Here's a weird one... 0

[Hulksdaddy1]

I feel like someone tried to "fix" the spine placement, because the staples were around the back. They must have figured that the staples should only be exactly on the spine. In doing so, they created a significant overlap of the front half over the back. What looks like a readers crease is actually the original spine. I'd like it put back to how it should be, but needs a professional touch. Anyone disagree with my assessment? @joeypost, what say you brother? Something you can fix? Would just be worried about the staples.

Edit: I guess it could have had spine roll, and then someone pressed it without trying to fix it.

Edited August 29, 2021 by Hulksdaddy1

[LowGradeBronze]

If there's no evidence the staples have been removed and repositioned I wouldn't suspect foul play. Probably someone had the vile and despicable habit of folding the front cover then the pages round to the back as they read. My brother in law did that to one of mine, but he only did it the once!!!!!

Personally I wouldn't mess with it. Its original insofar as its history of wear and handling has got it to where it is now. Its a nice looking copy. All this pressing and meddling can only lead to the wringing of hands and terrible remorse when it goes wrong. IMO.

Edited August 29, 2021 by LowGradeBronze

[CK-1]

It doesn't look too suspicious to me and CGC would definitely give it a blue label as long as the staples weren't messed with.

If it was tampered with, reverting the changes would probably only lead to a lower grade as I've seen examples of books being cracked, having their spines realigned, and getting a much better grade by CGC.

[Hulksdaddy1]

On 8/29/2021 at 3:57 PM, CK-1 said:

It doesn't look too suspicious to me and CGC would definitely give it a blue label as long as the staples weren't messed with.

If it was tampered with, reverting the changes would probably only lead to a lower grade as I've seen examples of books being cracked, having their spines realigned, and getting a much better grade by CGC.

I don't believe there was any malicious intent, or anything like that. I feel like the staples were on the back(like the attached pic has staples on the front) and someone "realigned" the spine to make the staples dead center of spine, not realizing, for whatever reason, that it would cause an overlap. Maybe they also wanted better centering. If the book were to be realigned back to what I believe is the original register, the crease would be back to the spine, making for a better looking, possibly higher grade book. IMO

[CK-1]

On 8/29/2021 at 4:11 PM, Hulksdaddy1 said:

I don't believe there was any malicious intent, or anything like that. I feel like the staples were on the back(like the attached pic has staples on the front) and someone "realigned" the spine to make the staples dead center of spine, not realizing, for whatever reason, that it would cause an overlap. Maybe they also wanted better centering. If the book were to be realigned back to what I believe is the original register, the crease would be back to the spine, making for a better looking, possibly higher grade book. IMO

I think you're right, I was thinking of somebody rolling defects to the back cover while it seems to be the opposite here.

[The Lions Den]

On 8/29/2021 at 1:26 PM, Hulksdaddy1 said:

I feel like someone tried to "fix" the spine placement, because the staples were around the back. They must have figured that the staples should only be exactly on the spine. In doing so, they created a significant overlap of the front half over the back. What looks like a readers crease is actually the original spine. I'd like it put back to how it should be, but needs a professional touch. Anyone disagree with my assessment? @joeypost, what say you brother? Something you can fix? Would just be worried about the staples.

Edit: I guess it could have had spine roll, and then someone pressed it without trying to fix it.

Are you sure it didn't just sit in a big box with a bunch of other comics for 40 years with no backing board or bag?   

[Hulksdaddy1]

On 8/29/2021 at 4:28 PM, The Lions Den said:

Are you sure it didn't just sit in a big box with a bunch of other comics for 40 years with no backing board or bag?   

It's possible, but the staples are now so dead center in the middle of the spine, hard to believe that's happenstance 

[Lazyboy]

On 8/29/2021 at 3:28 PM, The Lions Den said:

Are you sure it didn't just sit in a big box with a bunch of other comics for 40 years with no backing board or bag?   

I don't think so. I've seen books like that and they didn't wind up with the staples perfectly on the spine and the rest of the book oddly misaligned.

This book was definitely intentionally manipulated.

[joeypost]

I could have been cut that way to begin with. Was common on silver age books. 

[silverseeker]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:38 AM, LowGradeBronze said:

If there's no evidence the staples have been removed and repositioned I wouldn't suspect foul play. Probably someone had the vile and despicable habit of folding the front cover then the pages round to the back as they read. My brother in law did that to one of mine, but he only did it the once!!!!!

If the front cover were folded over in this case I would expect the vertical crease to be closer to the spine (closer to where the staples lie).

All those transverse creases centered along the horizontal crease lead me to also believe it used to be the original spine, and they were spine stresses.

Off the top of my head, I can think of two potential problems if you attempt to correct this issue:

• The crease that represented the old spine may be weak enough that re-aligning the book will cause it to split in places.
• You will now have a full horizonal crease to the left of the spine on the back cover.

If it were my book I'd leave it alone, look for another copy and then sell this one...

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

[theCapraAegagrus]

I think that it would be insanely difficult to manufacture this condition without pressing it, and it does not look pressed to me. I don't think that this end-condition was intentional.