General omnibus & hardcover discussion vol. II

[pud333]

Head and tail ribbons (or bands) are not the same as a book mark ribbon. They're the piece of asthetic that lines both the top and bottom of a bound book where the pages are bound, usually colored or striped. It makes the book look cheap with out it. I believe thats what really pissed me off, as im not one to typically complain either. Admittedly these are not necessary, but I haven't bought a hc In the last three years (since I started hc's) from ANY publisher that didn't include these, shitty binding or not. And yes the binding/gutter loss is annoying considering what I've come to expect from both Remender's previous releases and image as a whole. Why even bother to produce an absolute sized collection if your not gonna take full advantage the format?

Thanks for the explanation on the ribbons. Shows you how much I pay attention to these things.

[Balakin]

Just had to return my Goon LE 1 for a bad production flaw where binding cracked out. Hoping for a reprint to get a good price on repurchase. I hate to say it but I don't think any of these books by the major publishers are what we collectors consider truly high quality anymore. Of all my books I think Fantagraphics has the best quality. I keep meaning to jump into some Humanoids to see what they are like but keep putting them off.

so far the DH LE's were really good so hopefully this Goon fiasco is just a one off and not the new standard. And hopefully my copy will hold up, first read was good so far.
Also, IDW teamed up wth LoAC produces some amazing quality books but they are only collecting old strips and Corto Maltese.

[Stargasm]

Head and tail ribbons (or bands) are not the same as a book mark ribbon. They're the piece of asthetic that lines both the top and bottom of a bound book where the pages are bound, usually colored or striped. It makes the book look cheap with out it. I believe thats what really pissed me off, as im not one to typically complain either. Admittedly these are not necessary, but I haven't bought a hc In the last three years (since I started hc's) from ANY publisher that didn't include these, shitty binding or not. And yes the binding/gutter loss is annoying considering what I've come to expect from both Remender's previous releases and image as a whole. Why even bother to produce an absolute sized collection if your not gonna take full advantage the format?

Got an early printing of the Black Science HC, and can confirm that it has the head and tail ribbons, and that the page block is not glued to the cover.

[awayne83]

Got an early printing of the Black Science HC, and can confirm that it has the head and tail ribbons, and that the page block is not glued to the cover.

Trade? Lol

Seriously though, they must have cut corners since the first run had to be pulped. But surely the printing error would have been at the cost of the printing company and not the creators, right?

Anyways, I'll stop complaining now, but it boggles my mind that they would pulp the first series over a defect some have said isn't even that bothersome, only to turn around and reproduce an inferior product in its place.

[LordJulius]

Some photos from my copy of Black Science (from the mis-print run). Does this look any different from the new print?



There's no gutterloss here at all, as you can see:

[LordJulius]

Btw, this is the "defect" that caused the re-print:



Oh, and is this the same as the new cover? If not, then the first run might fetch a few bucks on the collector's market in a couple of years.

[Balakin]

I wonder if there is any way to get the first print :P

[LordJulius]

Speaking of 'I-don't-know-what-they-were-thinking' moments: I have some gripe with an IDW/LoAC book I just received, Williamson's and Goodwin's X-9 Secret Agent Corrigan Vol. 1.

Now the actual production values are flawless, as you might expect from a LoAC book. However, underneath the dustjacket, they went with silver as the color of the hardcover. If the cover had a smooth, glossy finish, that might not be a problem, but it has a coarse finish. Needless to say, after just having put it in my lap for a couple of seconds, my jeans looked as if I'd nicked them from a 70s glam rock group, as did my fingers. You seriously can't touch it because of that. I'd say that is one of the dumbest ideas for a collected edition ever.

[awayne83]

Btw, this is the "defect" that caused the re-print:



Oh, and is this the same as the new cover? If not, then the first run might fetch a few bucks on the collector's market in a couple of years.

Now you're just rubbing it in Look at that beautiful sewn binding, and no gutter loss!!! Unfortunately the covers are the same. I may have to hunt down one of these, although I can only think of one person on these boards outside of Europe who got his hands on one.

I wish I could show photos to compare, but I don't have my computer atm. Anyone know how to post pics from a tablet? At least that shows the original intent was there, and that restores my confidence in future Remender works being released up to par.

[zevious zoquis]

That is some seriously lame crap re: the Black Science book - to pulp the initial run with a nice sewn binding and replace it with a glued binding in the new run? yikes...

Like I said earlier in this thread, I've come to have very little faith that many of my big HCs will still be in one piece ten or more years from now. Every time I take one off the shelf and page through it they feel weaker than the last time. Even my Dark Horse books (Hellboy/Fear Agent/Goon LEs) all feel like the bindings are likely to crack and split...and the Marvel Omnis? Oy! I suspect the glues they use even on the sewn bindings are cheapest possible.

[Orion]

That's pretty egregious. Someone should ask Remender on twitter about it or contact Bleeding Cool.

[Hellboydce]

What is the quality like on humanoids books? (Build not story)

[downinthezero]

What is the quality like on humanoids books? (Build not story)

I've been impressed with the majority of the Humanoids books I've picked up. Paper quality is good, I've never had one with wavy pages. I believe all of the hardcovers from them had sewn pages, had ribbons attached, and have had head and tail bands.

EDIT: My copy of "Weapons of the Metabaron" doesn't have a ribbon. But it's only 60 pages, and it's still sewn.

[RIPLynott]

Some photos from my copy of Black Science (from the mis-print run). Does this look any different from the new print?



There's no gutterloss here at all, as you can see:

Unreal it looks so nice, and the printing error is so minor they could have done something like lower retail value instead of wasting money reprinting a worse version. Is there seriously any way to get a 1St print?

[MartinNL]

Got to say I'm disappointed with the binding of Black Science as well. I couldn't care less about those head and tail bands, but it's quite the mousetrap binding, the sort of binding we knew from some years ago on DC books. Really looks like a rush job and not what I'm used to for Image books. As a comparison MHP deluxe 2 has sewn binding and is not glued to the spine. Nothing beats Humanoids, Dark Horse and Fantagraphics books though...

Either way, the books that came in today: