The Seeds, Ann Nocenti and David Aja‘s four-issue series from Dark Horse Comics’ Berger Books imprint, saw two issues released before going on hiatus back in 2018. Now the publisher has announced that the completed series will be released in a trade paperback later this year.
One of the first Berger Books titles announced, work on The Seeds was delayed for an unknown reason, but Aja revealed earlier this year that he’d completed work on the series. The artist has also been hyping the trade paperback for the series on Twitter lately, jokingly referring to it as “the most important graphic novel of the last two decades,” and sharing previously unseen art from the book.
"The Seeds" (aka "Most Important Graphic Novel of Last Two Decades") will be out December 23!
128 pages, Softcover with French Flaps, Matte Paper, Duotone, Distinctive Great Smell!
ISBN: 978-1-50670-588-0
DIAMOND CODE: AUG200439
Expect daily spam. pic.twitter.com/hfKFK24G9N— David Aja (@davaja) July 26, 2020
– Why do you think I should buy "The Seed…
– LOOK!
"The Seeds" Out December 23
By @annienocenti and me. Edited by @karenpberger
ISBN: 9781506705880
DIAMOND CODE: AUG200439 pic.twitter.com/mAkRg2ztDo— David Aja (@davaja) July 26, 2020
The decision to release The Seeds straight to collection is a natural one, given the amount of time that’s passed since the last issue was release. In a statement regarding the release, Nocenti, Aja, and editor Karen Berger all expressed their pleasure at finally putting the series into readers’ hands:
“I’m so thrilled to finally to share our hopeful dystopian tale The Seeds with everyone. Grateful for the patience of the readers for our slow-growing Seeds. At this point the characters feel like family, even our nasty aliens. And who knows? Maybe all the world needs is a love story between an alien and a human to lead us someplace better…” —Ann Nocenti“Maybe I can say what the aliens actually told me. They came one night, it was a big dazzling spaceship. Or maybe it was a streetlight, I’m not sure. But I heard a voice. And that voice told me “feed the naked. And buy The Seeds.”—David AjaIt’s wonderful to be publishing The Seeds, by two tremendous talents at the top of their game. It’s timely, subversive and oh-so-telling.”—Karen Berger
The Seeds is the latest series that Dark Horse has opted to take straight to trade paperback following the Diamond shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a comment on an Instagram post announcing the return of the latest Stranger Things series, the publisher revealed that a pair of miniseries which began before the shutdown, Predator: Hunters III and AvP: Thicker Than Blood, will be taken straight to trade, with a planned release in November.
Economic times are tough, it’s understandable, but I still prefer not to reward publishers and creators who release material in a market built around preorders and subscriptions and then fail to keep up their end of the bargain. I’ll check out this collection from my local library (if it reopens) or Hoopla.
I missed the announcement about AvP being completed in trade. It makes sense but I would love for it to be priced accordingly. I was there for the Wheatly art but now not sure if I’ll pick up the trade.
@Brian J
There is also the fact that DH lost the Aliens and Predator license to Marvel and they only have until the end of the year to get the trades into bookstores.
I can’t wait to pay full price for a “Seeds” TPB, having already purchased #1 and #2 as single issues! /s
Moves like this do tend to drive me up a wall, as comic fans are constantly told that if they don’t support the comic releases, there will never be a trade. So now I’m rewarded for supporting Seeds with the opportunity to, as Rand points out, pay again for two issues I already bought in order to get the complete story. If the comic format doesn’t work for you anymore, just move on from it into OGNs — but if you’re committed, be committed. As one of the rare holdouts who actually still appreciates the regular comic format, I wish all publishers were as devoted to their regular readers who pay the freight as Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, who really pack value into their comic releases. And then their collected hardcover editions are so well done (as are the stories therein) that I cannot help but buy both formats. And sure, they now seem to be moving (at least for now) into OGNs, but that’s fine — they’re not engaging in a bait and switch. In any case, it’s probably all a moot point, as I know I’m a dying breed, and all this is pushing toward a future as a trade waiter.
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