Anyone frame collectable comic books?

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PicturedFramer

PicturedFramer

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
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Seems someone brought in some old comic books to frame. I just need some ideas going about it. They left it up to me to design the look and frame. I guess maybe I was looking for tips....
PF
 
Do you know if they have value as collector's items?
 
Mylar encapsulation, shadowbox, float mount on a matboard that can be positioned anywhere on the back mat. Open to a "good" page.
 
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As beautiful as the originals may look, in a great frame, like Baer's, light will affect the printing on the cover and the value of the book can be maintained, by scanning the cover and framing the scan, while the original stays safe in the dark.



Hugh
 
Not a actual comic book but something to consider as well
 

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I forgot to post that we had done a very high res scan and had the cover reproduced with "archival" inks..... (75 years :icon11:) The original is in a rag mat envelope behind the reproduction.
 
It would be interesting if the frame could be made like an old view camera sheet film holder such that you could pull the "slide" with the new print on it to reveal the original. But normally the original would be kept out of the light.

A double sided frame with the original available to view when turned to the light.

Or perhaps 2 frames, one with the new print and one with the original hinged like a book so it could be opened to reveal the original for occasional viewing.

Couple of ideas I've been working on. Seems a shame to put originals away where they can't be seen at all.
 
Tim, that Spidey mat is a fantastic design choice. Have you ever
posted it in the framing design section?
 
comic book idea

I have framed comics using a deep shadowbox sided with matboard and backed in the same. Foil and metallic mats illuminate the books well. I mount foam core strips onto the back and then a mylar sleeve appropriate to the book size (silver age and golden age books are different sizes)gets centered and mounted onto the strips. The comic may now simply slip into the suspended sleeve and the foam strips are concealed by the comic. I usually use swivel type turnbuttons without a dustcover so the owner can either remove book to view or replace easily with another book. A 2" or more shadowbox is recommended to create the unique floating book look, and don't forget to use UV glass! Hope this helps.
 
It is nearly impossible to frame a valuable comic book and keep it protected well enough to preserve its value. Most of the value of a comic book is in the condition of the cover, and even museum glass will allow the comic book cover to fade slightly. I would agree that framing a copy of the comic book cover is acceptable, however here is my suggestion for framing a comic book: Place the comic book in a protective mylar bag with an acid-free rigid backing. Every valuable comic book should be sold this way, but if not, the supplies are easy to find. Frame the comic book by making the frame to 'sight size'. Use Museum Glass and an acid-free backing board. Mount the framed comic book onto a matboard using screws from the back. Decide on the width of the mat borders, and trim the matboard. Build a shadowbox frame to the size of the matted piece. Use Museum Glass for the shadowbox frame. So, basically it is a frame within a shadowbox frame, with two pieces of Museum Glass.
 
Hi Doc, and welcome to the Grumble!

I think that the museum glass, well, at least the inner piece would lose its Anti Reflective effect over something in a glossy envelope.

Plus 2 pieces would not double, or increase the UV protection in any way.
 
Hi, Frame Doctor Tom. Welcome to the Grumble!

This might sound weird, but it's another idea. What about framing the
comic book like you said, and then attaching that frame to a floater frame
instead of a mat? That way, there'd only have to be one piece of glass,
and the piece would still be protected.
 
Here's a couple of framed pieces of collectable comics I framed about 5-10 years ago... so they are pretty basic...

The "double" one is inlayed...

Each comic is suspended inside a mylar sleeve, underneath UV glass.

Cheers,

Jared
 

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There are many 'good' methods of framing a comic book. The method I suggested accounts for the best protection of the book.

A frame-in-a-frame ensures the book will not slip through a mat opening. When using a sink-mount with a mat opening, the book can fall through the mat opening. A 'sight-size' frame also allows all of the cover to show, where a mat opening will cover the edges of the book's cover.

One piece of Conservation Glass is acceptable, however the cover will fade ever so slightly over time. Two pieces of Conservation Glass do indeed block more than one piece of Conservation Glass, thus protecting the book even more.

Example: 100,000 rays of UV hit a piece of Conservation Glass. 1,000 rays make it through the glass. Then the 1,000 rays hit the second piece of Conservation Glass. 10 rays make it through the second piece of glass. This makes two pieces of glass 100x better than one. Of course, glass can never block 100%, but it can get closer and closer (99% for one piece to 99.9% for two pieces). Just like in football when you get a ten-yard penalty on your five-yard line you are penalized half the distance to the goal, then you get another ten-yard penalty and you are penalized half the distance to the goal. But, you never get there.

@Shayla: Your idea of using a floater frame is fine, and one piece of glass is acceptable (but two is better).
 
The Frame Doctor said:
Two pieces of Conservation Glass do indeed block more than one piece of Conservation Glass, thus protecting the book even more.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe you have more technical knowledge than I - (which would be nothing to boast about - but I do have a good memory!) and can refute things that have been stated here in the past.

For Example


Also - your method of a mylar/melinex envelope/bag could be done with no requirement for a floated inner frame (but I like that look though) by using the same material - Mylar - but encapsulating the magazine in sheets of mylar cut from a roll so that the mylar is adhered to the back of the mount.




...............................
 
The Frame Doctor said:
...A frame-in-a-frame ensures the book will not slip through a mat opening. When using a sink-mount with a mat opening, the book can fall through the mat opening. A 'sight-size' frame also allows all of the cover to show, where a mat opening will cover the edges of the book's cover.
Click to expand...

If using a mat and sink mount, the same security could be accomplished by attaching a layer of Mylar over the cover of the comic book or magazine to the built-up sink. Or even better, so that it's nearly invisible, use Optium acrylic, but not Museum Glass.

Wouldn't a sight size frame also cover part of the comic book's edges as well?


The Frame Doctor said:
One piece of Conservation Glass is acceptable, however the cover will fade ever so slightly over time. Two pieces of Conservation Glass do indeed block more than one piece of Conservation Glass, thus protecting the book even more.

Example: 100,000 rays of UV hit a piece of Conservation Glass. 1,000 rays make it through the glass. Then the 1,000 rays hit the second piece of Conservation Glass. 10 rays make it through the second piece of glass. This makes two pieces of glass 100x better than one. Of course, glass can never block 100%, but it can get closer and closer (99% for one piece to 99.9% for two pieces).
Click to expand...

Maybe someone with a more thorough knowledge of the UV filtering properties could correct me, but I don't really think it works that way.
 
Okay
1. Sight size will hide the smallest amount of the cover, but not as much as an image-sized frame with a 1/8th inch allowance, then add the width of the lip and the edge of the cover is hidden even more.
Sight size means that if your piece is 8x10, then you cut the frame not to the rabbet at 8 1/8x10 1/8, but to the lip at 8x10.
2. In framing anything collectible, there are no perfect solutions. We can only use the best materials available to us and cross our fingers. Without getting too technical (too late, haha), we have to understand that our products are imperfect, and have only a partial impact on the object being framed. A framed picture hanging over a mantel in Alaska and a similar framed picture hanging in a patio in Florida will be affected differently by their environments, even if they are framed using the exact same materials.

I would NEVER frame a valuable comic book of my own, however the posting framer asked for ideas.

Using two pieces of conservation glass blocks more UV than one, but that does not take into consideration other factors that lead to colors fading. I'm just saying that if you are going to frame a valuable comic book, then two pieces of glass are better than one.

Old comic books were made from newsprint-type paper, and were very acidic. The acid would eventually discolor the cover even if it were protected in a box in the closet. Every old comic book will deteriorate with or without light hitting it.
 
Yeah, I gotta say the two pieces are better then one goes against all that I know........................
 
The Frame Doctor said:
Using two pieces of conservation glass blocks more UV than one
Click to expand...

OK - I gave a link refuting that claim - I don't know if you read it but here's a quote from it ......


"The "two glass" question has come up before.

Think of it this way ... if you had two screens with the same size opening filtering dirt in sequence (one after the other), the second screen would have "nothing to catch" because the first screen only lets through what fits through the second screens openings. The UV filter works similarly with wavelengths of light."

Come on back.
 
it's the same old question.... if you put AR (anti-reflective) glass in front of a mirror, can you still see yourself in the mirror?

Answer is: Not if you're a vampire.
 
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