Comic book pressing is a conservation technique that uses heat, pressure, and humidity to remove non-color-breaking defects; such as dents, bends, creases, and spine rolls—to enhance a book's appearance and increase its grade. It is considered a non-restorative process that returns a comic to its best possible condition, rather than altering it.

Value and Benefits of Pressing

• Grade Improvement: A professional press can improve a comic's grade (e.g., from 9.6 to 9.8), significantly increasing its value.
• Increased Equity: Pressing can make a comic more appealing to collectors, often leading to a higher market value. For instance, a properly pressed book can see its fair market value increase by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
• Improved Eye Appeal: Pressing enhances the overall look of the comic, making it look much cleaner and smoother.
• Preparation for Grading: Many collectors have books pressed before sending them to grading services like CGC or CBCS to maximize their investment.
• Higher Sale Price: A cleaner, higher-graded book generally commands a higher price on the secondary market.

When to Press

• Best Candidates: Books with superficial dents, wrinkles, or warped covers.
• Key Issues: Rare or valuable books, especially those that appear to have potential for a grade boost.
• Spine Rolls: Pressing is highly effective at correcting spine rolls.
• Not Recommended: Books with creases or damage that breaks the color (white shows through) are generally not improved by pressing.