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Bound comics

Started by John Grumbledook,

64 posts in this topic

Anfield Fox

Anfield Fox

Posted
Posted
With most stuff now available in beautiful glossy coffee table style Masterworks or Archives most people have no use for these. Even more so now with digital copies on ipads.

 

Just a shame all those books got ruined :cry:

Lots of series and runs haven't been collected yet. Some are way cheaper to have bound. Some TPB's are just poor quality, or have been colorized or decolorized or are printed manga sized or something.

 

I want to bind a few sets but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

So what's wrong with just owning the actual comics?

 

It comes down to what your intent with is the comics. Is it to read them? If so then having a readily available chunck of 25-30 books sitting on your bookshelf for easy consumption is pretty appealing. As opposed to finding them in a long box (hope its not in storage somewhere, or at the bottom of an 8 box high stack!) getting them out of their 25-30 bags and boards (watch out for that tape!) reading them, then putting them back in their bags/boards, back in the box and then putting it all away...

 

Again this is if your top priority is reading, and reading them easily...

 

"ruined" is a matter of opinion. A comics books purpose on earth is to be read and enjoyed. If having them bound increases their readability and therefore enjoy-ability, then I dont think they are ruined. If your goal is to collect the books and collectibility is more important (which is totally fine by the way!) then yes they are "ruined"

 

And yes as dupont mentioned, many books havent been collected, arent collected well (production-wise) or the collection has never been completed (first few volumes get produced and then it never or very slowly gets finished), or they are collected in a way you dont prefer.

 

There was a TPB of Morrisons DC 1Million. It only collected the 4 issues series, and a couple of tie ins (no where close to the total # of tie in issues, which were only hit and miss in terms of necessity to the core story). My 28 issue bind tells the whole start to finish of the DC 1 Million event with all of the key tie ins (my opinion) and in one nice book on my shelf that I've read three times since binding it.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I don't agree with it at all but i can't tell people what to do with their comics. I guess as long as you people who bind them get enjoyment from them that's good enough.

 

Do high grade GA/SA/BA ever get bound or is it only low-mid grade?

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mackenzie999

mackenzie999

Posted
Posted
I have seen lots of examples of bound file copies online, but my question was: what are the "whole host of additional desirable features" in publisher bound file copies, that are not in private owner binds.

 

 

Does provenance count as a host?

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InvstmntComcSuply

InvstmntComcSuply

Posted
Posted
I have seen lots of examples of bound file copies online, but my question was: what are the "whole host of additional desirable features" in publisher bound file copies, that are not in private owner binds.

 

 

Does provenance count as a host?

 

Somewhat related but,

Historical significance was about the only thing that came to mind for me.

 

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miraclemet

miraclemet

Posted
Posted

 

Thanks for the explanation. I don't agree with it at all but i can't tell people what to do with their comics. I guess as long as you people who bind them get enjoyment from them that's good enough.

 

Do high grade GA/SA/BA ever get bound or is it only low-mid grade?

 

As long as we all get along as enjoyers of the medium I dont really care about how people shade their collecting (me? I dont understand putting together a 9.8 run of something from the 90s!, but again, to me it's a good as part of the continuum of the comics collecting community)

 

Binders are usually trying to get their project done as cheaply as possible so most wont target a high grade book. As long as a book has decent OW page quality and no big tears (say more than 1/8") the comic is structurally sound enough for binding. Creases are fine, dings, stains all ok...

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Sardo Numspar

Sardo Numspar

Posted
Posted
I have seen lots of examples of bound file copies online, but my question was: what are the "whole host of additional desirable features" in publisher bound file copies, that are not in private owner binds.

 

 

From what I have seen, when a publisher creates bound file copies they are usually created in a very professional and presentable format. There are normally a limited number of the bound volumes created and are often kept internally with the publisher for many years. There is a rarity and desirability in my opinion in owning something created by the publisher in limited format, as opposed to something that might be crudely constructed by a non-publisher. I would also assume that from a resale perspective, the professionally bound file copies would be more attractive to purchasers. It is also my understanding that publishers often times created the bound file copies to give as gifts to artists and others associated with the publication. If this provenance can be established, the bound copy is even more desirable in my opinion.

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miraclemet

miraclemet

Posted
Posted
I have seen lots of examples of bound file copies online, but my question was: what are the "whole host of additional desirable features" in publisher bound file copies, that are not in private owner binds.

 

 

From what I have seen, when a publisher creates bound file copies they are usually created in a very professional and presentable format. There are normally a limited number of the bound volumes created and are often kept internally with the publisher for many years. There is a rarity and desirability in my opinion in owning something created by the publisher in limited format, as opposed to something that might be crudely constructed by a non-publisher. I would also assume that from a resale perspective, the professionally bound file copies would be more attractive to purchasers. It is also my understanding that publishers often times created the bound file copies to give as gifts to artists and others associated with the publication. If this provenance can be established, the bound copy is even more desirable in my opinion.

 

I dont think quality is a big deliminator since many comic binders (check out the link earlier in the thread to collected editions message board). The binding projects done by hobbiest use the same pro-binders that libraries and publishers use for 1 off projects, and the binding process can (depending on bells and whistles) cost over $100 depending on how you have the collection bound.

 

I think the fact that these books were in the publisher library, were used in the publishing process as reference (possibly) adds to the books cache far more than any possible quality factor (Im not talking about the crude binds shown earlier with softcovers and no trimmed edges, but rather the high quality stuff).

 

If HA had an auction of say a bound edition of comics that were kept in the "Marvel Bullpen" for reference I'm sure the bidding would be ridiculous...

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InvstmntComcSuply

InvstmntComcSuply

Posted
Posted
I have seen lots of examples of bound file copies online, but my question was: what are the "whole host of additional desirable features" in publisher bound file copies, that are not in private owner binds.

 

 

From what I have seen, when a publisher creates bound file copies they are usually created in a very professional and presentable format. There are normally a limited number of the bound volumes created and are often kept internally with the publisher for many years. There is a rarity and desirability in my opinion in owning something created by the publisher in limited format, as opposed to something that might be crudely constructed by a non-publisher. I would also assume that from a resale perspective, the professionally bound file copies would be more attractive to purchasers. It is also my understanding that publishers often times created the bound file copies to give as gifts to artists and others associated with the publication. If this provenance can be established, the bound copy is even more desirable in my opinion.

 

I think that pretty much boils down to historical significance, since the quality of today's private binds is much better than the average file copy bind from the 50s-70's.

 

 

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ChrisInBaltimore

ChrisInBaltimore

Posted
Posted

 

This just makes my skin crawl! Why oh why would you do that? I'm all about having reading copies of silver age books, but why not just keep them as singles? That is just awful!

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InvstmntComcSuply

InvstmntComcSuply

Posted
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What I was really interested in, was, if any of the additional desirable features included tangible physical differences, such as:

Stamps (Property of, File Copy, Return to, etc)

Handwritten editorial Markups (from publishing house employees)

Added material not included in the published work

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InvstmntComcSuply

InvstmntComcSuply

Posted
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It was probably done between 35-40 years ago, maybe more for the older issues.

 

People used to do it with their yearly magazine subscriptions. Not as uncommon as you might think. The poorer quality ones, like these, probably just got chucked by moms, just like any other comic collection.

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dupont2005

dupont2005

Posted
Posted
With most stuff now available in beautiful glossy coffee table style Masterworks or Archives most people have no use for these. Even more so now with digital copies on ipads.

 

Just a shame all those books got ruined :cry:

Lots of series and runs haven't been collected yet. Some are way cheaper to have bound. Some TPB's are just poor quality, or have been colorized or decolorized or are printed manga sized or something.

 

I want to bind a few sets but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

So what's wrong with just owning the actual comics?

When comics go in boxes I'm far less likely to ever read them again. Having them bound into a nice volume for the bookshelf will greatly increase my odds of flipping through them again.
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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted
I'll bite.... such as???

 

 

Historic value as reference material for the actual publishers during the time of publishing?

 

(shrug)

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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted
CBR shows a mention about Bob Kane's bound file comics. Looks like spiral-wire binding. :eek:

 

kane_batman.jpg

 

That Bob Kane bound file copy is owned by a boardie.

 

 

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Gatchaman

Gatchaman

Posted
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I have just over 100 bindings and am working on probably another 100. My bindings are made of actual original comics, reprints, and TPBs. This gives me FF4 #1-600, Avengers #1-500, UXMN #1-300, X-Men Vol 2 #1-100, X-Force #1-100, Silver Surfer #1-100, entire run of Justice Machine vol 1, entire run of All-star Squadron, and much more from the 70's to present.

 

I was able to do some of my 70s bindings by collecting up issues that were in VG-F or better and even coverless. Some of the issues I got were right ugly, like my Marvel Double Feature binding, but when it came out in a binding it looked great. I have even used damaged hardcover books and even some falling apart. I picked up some TPBs of Elf Quest at a yard sale that were damaged and/or falling apart that came out great.

 

It isn't about taking your gold and silver investments to send for binding. It's about taking runs of books that you enjoy reading and binding them so that they have the look, feel, and readability of a hard cover book or omnibus. I can read my books without damaging them. I am just finishing up with a bound I made up of Megalith from Continuity comics. I also did one of Ms Mystic.

 

Also, some titles that may not sell very well singly will more than likely sell as a bound book.

 

I get my books done for $17.50 per book for up to 2" in thickness. Way less than buying new TPBs.

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