Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: marvel, omnibus, planet of the apes

Just How Thin Is The Planet Of The Apes Omnibus Anyway?

The Planet Of The Apes Omnibus came along last month from Marvel Comics. Collecting a mere eleven issues. but still asking for $100.

It was Scott Dunbier who premiered what would become the modern comics Omnibus format with his Absolute Authority volume from DC Comics. The idea of the oversized, high-quality hardcover format has previously been seen in limited edition runs from licensed publishers such as Graffiti, but Dunbier made them more commercially mainstream. The Absolute format was in a slipcase and was limited in length, but the Omnibus format that followed from both DC and then Marvel dropped the slipcase but extended the length. A standard trade paperback usually contains 6 issues, an Absolute in hardback and oversized might contain 12-15 issues, but an Omnibus would collect 30-50 issues for $100 to $150.

That is it seems until the Planet Of The Apes Omnibus came along last month from Marvel Comics. Collecting a mere eleven issues. but still asking for $100.

The simian sci-fi staple, in the mighty Marvel manner! Relive the classic films Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes as Marvel's 1970s color comic adaptations are collected in one action-packed volume! When a crew of astronauts crash-lands on a strange and desolate world, they discover a society of apes with heightened intelligence and speech! And here, a race of mute humans are their slaves! Can the mission's leader, Taylor, fight his way free and hold onto his humanity? What is the shocking secret of this Planet of the Apes? And what unfathomable danger lies beneath the surface? Find out when a second spaceship makes its way to this uncanny world and another astronaut faces a battle for survival, with the fate of the entire planet at stake! Collecting ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #1-11.

A mere 224 pages for $100, that's 45 cents a page, which is the higher price point from Marvel Comics to date. In comparison the upcoming Arthur Adams Marvel Omnibus, at $125, contains 992 pages or less than 13 cents a page.

Reaction from retailers and collectors has been less then stellar.

Ryan Higgins: One of these books out this week is $30. One is $40. One is ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I cannot, in good faith, sell this Planet of the Apes book for $100, so I'm selling it at cost and never reordering it. It's crazy because Marvel is actually pretty reasonable with their pricing for hardcovers and omnibus! Is this some Fox tax I don't know about? I thought it was a misprint.

Reuben Willmott:In a moment of madness I bought a (discounted) copy of that very expensive Planet of the Apes collection. Because I didn't read the listing very well I was expecting a big chunky book not a thin one + the printing inside makes my eyes hurt Though I confess the pages smell great. The thing that annoys me about this horrible Marvel edition is that I wouldn't of bought it if I had been able to get the second volume of Boom!'s Planet of the Apes archive which printed all this material in b&w. Sadly despite pre-ordering it, I never got a copy

Eli:Planet of The Apes Omnibus is such a scam LMAO. 100 for less than 300 pages

Joe on Joe Podcast:The @Marvel #POTA Planet of The Apes "Omnibus" is stretching the definition. The word BARELY fits on the spine of the book. 11 issues is neither an Omnibus nor worth $100

Elin: oh my god. holy sh-t i just saw the $100 planet of the apes omnibus that was released from marvel this week. ITS LIKE 1 CM THICK. IT HAS 11 ISSUES IN IT. i hate marvel so bad. are they not embarrassed to release this with a cover price of $100???????

Anyone have anything to beat it? You damn dirty apes?

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