Hello everyone, I am new here and I recently opened an account because I am obsessing over which version of the main Sandman run to get. I read it through a bunch of mismatched second-hand copies a bit more than a year ago and fell head-over-heels in love with the story. I then sold those copies because I wanted to buy a prettier version of the series.

I wanted to ask about the (first two) Sandman omnibi- how is their binding quality, especially for Volume II? (I plan on buying from Amazon, so this is more pertinent for recent printings.)
Do they end up sagging over time if stored upright like a regular book?
Is the oversized art worth it compared to the regular comics? (I already have Deluxe Overture and cherish it deeply.)

Perhaps most importantly, do they feel nice to read? I have a few concerns- firstly, of course, the size and weight. Can this book be read in a lap without damaging it, or do you have to read it on a table? How is the gutter loss?
Are the pages "curved"/bent due to the size of the book (from the reader's perspective), to the point where it might be a bother?

I have other thick hardbacks I can enjoy but not even my textbooks are as thick, large and heavy as an Omnibus so I have nothing to compare it to.

Most importantly, are Omnibi worth buying over the 30th Anniversary box set?

As far as I can tell, the 30th Anniversary box set is, well, as good as paperback gets- gorgeous covers, the story divides very nicely into the 10 volumes, there are 3 extra volumes included (not counting Overture), and so on. The Omnibi on the other hand, while being genuinely breathtaking, seemingly compromise on the readability front. My choice seems to be between excellent paperbacks and breathtaking, but perhaps flawed, hardcovers.

So I guess, my main question is, are the Omnibi's shelf porn factor (hardcover, oversized, black trim, sheer presence, etc.) worth the premium price compared to the 30th Anniversary box set? On Amazon Canada there's about an $80CAD difference.

Perhaps I could just buy the first omnibus volume and sell it if I decide to go the TPB route instead.