Hollywood Babylon

“Picking through the slag heap of the Hollywood dream factory, [Kenneth] Anger has put together a truly prodigious anthology of star-studded scandal.”—The New York Times
 
Welcome to Hollywood. Take a walk down “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” where starlets, sex goddesses, matinee idols, American aristocracy, and Mafia moguls meet. It’s a town made manic in its heyday by “joy powder” and cocaine-crazed comedies, seduced by vamping heroin heroines, shaken by Fatty Arbuckle’s orgiastic excesses and Errol Flynn’s amoral extravagances, stunned by Marilyn Monroe’s tragic suicide and Sharon Tate’s brutal murder.
 
Here, as never revealed before, is the scalding reality behind the glittering façade: the true stories and darkest secrets behind the lurid headlines that have titillated the world and electrified the nation for decades.

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.

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