Binding your single-issue comics - making your own trade paperback

[JewishHobbit]

I do give you warning if it's important at all... these things lose a lot of their worth if you do this. They can still sell at times, but nowhere near for as much as if they weren't bound. Just a warning.

 

[Mladen]

I do give you warning if it's important at all... these things lose a lot of their worth if you do this. They can still sell at times, but nowhere near for as much as if they weren't bound. Just a warning.

I'd be suprised if anybody thought that it would increase their value.


Question:
For those of you who've had experience with binding (do it yourself or having it professionally done), I want to bind my collection of 'The Path' from Crossgen, from issue #0 to #23. JewishHobbit mentioned that I might lose art quality in the spine, so how many volumes should I split it down to? 2 with 12 each, or 3 with 8 each?
Same deal with my Moonshadow comics, should I split the 12 down to two volumes or will it fit in one without losing anything in the spine?
Whats the ideal number in your experience?

I'm likely to go with professional jobs for now but I still have to enquire about the price for a local book binder to undertake the job.

 

[Cobblepot]

This is a really great idea, I never thought of that.
I wouldn't mind having my No Man's Land and Knightfall trades bound like this!

 

[JewishHobbit]

I'd be suprised if anybody thought that it would increase their value.


Question:
For those of you who've had experience with binding (do it yourself or having it professionally done), I want to bind my collection of 'The Path' from Crossgen, from issue #0 to #23. JewishHobbit mentioned that I might lose art quality in the spine, so how many volumes should I split it down to? 2 with 12 each, or 3 with 8 each?
Same deal with my Moonshadow comics, should I split the 12 down to two volumes or will it fit in one without losing anything in the spine?
Whats the ideal number in your experience?

I'm likely to go with professional jobs for now but I still have to enquire about the price for a local book binder to undertake the job.

Just so ideas of comic length. Now remember that this is full issues... it may very if you cut out pages (back cover, page with adds on both sides, letter pages, etc.).

1-15 comics - Shouldn't have any problem.
16-20 comics - Most probably wouldn't have any problem.
21-25 comics - Might have little problems with comics that have 2 page splashes with no room for loss in the center.
26-30 - You'll probably lose art in the center... definately the higher number of comics you go. Single pages shouldn't lose art.
31-up - I wouldn't recommend.

Just so you know, I typically do 30 comics per volume and cut out the things listed above. The pages that are single and doesn't connect to the next page I lose no art on. 2 page splashes I do lose art on. It doesn't look bad though, but if you're a perfectionist... I'd suggest 25 and down. If you keep the whole comic without cutting stuff out, I'd suggest 20 and down. There's really no reason to do under 10 or 12 issues in a volume. It's just a waste of money.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Another thing people have done with the comic binding thing that I wouldn't mind trying once I learn how to use photoshop is to make your own dustcovers. Examples.....

 

[Mladen]

Just so ideas of comic length. Now remember that this is full issues... it may very if you cut out pages (back cover, page with adds on both sides, letter pages, etc.).

how does that work? If I cut off the back cover, how do they attatch the front cover if there's no comic spine for them to stitch through? Same for say one page spread (lets say its page 2/3 and page 19/20 in a comic when everything is unfolded), if 19/20 is all ads/letters, and 2/3 is all story, can you cut off just 19/20? I didn't know you could do that... So you can cut out pages randomly?

 

[JewishHobbit]

There's differant types of sewing but I'm not too familiar with them. One type is when you sew through the spine like you mentioned. The other is when they sew the pages all together. That's what Library does (where I got mine done). Heck, there are some annuals I've had included that are glued in the spine and not stapled so I cut all the pages to make them individual and it turns out just fine.

I do this because....

30 comics.
minus back cover
minus 1-2 pages of adds/letter page

30x3=90 individual pieces of paper removed from the comic. There's about 20 individual sheets of paper in a comic (including back and front cover) so that makes room for an extra 4 to 5 comics in a volume you can add... and all you're missing out on is adds and things not at all related to the reading material.

 

[Cobblepot]

...

 

[Cobblepot]

And finished the front!

 

[Cobblepot]

 

[JewishHobbit]

Very Nice! What program did you use to make it?

 

[Cobblepot]

I use paintshop pro, it's similar to photoshop.

 

[Red Mask]

Now I have a bookpress. Ho, ho, ho.

 

[Mandi-chan]

I know this is an old thread, but I've been thinking about doing this with my back-issues soon and wanted to ask a question.

I want to have it professionally done, and plan to use the company that was linked to earlier on in this thread...I was wondering, do you need to remove the staples for them before you send it out to have the binding done? (I kinda like the ads and letter pages, so I don't really plan on removing any pages)

Thanks!

 

[Red Mask]

That's something you should ask the binding company.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

GUYS, I need your help.

Okay, I know I'm not the only one who has had binding problems with trades, but I have an old PAPERBACK copy of The Long Halloween (you've all read it & know how large it is).

My copy is split in the middle. The spine, cover & back cover are all good, but the pages are split (some even falling out) & the glue is shot at this point.

Is there a way to remedy the problem?

I don't mind the books appearance (as long as its not too vintage looking), but is there a way to make it READABLE & DURABLE again?

Are DUCT TAPE, staples & Elmers an option? (I've already reglued the spine like 3 times)

HELP ME OUT please!

 

[Red Mask]

If the cover is still intact, then the problem is obviously the adhesive. You need proper bookbinding glue, which should be flexible when dry. As good as it is, Elmers is too wet and easily fragile. Rubber cement is too outdated and will weaken in time. Get proper bookbinding glue, or make some of your own.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

If the cover is still intact, then the problem is obviously the adhesive. You need proper bookbinding glue, which should be flexible when dry. As good as it is, Elmers is too wet and easily fragile. Rubber cement is too outdated and will weaken in time. Get proper bookbinding glue, or make some of your own.

here is what I thought about doing...

I thought about carefully cutting the cover (front, spine, back) away from the pages, and then binding the individual pages together with a strip of duct tape, then regluing the spine to the duct taped edge of the pages.

Will it work? Thoughts?

 

[Red Mask]

here is what I thought about doing...

I thought about carefully cutting the cover (front, spine, back) away from the pages, and then binding the individual pages together with a strip of duct tape, then regluing the spine to the duct taped edge of the pages.

Will it work? Thoughts?

It's still not a long term solution. The type of glue is very important.

 

[JewishHobbit]

To who it was that asked earlier... Yes... you should remove the staples before sending the comics to Library. I don't recall if they would do it for you or not but if they do it'll be at a cost. Why spend money when you can easily do it yourself?

And fyi... Library is still doing a wonderful job. I now have 15 volumes bound through them with somewhere around 20-30 more once I get my income tax return back. There is a slightly longer wait time lately, and especially now that people will be sending more quanitities due to income tax (like I am).

regularly it's a 2 week turnaround... I'm guessing that's going to go to 4 weeks or so, but that's just best guess. That happened last year.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Here's a question:

My Punisher MAX hardcovers are all glued bindings (with the exception of Vol. 5, which is a sewn binding...oh, the spite!). My Vol. 3's pages are beginning to fall out. I'd like to fix this through re-binding.

Is this possible? I'd love to know if there's a way to remove the pages from the glued binding and have them, instead of being re-glued, stitched together back onto it's original spine.

Any advice?

 

[JewishHobbit]

Hmm, it'd be a lot of work, and I'd definately leave it up to a professional. There's a guy named David Banks who helps run a binding company (forget the name... you can google it) that specializes in softcover trades. He could probably do it no problem, but it might be cheaper to just go buy a new one.

If you'd rather do it yourself, then I don't know. I hear the best way to get pages out of a glued tpb though is to use a hairdryer to soften the glue. How to best attach them again... don't know.

 

[Mace Dolex]

I wouldn't want to destroy my comics like that and yeah it's true that while having bigger story arcs in one handy volume is easier than ruffling through tons of longboxes but I'd rather wait for the ready-made hardcovers that Marvel and DC put out.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

Well, I did it... I used a hair dryer to soften the glue on my The Long Halloween TPB & took the pages out.

Then I worked on the spine by removing excess glue VERY CAREFULLY with a utility knife. I then set the pages perfectly together & used duct tape to attach them. Once the duct tape was completely flat, I lightly basted the inner spine with rubber cement.

Once that was completed, I attached the inner spine to the duct tape edge and pressed the spine of the book overnight.

The result is wonderful.

better than factory made... the 1st softcover tpb that will probably outlast me!

 

[Red Mask]

Last weeek I rebound my Blade of the Immortal: On Silent Wings.

I also bound the new Captain America (Bucky) issues but I'm waiting to learn how to do foil stamping. So far it looks good. I've gotten better and making a proper mixture of paste and PVC glue that's not too wet - but thin enough to spread on the boards.