The Vespiary Book Binding & Book Conservation

I’ll admit it - I love comics.  My interests in the genre have shifted over the years, but I still treasure the ritual of slipping each slim story into an archival mylar sleeve.  Collectors can be rather obsessive about the condition of their graphic gems, and the slightest rumple can be cause to demote a comic from mint to fine.  In fact, maybe my early interest in keeping my comics in tip top condition primed me for my conservation career.

Just like other books, comics can sometimes be in need of a little TLC, and it turns out there are specialists in this sub-set of conservation. Mark Zaid from Esquire Comics has recorded a series of informative videos describing the differences between comic conservation and restoration as well as the effect of these procedures on the value of the item. (The link above leads to the same video below, I’ve just been having trouble with some of the videos I’ve been posting not showing up in feed readers - if you don’t see the embedded video below, please drop me a line)  I love the over-dramatic voice over questions:

Classics Incorporated is one of the first companies I found that provide these kinds of specialized services.  Susan of Restoration Lab has some great before and after photos of her work.

Lately, my comic reading has been more web-constrained, but there are some fabulous artists making their work available digitally as well as in print. Let me share them with you:

Hark, a Vagrant (my new personal favorite)

Tom Gauld - check his flickr page, too; lots of sketchbook shots and selections from The Guardian.

The Abominable Charles Christopher

All Over Coffee