WHY PRESSING MATTERS
Why Comic Book Collectors Should Be Informed About Cleaning and Pressing
Comic book cleaning and pressing are often misunderstood. Many collectors associate these practices with grading services, professional pressers, or high-end submissions—and assume that if they are not personally performing the work, the knowledge is unnecessary. In reality, understanding the fundamentals of cleaning and pressing is valuable for every serious collector, regardless of whether they ever intend to do the work themselves.
At its core, cleaning and pressing are not about altering comics or artificially inflating grades. They are about evaluation, preservation, and informed decision-making.
Understanding What You’re Actually Collecting
Every comic book accumulates wear over time.
Some defects are permanent: color breaks, paper loss, tears, or printing flaws. Others are the result of storage conditions, handling, or environmental exposure—such as light bends, waviness, surface dirt, or minor spine stress.
Collectors who understand cleaning and pressing can distinguish between:
- Pressable vs. non-pressable defects
- Manufacturing flaws vs. storage damage
- Permanent damage vs. reversible distortion
This knowledge directly affects how a collector evaluates raw books, prices acquisitions, and decides whether a comic has untapped potential or has already reached its ceiling.
Informed Decisions Save Money
Cleaning and pressing cost time and money, whether performed personally or outsourced. Collectors who lack basic knowledge often:
- Press books that cannot benefit
- Submit books that were never viable candidates
- Overpay for services that provide no real return
- Misjudge the true condition of a raw comic
By understanding what cleaning and pressing can—and cannot—accomplish, collectors make strategic decisions, not emotional ones. Even a basic grasp of the process helps determine when preparation is worthwhile and when it is not.
Grading Preparation Is About Risk Management
Grading is an evaluation, not a guarantee. Cleaning and pressing do not add quality to a comic; they remove false defects that obscure existing quality. When done correctly—or when properly evaluated beforehand—these processes reduce uncertainty.
Collectors who understand cleaning and pressing:
- Know when preparation meaningfully reduces risk
- Avoid unnecessary submissions
- Recognize when a comic’s grade will not materially change
This perspective reframes pressing as risk management, not grade chasing.
Knowledge Protects the Collection
Learning how to be a better collector
Environmental factors such as humidity, pressure, and surface contamination affect comics long before grading is ever considered. Collectors informed about cleaning and pressing principles are better equipped to:
- Store comics correctly
- Prevent avoidable defects
- Preserve long-term condition
- Recognize early warning signs of damage
Even without performing active cleaning or pressing, this awareness directly contributes to collection longevity.
You Don’t Have to Be a Presser to Be an Informed Collector
Be an informed collector
Learning about cleaning and pressing does not obligate a collector to practice the skill. Many knowledgeable collectors choose to outsource preparation or avoid it entirely—but they do so with understanding, not assumption.
The goal is not to turn every collector into a technician. The goal is to ensure collectors:
- Understand their books
- Understand their options
- Understand the risks and limitations involved
An informed collector is harder to mislead, better equipped to plan, and more confident in long-term collecting decisions.
Knowledge First, Decisions Second
Cleaning and pressing are tools—not requirements. Collectors who take the time to understand them gain clarity, control, and confidence over their collection. Whether the outcome is DIY preparation, professional services, or no preparation at all, the result is the same: better decisions and better stewardship of the hobby.
Understanding cleaning and pressing is not about changing comics. It’s about understanding them.