Geeklings, the problem with writing over five hundred-fifty I Am Geek columns is that it is sometimes hard to dig back through the archives and reference a past piece. I literally spent five minutes going back through the archives (Side Note- It’s super cool that I Am Geek has archives). I want to say that I’ve discussed a similar issue a year or so ago but can’t find the column to reference so I’m going to give a quick overview.

I read The Walking Dead through graphic novel only. I was late to the party, but way before the show came out, and binge read the shit out of this series. Those first nine volumes man, I was hooked. I was returning books I had bought and hadn’t read, or in a case or two had read but didn’t want to keep, so I could get the next volume. My introduction to The Walking Dead was like a drug binge and I couldn’t get enough.

At the time I was reading a bunch of comics but never transitioned from graphic novel to monthly issue with The Walking Dead. I don’t know why, maybe it was because it was more fun to read all at once and the graphic novel made it an event or maybe because I was collecting something. That’s kind of what it’s turned into. I have thirty volumes of Walking Dead graphic novels. I’ve read them all and they look super cool upon my bookshelf. A part of me wants to subscribe to the monthly issues so I can get the story faster and have it too look forward to on New Comic Book Day, but what does that do to my thirty collected volumes? Do I just stop? Let the series sit on my shelf unfinished? Feels wrong in so many different ways. That’s why I’ve continued to collect the trades. I can wait the six months or so between releases. I don’t want to have to buy these books twice just so my shelf can have a full set. I’ll be patient and wait. It’s not easy but it’s the right thing to do.

Up until five minutes ago, I was having the same problem with Deadly Class. I have Comixology Unlimited, if you don’t have this and you love comics then you need this. Soooooooo many comic books at my fingertips in endless supplies. It’s borderline overwhelming at times. Not only that but it comes with a great discount that you can apply to books whether they’re on sale or not. It seriously is the gift that keeps on giving. Plug over.

Through the Unlimited program, I read the first volume of Deadly Class and dug it as was mentioned here yesterday during the Week In Geek. After taking a couple of months to read Jason Aaron’s auh-mazing Jane Foster Mighty Thor run I returned to Deadly Class. You see, Comixology had a massive Deadly Class sale where I was able to use my Unlimited discount and practically stole all the graphic novels of the series. I had them on my Fancy Comic Book Reader just waiting for my eyeholes. Now I’m just plowing through the books. I’m seventy-five percent through book five with book six being the only one left in my library. Book seven doesn’t come out till later this month.

You can see the problem I’m mapping out for you, right?

What do I do? Do I wait and read Deadly Class like The Walking Dead? Nothing but trades and patience? Or do I just say screw it and jump into the monthly series? It’s a bit different considering the Deadly Class graphic novels are on a digital shelf and not a physical one. I think it would bother me more having to look at the uncompleted set on my shelf. Almost mocking me.

As I was writing this column I took a side detour to Comixology with the intention of pre-ordering book seven. The wait is less than a week but I’m already freaking out about it. I have devoured this story in rapid-fire succession and the idea of waiting even a week is insane to me. While I was getting ready to make my pre-order purchase I saw that it would actually be cheaper to buy the single issues collected in volume seven. It would save me like fifty percent, love this Unlimited, aaaaaaand I wouldn’t have to wait for the books. I could finish book six and boom right back into it. This kind of seemed like a no-brainer.

We’re going to Chicago this weekend and I really want to be reading some Deadly Class during the airplane ride and at the speed I’m currently reading this series, I’m not so sure if that would be possible if I didn’t buy the single issues. Well, I don’t really have to worry about this anymore. I purchased them like ten minutes ago and it came more as a sigh of relief than anything else. I now have all the books I need and no physical gapping holes on my bookshelf. I can live with that. Hell, I read Saga the same exact way. Why was this even a dilemma? I should have just reminded myself of that. Duh!

What do you think Geeklings, am I just being crazy here? Would you continue to read the books through graphic novel format or would you make the switch to monthly issues? Sound off in the comments or you can find me on the Twitter @iamgeek32. Hit me up there especially if you want to talk about Deadly Class. My god I’m so obsessed. Read it! Right now! Go!