Well, while we're on the subject of mammoth complete collections, what better time could there be to bring this nearly 600 page tome that collects the entirety of the 26-issue black & white run of Zot! that was published between 1987 and 1991.  This run comprises issues #11 through #36 of the original series; the first ten issues were in full color, and, as McCloud explains in his introduction, are not included in this collection for the simple reason that McCloud doesn't believe the stories they contain are strong enough.  Just in case you're late to the party:  McCloud is the author of the ground breaking and still definitive study of comics, Understanding Comics, as well as their follow-up volumes Reinventing Comics and Making Comics.  In addition to simply being a fine book of comics, this collection is especially valuable in allowing readers the opoportunity to witness McCloud's development as an artist and writer.  McCloud has proclaimed that his motivation in writing Making Comics -- his most recent work -- was to prepare himself for undertaking a full-fledged comics project of his own, making now a good time to revisit the work that embodies his youthful enthusiasm for the form, to prepare us to better appreciate the mature works to come.