The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[Benderbrau]

First and foremost, laying it flat before it pulls away further. But yeah, I perform surgery on books with semi-regularity. Possibly careful application of some bookbinders glue, but it's really hard to say without looking at the patient.

FWIW I use Brodart "Bind-Art Adhesive" (product # 40-401-001), it's a transparent glue that is flexible when it dries, so that it doesn't simply crack the first time you open the book again. (And although I buy it in a 12 oz squeeze bottle, I buy smaller bottles with tiny little nozzles from Michael's craft store and use them to dispense the glue because it gives me far greater control in the application.)

And almost all books should be weighted or pressed firmly in their bindings after they are re-glued, with care to make sure the bindings are aligned properly.

What's the best way to do this?

Alternatively, are there places one could take a book to get it fixed? I really like my Thor omnibus and would be willing to spend a few bucks to fix it up (although I think Marvel should pay for it ).

[DMM]

I'm leaving mine upright for now. With the captain america one, we're talking like a millimeter's worth of space between that striped fabric and the cover, and the bottom is still firm.
i've had that 'bus for years.

[Chris]

I don't think I could lay all these on their side.

[bkthomson]

I don't think I could lay all these on their side.

Damn. That would be interesting.

[DMM]

I don't think I could lay all these on their side.

Such an awesome collection.

[Apache Chef]

So while onemoment might have been right about how hardbacks look better than chapbooks on your bookshelf, he had no idea they were destroying themselves just sitting there.

That's the last time I listen to someone on the internet!!

[Victorian Squid]

What's the best way to do this?

Alternatively, are there places one could take a book to get it fixed? I really like my Thor omnibus and would be willing to spend a few bucks to fix it up (although I think Marvel should pay for it ).

With either a book press or flat weights--but yeah, if you've never messed around with repairing a book before you could easily do more harm than good. I practiced on junky books to begin with.

Do you live in the Northeast, like Mass. or something? I don't know why I think that. But if you do there should still be plenty of old school book repair people left somewhere not too far, check the yellow pages. I'm sure there are many places you could send a book to, but personally I'd prefer not unless I had a good relationship with them already or got some good recommendations. If you take it somewhere, just leave the dust-jacket at home someplace safe, no need to risk it getting damaged in transit.

Marvel's earliest attempts at omnibuses were much worse, it's one reason few are left on the market in good shape for some of the titles. Just hope the upcoming changes in single-issue production to save money by Marvel don't extend to collected editions like omnibuses and a return to those days. (I doubt it, but there's still room for improvement. While getting Marvel to pay for repair or replacement may be a far stretch, making noise publicly, like this thread, or contacting them directly to let them know you are dissatisfied, is not a bad idea. Also, you might contact the middleman retailer you ordered it from...unless it was eBay.)

[Victorian Squid]

So while onemoment might have been right about how hardbacks look better than chapbooks on your bookshelf, he had no idea they were destroying themselves just sitting there.

That's the last time I listen to someone on the internet!!

I know you're kidding, but again, most books should be kept upright and they'll be fine. Even pretty big ones. It's just for the cost of the Marvel or DC omnibuses, I would be rather safe than sorry and keep them flat, myself, because I've seen and heard too many cases like these and I don't have any faith in consistent quality control of their bindings. It can be impossible to tell you got a poorly bound example until it's too late and you're stuck with it.

(But once again, I don't buy them myself. I understand why they are so attractive to the rest of you, so if you do now you are fore-warned as to what the risks are. Gravity is just hell on big fat books. And we can't all live in omnibus-lined anti-gravity chambers like Chris does.)

[Benderbrau]

I don't think I could lay all these on their side.

Uncanny X-Men volume 1, my own personal white whale.

[Benderbrau]

With either a book press or flat weights--but yeah, if you've never messed around with repairing a book before you could easily do more harm than good. I practiced on junky books to begin with.

Do you live in the Northeast, like Mass. or something? I don't know why I think that. But if you do there should still be plenty of old school book repair people left somewhere not too far, check the yellow pages. I'm sure there are many places you could send a book to, but personally I'd prefer not unless I had a good relationship with them already or got some good recommendations. If you take it somewhere, just leave the dust-jacket at home someplace safe, no need to risk it getting damaged in transit.

Marvel's earliest attempts at omnibuses were much worse, it's one reason few are left on the market in good shape for some of the titles. Just hope the upcoming changes in single-issue production to save money by Marvel don't extend to collected editions like omnibuses and a return to those days. (I doubt it, but there's still room for improvement. While getting Marvel to pay for repair or replacement may be a far stretch, making noise publicly, like this thread, or contacting them directly to let them know you are dissatisfied, is not a bad idea. Also, you might contact the middleman retailer you ordered it from...unless it was eBay.)

Yeah I live in Mass. What exactly is the profession I should be looking for these people under in the yellow pages? I assume it's not "old school book repair people".

Also what does something like that cost? I'm not gonna spend a large sum of money on it. I really like my Thor omnibus but I don't love it.

[Victorian Squid]

Yeah I live in Mass. What exactly is the profession I should be looking for these people under in the yellow pages? I assume it's not "old school book repair people".

Also what does something like that cost? I'm not gonna spend a large sum of money on it. I really like my Thor omnibus but I don't love it.

I checked under "old school book repair people" in the MASS yellow pages and found Applefire Books and several others. Judging from their website it looks like they do it all, from restoration of older books and documents to all sorts of binding work for modern stuff. You might give them a call, phone number is on the website. Otherwise look under book binders and go from there.

http://applefirerestoration.com/

http://www.yellowpages.com/ma/book-bind ... ok+binding

[Chris]

Uncanny X-Men volume 1, my own personal white whale.

You would probably cringe in terror if I told you what I had to trade for that, Morrison's New X-Men, and the Frank Miller DD's.

I swapped a shitload of HCs and TPBs for those over the past couple years.

[jeremiahvedder]

I have a ton of omnibuses and big books and don't have this problem anywhere.

[DMM]

You would probably cringe in terror if I told you what I had to trade for that, Morrison's New X-Men, and the Frank Miller DD's.

I swapped a shitload of HCs and TPBs for those over the past couple years.

I need that Uncanny X-Men volume 1 and those Frank Miller DD omnibuses!

[Benderbrau]

You would probably cringe in terror if I told you what I had to trade for that, Morrison's New X-Men, and the Frank Miller DD's.

I swapped a shitload of HCs and TPBs for those over the past couple years.

I've got a hardcover copy of the Kevin Smith's DD run I'd be more then willing to part with.

I bought it because I never got hooked on DD even though everyone swears that he's such a great character so I decided maybe I just didn't read enough of the comics to get a good appreciation for him so I picked it up at a LCS and guess what?.... Still hated him.