What should I do to make sure my valuable comics stay in good condition while re!
Question: What should I do to make sure my valuable comics stay in good condition while reading them!?
I have some comic books that are both financially valuable (probably around $60-$70) or dear to my heart!. Sometimes I have inner conflict because I don't want to touch things that are so "beautiful" but I want to read to book because, after all, that's why I bought it! (I call this my war with my inner nerd!.)
I remember speaking with the owner of my comics books store once about the comics he owns which includes an Avengers #1!. He mentioned stuff about using special gloves and such!.
I know that I don't have an Avengers #1 caliber comic in my collection, but I do care about them a whole lot!.
I suppose basically my question is, how can I be super anal about my comics!?Www@Enter-QA@Com
I remember speaking with the owner of my comics books store once about the comics he owns which includes an Avengers #1!. He mentioned stuff about using special gloves and such!.
I know that I don't have an Avengers #1 caliber comic in my collection, but I do care about them a whole lot!.
I suppose basically my question is, how can I be super anal about my comics!?Www@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
Wear powder free latex or nitrile gloves!. Below are a few links to the info you need
Salutations fellow collectorWww@Enter-QA@Com
Salutations fellow collectorWww@Enter-QA@Com
I think you should keep them safe and put away in bags and boards and look for the reprints online or at your local bookstore!.Best to buy the reprints so you can have it in your hands and flip thru it anytime you want without always being on your computer when you want to read them or look up something you forgot!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I don't know what books you have, but if it's a question of keeping their value you shouldn't handle them!. I'm quite sure their value decreases when you do this!.
Get the comics you have in trade paperback form or reprint issues and leave your originals bagged and boarded!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Get the comics you have in trade paperback form or reprint issues and leave your originals bagged and boarded!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
try reading the book while opening it at a 90° angle so you don't stretch the binds too much,also try not to bend the pages too much either!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
If you have any issues that are more than 20 years old or so, or are in kind of rough condition already, I would avoid handling them much at all!. Most older comics weren't really meant to last as long as collectors keep them these days!. I've got some issues from the early 60s that are in really delicate condition!. Most would start to come apart at the binding if I tried to flip through them several times!. I just keep all of those bagged, boarded and boxed up safe!. You could see if there are any reprints or collected volumes available if you have issues that you just enjoy reading regularly!. Some titles are even available online, or in CD-ROM collections!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I'm a long-time collector, too!. I love re-reading my comics, even the more valuable ones, but, like you, I don't want to do anything to diminish their value!.
Up until the late seventies, comics were printed on very cheap stock paper that had a high acid content!. Comics from that era that are not sealed and air-tight will appear yellowed and the paper will feel brittle!. Unfortunately, this is simply the paper which is deteriorating over time and that cannot be prevented without permanently vacuum-sealing your comics!.
Newer comics from the late seventies / early eighties forward are printed on much more resilient stock and can be exposed to air without fear of deterioration!. These are very readable provided the reader has recently washed his/her hands (to prevent contacting the paper with the natural oils our skin produces) and never forces the book all the way open as this puts significant wear on the spine!.
When not being read, comics should be stored at room temperature in a dry environment inside of a poly bag with a cardboard backer board!. If your collection is large, storage flat boxes are a great way to keep your comics organized and add an extra layer of protection from exposure to excessive air movement, temperature change, humidity, dust, and light!.
Finally, if there are certain titles or characters that you love in your collection, seal up the valuable stuff and hit up your local comic shops and bookstores for Graphic Novels and Collections!. Marvel's "Essential" series and D!.C!.'s "Showcase" series are both excellent digest-style books that collect several classic issues of certain titles into one massive softcover book format!.
I hope this is helpful! :)Www@Enter-QA@Com
Up until the late seventies, comics were printed on very cheap stock paper that had a high acid content!. Comics from that era that are not sealed and air-tight will appear yellowed and the paper will feel brittle!. Unfortunately, this is simply the paper which is deteriorating over time and that cannot be prevented without permanently vacuum-sealing your comics!.
Newer comics from the late seventies / early eighties forward are printed on much more resilient stock and can be exposed to air without fear of deterioration!. These are very readable provided the reader has recently washed his/her hands (to prevent contacting the paper with the natural oils our skin produces) and never forces the book all the way open as this puts significant wear on the spine!.
When not being read, comics should be stored at room temperature in a dry environment inside of a poly bag with a cardboard backer board!. If your collection is large, storage flat boxes are a great way to keep your comics organized and add an extra layer of protection from exposure to excessive air movement, temperature change, humidity, dust, and light!.
Finally, if there are certain titles or characters that you love in your collection, seal up the valuable stuff and hit up your local comic shops and bookstores for Graphic Novels and Collections!. Marvel's "Essential" series and D!.C!.'s "Showcase" series are both excellent digest-style books that collect several classic issues of certain titles into one massive softcover book format!.
I hope this is helpful! :)Www@Enter-QA@Com