Why do collected editions sometimes come shrink wrapped sometimes not?

[osakafanz]

Whyyyyy

[slop101]

There are a TON of reasons for this. One is a sudden change in humidity from where it was printed to where it ends up on the shelf.

[Brian]

From my experience, it's typically only hardcovers that come shrink wrapped, and I've always assumed that's to make sure that the dustjackets don't come loose or get snagged and torn.

Ultimately, it's a decision for each publisher, because there's presumably an additional cost if they ask printers to shrink wrap books as well.

[osakafanz]

It's frustrating when the books with soft / white covers arrive not in original condition

[madave]

I found that deluxe Image comic collections often aren't shrink wrapped, and Marvel's TPB's are not shrink wrapped whereas Marvel's hardcovers will be, and I think the same applies to DC.

I understand that Image gives discretion to creators about how to publish their work, so maybe that's why Image might not always be consistent.

[SJNeal]

There was a relatively short period of time (early-mid 00's?) that DC stopped shrinkwrapping their hardcovers. It didn't last long, thankfully.

To my knowledge, tpb's have never shipped in shrinkwrap from any publisher...?

[osakafanz]

I noticed ALL collected editions including TPBs r shrink wrapped in Kinokuniya bookstore interesting...

[Gaastra]

To keep you from reading it. This isn't a library. Buy it or get out you lousy kids!

[osakafanz]

To keep you from reading it. This isn't a library. Buy it or get out you lousy kids!

That's a lot of efforts put in...

[Ramsay Snow]

There was a relatively short period of time (early-mid 00's?) that DC stopped shrinkwrapping their hardcovers. It didn't last long, thankfully.

To my knowledge, tpb's have never shipped in shrinkwrap from any publisher...?

A fairly new independent comic company, TKO Studios, shrink-wraps their tpbs. I ordered Sara (Ennis/Epting) and Goodnight Paradise (Joshua Dysart) from them, and they were surprisingly shrink-wrapped.

[Bloodbones]

There was a relatively short period of time (early-mid 00's?) that DC stopped shrinkwrapping their hardcovers. It didn't last long, thankfully.

To my knowledge, tpb's have never shipped in shrinkwrap from any publisher...?

It's very rare in my experience but a couple of months ago I ordered the Sink tpb (Comixtribe) from my LCS and it came shrinkwrapped. Never saw this before.