What does register mean in grading a comic???? 2 2

[mstrange]

I have heard some collectors refer to register when describing a comics condition.  Does this have something to do with printing defects or color display???  Inquiring minds want to know. 

[Funnybooks]

misalignment or poor placement usually of colors and/or lettering during the printing process

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

See how the color red fails to remain within the artist’s lip lines? This is an example of poor registration 

Edited September 24, 2022 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[Funnybooks]

could also pertain to the linework of the art..usually due to separation of printing plates or movement of the paper during the printing process, etc..

[PovertyRow]

I used to go on press runs in the 70s/80s to okay register and color. The comic has four colors (yellow, magenta (pinkish red color), cyan (bluish) and black (in the printing world black is abbreviated as "k"). Thus Cyan yellow magenta black would be termed CYMK. Each color is printed on the paper one color at a time. On a typical 4-color press the paper goes through once and is printed by each color plate in succession. The register is simply the accurate lineup of each plate on the paper so each color lies on top of the previous one. Outside of the finished area (usually) you will see a crosshair on each color plate. This greatly assists in assessing the plate positioning to get the proper alignment. I would say something like "Move the yellow plate to the right" etc. The press operator would know these as well but representing the customer I had to voice my opinion.

If the colors do not all line up it is referred to as "out of register" or "off register". Below is a perfect example of how a badly out of register image looks. Once all the colors are put in alignment it will become a perfectly black crosshair. 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by PovertyRow

[ThothAmon]

Thanks for the explanation. CGC doesn’t seem to hit poor registration but the prudent collector probably should. Once owned a Tec 8 that was so offset it gave me a headache.

 

[PovertyRow]

On 9/24/2022 at 1:06 PM, ThothAmon said:

Thanks for the explanation. CGC doesn’t seem to hit poor registration but the prudent collector probably should. Once owned a Tec 8 that was so offset it gave me a headache.

 

Well, Alex my boy ::thwap::,.. I do hope actually having a 'Tec 8 assuaged the off register a bit!

[PovertyRow]

I remember at a flea market years ago someone had a Realart 1950s re-release lobby card for the Phantom Monster Show double feature Frankenstein/Bride of Frankenstein. It was by far the most  off-register piece I've seen to this day. The seller was asking triple its value if it was in-register. His reasoning? It was an ultra-rare 3-D version (which does not exist). I tried calmly explaining it was off-register and a defect but he started to steam up so I just walked. away.

[PovertyRow]

On 9/24/2022 at 3:35 PM, Hottohman said:

15 examples:

 

I'd still take that WINGS and RANGERS! At least they had good color strike for Fiction House! 

[OtherEric]

Here's the "best" off-register book in my collection:

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/25/2022 at 12:15 AM, OtherEric said:

Here's the "best" off-register book in my collection:

Are we sure that this isn't simply the result of a multiversal quake?

[Gaard]

On 9/24/2022 at 3:50 PM, PovertyRow said:

I used to go on press runs in the 70s/80s to okay register and color. The comic has four colors (yellow, magenta (pinkish red color), cyan (bluish) and black (in the printing world black is abbreviated as "k"). Thus Cyan yellow magenta black would be termed CYMK. Each color is printed on the paper one color at a time. On a typical 4-color press the paper goes through once and is printed by each color plate in succession. The register is simply the accurate lineup of each plate on the paper so each color lies on top of the previous one. Outside of the finished area (usually) you will see a crosshair on each color plate. This greatly assists in assessing the plate positioning to get the proper alignment. I would say something like "Move the yellow plate to the right" etc. The press operator would know these as well but representing the customer I had to voice my opinion.

If the colors do not all line up it is referred to as "out of register" or "off register". Below is a perfect example of how a badly out of register image looks. Once all the colors are put in alignment it will become a perfectly black crosshair. 

 

 

Not a knock on you, but why couldn't the press operator just adjust the press on his own?

[zzutak]

If you want to experience the feeling of being on acid (without actually having to be on acid), check out Straw-Man's fabulous, headache-inducing, out-of-register typeset!     

Edited September 27, 2022 by zzutak

[PovertyRow]

On 9/27/2022 at 1:02 AM, Gaard said:

Not a knock on you, but why couldn't the press operator just adjust the press on his own?

It is basically a matter of responsibility. Client hires us to convert raw materials into a finished piece. They sign off on color proofs we make showing the finished piece. At the press I use these proofs to suggest adjustments to the press operator. When we have a good piece I sign off on it. At that point I can leave and it is the printer's responsibility to maintain things over the course of the press run. But it is our responsibility to initially match at the press what the client signed off on.

[Kevin76]

On 9/27/2022 at 10:53 AM, PovertyRow said:

It is basically a matter of responsibility. Client hires us to convert raw materials into a finished piece. They sign off on color proofs we make showing the finished piece. At the press I use these proofs to suggest adjustments to the press operator. When we have a good piece I sign off on it. At that point I can leave and it is the printer's responsibility to maintain things over the course of the press run. But it is our responsibility to initially match at the press what the client signed off on.

Exactly.  Proofs, Go-Bys, "File Copies" "Samples"  are all examples of what the customer wants the finished product to look like. Basically, "Make the printed run look like this"  When a printing plate needs to be changed, if the plate that's put on the press, isn't lined up correctly, the printed image is way out to lunch and the plate can be moved while the press is running, those copies should be thrown out until the register is on, but they do get skidded and out the door sometimes. Same with missing ink.  

[Jayman]

Way out of register and yet one of my favorite books! 

[Kevin76]

On 10/8/2022 at 9:45 AM, Jayman said:

Way out of register and yet one of my favorite books! 

The red and black plates are so far off, they would need to shut the press down and rehang the plates, most likely had to remake the plates over again, it's very difficult and time consuming to take plates off the press and put them back on.  

[Jayman]

Plus the cover is so badly miss wrapped. Someone actually identified the other cover that printed next to it on the back but I now forget what it was.