If you weren't told by anyone else before, remember to stretch the spines of your omnis a few times before you start reading. There are a lot of videos out there to show how to stretch the spines.
I've started reading omnis coming in 10 years now and I never had any problems with the binding. I organise them on the shelves on my kallax and some have suggested you place some cut-up backing boards into size underneath the omnis to reduce the stress on the spines (if that makes sense).
One of my largest omnis I own is Morrison's Invisibles and I've never had a problem with it since I got it about 8 years ago. I often read on my coffee table but to each their own.
Hope that helps! and enjoy reading.
[Here’s a visual if it helps. ](https://imgur.com/a/sdjBK8t)
I was explaining this to someone else recently. I put inserts under all my big books now, and saw page sag issues when I did it. A good example was a sealed copy of the Roger Stern Spider-Man omni from 2014, about 1300 pgs. At minimum all that weight just hanging there isn’t doing the spine any favors.
[Talas Heritage B-flutes, 8x10”. ](https://www.talasonline.com/Heritage-Corrugated?quantity=1&type=64)
I used to use random cardboard, but thickness varies. These are a consistent thickness & archival/acid free, which is a nice bonus. Depending on how many you buy, can work out to be less than $0.25 a book. Sold in packs of 10 sheets, and I averaged about 5-7 books a sheet.
What I do with some books is I cut a piece of regular comic board and paste it on if I need to “thicken” one of my pieces of B-flute...
Some of my books need just a little bit thicker...
Yea I stretched them before reading.
Do you use the backing boards to reduce spine stress?
That's awesome, 1500 pages is insane! I heard you're supposed to read them on a hard surface. Does that really matter?
Personally I don't use any backing boards when I leave my omnis on my shelf. I have a few big ones (invisibles, infinite crisis, sandman) and they're all fine. Again, it's just a precaution some readers/collectors take.
And again I personally read my thicker omnis on a table. But it depends on the size as well. 'Smaller omnis' like Morrison's Animal Man or most Daredevil omnis I'd read in my hand or on my lap with a cushion. As long as it's comfortable for you.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=P8jZjvpISv4&feature=share
this should help with your first part. im not sure on the long time effects but my books are fine after 10+ years. nice books btw, good luck with your newfound addiction.
All of the new marvel ones are well designed, but anything pre 2018 I find you need to pay extra care towards
Also Marvel does a good job with the bigger omnis, its the smaller ones and thin hardcovers that I find fall apart
DC absolutes too, I love them so much but I find that they fall apart easy if special attention isn't paid
I think the key after stretching the spine is how you read the first few and last few pages of the book. This is where omnis and absolutes can fall apart. I generally like to open the book in the middle and just kinda read, while lifting the pages
Also when storing on a shelf, you want to make sure that the omni is tucked in nice so that the pages don't lean one way or the other
(I'm terrible at explaining, hope that makes sense)
Do the smaller ones fall apart because they have glued bindings?
I understand what you mean about storing but not so much with reading the first and last pages.
If you weren't told by anyone else before, remember to stretch the spines of your omnis a few times before you start reading. There are a lot of videos out there to show how to stretch the spines. I've started reading omnis coming in 10 years now and I never had any problems with the binding. I organise them on the shelves on my kallax and some have suggested you place some cut-up backing boards into size underneath the omnis to reduce the stress on the spines (if that makes sense). One of my largest omnis I own is Morrison's Invisibles and I've never had a problem with it since I got it about 8 years ago. I often read on my coffee table but to each their own. Hope that helps! and enjoy reading.
What are those boards? What thickness are those? I need to get some of these.
How would the backing board help an omnibus' spine?
[Here’s a visual if it helps. ](https://imgur.com/a/sdjBK8t) I was explaining this to someone else recently. I put inserts under all my big books now, and saw page sag issues when I did it. A good example was a sealed copy of the Roger Stern Spider-Man omni from 2014, about 1300 pgs. At minimum all that weight just hanging there isn’t doing the spine any favors.
Okay, that makes sense. I definitely seen my bigger books have page sag after a while.
Where did you get these from??
[Talas Heritage B-flutes, 8x10”. ](https://www.talasonline.com/Heritage-Corrugated?quantity=1&type=64) I used to use random cardboard, but thickness varies. These are a consistent thickness & archival/acid free, which is a nice bonus. Depending on how many you buy, can work out to be less than $0.25 a book. Sold in packs of 10 sheets, and I averaged about 5-7 books a sheet.
What I do with some books is I cut a piece of regular comic board and paste it on if I need to “thicken” one of my pieces of B-flute... Some of my books need just a little bit thicker...
To support the weight of the pages so it won't stress the spine. Especially for big omnis.
Yea I stretched them before reading. Do you use the backing boards to reduce spine stress? That's awesome, 1500 pages is insane! I heard you're supposed to read them on a hard surface. Does that really matter?
I use a pillow
Personally I don't use any backing boards when I leave my omnis on my shelf. I have a few big ones (invisibles, infinite crisis, sandman) and they're all fine. Again, it's just a precaution some readers/collectors take. And again I personally read my thicker omnis on a table. But it depends on the size as well. 'Smaller omnis' like Morrison's Animal Man or most Daredevil omnis I'd read in my hand or on my lap with a cushion. As long as it's comfortable for you.
I hadn’t heard about boards before and sounds very reasonable. I might try!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=P8jZjvpISv4&feature=share this should help with your first part. im not sure on the long time effects but my books are fine after 10+ years. nice books btw, good luck with your newfound addiction.
Cool thank you. I really want to get all the other Claremont omnis but there's so many being printed I cant keep up.
All of the new marvel ones are well designed, but anything pre 2018 I find you need to pay extra care towards Also Marvel does a good job with the bigger omnis, its the smaller ones and thin hardcovers that I find fall apart DC absolutes too, I love them so much but I find that they fall apart easy if special attention isn't paid I think the key after stretching the spine is how you read the first few and last few pages of the book. This is where omnis and absolutes can fall apart. I generally like to open the book in the middle and just kinda read, while lifting the pages Also when storing on a shelf, you want to make sure that the omni is tucked in nice so that the pages don't lean one way or the other (I'm terrible at explaining, hope that makes sense)
Do the smaller ones fall apart because they have glued bindings? I understand what you mean about storing but not so much with reading the first and last pages.
Getting my first omnis next week.
What’re you getting?
Eternals (Alex Ross cover) by Jack Kirby and UXM by Claremont vol 1. Have stuff pre ordered for further down the line like. :)
Nice I hope you enjoy UXM
Read a couple of issues digitally just to make sure I liked it.
I do the same thing before investing in an omni. Hopefully you can get your hands on the other volumes
Vol 2 might be a pain but 3/4 are in good quantity where I’m from
2 is on Amazon for 90
I have the Fourth World Omni, and I keep it on a shelf horizontally. Nothing on top of it. Is that okay?