Comic Book Binding - Creating a Unique Comic Binding

In what I hope to continue as a series on comic book binding, this round I wanted to discuss how comic binding can create unique volumes of never before reprinted material. The following volume was my first attempt at comic binding.

The Janus Directive was a really cool late 1980's crossover from DC Comics between Checkmate 15-18, SuicideSquad 27-30, Manhunter 14, Firestorm 86, and Captain Atom 30. These were the issues billed as parts of the crossover, but my volume is more experimental in mixing and matching. Why? Because at only 11 issues, I wanted to add more to this volume while still making it thematic. First thing I did was add Firestorm 87. It's not tagged as part of the crossover, but quite frankly adds a much needed epilogue that Captain Atom 30 does not provide and fits in nicely between parts 10 and 11 of the crossover. Still, I wanted to add even more so I added the Peacemaker 4 issue mini-series, since the Janus Directive is what turned me on to that character and he becomes a regular part of Checkmate. I also realized I had both Captain Atom annuals and nothing else from that character's series, so I included them as appendices. They feature some characters like Major Force that were part of the Janus Directive, so I thought it would add some nice extra features. I had it bound in black buckram with gold lettering and it came out to about 1 1/2" thick.

My full mapping, in order, of the Janus Directive volume:
Checkmate 15
Suicide Squad 27
Checkmate 16
Suicide Squad 28
Checkmate 17
Manhunter 14
Firestorm 86
Suicide Squad 29
Checkmate 18
Suicide Squad 30
Firestorm 87
Captain Atom 30
Peacemaker 1-4
Captain Atom Annuals 1, 2

For those concerned about devaluing the comic books by binding them, this is one of those instances in which comics from the 80's were overprinted and not much demand exists for these particular issues, even though they are a very good story to read. I pulled many of these for about fifty cents to one dollar each. It has never been reprinted as an official collection from DC Comics, so for about $30.00 total between cost of comics and cost of binding, I was able to create my own unique comic bound volume from my preferred vendor.