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Steve Topper
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Cost of binding

Post by Steve Topper »

It actually depends on the binder. I bind my books at Library Binding http://www.librarybinding.com in Waco and the basic cost is $15 for up to two inches of comics (roughly 25 issues). That includes the lettering on the spine. I add head and tail bands (a small strip of fabric along the top and bottom of the book that gives it clean look). Those cost an extra $4.95. So my basic book runs just under $20/each before shipping costs.

Other binders seem to cost more. I believe Capitol Bindery in Omaha NE charges around $50/book, not sure as I haven't used them.

I also make my own dust jackets using Photoshop. Those are on most of my books. The basic black with silver lettering is what comes from Library Binding.

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Post by IanAlexavier »

Oh man, those are SWEET!! I know what my next project will be after I get my VH1 run finished :thumb:

Of course, Id want to use lower grade copies for the 'important issues'.

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Re: Binding Valiants

Post by MoonChild »

WOW - Amazing Collection man, Great Idea. Thumbs way Up.
Steve Topper wrote:I've already started binding my Valiant collection. To date, I've had Library Binding Company in Waco Texas bind 17 different volumes

Image

Image

Archer and Armstrong (1 volume)
Armorines - Valiant and Acclaim (1 volume)
Bloodshot - Valiant and Acclaim (4 volumes)
Chaos Effect (1 volume)
Eternal Warrior (3 volumes)
Harbinger -Valiant and Acclaim (2 volumes)
Quantum & Woody (1 volume)
Second Life of Doctor Mirage (1 volume)
Secret Weapons (1 volume)
Timewalker (1 volume)
Unity (1 volume)

Currently at the binder is the complete Shadowman (Valiant and Acclaim) being bound in 3 volumes and The Visitor (1 volume)
:headbang:

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Re: Cost of binding

Post by MoonChild »

Trade Me Something or sell me those dustjackets, ill do the same, major props on this.
Steve Topper wrote:It actually depends on the binder. I bind my books at Library Binding http://www.librarybinding.com in Waco and the basic cost is $15 for up to two inches of comics (roughly 25 issues). That includes the lettering on the spine. I add head and tail bands (a small strip of fabric along the top and bottom of the book that gives it clean look). Those cost an extra $4.95. So my basic book runs just under $20/each before shipping costs.

Other binders seem to cost more. I believe Capitol Bindery in Omaha NE charges around $50/book, not sure as I haven't used them.

I also make my own dust jackets using Photoshop. Those are on most of my books. The basic black with silver lettering is what comes from Library Binding.

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Re: Binding Valiants

Post by ncameron »

Steve Topper wrote:I've already started binding my Valiant collection. To date, I've had Library Binding Company in Waco Texas bind 17 different volumes

Image

Image

Archer and Armstrong (1 volume)
Armorines - Valiant and Acclaim (1 volume)
Bloodshot - Valiant and Acclaim (4 volumes)
Chaos Effect (1 volume)
Eternal Warrior (3 volumes)
Harbinger -Valiant and Acclaim (2 volumes)
Quantum & Woody (1 volume)
Second Life of Doctor Mirage (1 volume)
Secret Weapons (1 volume)
Timewalker (1 volume)
Unity (1 volume)

Currently at the binder is the complete Shadowman (Valiant and Acclaim) being bound in 3 volumes and The Visitor (1 volume)

Those look great. I see we think alike in regards to issue breakdowns, as I was planning similar books to you.

I love the dust jackets though. How did you get them to fit, all the reading I did on them showed they were very cost prohibitive.

Have you thought of getting either a valient die made or one for specific book titles.

I am considering doing a magnus logo die the first issue logo not the later in the series one for my three book magnus set.

Also for your harbinger books did you break it down
0-25, 26-41?

LBC does great work dont they.

Excellent looking bound collection though.
-neil

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Post by Elveen »

Great collection of books S-top. :thumb:

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Post by Steve Topper »

Also for your harbinger books did you break it down 0-25, 26-41?
I broke Harbinger down almost exactly as you stated except that I added the Acclaim Harbinger: Acts of God to the end of the second book.
How did you get them to fit, all the reading I did on them showed they were very cost prohibitive.
The dust jackets were an interesting problem. Initially I had them made at Kinko's on a PolyGloss paper. Their sizes tended to run about 22" x 10.375" and cost $14 a piece to have made. Other than the cost, I had no problmes. A friend of mine went to the same Kinko's and had all sorts of copyright issues with Kinko's over his dust jackets.

What I started doing now is a lot cheaper. I make two images (front cover and spine, and back cover and spine) and print those images on 11x17 paper. I cut the excess paper off tape the two images together and put them in Brodart book cover sleeves. The Brodart sleeves cost me $10 for a pack of 25. My costs have gone done dramatically.

And I've kept all of the dust jackets images if anybody want any of them.

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Post by Daniel Jackson »

Those are very cool.

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Post by caxiotis »

I am very impressed. They look amazing.

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Post by imagesowner2 »

they do look great. good job

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More Valiant HCs back from binding

Post by Steve Topper »

I just received my latest package of bound books back from Library Binding Company this afternoon. In this package are four more Valiant books (for a total of 21 bound Valiant Hardcovers):

Shadowman Book 1: Shadowman 1-22, Doctor Mirage 5, and Shadowman 23
Shadowman Book 2: Shadowman 24-43, Shadowman 0, and Shadowman Yearbook 1
Shadowman Book 3: Shadowman vol 2 1-20 and Shadowman vol 3 1-6
The Visitor: The Visitor vs the Valiant Universe 1-2 and The Visitor 1-13

Dust jackets are not done yet as I measure the spines to make sure they fit properly.

I'll also post pictures later on this evening. Next set being readied for the binder - Turok Books 1-3 and Troublemakers

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Post by Dr. Solar »

Wow. Those DO look great. I have been thinking about doing this for a reading set of books. Maybe next year.

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Post by Dr. Solar »

A question: do you lose some of the art when it is close to the center of the page? My understanding is that they chop off a bit of the book by the spine before they bind these books. Is this correct?

I figure this may matter with some books, not so much with others.

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Post by ncameron »

Dr. Solar wrote:A question: do you lose some of the art when it is close to the center of the page? My understanding is that they chop off a bit of the book by the spine before they bind these books. Is this correct?

I figure this may matter with some books, not so much with others.
Depends

IN one case I sent a book off, I removed the staples myself and cut the pages, that saved LBC from having to grind the page and remove the staples that way. This saves some of that gutter.

Usually though it is not too bad provided there aren't too many 2 page spreads and you didnt go more than say 25 issues in the book. I went above when I made my Ultimates Millar/Hitch Volume with all 26 issues they did. There was a bit of noticeable gutter loss, just due to the overwhelming nature of Hitch's art.

Looking over most of my valiant books very few had pages that went to the gutter so they should turn out well.

Hope that helps.

-neil

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Post by Steve Topper »

Below is the latest picture of my Valiant HC library.

Image

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Post by putz »

Thats fricken sweet.
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Post by caniac »

That is awesome... WOW :thumb:

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Post by tarheelmarine »

Very nice looking sets.

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Post by IanAlexavier »

ok, ok.... so lets get this straight: To get our books bound, would you recommend the following:

Back cover take off?

Staples pulled?

Used www.librarybinding.com

Head and Tail bands? (can we get a pic of those?)

Send a couple of series in at a time to save on shipping? how many?


Is there anything else you would recommend?




I wanna get this straight because I really think I will be doing this soon.. and I dont want to be disappointed.. its not like Ill be able to send it back in :lol:

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Post by superman-prime »

you guys that have perfected this should put together some nicer runs for projects to get signed id buy one or 2 at most any price its a nice and unique item fantastic job gang im very impressed with the results :o :thumb:

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Post by The Mighty Drew »

I also have a couple of questions.

Actually, it looks like the guy above me asked some of mine. Remove the covers? How about the staples?

Also, I'm thinking of sending books that are not on the higher quality paper used by Valiant. Specifically, I'm thinking of sending in my 26 issues of the original DC Who's Who. They are already coverless, and have been very loved. Will the binding process tighten them up some?
19) VALIANT WILL RETURN.
It'll be a celebration of complete chaos and destruction.
It'll be a glorious time of weeping. The earth will shift on its axis.

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Steve Topper
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Questions, questions

Post by Steve Topper »

Back cover take off?
Nope. I left all of the covers and ads in place. You can remove them if you like; doing it doesn't cause any problems.
Staples pulled?
Nope. I leave them in place and let Library Binding pull them. Again, you can remove them as it saves some minor trimming along the staple side.
Head and Tail bands? (can we get a pic of those?)
Here you go - they are cosmetic, but I think they make the book look nicer overall
Image
Send a couple of series in at a time to save on shipping? how many?
I've been sending in six books at a time. Not so much to save on shipping, but at roughly $20/book plus shipping each shipment costs me over $120. And that's on top of my monthly comic purchases. The wife will start to complain loudly if I start spending too much at a time.
you guys that have perfected this should put together some nicer runs for projects to get signed
As I get more books bound (not just Valiants), I do plan on taking them to conventions for signatures. I've already had some autographed Valiants bound into place ... e.g., my Eternal Warrior #1 was personalized by Jim Shooter to me and that was bound in my first Eternal Warrior book. My Acclaim X-O Manowar #1 was signed by Mark Waid. It's on tap to be bound into that volume.
Remove the covers? How about the staples?
See answers above. You can if you like; I don't.
I'm thinking of sending books that are not on the higher quality paper used by Valiant. Specifically, I'm thinking of sending in my 26 issues of the original DC Who's Who. They are already coverless, and have been very loved. Will the binding process tighten them up some?
I've also been binding my Silver Age Superman run. Most of those books, while complete and intact, are on older newsprint and are mostly in the GOOD to FINE condition range. Binding them has tightened them up. I would think you could really enjoy your coverless Who's Whos more by binding them, but I'm very partial to this method of collecting. To me, it's a better choice than CGC slabbing.

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Post by MoonChild »

Well Put cause I know if you put one up on the auction block you'll be ballin! :thumb:

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Re: Questions, questions

Post by The Mighty Drew »

Steve Topper wrote:but I'm very partial to this method of collecting. To me, it's a better choice than CGC slabbing.
Please. Don't get me started on my anti-CGC rant. I LOVE the idea of binding these books. I'm trying to think of complete runs in my collection that don't have ads. Not sure why, but I think the ads in the bound books would bug me after a while, especially considering their repitition month-to-month. So Valiants are out.

But now I'm thinking Who's Who, V for Vendetta, the first DC "Dollar Comics" that ran without ads. Awesome...

Wasn't the original "Marvel Comics Presents" series ad-free for a while? I think I have the first hundred or so of those...

Thanks for all of the tips, by the way!!!
19) VALIANT WILL RETURN.
It'll be a celebration of complete chaos and destruction.
It'll be a glorious time of weeping. The earth will shift on its axis.

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Post by The Mighty Drew »

Crap. Going through my collection and I thought of a couple more procedural questions.

Do you send the books bagged and boarded?

How do you indicate to the bindery the order in which the books are to be bound?

If you are sending issues 1 through 20, it should be easy enough. But what about special issues that take place within the run? Or sending books from different series all together to be included in the same volume? Or my coverless Who's Who's?

Thanks again for your time. I hate to be a pain in the *SQUEE*, but your collections are frickin SWEET!!! I want 'em!!!! :clap:
19) VALIANT WILL RETURN.
It'll be a celebration of complete chaos and destruction.
It'll be a glorious time of weeping. The earth will shift on its axis.


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