User blog:RRabbit42/A Planet Called Doom trade paperback

I have become more and more interested in Vagrant Queen ever since I watched episode 8, "No Clue". When I can find my copy of the movie Clue, I will be doing a lot of comparisons to see how much of the episode paralleled the movie. It's a really fun episode when you see how close it is to the movie, which was also fun.

Other things I've learned is just like with the original Vagrant Queen comics, there will be six issues in Vagrant Queen: A Planet Called Doom. What's unusual is the release schedule.

As of today, the first four issues have been released as physical comic books. Digital versions of issues 1-5 are available on Comixology and the digital version of issue #6 will be available on September 30, 2020. Where it gets weird is those last two issues in physical format.

The trade paperback (TPB) will be released on October 27, 2020. Issues 5 and 6 will both be released as physical comics on December 30, 2020.

This is the first time I can remember seeing that a TPB will be released before all issues in a series. Publishers release the individual comics first, then the TPB for those who want all of them in a more convenient format.

TPBs are a good bargain and less expensive than the separate issues, but I find I prefer getting the separate issues because it's easier to read the material when it's close to the spine. With a comic, you can lay it out flat and see everything. You can only do that with a TPB if you crack the spine. I try to keep my comics in good shape, so I don't do that.

I had bought the second printing of the first Vagrant Queen trade paperback before I decided to track down the individual issues. Through careful planning of which places to buy them from, I was able to order the ten issues of both series that are currently available, the two variants of issue 1 of A Planet Called Doom and the two versions of the first printing of the first Vagrant Queen TPB. I know, I'm paying $40 just to get what will amount to two new covers, but I do want to see what's in them.

I also want to see if I can track down why the first series had two covers for the first five issues, but only one cover for issue 6. The spot in the cover gallery of the TPB where the issue 6 cover by Natashia Alterici should be isn't there. You've got five by her and six by Jason Smith and Harry Jackson.

Regardless, I'll use the comics to help fill out the information here so that everyone can also enjoy a series that had a lot of promise and ended on a pretty good cliffhanger before the network gave up on it. Syfy probably did back in April after episode 3 when they moved it to Thursday night, but they made it official in late June.