How do you handle while reading comic books?

Stinger · Post by **Stinger** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:52 am

I was in a comic shop other day and notice how many customers mishandled readint the comic books. They tended to fold the comics in other way and tried to flat the spine up. I could tell that would damage the spine easily and wrinkled some front/back covers.

I'm suprised to see that common to the readers since I don't do that. I actually hold the comic gently while leaving the spine "nearly" touch on middle of my palm. I only used my finger tips and thumb tip to hold cover/back page.

I guess that would explain why all of my comics are still looking better conditions than the rest of other back issues I found in the shop. (I mean, I actually collected my comics since they hitted the shelves - I rarely bought back issues back in the day).

How do you read your comics?

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:18 am

I read some on the bus on the way from LCS. The ones I read at home tend to be balanced on a the bag and board openbed with dry (not sweaty) fingertips. And I tend to wash my hands before reading.

*SQUEE* · Post by ***SQUEE*** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:37 am

I buy all new comics to read. And I do it sweaty and violent.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:19 am

Mishandling is why the majority of the Acclaim books have so much spine stress. Shop owners generally pack the boxes too tight and people just pull up on and bend them to get to whatever book they're looking for.

IanAlexavier · Post by **IanAlexavier** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:25 am

I grab one off the shelf, not caring how it is handled, bend the spine, wrinkle the page, all with sticky hands that I recently used to change my 3month olds diaper. As I read it, I be sure to pick my nose, sneeze a lot, and adjust my 'boys'.

After Im done reading in issue at me LCS I grab a nice copy off the shelf and B&B it.

Na, Im just teasing! I dont even buy new comics.

When I read my stuff at home I usually place it in a soft flat surface, carpeted floor. Lighting needs to be from either 2:00 or 10:00 positions as to not cause shadowing from my body or reflection from the bulb on the page.
Hands are clean and pages are not handled for a long time in order to avoid the 'finger grease' problem. Just a little 'finger grease' can go a long way; and thats a bad thing for comics (possible good thing in other ways).

I leave the spine folded a bit, as to not cause stress. Besides, the chiropractor wont adjust my comics

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:25 am

Daniel Jackson wrote:Mishandling is why the majority of the Acclaim books have so much spine stress. Shop owners generally pack the boxes too tight and people just pull up on and bend them to get to whatever book they're looking for.

Not the weight of the storytelling then...

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:29 am

leonmallett wrote:
Daniel Jackson wrote:Mishandling is why the majority of the Acclaim books have so much spine stress. Shop owners generally pack the boxes too tight and people just pull up on and bend them to get to whatever book they're looking for.
Not the weight of the storytelling then...

Hmm....maybe for a few of them.....

X-O Dudeowar · Post by **X-O Dudeowar** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:09 am

I think it's a common trend. Working at a video game store for three years opened my eyes to just how badly people can treat their stuff. Many of the games that were traded in were scratched up, and probably half were missing the box or the instructions. (Ironically, some of the same people would turn around and complain about the price of games, yet they obviously didn't care enough about their value to bother being careful with them!) Let me tell you, it was pretty painful to see some rare PSX game - one that goes for, say, $100-200 on eBay - get turned in, only to realize it was scratched to all hell and missing manuals.

daydreamscomics · Post by **daydreamscomics** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:56 am

*SQUEE* wrote:I buy all new comics to read. And I do it sweaty and violent.

good answer

Second_Death · Post by **Second_Death** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:24 am

*SQUEE* wrote:I buy all new comics to read. And I do it sweaty and violent.

Second_Death · Post by **Second_Death** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:28 am

I've found placing the book in a larger magazine or a bound notebook prevents any accidental damage and reduces wear due to handling.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:25 am

I just read them.

Now of course some of them I treat nicer than others, but I only have a few of "them".

thePike · Post by **thePike** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:36 am

I like to put on latex gloves then an oxygen breathing appartus before creating a vacuum in my windowless comics room with soft indirect light for reading...

but when I can't do that I'm just plain ol' careful!

Stinger · Post by **Stinger** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:46 am

thePike wrote:I like to put on latex gloves then an oxygen breathing appartus before creating a vacuum in my windowless comics room with soft indirect light for reading...

Yup, that's hiliarious. I would have to say it gotta be the best maximum way to protect your reading comics. That's pretty f*ck'd up if one nerd really actually set that up.

Thanks for the joke that I blew my green tea out of the nose. HAhaha.. Nothing's beat the great morning joke!

To the other guy who said about placing a comic book in the middle of bigger magazine, that's a brillant idea. I might rather end up doing that.

mobstirr · Post by **mobstirr** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:32 am

Normally while eating a plate of chicken wings (no utensils or napkins) with a big, frothy beer. A 22 oz. with lots of condensation on the outside of the glass. No coaster.

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:58 am

I... I.....

I don't know how to read. I don't even know how I'm typkahf7834.S BN&8VG

-slym

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:58 pm

I read my comics in a pool while eating Cheetos.

Doesn't everyone?

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:49 pm

ManofTheAtom wrote:I read my comics in a pool while eating Cheetos.

Doesn't everyone?

Nah, apparently *SQUEE* prefers a sweaty and violent approach to reading. The Cheetos in the pool sounds more relaxed though.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 3:14 pm

i buy comics to read them. i read them just like any other material i'm reading. if they get messed up, oh well.

greg · Post by **greg** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:11 pm

Stinger wrote:Thanks for the joke that I blew my green tea out of the nose.

Did it start as green tea?

daydreamscomics · Post by **daydreamscomics** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:15 am

andrew wrote:i buy comics to read them. i read them just like any other material i'm reading. if they get messed up, oh well.

another good answer

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:09 am

daydreamscomics wrote:
andrew wrote:i buy comics to read them. i read them just like any other material i'm reading. if they get messed up, oh well.
another good answer

But with books and comics, the better care you take, the better they stand up to re-reading.

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:37 am

To give you an idea on how I read my comics, I'll give you all the combination to the safe where I store them:

######Kleenex

-slym

cobra_commander · Post by **cobra_commander** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:18 am

thePike wrote:I like to put on latex gloves then an oxygen breathing appartus before creating a vacuum in my windowless comics room with soft indirect light for reading...

tarheelmarine · Post by **tarheelmarine** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:45 am

I just wash my hands prior to reading and caress the comic.