Comic Book Binding

ReviewOrDie · 06-09-2020, 11:40 AM

Hi all,

I'm completely new to binding, as such, I decided to start with an exceptionally easy (it is not easy, this is complicated to the point where it's almost a bad idea) project: the entirety of the pre-reboot Archie Sonic the Hedgehog, which is approximately 383 issues worth of content. The series has a great deal of sentimental value to me, and being able to read something that will never, ever be collected in a physical form due to its complicated legal issues would be a relief for a number of reasons. Suffice it to say that something that would be a tribute to my dad hanging on my shelves forever would feel quite nice.

I'm looking over how to get started, but I'm fairly overwhelmed - binderies, specific styles, getting a graphic designer, etc. I've been looking for FAQs, such as Single Bound Studios posted earlier in this topic, but for whatever reason the articles on the site aren't showing up as clickable pieces at all. After about a day's worth of googling and youtube videos, and reading through a fair chunk of this topic, I'm posting my questions here as the very first post, n00b and all. I can promise that I did my best to search for answers before posting, so my inability to find an answer on my own that may seem obvious is absolutely a matter of ignorance, not apathy.

1: It seems as though Houchen Bindery is one of the best to work with in the event that someone would want custom, graphic covers. Is this accurate? Are there other options that people are happy with?

2: I have cleaned up images, as the comics started in 1993 and getting comics in pristine condition is very difficult. But they had to be cleaned digitally, and as a result, I would have to print them out to be bound. I'm concerned that this may create ethical concerns of some kind for a bindery, and was wondering if anyone had experience with this. I can use the originals, but obviously, the paper quality isn't great and it includes advertisements that I'm not particularly interested in.

3: In the event that someone has had experience successfully using self-printed pages, what paper stock would you recommend? I had hoped for a nice glossy paper, to keep from being able to see images printed on the opposite side of the page, but I don't want the book to become unwieldy.

4: There are certain sections of issues that I would like to print without using the entire book. Sometimes because there are posters, sometimes because the stories are 6 pages long while the rest is a reprint, etc. Does this create a problem for the bindery?

5: While I certainly feel comfortable attempting to design a thumbnail for a cover, my B+ in Introduction to Graphic Design using an outdated version of Photoshop just isn't going to cut it in terms of creating a visually appealing exterior on my own. I would like to commission custom designs for the project on the covers and spine, and things like a Table of Contents, credits page, and whatever else may be necessary. How can I go about doing this, and does anyone know the rates I am likely to encounter? I can't realistically do all 383 issues at once, but I absolutely need to understand the scope and budget of what I'm trying to do if that's information people can share.

6: Do people have a recommended page count for volumes to prevent gutter loss? I know that Houchen has a 25 issue max, but that doesn't necessarily account for oversized issues, or the ideal page count people have found for their books.

7: Are there other things that I should have asked/been aware of, or newbie tips that I can be pointed to?

I apologize for asking so many questions, but hopefully it is seen as the desire to do it right rather than someone being annoying.

**thechon** · 06-10-2020, 09:39 AM

1. Houchen is pretty much the go to for graphic covers. Heroes Rebound is another company that does exceptional work. I personally have my books bound as cloth covers by Herring and Robinson, then Houchen prints my dust jackets.

2. I have printed off comic pages and had them bound with no issue.

3. I want to say I used 24 lb premium white laser jet paper. I asked my local FedEx office for their recommendation for magazine type pages.

4. It shouldn’t be an issue.

5. Reach out to Kevin Paul Sayson or Said Atala on Facebook. I couldn’t tell you their rates but they are 2 names that continually pop up. I can tell you I personally design all of my dust jackets, title pages, etc. with Photoshop CS3. Use what you’re comfortable with.

6. If you truly want to avoid gutter less, the book needs to be Smyth sewn. I prefer my books in omnibus format and they are usually 36 issues. Herring and Robinson machine-sew their books. Gutter loss is minimal but sometimes noticeable.

7. I HIGHLY recommend this forum. It has a dedicated section to custom bound books with TONS of valuable information.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/marv...overs-bind-f2/

EuclideanSpace · 07-01-2020, 12:13 PM

These ROM designs are great. Is there any way I could purchase them to use on my bind?

**Dick Grayson** · 07-01-2020, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by EuclideanSpace

These ROM designs are great. Is there any way I could purchase them to use on my bind?

Not sure which designs you’re interested in, but I’m happy to help you out or modify the ones I made for your binds, just PM me or email me at comicbindingpro @ gmail dot com.

And @ReviewOrDie - looks like most of your questions got answered, but if you need design help, I’m happy to contribute or do the design for you, or answer general binding questions, just let me know.

**JBatmanFan05** · 07-11-2020, 08:03 AM

Two covers (I made the fronts and backs) of binds soon coming home to me. They are Greg Rucka/Ed Brubaker (even Brian K. Vaughn) era Batman bind. I felt these runs were so entangled, especially due to the full on intertwine that is Murderer/Fugitive, that I decided to bind them together instead of separately. So it's clumps of Rucka issues, then clumps of Bru, etc. DC kindly made these binds so easy with the TPBs they put out.

Only certain creative team runs or certain iconic runs or certain writers (Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, for example) I tend to bind more separately/in isolation, I usually like to capture eras or runs with their little mix ins of (the best or important) extraneous stuff.

I only use MS Paint and GIMP and online image editors, I'm no Dick Grayson.

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**Hive** · 07-12-2020, 12:23 PM

I just now stumbled upon this thread, and... wow. Just wow. The custom work here is simply amazing. The thought of deciding contents, cover and quality for your own collected editions amazes me.

Quick question: is it only possible to have physical comics re-bound, or can you buy digital comics and have dem printed?

**JBatmanFan05** · 07-12-2020, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Hive

or can you buy digital comics and have dem printed?

Not practically possible. So cost prohibitive, it's not even close. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett would balk the cost of such an endeavor (I'm exaggerating for effect a bit of course by name dropping them, but really, it'd be super duper expensive).

**newparisian** · 09-04-2020, 02:49 PM

Hello,

As a consensus, would Houchen be a good one-stop shop for getting books bound in North America? Are they easy to navigate for newcomers?

I've never had anything bound before. Basically, I have long series of softcovers that I want to get bound into omnibus hardcovers. I'm mainly thinking of my Crossgen TPBs.

Is it possible for Houchen (or other shops) to also enlarge the pages and turn them into oversized books (like, say, Marvel omnibus)?

Glue vs sew, which is preferred by the binding veterans here?

If I don't want ads or backmatter from TPBs (basically non-story pages), do I have to rip them out myself prior to sending the books to the bindery?

Can I just pick one of the TPB covers to be the main cover for the bound hardcover?

Thanks

**newparisian** · 09-07-2020, 03:25 AM

Also... What about books printed in a landscape format, like John Allison's Bad Machinery series?

**Dick Grayson** · 09-08-2020, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by newparisian

Hello,

As a consensus, would Houchen be a good one-stop shop for getting books bound in North America? Are they easy to navigate for newcomers?

I've never had anything bound before. Basically, I have long series of softcovers that I want to get bound into omnibus hardcovers. I'm mainly thinking of my Crossgen TPBs.

Is it possible for Houchen (or other shops) to also enlarge the pages and turn them into oversized books (like, say, Marvel omnibus)?

Glue vs sew, which is preferred by the binding veterans here?

If I don't want ads or backmatter from TPBs (basically non-story pages), do I have to rip them out myself prior to sending the books to the bindery?

Can I just pick one of the TPB covers to be the main cover for the bound hardcover?

Thanks

Others who are currently binding things will be better for recommending a particular bindery (I haven’t bound anything in a number of years!) but as for your other questions...

You can’t physically make pages of a book larger, not without some sci-fi contraption that enbiggens things anyway, or reprinting every single page at a larger size.

If you’re using TPBs your primary options are oversewn or DFAB; in my experience it varied by bindery as far as gutter loss from one method to another. With Houchen, I personally did DFAB and never had any issues, but if you’re binding anything particularly glossy, DFAB may be an issue. If the material you are binding isn’t full bleed (the art doesn’t go to the edge of the page), the extra gutter loss that oversewn can have compared to DFAB may be less an issue though. It’s down to personal opinion in the end, so I always suggest that, for a first bind, people bind something cheap that they don’t mind redoing down the road to get a sense of things.

I don’t know if Houchen will remove certain things for you, but even if they do, I always recommend doing it yourself if possible, to avoid any errors. When I sent my stuff off, I checked and double-checked so all Houchen had to do was bind it.

When it comes to covers, it depends on who is creating the art (assuming you’re doing art-on-cover.) I do graphic design and make covers for folks, and with me I always tell people to let me know if they want anything in particular, otherwise I just make what I think looks cool (but the customer has to approve it of course!) I think Houchen has a couple different tiers of art creation, but you’re better off checking their site for info specific to them.

As for books in landscape, not sure what your question is exactly.

**newparisian** · 09-09-2020, 07:02 AM