The "proper" way to open an Omnibus/OSHC criticism

[dingbat46]

There's a big part of me that thinks that "opening method" is a fallacy. I have over 40 omnis, and I've got maybe 8-9 that have creases down the spine (which some folks say is a result of not properly opening the book upon purchase). I never knew about the "method" when I started collecting, and many of my big books never got creased. On the contrary, some of my big books, upon opening, were already creased. It drives my OCD nuts (and I clinically have OCD, so it's true when I say it drives me nuts) but I'm starting to think it's a matter of mass-manufacturing and luck of the draw. My Spidey vol. 2 is unread. It's creased. I've tried the "method", and that air bubble that's supposed to be between the pages and outer spine just won't form. My Fall of the Mutants OSHC has been read, I've never performed the "method", and that bubble forms right away. I suppose that's what dust jackets are for. Sorry for the rant, but I feel if I voice my opinion about my creased books, I feel less shitty about them. Haha...

What does everyone think?

[Squall Leonhart]

I feel your pain man! I do the "proper" method but I don't push down on the pages as I go.

The only books the dreaded crease has formed on for me was Simonson Thor and ASM1 2nd printing. Those books are MASSIVE. I think it just comes from the size of the book in cases like those.

[dingbat46]

The ones that I have that are creased are ASM second printing, ASM vol. 2, X-Statix, Claremont/Lee vol. 2, Age of Apocalypse, Fatal Attractions... and the others escape me. I honestly think it's a matter of the size of the books. Smaller ones look great, though.

[Squall Leonhart]

I have a "reading" copy of Lee/Claremont volume 2 (since I like the material so much.) I am a little rougher on the thing than I usually am with my books. It has no creases, which is odd. I can see how AOA would have a crease. I hope my Fatal Attractions/Fall of the mutants ones won't when I dig into them!

[dingbat46]

I think it's inevitable for bigger ones. I find since they changed the material and pages, none of my books crease. It's only ever been with the faux leather ones. I assume the dust jackets are there for that reason, to hide imperfections. And my wife gets angry when I complain about them, she says shut up and just enjoy them... but wow, for the money we shell out!!!

[Balakin]

I think it's inevitable for bigger ones. I find since they changed the material and pages, none of my books crease. It's only ever been with the faux leather ones. I assume the dust jackets are there for that reason, to hide imperfections. And my wife gets angry when I complain about them, she says shut up and just enjoy them... but wow, for the money we shell out!!!

hey, here is your new car, it's fueled, comfortable, fast, safe, it just has a GIANT FREAKIN' SCRATCH ON ITS SIDE!
But no worries, I have this nice sticker to cover it.
Also, you are diagnosed with OCD, come one Mrs. Dingbat, give the guy a break

I only had a crease on the Johns TT omni but that book is a piece of turd build wise so no surprises there. Got rid of it very fast. My other omnis' spines form quite nicely but if they wouldn't, I would be pretty irritated and I don't even have ocd.

But I always thought the "proper way to open an omnibus" method is not for the outer cover spine but for the actual spine of the book not to be broken so the pages won't fall out. Maybe I misunderstood it.

[dingbat46]

You may be right about it being for the actual spine, but I think it's also meant to create some buffer zone between the inner and outer spines, which some of my books just won't "create". Either way, it's an annoyance and I guess it is what it is!

[awalk1227]

Interesting topic. I use "the method" with almost everything in HC form (maybe I'm a little obsessive myself), and I guess I've gotten lucky. To be clear, we're talking about the actual spine of the book--what you'd be looking at if you removed the dust jacket, right? I don't have any creases on those, and I have a number of large omnibuses. A lot of them aren't "read" all the way through, but they've been opened up and flipped through a lot.

JSA vol. 1/2, Johns Green Lantern, Colossal Conan, X-Statix, Byrne FF 1/2, Busiek Avengers, New X-Men, and I think those are the largest ones I have. Some of them have tighter spines so that beautiful arc between the pages and the spine isn't as defined, but I've never had a crease.

If anything, this makes me appreciate the build and craftsmanship Dark Horse puts into their books, especially Colossal Conan. I've seen multiple reports of people reading through the book twice and the spine holding up well.

[dingbat46]

Yes, that's what we're referring to. My Age of Apocalypse, for example, looks like hell and it's only been read once. I'm extremely careful with my stuff, as best as I can, anyway... so I'm trying to tell myself it's just luck of the draw!

[Squall Leonhart]

Yes, that's what we're referring to. My Age of Apocalypse, for example, looks like hell and it's only been read once. I'm extremely careful with my stuff, as best as I can, anyway... so I'm trying to tell myself it's just luck of the draw!

I'm probably too careful with my stuff. It is just the luck of the draw. lol