PGM: X-Men 101 Pressing and cleaning question: Lots of scans and pics 0

[speedcake]

Hi all. I picked this copy up a few years ago at NYCC. I probably should have looked at the back more closely, but oh well now. Will pressing solve the issues present in the photos? The book isn't creased other than the small corner crease on bottom right FC. Its more like it was stored in a way that sort of warped/bent the far right side of the book. It runs through all the pages. The back cover is only slightly impacted. Again its not creased, just doesn't lay flat there. I tried to take decent photos of what it looks like.  The back cover staining/soiling is disappointing. It doesn't show NEARLY as well to the naked eye or in photos as it does in a 600dpi scan. It doesn't look like the kind of thing a cleaning would remove, but maybe reduce it some?

Anyway thanks for looking. If this is a disaster, I think I'm going to just look to upgrade.

[speedcake]

[speedcake]

[Bomber-Bob]

A press will flatten it out a little, make a better presentation but it will not help with a better grade. IMO, those stains will probably keep it at 5.5 levels. Sorry.

[speedcake]

The stains on the back bring it down that much? That sucks   I was hoping this would be my keep copy, but ugghh 

[James J Johnson]

8 minutes ago, speedcake said:

The stains on the back bring it down that much? That sucks   I was hoping this would be my keep copy, but ugghh 

What's on the back cover looks more to me like dirt; soiling, rather than stains. If that's the case, IMO, 3/4 or more of that back cover soiling can be eliminated; maybe more as cleaning them from the white areas would drastically improve the eye appeal of the back cover and book overall.

Also, that little brown salmon-colored spot in the title; have you tried to moisten the tip of a finger or tissue and run it over that spot to see if it's a removable substance? Just on it's edge so you don't smear it?

Edited February 21, 2018 by James J Johnson

[speedcake]

I can't tell for sure. It doesn't look like dirt that can be removed. It's not water stains. And it doesn't pop to the naked eye the same way the scanner picks it up. Stinks cause the rest of the book is decent.

[joeypost]

If the issues on the back cover do not migrate through the page, they can most likely be cleaned off if dirt or ink transfer. Even if they cannot the rest of the book will present better from a proper press if that is your end goal. 

I would also recommend never using saliva to see if something on a book can come off. 

[comicquant]

17 hours ago, speedcake said:

The stains on the back bring it down that much? That sucks   I was hoping this would be my keep copy, but ugghh 

This had two notes attached.  One was a small spine tic and the other was a stain on the upper right corner of the back cover.  Its so faint I never noticed it.  What is likely a 9.4 was brought down to an 8.5 by a stain about 1/4" x 1/2".  Staining is a big detractor so when I see books which look undergraded I do a stain scan.  8 out of 10 times there's a stain.

[speedcake]

Ya really leaning toward selling this one and saving up or a nicer copy then. Thx for the advice all.