirecTV or DVDs. Now being a father I have been far more watchful of my expenditures. When I see it costs upwards of $6.75-8.50 for a movie ticket, my mind already screams 'WHAT?!? For one ticket?!?' Not to mention I always go with my wife. So after stopping at the snack bar I've already exceeded the cost of a DVD. So now, more often than not, my wife and I wait for DVD releases (which I will be picking up Chicago tomorrow and seeing for the first time). This same spending/budgeting has carried over to my comic purchasing. Even when I look at the shelves of new stuff every week I assess each potential buy as to wether it would be better to read in the trade format.

In my mind any retailer would be happier to sell me one $17.95 trade than four monthies for $9.25. I don't think any business owner would argue that point.