how not to damage a omnibus

[mtop2036]

So im pretty new to comics and I have 5 omnis that I haven't read yet. I keep reading things about how you can damage your omnis by opening them wrong or reading g them wrong or storing them wrong. What exactly are these things that I could ruin my books? I know of the spine steetching exercise although I don't k ow the exact details on it. And what is the best surface to read an omni on? Would it hurt to place a pillow on my lap and read the book on that?

I would like my books to last my whole life and possibly longer for future children I may have.

Thanks

[DrGregatron]

Be careful about storing the ones with huge pagecounts on your book shelf. Gravity's pulling on that huge book block is bound to take its toll. Shelving big ones for even a short time can put a lot of stress on the spine.

[Hellboydce]

Would you only bother with the post it note thing on the big uns? Onslaught, Powers and the like? No need for it on stuff like Aaron's Punisher?

[Groo Odyssey]

I've read about some people putting post it notes under the pages in omnibuses to keep the book from sagging. Can someone post a pic of how they cut up their post its? I saw an Avengers vol 2 omnibus on the shelves of my local chapters still in shrinkwrap. The pages were already sagging and it looks awful.

[Rimmer]

I've read about some people putting post it notes under the pages in omnibuses to keep the book from sagging. Can someone post a pic of how they cut up their post its? I saw an Avengers vol 2 omnibus on the shelves of my local chapters still in shrinkwrap. The pages were already sagging and it looks awful.

I constantly see the "post its" comments, and I just can't help but think, "why isn't everyone doing what I'm doing?"
I use strips of cardboard from various boxes I have lying around. They're about the perfect height to fit between the shelf and the bottom of the pages. They're WAY cheaper and easier to deal with then cutting up and wasting post-it notes. And you can make it the entire length of the book, and then I write on the cardboard in magic marker what the book is, so when I inevitably rearrange my bookshelves, I know which cardboard piece goes with which omnibus.

No matter what you do, it's a good idea. On the really small omnibuses (those that are ~OHC sized) I don't bother, but all the typical-sized ones I use the cardboard method. It only takes a few minutes to create one, and then you can rest easy that your omnibus will stay strong for the long haul.

[Groo Odyssey]

Do you roll up the pieces of cardboard?

[mtop2036]

I constantly see the "post its" comments, and I just can't help but think, "why isn't everyone doing what I'm doing?"
I use strips of cardboard from various boxes I have lying around. They're about the perfect height to fit between the shelf and the bottom of the pages. They're WAY cheaper and easier to deal with then cutting up and wasting post-it notes. And you can make it the entire length of the book, and then I write on the cardboard in magic marker what the book is, so when I inevitably rearrange my bookshelves, I know which cardboard piece goes with which omnibus.

No matter what you do, it's a good idea. On the really small omnibuses (those that are ~OHC sized) I don't bother, but all the typical-sized ones I use the cardboard method. It only takes a few minutes to create one, and then you can rest easy that your omnibus will stay strong for the long haul.

Can you maybe give us some pictures?

[kodave]

I constantly see the "post its" comments, and I just can't help but think, "why isn't everyone doing what I'm doing?"
I use strips of cardboard from various boxes I have lying around. They're about the perfect height to fit between the shelf and the bottom of the pages. They're WAY cheaper and easier to deal with then cutting up and wasting post-it notes. And you can make it the entire length of the book, and then I write on the cardboard in magic marker what the book is, so when I inevitably rearrange my bookshelves, I know which cardboard piece goes with which omnibus.

No matter what you do, it's a good idea. On the really small omnibuses (those that are ~OHC sized) I don't bother, but all the typical-sized ones I use the cardboard method. It only takes a few minutes to create one, and then you can rest easy that your omnibus will stay strong for the long haul.

What if the acidity from the cardboard leaches through to the bottom of the pages and irreparably damages them long term?

[WinterSoldier76]

I constantly see the "post its" comments, and I just can't help but think, "why isn't everyone doing what I'm doing?"
I use strips of cardboard from various boxes I have lying around. They're about the perfect height to fit between the shelf and the bottom of the pages. They're WAY cheaper and easier to deal with then cutting up and wasting post-it notes. And you can make it the entire length of the book, and then I write on the cardboard in magic marker what the book is, so when I inevitably rearrange my bookshelves, I know which cardboard piece goes with which omnibus.

This is also my preferred method of combating "shelf sag" for my Omnibus Editions / Oversized Editions. As for the cardboard strips not being acid free, I'm going to "upgrade" my system by wrapping each strip with an acid free comic board.

Also, I've become "that guy" who leaves his Omnibus Editions in shrink wrap until I'm ready to crack it open and start to read it, unless it's a book that I've never seen before or one that I've been dying to see oversized.