Richard
UK Correspondent
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#3 · Posted: 5 Mar 2014 18:35
I recently picked up one of these sets, and I thought I'd offer a quick review in case anyone else is interested.
Note: I have the 1986/87 edition. It was reprinted by Casterman in 2012, but I don't know if there are any changes in the new version, e.g. paper stock, print quality, etc.
The box measures 16cm x 35cm (it's tall!) x 4.5cm deep. It's made of thick, matt card, and is of a high quality finish. The box opens up like a book, and inside is a plastic tray holding the nine books.
The books themselves are hardback, with cream printed covers and red cloth spines. They measure 10cm x 13cm each, which is exceptionally small. I would say that's the main factor to consider if you're in the market for a set - they're really, really small books.
The strips are reproduced at around 3cm in height, but because there's only three to a page, they remain readable - just. The strips are smaller than the 3-in-1 series, so reading them for long periods of time would probably result in serious eye-strain! The print quality is good, although the paper is thinner than in the full-size editions, and there is some minor bleed-through from one side of a page to the other, most noticeable on the title pages. There are no colour plates.
Overall I'm pretty pleased with the set, but I can't help wishing the books had been slightly larger. I seem to remember there was a thread a while back discussing the relative value for money of the box - Casterman's reprint is priced at 77€, which I think is a little expensive, considering you can get their half-size facsimiles for 10€ each. If you can find the box cheaper, though, it's worth picking up.
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