Why the centerfold?

[El Toro Rojo]

This may seem like the type of goofy question for CG, but I'm serious. Why are detached centerfolds such an issue for Gold books?

 

I could see if they were poster-type drawings that could be pulled out, but most times they're just normal story pages.

 

So, why so detached?

[Kevin.J]

I would think its just down to wear and tear, after the covers, the centerfold would seem to be the next weakest area for damage.

Especially on a book thats been read and re-read over the years.

[porky]

seems to be an issue with silver DC too. paper quality... or maybe they just weren't stapled that well to begin with?

[Straw-Man]

usually, it's from me thumbing up a dealer's book, real subtle-like pulling the cf loose, then pointing it out to the guy with the aim of getting a nice discount in light of the theretofore unknown defect. i usually do it only once per dealer, but it's worked 72 times to date with g.a.tor.

[Whizzer]

Also, a lot of books published during the GA, especially from the war years only had one staple to start with.

[markseifert]

I would think its just down to wear and tear, after the covers, the centerfold would seem to be the next weakest area for damage.

Especially on a book thats been read and re-read over the years.

 

Yeah, and I think the thickness of GA books is a contributing factor, as compared to SA books.

 

If you look at a lot of GA books, the staple prongs aren't really folded tight against the center, in many cases. I think they were just pushing the amount of paper they could hold with the staple size.

[Wrightson fan]

usually, it's from me thumbing up a dealer's book, real subtle-like pulling the cf loose, then pointing it out to the guy with the aim of getting a nice discount in light of the theretofore unknown defect. i usually do it only once per dealer, but it's worked 72 times to date with g.a.tor.

 

Don't think you are going to achieve time #73 now Billy....you have given away your modus operandi in a public forum.....g.a.tor. will now be wise to your shenanigans.

 

 

[Point Five]

I would think its just down to wear and tear, after the covers, the centerfold would seem to be the next weakest area for damage.

Especially on a book thats been read and re-read over the years.

 

Yeah, and I think the thickness of GA books is a contributing factor, as compared to SA books.

 

If you look at a lot of GA books, the staple prongs aren't really folded tight against the center, in many cases. I think they were just pushing the amount of paper they could hold with the staple size.

Yep, makes sense. (thumbs u

 

 

[El Toro Rojo]

The thickness is a great point. It's info like that which keeps me coming back!

 

That and the excellent drinks.

[comicnoir]

Kids fold back comic books, weakening the paper.

[Timely]

Back in the 1930's-1940's those staples had to go through a lot more paper than they had to from 1950's to present. Often only 1 staple would make it all the way through to the centerfold, leaving it weak.

 

Also, quite often the staples are not dead on the spine, but are on the front or back of the cover and pages. When the books were opened to be read, those centerfolds would come loose.

 

Hope that helps!

[El Toro Rojo]

Consider me schooled!

[ciorac]

usually, it's from me thumbing up a dealer's book, real subtle-like pulling the cf loose, then pointing it out to the guy with the aim of getting a nice discount in light of the theretofore unknown defect. i usually do it only once per dealer, but it's worked 72 times to date with g.a.tor.

 

[vaillant]

Nice thread. I have had to figure all this out personally, but it didn’t take too much: as I received my very first golden age book, I realized. Also I said: Wow! 64 pages!

Now a comic book has light, glossy paper, costs about 4 dollars and plenty of the pages are really ugly ads. Bleah.

[gadzukes]

I find it amazing that they went to 1 staple during WWII to help the war effort.

 

How many staples = 1 tank?

[gadzukes]

I also think it's interesting how Comics, not only went from 64 pages down to 30 (or so), but the widths of the comics were reduced by 1/2" or more.

 

I remember as a kid how much I loved those DC 100 page comics.

[El Toro Rojo]

Speaking of widths, did Timely have a wide range of widths during the 40s - 50s? I have several Timely/Atlas books that just don't line up and I don't believe they've been trimmed.

[adamstrange]

Speaking of widths, did Timely have a wide range of widths during the 40s - 50s? I have several Timely/Atlas books that just don't line up and I don't believe they've been trimmed.

 

The Timely books definitely were reduced a bit in height as well as width. The differences are often small and I don't know that the precise date of the changes have been documented. GCD does not, unless the size change is significant like it is for Jumbo 1-8, vs 9 vs the rest.

[Timely]

Timely had 3 basic sizes. The large size goes from 1939 to early 1943. Books like All Winners Comics #12 are the mid-size Timely's. They only lasted a few months before they shrank further, resembling Silver Age dimensions.

[El Toro Rojo]

Thanks, guys - that's a relief.

 

Just got a USA #15 and it was the same size as a Silver Marvel. That's where the freak outs started!