What Is a Comic Omnibus and Why is it worth having?
An Omnibus is usually a large hard cover consisting of 500 pages or more.
Omnibuses can include a full run of a comic series or partial. They can be a collection of stories that have a common theme, the book can be a collection of stories from a specific writer. It can be all the issues from various series that were part of a universe event.
Who would enjoy owning an Omnibus?
Omnibuses are great for catching up on stories or events in a condensed and affordable format . It can be hard to find or expensive to complete, for example the first X-Men volume. An Omnibus of the first X-Men comic by Stan Lee can be purchased new for less than 60 dollars and contains the first 31 issues. If you were to purchase these issues individually it would cost thousands of dollars.
Buying in Omnibus or Hard Cover form can also be a great space saver for those without a lot of room for storage. Collecting single issues can take up a lot of room. Storing them in long or short boxes can fill up quickly.
The 10 Best Comic Book Omnis
1) The Sandman Omnibus
The Sandman written by Neil Gaiman is one of the best comic stories of all time. It tells the story of Dream who is brought forth into the real world and held hostage for decades and the fallout from those consequences.
There are a number of different print versions of the run. There are the regular Omnibus editions of 1000 pages collecting over 30 issues or there are Absolute editions that come with a slipcase cover split into 3 volumes. These are the ones I own and they are beautifully constructed.
2) Batman: Knightfall
This classic and influential event of Batman in the mid 90’s is collected in Omnibus form in three volumes. This is the story of Batman being defeated and his back broken by Bane Jean-Paul Valley, an apprentice of Bruce Wayne who takes his place in Gotham as a crime fighter!
3) Green Lantern by Geoff Johns
One of the most revered Green Lantern runs in DC comics history. This tells the story of Hal Jordan returning from the dead to confront his past and face a new threat of Sinestro and his Sinestro Corps. This story plays out over 3 volumes of about 1000 pages each.
4) Aquaman by Geoff Johns
Arthur Curry, caught between two worlds. Raised by his father in a lighthouse he grows up to take the throne of Atlantis. He later joins the Justice League and leaves behind the throne and Atlantis but sinister forces will bring them back together. A lot of this story was the basis for the Aquaman movies. This run of comics reached issue 52, however the Omnibus only collects issues zero to 23 and Justice League fifteen to seventeen.
5) Gotham Central
Written by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker. Eisner award winning run of Gotham Central is collected in Omnibus format, follows the cops of Gotham trying to fight crime and also attempts to clean up the mess Batman leaves behind when he
gets involved. This omnibus collects the entire run of issues one to forty.
6) DC One Million by Grant Morrison
Written by Grant Morrison, one of today’s greatest comic book writers. This is the story of a future Justice League. It takes places in the eight hundred and fifty third century. This is the story of the ancestors of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash and others. They come together to face a new threat perhaps their most dangerous yet. This is a massive Omnibus that is over 1000 pages and includes all the crossover issues.
7) Absolute Promethea by Alan Moore
Beloved story by Alan Moore was released in Absolute Hardcover form in 3 volumes in 2009 and in large Omnibus format in 2010. The Absolute editions are the most coveted editions. While they are rare, fortunately there are new reprints coming in 2025 that should be far more affordable for those interested in the run.
8) East of West by Jonathan Hickman
East of West, created by Jonathan Hickman and artist Nick Dragotta. It tells the story of a dystopian version of the United States whose fate rests with the four horsemen of the apocalypse. It is an award winning comic that was collected in three hard covers. While the first and second volumes are available for a reasonable price, the third volume has a low print run and is very expensive to own. Adding to the cost is a report from the author himself that the series will never receive reprints.
9) Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender
This is one of the most beloved runs of an X-team by a comic writer. It tells the story of a Wolverine lead team working in secret to complete missions they deem necessary. It includes the attempt to assassinate Apocalypse, fighting an army of deathlok cyborgs to save the world, preventing the evil arch angel persona from taking over Warren Worthington’s personality and more. It is a highly coveted omnibus for one’s collection with limited availability. However Marvel just recently reprinted the omnibus.
10) Kingdom Come by Mark Waid & Alex Ross
One of the greatest DC stories of all time. Kingdom Come is a hallmark of storytelling and artistry. Kingdome Come was published in 1996 with 4 issues in trade paperback form. There are numerous printed editions collecting the entire series.
A two volume slipcase edition, a larger omnibus format collecting the four issues together and more recently a Kingdom Come Absolute was printed in 2018 with a nice slipcase. A documentary is forthcoming very soon.
Features that make an Omnibus worth Collecting
Comprehensive Story Arcs
One of the biggest reasons to buy an Omnibus is it collects whole stories or runs in one large format instead of single issues.
Sometimes it only takes a single volume to complete a story arc, sometimes more than one but it gives you the most bang for your buck when wanting the whole story.
Exclusive Artwork and Bonus Materials
Most Omnibuses come with bonus material including sketches and editorials about the creation of the comic. It also can include alternate or variant covers. Sometimes it comes with updated art or redone coloring.
Limited Editions and Print Quality
Some comic book series also get a special edition or hard cover when released in omnibus format. This can include a slipcase cover, printed on higher quality paper.
An Omnibus can also include bonus content or are cut down to smaller sized hard covers for easier consumption.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Collecting Omnibuses
Buying without proper research
There are a number of things to consider when buying an Omnibus. Since there can be different editions or collections of a comic book. It’s important to find out if the omni you are intending to purchase contains all of the issues you are expecting.
It is also important to determine if the book had any printing or manufacturing issues when it was released. Books have been released with a misprint or manufacturing defect. Usually the publishing company will release a statement addressing the issue.
Overpaying for Rare Editions
For the most part there are only rare Omnibuses from smaller or extinct Comic Book companies. Marvel regularly reprints Omnibuses every couple years and DC has been getting better at issuing comic books in omnibus form.
A best practice is to research before buying if it’s not a major publisher whether that company still exists or if the intellectual property is owned by one of the bigger publishers.
Because omnibuses get reprinted most do not hold their value as long or as much as a single issue does. A recent example would be Wolverine vol 1 by Jason Aaron. Since its release in 2011 it has risen in value as Aaron became a legendary writer for Marvel. A reprint was announced and the value of the original has gone down.
Ignoring Quality and Condition
There are a number of items to check off when determining condition and quality. Firstly the binding needs to be secure and glued properly. The pages can become separated from the spine, secondly the page quality, the thinner the page the more bleed through can occur from the opposite page giving a bad reading experience.
There are services you can purchase to get custom spines or repair/reglue the pages if you find a good deal on a rare omni to make it worth the purchase. In conclusion, the readability of an omnibus rests entirely on the reader. Some dont mind spine issues and can deal with separated pages etc.
Not properly Storing and Protecting the Collection
Most collectors keep their collections on a book shelf for easy access. The most popular bookshelf that fits an Omnibus collection perfectly is the Kallax bookshelf from Ikea.
Most omnibuses come with a removable cover, the spine of the cover can become easily crunched or crumpled if not handled with care when removing and placing it back on the shelf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes an Omnibus different from a trade paper back?
A trade paperback is normally much smaller than a hard cover or omnibus. Trades are printed with paper only a card stock or thicker cover. It usually only contains 5 to 10 issues of a comic book series. It is also much cheaper than a hard cover or omnibus.
Trade paper backs also rarely ever cost more than the original cover price.
What is the Best Marvel Omnibus?
The best Marvel Omnibus is purely subjective. Everyone has their own view and has their favourite super hero or team. My personal favourites include Conan The Barbarian by Kurt Busiek, New X-Men by Grant Morrison and The Age of Apocalypse by various authors.
What is the Best DC Omnibus?
The best Marvel Omnibus is purely subjective. Everyone has their own view and has their favourite super hero or team. My personal favourites included Absolute Swamp Thing Vol 1 by Alan Moore, Hell Blazer by Garth Ennis, Sandman Vol 1 by Neil Gaiman and Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
Are Omnibuses seen as a good investment?
Generally no, they are not a good investment for financial gain. They are a good investment for reading and enjoyment. They contain complete stories for the most part, there is less time invested in finding all the single issues and are a space saver!
Conclusion: The Must-Have Omnibuses for Collectors
Must have omnibuses comes down to the eye of the beholder. Comic fans around the world have different tastes, favourite publishers, favourite writers, favourite heroes and favourite artists.
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