What to do if I suspect trimming?

[Fan4Fan]

I think I've become much more paranoid about this since hanging out here...

 

Anyhow, I received a Thor 151 today with a right edge that is a bit suspect.

 

There is overflash on top and bottom, but the right edge looks a little too straight and the V of pages isn't really that evident going from the top to the bottom of the book (i.e. it is apparent at the top, but not so much - if at all - at the bottom).

 

The page edges are off-white of the same intensity along all visible edges (i.e. top edges look like bottom edges look like side edges) and the edge color is (if anything) a bit darker than the color on the flat of the page. So, I guess, if it were trimmed it was a while ago (or can fresh cuts be aged?).

 

What is bothering me most is that "chips" in the cover correspond almost 100% with irregularities in the underlying pages. I see this on the right edge, but similar irregularities on the page bottoms are not mirrored in the overlying cover.

 

So is this how comics are produced (i.e. right edge is trimmed after the book is assembled)? I didn't think so (judging from the How to Detect Resto thread).

 

Speaking of that thread, I pressed the book firmly on a hard surface and was left with more ambiguity. With the book closed, the top has a slight V - with the center sticking out the most - but the bottom is pretty even. With the book open, the same thing can be seen. The top has wider inner pages while the bottom of the book has pages that look to be identical in width.

 

Is there anything I can do to put my mind at ease a bit?

 

I've been looking at good examples of this book on the internet, and the one I am holding seems to have the same width (judging from the cover).

 

Many copies of this issue on Heritage display what I am seeing.

 

For example these three have the page irregularities being mirrored in the cover (to some degree):

 

 

 

 

So, should this satisfy me?

 

Am I just a hopelessly ignorant doofus to have even been worried about it?

 

Sorry I don't have a scanner available, otherwise I'd post pics of the book in question.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[drbanner]

There is overflash on top and bottom, but the right edge looks a little too straight and the V of pages isn't really that evident going from the top to the bottom of the book (i.e. it is apparent at the top, but not so much - if at all - at the bottom).

 

This is perfectly normal, the "V" should be at the top, and the bottom should just about be even. The pages sometimes stick out a bit beyond the right edge of the cover as well...

[Fan4Fan]

There is overflash on top and bottom, but the right edge looks a little too straight and the V of pages isn't really that evident going from the top to the bottom of the book (i.e. it is apparent at the top, but not so much - if at all - at the bottom).

 

This is perfectly normal, the "V" should be at the top, and the bottom should just about be even. The pages sometimes stick out a bit beyond the right edge of the cover as well...

 

OK, thanks! It wasn't clear to me from the Resto Detection thread that the V decreased as one went down the book.

 

That, and the similarity of the cutting profile between page edges and cover had me wondering.

 

I guess I need to reset my paranoia meter!

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Mr. Zipper]

What is bothering me most is that "chips" in the cover correspond almost 100% with irregularities in the underlying pages. I see this on the right edge, but similar irregularities on the page bottoms are not mirrored in the overlying cover.

 

So is this how comics are produced (i.e. right edge is trimmed after the book is assembled)? I didn't think so (judging from the How to Detect Resto thread).

 

I have observed this on a number of my comics and I first suspected trimming as well. What you are saying is that small bumps and irregularities on the cover match up with the same characteristics on the interior pages -- like the entire right edge was chop cut after the book was bound. Here is an example from my copy of FF 39:

 

 

I don't think it is trimming because no other characteristic supports that conclusion, and I've found it on books where trimming makes no sense. If this is trimming, I have a lot of trimmed books.

[Fan4Fan]

That's exactly what I'm seeing!

 

And it is probably on a lot of my other books of that age, but the cover edge and first page edges probably weren't so well-aligned as on this Thor 151 so I never paid much attention to it.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[uclapeterg]

I used to have a FF 39 where they forgot to cop off one of the pages so there was an extra "square" on the bottom right. The printing machines used to murder some books.

[Arty]

 

Looks like a perfectly natural factory trim. Probably cut with dull blade - that's why edge is rough .

[Fan4Fan]

 

Looks like a perfectly natural factory trim.

 

OK, I'm a doofus.

 

Just from reading the Resto Detection thread, I thought that the cover was NOT on when the book was trimmed. Not sure what made me think that (other than it not being explicitly spelled out in 3-letter words... ), but once I started going down the path of doom and destruction, my paranoia happily fueled me on.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[fantastic_four]

What to do if I suspect trimming?

 

CALL THE COPS ! ! !

[FFB]

What to do if I suspect trimming?

 

CALL THE COPS ! ! !

 

that's what I was going to say.

[divad]

What to do if I suspect trimming?

 

CALL THE COPS ! ! !

 

that's what I was going to say.

 

Yeah, the comic cops!!!