What comics did you buy today?

[Lew Stringer]

But... and this fact really surprises me... someone, somewhere has always an immaculate copy of a certain issue of any title stored away. In my days, I had no knowledge of acid free backing boards or bags and storage boxes: and yet, there are a vast amount of 70's comics (or storey papers) still available in brilliant condition that's never seen an acid free anything.

The TV21s I bought second hand in the 1980s were in near perfect condition and still are. I've found that if you store comics in a closed box, away from light, damp, etc, it slows down the ageing process pretty much to a standstill.

[Phoenix]

I know there's a high grade copy of virtually any British publication out there. And I love the challenge of obtaining everyone that I possibly can.

I am content, to all intents and purposes, with my collection as it stands, but I am still trying to get full runs of ten D.C. Thomson titles for girls. I am hopeful that over the next six months to a year I will manage it, but it is well worth bearing in mind, Geoff, that we are seeing a diminishing range of sources. There was a time when we could go to the monthly comic fairs in the basement of the Piccadilly Plaza Hotel in Manchester, and fill our boots, but no longer. Almost all the dealers that used to advertise in Exchange And Mart too have disappeared, either because they have simply stopped trading due to no longer having sufficient customers, or they have died, which clearly makes the task of adding to our collections something of a hit and miss affair. At least we have eBay, which itself may well be the reason, or part of the reason, why there is now such a dearth in the country of dealers in comics and story papers across the ages. There are local comic fairs still, of course, but most require long journeys to get to them, and in any case I have even been disappointed by the London fairs over the last couple of years, and it takes me over two hours by Virgin Pendolino to get to them from Liverpool.

[paw broon]

I collect certain American titles and British Pocket libraries in the main and I will fill a gap with an example in poor condition, until such time as I can find one in better nick. I have always worked on the principle of buying what was available because I at least had the issue, and in the hope that a better one would turn up, eventually. Price also is a decision in all this as high grade copies of comics seem to cost much more nowadays than those in poorer condition.
However, on the subject of preserving comics, I have to stress again the importance of keeping them in the best way you can. In my case, and based on decades of professional experience, the most successful method is to bag and board everything. If not that, bag everything in proper comic bags. After that, in some sort of bag and store them carefully, and flat, in a box. It is always worth the cost to bag comics. And the poorer the quality of paper, and especially comics with newsprint covers, the more important to bag them in bags designed for the purpose.

[Lew Stringer]

I collect certain American titles and British Pocket libraries in the main and I will fill a gap with an example in poor condition, until such time as I can find one in better nick. I have always worked on the principle of buying what was available because I at least had the issue, and in the hope that a better one would turn up, eventually. Price also is a decision in all this as high grade copies of comics seem to cost much more nowadays than those in poorer condition.
However, on the subject of preserving comics, I have to stress again the importance of keeping them in the best way you can. In my case, and based on decades of professional experience, the most successful method is to bag and board everything. If not that, bag everything in proper comic bags. After that, in some sort of bag and store them carefully, and flat, in a box. It is always worth the cost to bag comics. And the poorer the quality of paper, and especially comics with newsprint covers, the more important to bag them in bags designed for the purpose.

I have my Golden Age and 1960s American comics bagged but not my British comics. They're all still in great shape. Keeping them in the dark (ie: boxed) and away from damp seems to work ok. A smoke-free home helps too.

I think the problem with some UK comics on eBay is that they've been stored in a shed or a garage for years. Definite no-nos.

[paw broon]

Yes, that's right. Lew. I have been disappointed on occasion with ebay buys, either not as described or smelly or water damaged. Recently I bought a pile of Dell westerns from a friend and they smelled of smoke. I had forgotten his wife smoked. Taken me a while to air them. It was worth the trouble as some of them had Jesse Marsh art and a couple contained stories drawn by Kinstler. Now they don't smell as much, I can bag and board them.
I was thinking what Phoenix wrote about marts. Up here, there just aren't the marts or other markets or boot sales where I can find much for my collection. Apart from one particular dealer who is a regular at our marts and cons, virtually all stalls have American comics and most of those are in 50p boxes. Travelling to London is something we do a couple of times a year, spending a few days in the city. It's 4 1/2 hours on East Coast, so we try to have a loose programme of things to do, including my outings to comic shops. Fortunately, I can always rely on 30th. Century Comics to have lots of comics of interest to me.

[Phoenix]

I have to stress again the importance of keeping them in the best way you can. In my case, and based on decades of professional experience, the most successful method is to bag and board everything. If not that, bag everything in proper comic bags. After that, in some sort of bag and store them carefully, and flat, in a box.

This bagging and boarding business would not suit me at all. I am constantly consulting mine for one reason or another, and naturally I simply don't know in advance which issue(s) I might want to consult. I need ease of access, which I facilitate by having all my pre-war and wartime text story papers in boxes, and my post-war ones in box files, both sets in numerical order in years, and standing vertically. From 1946 to 1959 I can get a whole year's issues in one box file, from 1960 I use a box file for every half year.

[paw broon]

The only problem I see with floppy papers in box files is that they naturally slump and unless packed tightly, the spines will deteriorate. Having my comics in bags does entail opening the bags and being very careful with the tape when I open up to read or gather info., which isn't always necessary as I write basic details on the tape.

[Lew Stringer]

The only problem I see with floppy papers in box files is that they naturally slump and unless packed tightly, the spines will deteriorate.

I presume you're talking about storing them vertically? I have my American comics like that, and they're in longboxes, but most of my British comics are piled horizontally in boxes of various sizes. Yes, this could cause spine roll, but not if you stack every other issue 'upside down' as it were. Then it evens out.

It's personal choice of course. I used to be far more fastidious about condition, but the odd tiny nick or dent doesn't bother me now. I'm still a bit finicky about new comics though, and won't buy an issue that looks like it's been thumbed through.

[Phoenix]

The only problem I see with floppy papers in box files is that they naturally slump and unless packed tightly, the spines will deteriorate.

Well, they'll just have to look after themselves, Paw. I said earlier that a pristine copy is a joy to behold, but in my house condition, even that of my mint condition issues, has definitely to be subservient to instant availability. My current problem is how to house my ever-increasing collection of Thomsons' girls' story papers, and it really is a problem. There is no room downstairs for them because all my long and short shelves, from floor to ceiling in the lounge and the dining room, are covered in books. Upstairs all shelves in the main bedroom and my study have the text story papers on them, and all the built-in cupboards in the main bedroom are full of my Thomsons' picture papers for boys. I might just have to adapt my large built-in wardrobe for them because they can't stay on the bedroom floor indefinitely, even though they are in tidy piles, criss-crossed horizontally in years by title, not only because they are in the way, but access to them is by no means as instant as I need it to be. Who needs tidy clothes anyway? A sense of proportion is required regarding the relative importance of things.

[philcom55]

Who needs tidy clothes anyway? A sense of proportion is required regarding the relative importance of things.

...I agree! In fact who needs clothes at all?

- Phil R.

[colcool007]

Who needs tidy clothes anyway? A sense of proportion is required regarding the relative importance of things.

...I agree! In fact who needs clothes at all?

- Phil R.

Considering the build of some fans at ComicCons, you would NEVER ask that question ever again.

[geoff42]

As regard comic fairs, I was a regular at Leeds comic (run by Golden Orbit, I believe, and probably still is). Back in the 80's, they were held at Griffin Hotel, and there were stalls everywhere - the main was obviously American, but there were still a load of British publications on offer, especially annuals. In the 90's the fair moved to Leed's University and the decline had already set as regards British gems. The fair has moved yet again, the last time I visited was two years ago from which there were only four stalls, selling only American comics. After five minutes, I walked away and vowed never to return. Silver Acre was still there but they had obviously given up on selling 2000 ad's apart from the most recent issues. It was a sad day. Thank heavens for Ebay.

[geoff42]

I understand your problem, Phoenix, as regards storage space. I've even thought, jokingly, about throwing my kingsize bed out and lying on a rug in order to accommodate space. I won't store anything downstairs as I'm acutely aware of all the cooking smells and heating. My radiator is turned off constantly in the bedroom, I have a dehumidifier to combat moisture, and my curtains are never open. My wardrobe is looking quiet inconvenient at the moment

[Phoenix]

Back in the 80's, they were held at Griffin Hotel, and there were stalls everywhere

You also found comic dealers in secondhand book fairs up that way. I used to drive over regularly to the monthly fairs at Pudsey Civic Hall, in fact I even took a stand myself there for the best part of a year. It was there that I met Bryon Whitworth. There were comic dealers all over the place. Victor Collinge of Border Bookshop, David Moore, Daniel Hanson of D&M books, Roger Jordan, Darrell Swift of Happy Hours Unlimited, and Tilleys of Sheffield and Chesterfield were regular exhibitors there. Where are they now? Well, Victor, David and Darrell have passed on, Daniel is more interested in his packaging business, and Roger has retired from the fray. That just leaves Tilleys!! I should make the effort and go over there, just for old times sake.

[stevezodiac]

When I picked up hundreds of 50s Wizards and Rovers from Greenwich a year or so back I noticed a few had those irritating odd pages that protruded so I went to Rymans and got a paper cutter (one of those where you put the page under a plastic holding strip and then run the small box with the razor blade along it). The old style guillotine I had to take back as it just bent the page down. Anyway they look much better with even sized pages and the protruding pages are prone to getting damaged. Back online today as my BT hub arrived this morning. Incidentally I found my VHS tape of the BBC Arena Dandy-Beano tv programme and will transfer it to dvd.