I got a nice gift certificate to one of the area comic book stores from the wife and kids for Father's day.

I couldn't figure out what to get at first. I thought about one or another volume of Avengers Masterworks but didn't see any in my quick look through the store's stuff. Plus, seems like those might add up to some $$ if I tried to be too comprehensive. Then I thought about Essentials but I have a few of those and find I miss the colors too much.

So I ended up getting the Many Faces of Henry Pym Trade and the Avengers Defenders War Trade. Haven't read them yet but they look great. Both collect a lot of issues I for some reason haven't read yet.

It made me wonder. How do most of you do your reading of back issues? How comprehensive are you? Do you have a Marvel online subscription? Do you actually collect back issues (I'm a reader but not really a collector). Do you rely on Essentials? Masterworks? Assorted Trades?