Page 1 of 86 123451151 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 1289
  1. #1
    Incredible Member CrazyOldHermit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    744

    Default Comic Book Binding

    Binding the process of taking comic books (floppies, trades or whatever) and having them bound into hardcover or (rarely) softcover books.

    Why do people do this? Even though it pretty much destroys the collector value of the comics it has several upsides. The biggest is getting your collections out of the bags, boards and boxes and onto a bookshelf. Not only does this make the comics easier to read, it also makes for a more attractive collection.

    Of course, the big question is "Why not just buy the trade?" Well firstly, it's often the case that there is no trade or HC and binding is the only way to get it in that format. This is especially useful for a series like ROM, where licensing issues make collected editions impossible for the foreseeable future. And even if there is a trade it might not appeal to more nostalgic folks, as a bound volume will (of course) be printed on newsprint with all the old ads and have that "old comic" smell. Said trade might not include all of the material you want, or in the order you want. If you bind your own book you can choose the exact contents and in the exact order. Another incentive is if you have the original issues you don't have to buy the material twice just to get it in a hardback or paperback.

    There are two major binderies in America that offer this service: Houchen and Herring & Robinson. They offer more or less the same services, just with slightly different pricing schemes and options. A single book costs $18.50 at H&R and $21 at Houche. Houchen has reduced pricing for larger orders but H&R has more affordable frill options. Broadly speaking there are three forms of binding and two cover options. Oversewing is the cheapest option but sucks up most of the gutter. DFAB is a glued binding that is more flexible but can be less feasible with heavily coated paper. Smythe/hand sewing is more expensive but has no gutter loss (think Marvel's omnibuses), although it requires complete comics (no binding from trades and no cutting out ads). The two cover options are cloth and printed. There is a variety of book cloth available, including buckram and imitation leather in several colors, and it can be adorned with foil type and stamped images. These options can become expensive, as each stamp imprint costs money and having a stamp made costs even more money, but both companies have a collection of pre-made logo stamps (H&R's selection is particularly impressive). Printed covers are more affordable than complex stamping, but you have to be able to design your own cover in graphics software. If that is a skill you don't have then this option probably isn't for you unless you're willing to learn.

    If this sounds like something you're interested in check it out. And if you've already had books bound post them here. The previous thread never really took off on the old forum. I hope it fares better here.


  2. #2
    BANNED
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    305

    Default

    There's a bindery right in my home city here in Canada that does this. I've been considering binding the entire v3 of Silver Surfer for a while now. Really need to get on with that. When I get around to it I'll be sure to post pics of them

  3. #3
    Incredible Member CrazyOldHermit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    744

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by aquitaine View Post
    There's a bindery right in my home city here in Canada that does this. I've been considering binding the entire v3 of Silver Surfer for a while now. Really need to get on with that. When I get around to it I'll be sure to post pics of them
    Whats their name? I'm Canadian and I'm still looking for a bindery.

  4. #4

  5. #5
    Incredible Member CrazyOldHermit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    744

    Default

    Ah, I've heard of them.

    The only other comics-friendly bindery I've seen is Wallaceburg Bookbinding. I emailed them a buttload of questions and they sound fantastic but they charge a lot to make die stamps.

  6. #6
    BANNED
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    305

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CrazyOldHermit View Post
    Ah, I've heard of them.

    The only other comics-friendly bindery I've seen is Wallaceburg Bookbinding. I emailed them a buttload of questions and they sound fantastic but they charge a lot to make die stamps.
    Lehman sounds really good from when I talked to them over the phone and they're literally less than 20 minutes from me so I have no excuse for not using them yet. I'll let this serve as a reminder. I really want to bind those Silver Surfers.

  7. #7
    forging evil plans victorxd1999's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Utrecht, Holland
    Posts
    3,268

    Default

    I managed to find a bindery here in holland but they asked €70 for a 200 page book. It's a little too much for me. Are there any cheaper options?
    "You don't ever quit. Not even to your last drop of blood. You got folks relyin' on you then you just can't afford to." Sean Noonan-Hitman #47

  8. #8
    Incredible Member CrazyOldHermit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    744

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by victorxd1999 View Post
    I managed to find a bindery here in holland but they asked €70 for a 200 page book. It's a little too much for me. Are there any cheaper options?

    Hollingworth and Moss
    are based in the UK and are the popular choice for Europeans.

  9. #9
    Amazing Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    US
    Posts
    95

    Default

    I'm getting ready to do my second set of bindings. I have Human Target and the Bruce Jones run almost ready to go.

    I just purchased the complete Vol 2 of Daredevil in 6 volumes on ebay a few weeks ago. I love having them bound as opposed to floppies. Its so much easier to enjoy your collection.

  10. #10
    Incredible Member CrazyOldHermit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    744

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kdjac0434 View Post
    I'm getting ready to do my second set of bindings. I have Human Target and the Bruce Jones run almost ready to go.

    I just purchased the complete Vol 2 of Daredevil in 6 volumes on ebay a few weeks ago. I love having them bound as opposed to floppies. Its so much easier to enjoy your collection.
    Got any pics of the Daredevil books? Thats a series thats ideal for binding.

  11. #11
    All-New Member Pachamac's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CrazyOldHermit View Post

    Hollingworth and Moss
    are based in the UK and are the popular choice for Europeans.
    I've had books bound by Hollingworth and Moss before, and I really recommend them. Their prices and quality are insanely good, I need to use them more often. The only issue I have with them, though bear in mind I haven't used them within the last year, was that their communication via email wasn't very good. When I first started to use them they were fantastic, but I think the person in charge of their emails left, so maybe the email address I had to use was defunct, but it made a later order difficult to know what was going on when no reply was given over email. I just took a chance and sent a package with my books and details on what I wanted done, and fortunately they did it.

    That said, highly recommend. Good prices, good quality, good turnaround time. I think it costed about £20 per book bind (they charge per book and not thickness as well, and they do some pretty sizeable books too. I took advantage of this to get some books up to 2 and a half inches thick. In some cases I was able to fit in 50 issues in one book without any quality or build compromises). I've had Avengers, Cosmic Marvel, Buffy S8, Ruse, Sojourn, Immortal Iron Fist and Gotham Central binds done by them and each one has been superb. I'm thinking about getting my Gen 1 Marvel Transformers Titan Books trades bound into two nice hardcovers, but to save on shipping I'm also trying to figure out what else I'd like to have bound too.
    Last edited by Pachamac; 05-02-2014 at 06:50 AM.
    http://i.imgur.com/DLYnlTM.png

    The Legend of Heroes: Tales of the World: OOC | IC | Wikia

  12. #12
    Spectacular Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    113

    Default

    I've had a few books done by Hollingworth and Moss, they seem to be the best option for anyone in the UK (maybe Europe, too). I can't find a picture of all my books, so I'll just post some Red Robin ones. This was done by H&M and it's a great binding. The gutter loss is pretty minimal too.

    IMAG0197.jpg
    IMAG0198.jpg

    Edit: Oh, and just to back up Pachamac's point about bind size, here's my Blue Devil book which cost exactly the same amount as Red Robin. This actually lies flat from the first page, which is kind of insane. H&M did an amazing job with it.

    IMAG0193.jpg
    Last edited by TehJofus; 05-02-2014 at 07:05 AM.

  13. #13
    Get Valiant! Joshua's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    317

    Default

    First thing I ever bound was Ex Machina. I knew just about nothing about the process when I did these. Did it in 3 books. Only thing I did was remove the staples. Now, I would try and get extras or a TOC for each book and removal of ads and I am sure it could then be done in 2 books. Still, I enjoy them a lot.




  14. #14
    Incredible Member cgh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    The Great White North
    Posts
    707

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CrazyOldHermit View Post
    Ah, I've heard of them.

    The only other comics-friendly bindery I've seen is Wallaceburg Bookbinding. I emailed them a buttload of questions and they sound fantastic but they charge a lot to make die stamps.
    Can you post more info about their prices? I don't want die stamps, just the standard spine printed and head and tail bands. I am also Canadian and I was getting my binding done at Houchen (who are great, I cannot say enough good things) but the damned Customs fees were murder.

    I'll post up some of the stuff I've had done but in general, I get trades bound as DFAB and comics as Smythe sewn, unless they are old comics in which case I cut them up and use DFAB. I find older newsprint is a bit fragile for Smythe.

    I've made some bad mistakes with binding. For example, the first thing I ever had bound was the Bendis/Maleev Daredevil run, which I owned in trades. I dropped them at a local bindery that had never done comics before and assumed they would remove the covers. But they didn't: they bound the trades covers and all, making for a less than optimal reading experience. That was a big lesson - you need to prep everything and make no assumptions.

  15. #15
    Get Valiant! Joshua's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    317

    Default



    This would what I have done. All of these were easy to do and didn't have a crazy map to follow. The lobo one is just my favorite Giffen/Grant stuff and the View Askewniverse book is just a collection of Kevin Smith stuff set in the Clerks universe.

    The Wolverine books....not sure why I did them. Book 1 is the Rucka stuff, which I find terrible and 2 is Millar's which I wish I would have waited for the omni.

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •