2008 MASTERWORKS SURVEY This is the sixth survey for MarvelMasterworks.com, which featured a new home for collecting data and a lot of new questions! We added a bunch more questions relating to Marvel Omnibus and Premiere Edition HCs to get a better read on what Masterworks fans are interested in and what trends are developing that will help us better understand what may lie ahead. I'd also like to thank Cory Sedlmeier, Mark Beazley, David Gabriel, and all the other folks at Marvel who love these editions as much as the fans do. It bears repeating that this is not an official Marvel survey, but we appreciate that Marvel's collected editions folks do take the results seriously and look forward to checking them out when they're complete. I'd also like to thank two message board members that stepped up to help develop the survey database, Indefatigable Fjor and Ghastly. They worked together to build a really fine mechanism for taking the data in and without their help this survey simply does not happen. Finally, the many fans who helped build the survey question and answer structure and who also helped beta test. Too many to name, but Cleazer helped formulate a bunch of the questions and has also been on hand to provide running commentary for the results you're about to peruse. To conclude, I'd like to remind everybody what this survey is all about. It's pretty simple, and that is to get a temperature reading on Masterworks and related projects from Masterworks fans. This isn't an all-purpose survey dedicated to all of collected editions, but a tight focus on gathering data from Masterworks consumers and Masterworks consumers alone. We've been at this since 2001 when we did our very first fan survey, polling Masterworks fans about what they'd like to see back when there was no Masterworks line at all! There seems to have been some ensuing confusion about that, particularly in regards to a question asked about DVD-Roms. There was an influx of about a dozen or so respondents who bypassed all questions relating to Masterworks to answer a single question about DVD-Roms and to make a sort of formal complaint about the discontinuation of the licensed DVD-Rom program run by GIT Corp. That is all well and good, as the DVD-Roms are worthy products and have a fervent fanbase, but that contribution to the survey was contrary to the survey's goal of gathering data from Masterworks fans and so all those responses were taken out of the data pool. This is not an official Marvel survey and doesn't claim to be and so complaints about the DVD-Rom program are best delivered by email or mail to Marvel directly. Now, on with the show... The 2008 Masterworks survey is broken down into the following categories: I: Demographics Age Countries of origin II: General Reprint Purchasing Habits Masterworks vs. DC Archives Masterworks vs. Spirit Archives Masterworks vs. EC Archives Masterworks vs. Dark Horse Archives Masterworks vs. Essentials Other Marvel collected edition brands Other collected editions III: Assorted Marvel Hardcover Opinions Marvel Omnibus Ownership Future Omnibus Selections Buying Comparisons Between Masterworks/Omnibus Ideal Omnibus Size Omnibus Binding Marvel Premiere Edition Classic HCs IV: Masterworks Purchasing Habits When Did You Start Purchasing Masterworks? Masterworks Acquisition Habits Masterworks Ownership/Interest Trade Dress Questions BTP (Back To Press) Questions V: Masterworks Quality Concerns Basic satisfaction questions Sewn binding Glue Areas of improvement VI: Future Masterworks Extensions of existing Marvel Age lines New Golden Age Masterworks New Atlas Era Masterworks Expansion through Marvel Age lines VII: Miscellaneous Questions Ranking Different Eras Fast Tracking Masterworks Dealing with Amazing Adventures/Amazing Fantasy Continue the X-Men Masterworks line? Western genre Licensed properties Handling Multi-Story Crossovers Buying Habits after addition of Sewn Binding/$5 Increase Masterworks Size Variant Masterworks Back-To-Press (BTP) VIII: Survey respondent commentary Commentary from yours truly and Cleazer is threaded through all the entries, though we're not licensed statisticians, so don't take our opinions for gospel! The floor is open for discussion, though, so please feel free to check out THIS THREAD at the Masterworks Message Boards to discuss your thoughts and analysis AFTER you're done digesting all the information. And now, click this link to enter: THE 2008 MASTERWORKS SURVEY!