Random House Publishing Group
Aggregated Discontent
Aggregated Discontent
Couldn't load pickup availability
Collapsible content
ABOUT
“Walker cuts to the heart of what it means to be a woman in the twenty-first century, all accomplished with her searingly biting wit.”—Harper’s Bazaar
A THEM AND ELECTRIC LITERATURE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
After a brief fling with corporate stability in her twenty-something cis era, Harron Walker has transitioned into a terminally single freelancer and part-time shopgirl. She's in the throes of her second adolescence and its requisite daily spirals. She wants it all, otherwise known as: basic human rights, a stable job with good pay and healthcare benefits, someone to love, the ability to feel safe and secure, the pursuit of satisfaction and maybe even contentment. And when she starts to acquire those things—well, as The Monkey's Paw famously asked, "What could go wrong?"
In sixteen wholly original essays that blend memoir, cultural criticism, investigative journalism, and a dash of fanfiction, Walker places her own experiences within the larger context of the pressing and underdiscussed aspects of contemporary American womanhood that make up daily life. She recounts an attempt to eviscerate a corporation's attempt at pinkwashing their way into bath bomb sales while simultaneously confronting her “pick me” impulse to do so. She interrogates her relationship to labor, from the irony of working in a transphobic workplace in order to cover gender-affirming surgery to the cruel specter of the girlboss that none of us ever think we'll become. She explores the allure and violence of assimilating into white womanhood in all its hegemonic glory, exposes the ways in which the truth of trans women's reproductive healthcare is erased in favor of reactionary narratives, and considers how our agency is stripped from us—by governments, employers, partners, and ourselves—purely on account of our bodies.
With razor-sharp, biting prose that’s as uncompromising as it is playful, Walker grapples with questions of love, sex, fertility, labor, embodiment, community, autonomy, and body fluids from her particular vantagepoint: often at the margins, conditionally at the center.
STANDARD, PRIMARY, DM AND VARIANT COVERS
Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.
In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.
The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.
PRODUCT TYPES
Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:
Omnibus
- Large, hardcover collections
- Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
- Typically 800-1000+ pages
- Higher price point, often €100-€150
Oversized Hardcover (OHC)
- Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
- Collect shorter runs or story arcs
- Usually 300-600 pages
- Priced between €30-€50
Hardcover (HC)
- Standard-sized hardcover books
- Collect 6-12 issues typically
- Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
- Priced around €25-€35
Trade Paperback (TP)
- Softcover collections
- Standard comic book size
- Usually collect 4-6 issues
- Most affordable option, typically €15-€25
Other Formats
- Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
- Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
- Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues
The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs