Shaken Comic Syndrome question

[mg1902]

Does SCS simply refer to if the comic moves in transit and the corners are blunted due to hitting the edge of the holder?

 

Reason I ask is that i've received 4 slabs in the last 3 months were the comic seems to shift a small amount vertically but the cover remains still, resulting in a strip of the inside pages showing above the top of the cover.

 

A simple tap on the bottom lines them back up nice enough. I guess im just wondering if anyone else has come across this in their time as I can't seem to find any chatter about it.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Check for tears at the staples....

[mysterio]

That may be the microchamber paper. I hope it is for you and your books' sake.

[Mark 1]

The only issue with SCS that I've seen is the book knocks into the top or bottom of the inner well and makes a dent in the overhang of the comic.

 

I have not seem what you describe. Sounds like the comic is loose from the cover and staple...

 

 

[GAMBIT]

I definitely seen what you're talking about, even on 9.8s (modern especially ) and wondered to myself what happened.. IMO it has to do with the stabbing process that "shifts" the cover and allows for the inner pages to over hang

[batcollector]

I've seen one old label slab where the interior of the book would longitudinally slide relative to the cover by at least 1/16" during handling of the book. The book was graded as a 9.4 by CGC so the damage must have been caused after slabbing by SCS in my opinion.

[r100comics]

What you're referring to is a side effect of the "new" inner well that CGC introduced for Moderns but may be using for other ages now.

 

They eliminated the hard edges of the old inner well that caused blunting and dents, but the new inner well pins the cover in place so can potentially allow the interior to move independently of the cover.

 

As Beyonder said, check the staple area to see if there could be a problem.

[mg1902]

Thanks to all for your input.

 

I had a close look last night at a few that I have had this happen on. No tear at the staples thankfully. I compared raws of the same books and the staple is the same. What I noticed is that on most raws, there is a slight bit of opening either side of the closed staple. This is what defines how far the inside pages can move in the new style slab. Max movement I've had on a slab would be 1mm.

 

Also, since tapping them right again I can't get any to slip again. Must be some rocky flights to Sydney to cause the initial jolt.

 

Having said all that, I'd still prefer it not to happen at all... I can handle having to tap a book straight in a slab when it's moved in transit, but this is quite disappointing when it happens.

[crazyhips]

I think u were dealing with micro chamber paper. Nothing else

[mg1902]

Perhaps. It looked more like sheets that were wrapped into the saddle stitching than loose sheets so I believe it to be the inside pages.

 

I'd rather it be the microchamber paper. If it ever happens again i'll get a few pics before tapping it back to normal.

[Sqeggs]

I think u were dealing with micro chamber paper. Nothing else

 

Although tapping the micro chamber paper back out of sight is usually no easy task.

[mysterio]

I think u were dealing with micro chamber paper. Nothing else

 

Although tapping the micro chamber paper back out of sight is usually no easy task.

 

I've never had too much trouble with it the few times its happened to me.

[loadstone]

I'm wondering if this is causing all the damage to the 9.8's I've seen with a blunted or severely bent/creased bottom spine corner. Also seen some with staple hole enlargements where the inner pages can move below and above the covers when shaking the slab - kinda what was being referenced here. Wondering if CGC does better QA testing of it's inner well/slab impact performance? Makes me wonder if there's a theoretical maximum for safely shipping a slab before it reaches a critical stress point for those staple holes to start to fray. No matter how much padding you put in the box, if the inner pages or the whole comic can still shift in the inner well, strain and damage will occur over time. As popular books change hands through shipping, those 9.8's, 9.9's, and 10's will be top of the census in label only.

 

Might have to hand deliver/pickup my books from now on.

 

[mg1902]

Another 9.8 arrived today with the same thing. Starting to base my purchases depending on which type of inner well the slab has. I now prefer the old style because the cover isn't so firmly pinned in place.

[CKB]

I'm wondering if this is causing all the damage to the 9.8's I've seen with a blunted or severely bent/creased bottom spine corner. Also seen some with staple hole enlargements where the inner pages can move below and above the covers when shaking the slab - kinda what was being referenced here. Wondering if CGC does better QA testing of it's inner well/slab impact performance? Makes me wonder if there's a theoretical maximum for safely shipping a slab before it reaches a critical stress point for those staple holes to start to fray. No matter how much padding you put in the box, if the inner pages or the whole comic can still shift in the inner well, strain and damage will occur over time. As popular books change hands through shipping, those 9.8's, 9.9's, and 10's will be top of the census in label only.

 

Might have to hand deliver/pickup my books from now on.

 

It's more likely mainly to do with a bad inner well job from the person running the machine. The seals have to be placed right and the book under some pressure when the seals are made.

 

Not that shaking the hell out a new inner well can't do what you suggest, I just think that when done properly the new wells are generally fine for shipping and handling.

 

Disclaimer: All my submissions have a note on them, "Please use old-style inner wells." I think they are better overall - but the slabber still has to do it right or you get different problems.