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Comic Book Fading
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51 posts in this topic

I want to display my comics in my room.

 

-There's no direct sunlight, but sunlight that illuminates the room.

-Artificial light at night

-Average temperatures

-Comics are on a bookshelf in top loaders

 

My question is under these conditions, will it take years for damage to start showing? And does rotating the comics every month help slow damage?

 

Any links to studies or any other helpful material is encouraged! Thanks ahead of time! :idea:

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Sounds like my room. No direct through the window onto the comic(or card) sunlight but there is natural light that I allow though not much. I use a 60 watt incandescent bulb in my main light and the same in a lamp. I try to take as few chances as I can myself with comics, I rotate the show area I have every 2 days. That's probably too much, but I do it. Likely major OCD there lol I do much the same with my showcase and sports cards. No issues doing this for years, from 1987 or so. I just stay diligent, I don't want to have to replace what I've picked up through the years due to my being stupid.

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Sounds like my room. No direct through the window onto the comic(or card) sunlight but there is natural light that I allow though not much. I use a 60 watt incandescent bulb in my main light and the same in a lamp. I try to take as few chances as I can myself with comics, I rotate the show area I have every 2 days. That's probably too much, but I do it. Likely major OCD there lol I do much the same with my showcase and sports cards. No issues doing this for years, from 1987 or so. I just stay diligent, I don't want to have to replace what I've picked up through the years due to my being stupid.

 

Thanks for the help! 2 days is little bit too quick for me, I'll probably move them every week. Sounds like you have a pretty nice collection. How many books do you display at a time?

Edited by MrGreen
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Not as many as it sounds I don't have that much space for comics lol. Primarily a sports card guy through the years. Smaller, easier to display. My wall display for comics I can only display 4. So it sounds like a huge collection, but is far from it. For me it's quality > quantity, raw > cgc. And I try to display everything in a rotation because I've bought everything for a reason, and things should be displayed because of that IMO.

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As a test, why don't you put a daily newspaper up on the shelf and check back in a couple of weeks? Take a before and after picture. I think you'll be surprised at the amount of yellowing that takes place.

 

If you really feel the need to do this, then you need UV blocking glass in front of your books on display. Artificial lights are nearly as bad for books as sunlight.

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

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Not as many as it sounds I don't have that much space for comics lol. Primarily a sports card guy through the years. Smaller, easier to display. My wall display for comics I can only display 4. So it sounds like a huge collection, but is far from it. For me it's quality > quantity, raw > cgc. And I try to display everything in a rotation because I've bought everything for a reason, and things should be displayed because of that IMO.

 

Yeah that's my mentality too. I try and display 12 at a time. I figure if I can't display them or use them everyday then why buy them. I would just feel so bad if I left them in a closet. Quality over quantity :grin:

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As a test, why don't you put a daily newspaper up on the shelf and check back in a couple of weeks? Take a before and after picture. I think you'll be surprised at the amount of yellowing that takes place.

 

If you really feel the need to do this, then you need UV blocking glass in front of your books on display. Artificial lights are nearly as bad for books as sunlight.

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

 

Thanks for the great tip. I'll probably start the newspaper test tonight and invest in some good uv blocking glass.

Edited by MrGreen
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Any light exposure will cause fading to occur. It may happen so slowly that you don't even notice it's happening.

 

 

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

Great idea

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Any light exposure will cause fading to occur. It may happen so slowly that you don't even notice it's happening.

 

 

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

Great idea

 

Yep, as long as you don't try to sell them on eBay . . . lol

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As a test, why don't you put a daily newspaper up on the shelf and check back in a couple of weeks? Take a before and after picture. I think you'll be surprised at the amount of yellowing that takes place.

 

If you really feel the need to do this, then you need UV blocking glass in front of your books on display. Artificial lights are nearly as bad for books as sunlight.

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

 

Seriously, I don't display my books. Ever. It's always been too private a thing. I'd feel naked. :roflmao:

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I want to display my comics in my room.

 

-There's no direct sunlight, but sunlight that illuminates the room.

-Artificial light at night

-Average temperatures

-Comics are on a bookshelf in top loaders

 

My question is under these conditions, will it take years for damage to start showing? And does rotating the comics every month help slow damage?

 

Any links to studies or any other helpful material is encouraged! Thanks ahead of time! :idea:

 

My advice would be don't do it. Take a scan and display the scan. I think damage starts rather quickly, colors will ever so slightly fade. It's just not worth it. Sorry.

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Any light exposure will cause fading to occur. It may happen so slowly that you don't even notice it's happening.

 

 

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

Great idea

 

Yep, as long as you don't try to sell them on eBay . . . lol

 

Now you've done it. Caused some good child to go bad. They probably never would have thought of it! :devil:

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Any light exposure will cause fading to occur. It may happen so slowly that you don't even notice it's happening.

 

 

 

Really, the best thing to do is buy a cheaper scanner/printer, make color copies of the front cover and frame and mat those. They look great, it doesn't matter if they fade AND your books are safe in boxes in the dark

Great idea

 

My LCS and John Verzyl have been doing this for years. Keeps wear and tear down on big ticket slabs at shows and minimizes exposure to damaging light.

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If you really want to display them, UV film is affordable, and you can apply it to the window and the top loaders.

 

I just bought this one to put over my top loaders

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VViViD-Matte-Clear-Protective-Film-12-x-60-Vinyl-Sheet-for-Car-Auto-Vehicle-/151267081027?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2338387b43&vxp=mtr&autorefresh=true

 

Thanks again :grin:

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Switch your light bulbs to LED and have at it! As long as you use LED's and block the windows, you are good to go.

 

Have you found any studies that show LED's don't emit any UV, or if they do how much? I looked and was unsuccessful.

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If you really want to display them, UV film is affordable, and you can apply it to the window and the top loaders.

 

I just bought this one to put over my top loaders

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VViViD-Matte-Clear-Protective-Film-12-x-60-Vinyl-Sheet-for-Car-Auto-Vehicle-/151267081027?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2338387b43&vxp=mtr&autorefresh=true

 

Thanks again :grin:

Why? (shrug)

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Here are two links that go way more in depth than I care about:

 

http://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/preservation-leaflets/2.-the-environment/2.4-protection-from-light-damage

 

https://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/caringfor-prendresoindes/articles/10agents/chap08-eng.aspx

 

My summary:

 

No sunlight.

 

LED's only, for short periods of time.

 

Based on what some of us seem to think, the comics in our LCS will have faded to all white in a week or so....

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If you really want to display them, UV film is affordable, and you can apply it to the window and the top loaders.

 

I just bought this one to put over my top loaders

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VViViD-Matte-Clear-Protective-Film-12-x-60-Vinyl-Sheet-for-Car-Auto-Vehicle-/151267081027?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2338387b43&vxp=mtr&autorefresh=true

 

Thanks again :grin:

Why? (shrug)

 

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Comics are fine art to me. Museums display art all the time. Displaying ASM#129 (First appearance of a hero in stripper boots) in my office, is a lot more appealing to me than an expensive picture of Africa. I guess I could ask you the same question, why do you keep them in the closet?

Edited by MrGreen
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