The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018

The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018 contains twenty prize-winning stories chosen from thousands published in literary magazines over the previous year. The winning stories come from a mix of established writers and emerging voices, and are uniformly breathtaking. They are accompanied by essays from the eminent jurors on their favorites, observations from the winning writers on what inspired their stories, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.

"The Tomb of Wrestling," Jo Ann Beard, Tin House
"Counterblast," Marjorie Celona, The Southern Review
"Nayla," Youmna Chlala, Prairie Schooner
"Lucky Dragon," Viet Dinh, Ploughshares
"Stop ’n’ Go," Michael Parker, New England Review
"Past Perfect Continuous," Dounia Choukri, Chicago Quarterly Review
"Inversion of Marcia," Thomas Bolt, n+1
"Nights in Logar," Jamil Jan Kochai, A Public Space
"How We Eat," Mark Jude Poirier, Epoch
"Deaf and Blind," Lara Vapnyar, The New Yorker
"Why Were They Throwing Bricks?," Jenny Zhang, n+1
"An Amount of Discretion," Lauren Alwan, The Southern Review
"Queen Elizabeth," Brad Felver, One Story
"The Stamp Collector," Dave King, Fence
"More or Less Like a Man," Michael Powers, The Threepenny Review
"The Earth, Thy Great Exchequer, Ready Lies," Jo Lloyd, Zoetrope
"Up Here," Tristan Hughes, Ploughshares
"The Houses That Are Left Behind," Brenda Walker, The Kenyon Review
"We Keep Them Anyway," Stephanie A. Vega, The Threepenny Review
"Solstice," Anne Enright, The New Yorker

Prize Jury for 2018:  Fiona McFarlane, Ottessa Moshfegh, Elizabeth Tallent

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