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Over the past 2 decades, there has been a shift in the way comics companies have dealt with their old material. A large amount of material created in the past by most major publishers has been kept available and affordable for those who missed the original issues thorough the efforts of reprint programs. While reprints have been around as long as there have been publishers, they were formerly perceived to be a minor part of a publisher's output. Much like television networks and movei studios, it was recognized that a great deal of value and profit could be realized by keeping as much previously-issued material in print as possible. By allowing collectors who missed issues to be able to catch up on the stories, and giving new readers a sizeable piece of work on which to judge the quality of a book, work already done can be a source of continuous interest. Some series, like Cerebus, would be almost unmanageable to read from beginning to end without reprints owing to the absolute scarcity of the early issues. Now, Sim's 26-year magnum opus is as accessible as the latest Superman or Spider-man comic.

Hardcover edition are sometimes produced in addition to, or instead of, softcover versions. Hardcovers are usually the top of the line, with a larger size, larger page count, and more luxurious production. Some hardcover editions have featured slipcases, autographs, and new artwork created especially for the edition for the covers or sometimes as separate plates. DC, in addition to nice editions of key Golden, Silver, and Modern Age titles, also has focused on specific artists, such as Neal Adams's stories, focusing on his groundbreaking Deadman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, and Batman work, or Jack Kirby's run on Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olson. DC has taken their hardcover reprint line a step further with their huge collections of Warren Ellis's The Authority, Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and J. Scott Campbell's Danger Girl, which were produced in over-sized slipcased editions.

While originally reserved for special collections such as the Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives programs, and Kitchen Sink's EC reprints, they have become more common, collectible, and affordable with some editions being printed once in hardcover, and thereafter only in softcover, such as Moore's ABC line of books, which includes The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Top 10, and Promethea.

The term graphic novel usually refers to an original, non-reprint work produced in a larger format softcover book. This format originated in the 1980s from Marvel, with Jim Starlin's "The Death of Captain Marvel" generally recognized as the first graphic novel. Other publishers saw the success of these books, with many important stories being presented through the graphic novel format, including the X-Men story "God Loves, Man Kills," and the introduction of The New Mutants from Marvel, and the last work Jack Kirby did with his New Gods creation for DC, "The Hunger Dogs." Alex Ross also found a fine outlet for his painting skills with an annual series of oversized books, the first four focusing on Superman, Batman, Shazam, and Wonder Woman, and the final volume dealing with the Silver Age JLA.

DC has begun producing original graphic novels as hardcover editions, such as an Earth 2 JLA story from Mark Millar and Frank Quitely. These hardcovers are limited to the initial production run, usually with softcover versions following a year or more later.

Austin Books recognizes the importance of reprint collections and are happy to offer our entire selection of trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and graphic novels for 10% off the cover price every day.