Expert: Brian G. Philbin - 10/8/2010

Question
Hi Brian,
  I read your "Basics" guide and enjoyed it, thanks for your time and effort!  My question is this:
Some of my comics have a condition where the book is flat except it starts to "bubble" or "convex" at the spine, this being a result of storing some comics w/out boards though some w/ boards got them as well from the same cause:  mis-alignment in the box and subsequent filing "pressure" being placed on the book except at the spine.  I used to think this was classified as spine roll, but is this a different flaw?  Every definition of spine roll I've read refers to folding back the pages, which isn't relevant in this case.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME!

Answer
Hi, Nathan - thanks for your question!

From your description, I'd be hard pressed to give you a definitive answer, but I have also included a tool on the basics website that will give you an idea of what Spine Roll should look like.

That said, there is a condition where the comic will not be perfectly flat, but still be mint.  When a comic book is new, it will not be perfectly flat at all, but open in the center because it was recently folded, but not creased to the point that the comic will lie flat and, subsequently, will have an opening in the center of the comic near the spine when viewed top-down.  However, the spine is still perpendicular to the surface upon which it lies.

However, if the spine is misaligned in the way I think it is from your description because the pressure of the weight on the comic has shifted the spine from its proper position, then it would be considered spine roll in the greater sense of the definition, because the spine will not lie perpendicular to the surface upon which it lies.

I hope that helps!

Pax, harmonia,

Brian G. Philbin