How long can a book last?

[AndyM-migration]

Hi there,

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on how long a comic book is going to last under normal storage conditions, i.e. cool environment, away from light. There must be a point where the paper is just going to degrade away but I’m not sure if that’s a process that takes a hundred years, two hundred years? Are people going to unslab books that haven’t been cracked for 100 years only to find dust inside?

 

And I keep seeing slabbed books where the inside cover image is bleeding pretty badly through to the front cover – surely this has to be a sign that the ink is eating away at the book?

 

Anyone got any thoughts?

 

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

Do a quick check on any major dealer/auction website & you'll find books from the 30's in 9.6, so.......under "optimal" conditions, these babies will still de-grade, but verry slowly.

 

Why are you interested in a book's status 100-200 years from now anyway?

 

Rick

[silverage12c]

Why are you interested in a book's status 100-200 years from now anyway?

Rick

Maybe he has found the fountain of youth?

 

Hi Andy, and Welcome to the Boards!

 

There are still surviving examples in very good condition of the very earliest comics, from the Victorian and Platinum Ages --- so, certainly 100+ years is possible under good storage conditions. But, look outside of comics, and there are MANY paper/ink artifacts that have lasted much, much longer. Think of the Declaration of Independence, the oldest known Bibles, even the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

I think that, if we all keep our moderns purchased this week in careful storage (no UV light, low humidity, cool temps, etc) our great-great-great-great grandchildren, too, will be able to read them and say: "WTF was Quesada thinking!?!?!"

[binarysunrise]

Think of the Declaration of Independence, the oldest known Bibles, even the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

I think CGC has overlooked a significant market - have they contacted the Smithsonian? Oh wait, the Declaration wasn't signed in their presence....

 

 

[AndyM-migration]

If only I had the fountain of youth. It's nice to think that something you are collecting though is going to carrying on long after you are gone though. It would be sad to think that there generations to come that would never know the joy of holding a copy of X-Force 1 in their hands (or their robotic limbs as I'm sure they will be using in the future).

 

But seriously, with things like the cover bleeds, I'm kind of thinking that you are looking at a PQ and grade that came from a time the book was slabbed rather than its current condition. I just wasn't sure how much people expected that to change over time.

[silverage12c]

Think of the Declaration of Independence, the oldest known Bibles, even the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

I think CGC has overlooked a significant market - have they contacted the Smithsonian? Oh wait, the Declaration wasn't signed in their presence....

Are you sure about that? I can almost see Steve B. looking over John Hancock's shoulder as he put feathered pen to paper --- if you imagine his ponytail as a white-powdered wig, you'll get the picture!

[Subliminal]

I've always thought of him as a Founding Father...

 

WRT how long a comic will last and still be collectible, I think you underestimate how low a grade a collector will go and still pay money for them.

 

 

 

 

[ComicSupply]

Longer than you, and any you you produce

[djpinkpanther67]

Hi there,

And I keep seeing slabbed books where the inside cover image is bleeding pretty badly through to the front cover – surely this has to be a sign that the ink is eating away at the book?

It's not color bleed. The MC paper that's placed in between the slash page & cover gives that illusion.

[silverage12c]

Hi there,

And I keep seeing slabbed books where the inside cover image is bleeding pretty badly through to the front cover – surely this has to be a sign that the ink is eating away at the book?

It's not color bleed. The MC paper that's placed in between the slash page & cover gives that illusion.

DJ's right, of course --- the ink isn't bleeding. But, they place a thin sheet of Micro-Chamber paper right behind the front cover. This paper is quite "bright white", and results in ambient light reflecting back through the cover. This has a way of kinda highlighting the inside-front-cover ads, making them easier to see from the front.

[Scrooge]

But, look outside of comics, and there are MANY paper/ink artifacts that have lasted much, much longer. Think of the Declaration of Independence, the oldest known Bibles, even the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

I hate to point out the obvious but these comparisons are useless since the printing material is vastly different across those examples. Older comics are printing on pulpwood paper for the most whose acidity content is higher and therefore appears to degrade faster than previous material. Selegue or Scott B. should be able to answer that question more scientifically.

[Ringfinger]

I'll be happy if they just outlast when I can sell them all.

[Count]

5632 YRS.

[Mr. Zipper]

But, look outside of comics, and there are MANY paper/ink artifacts that have lasted much, much longer. Think of the Declaration of Independence, the oldest known Bibles, even the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 

I hate to point out the obvious but these comparisons are useless since the printing material is vastly different across those examples. Older comics are printing on pulpwood paper for the most whose acidity content is higher and therefore appears to degrade faster than previous material. Selegue or Scott B. should be able to answer that question more scientifically.

 

The older documents referenced were printed on a paper composed of recycled cotton and linen. Very durable with very long life spans.

 

In the mid to late 1800's, the demand for more paper forced manufacturers to look for rag replacements... and wood pulp was introduced. Due to it's acidic composition (lingens), paper made from wood pulp breaks down much faster than the cloth based paper.

 

That said, under ideal storage conditions it should still survive for many generations.

[The Question?]

 

 

 

Longer than mankind has left, that's for sure....

[DiceX]

It would be sad to think that there generations to come that would never know the joy of holding a copy of X-Force 1 in their hands

 

Place witty comment here...

[Mr. Zipper]

It would be sad to think that there generations to come that would never know the joy of holding a copy of X-Force 1 in their hands ...

 

I recommend holding X-Force 1 in your hands about twice a day. It works best when it's cut up into squares...

 

[Jayman]

Hi there,

And I keep seeing slabbed books where the inside cover image is bleeding pretty badly through to the front cover – surely this has to be a sign that the ink is eating away at the book?

It's not color bleed. The MC paper that's placed in between the slash page & cover gives that illusion.

DJ's right, of course --- the ink isn't bleeding. But, they place a thin sheet of Micro-Chamber paper right behind the front cover. This paper is quite "bright white", and results in ambient light reflecting back through the cover. This has a way of kinda highlighting the inside-front-cover ads, making them easier to see from the front.

 

There are however certain books that over time have deveoped translucent covers due to improper storage or handling.

Oils build up and one can see through to the inside cover and even the first page.

[homerwannabee]

I actually had bought a box full of stuff in 2007 that to my surprise had Dempsey and Tunney Newspaper headlines. There were 5 newspapers and they ranged from 1923 to 1928. The newspapers from 1928 and 1927 were not that bad, but I was shocked at how bad the 1923 and 1925 newspapers were in worse shape. They had become very brittle to the touch. So based on this anecdotal evidence, I can say that comics from newspaper print hold up fairly well for about 80 years. But after that the disintegration was very rapid. Since the Golden Age does not start until 1937 nothing major has happened. But I believe that around 2020 this deterioration will be more apparent.

[Count]

I actually had bought a box full of stuff in 2007 that to my surprise had Dempsey and Tunney Newspaper headlines. There were 5 newspapers and they ranged from 1923 to 1928. The newspapers from 1928 and 1927 were not that bad, but I was shocked at how bad the 1923 and 1925 newspapers were in worse shape. They had become very brittle to the touch. So based on this anecdotal evidence, I can say that comics from newspaper print hold up fairly well for about 80 years. But after that the disintegration was very rapid. Since the Golden Age does not start until 1937 nothing major has happened. But I believe that around 2020 this deterioration will be more apparent.

 

It all depends on how it was stored.

 

If I left a newspaper in the sun for about a year I won't be surprised if it had brittle pages....