Comic Book Conservation

“I believe it will become the bible for people working on comics. The research is so thorough-I feel like practically no stone was unturned.”

• - Matt Nelson, President of CGC

“Combining rigorous scientific research with practical techniques, it sets a new standard for preserving comic books.”

• - Rick Morgan, Immaculate Comics

“It’s going to make an excellent reference to standardize this hobby.”

• Peter Alachi, Professor of Biology/Microbiology at Salem State University

“It’s an absolute treasure!! It reminded me of a book we read in university, which was a “holy grail” for paper conservator.”

• Nupur Mundhra, Masters of Conservation of Fine Arts, Northumbria University, UK

Shelby Thompson has been a dedicated comic book collector for nearly 50 years, with a primary focus on Silver Age comics. In recent years, his passion for collecting has expanded into the Golden Age, where he has applied conservation techniques to preserve historically significant books. With over five years of experience in comic book cleaning and pressing—and two years actively engaged in conservation—he has developed expertise in maintaining and stabilizing fragile comic book paper. Along with his co-author Paul Konik, their conservation approach is grounded in extensive research and analysis of paper conservation literature, applying traditional methods to the unique challenges of comic book preservation. This meticulous, research-based approach is supported by their professional backgrounds as researchers and scientists. Shelby holds a Ph.D. in Human Factors Psychology and has spent over 20 years in the field, specializing in research methodologies, problem-solving, and user-centered analysis—skills that translate seamlessly into the precision and care required for comic book conservation. Through their work, the goal is to bridge the gap between traditional conservation practices and the comic book collecting community, providing collectors with the knowledge and techniques necessary to preserve their collections. Paul Kosnik has been a comic book collector, investor, and conservator since before it was cool. He has a Ph.D. form the University of Michigan in Biomedical Engineering and spends his professional time developing novel cell therapies for underserved patient populations. He spends a significant part of his hobby time studying and adapting the traditional peer-reviewed conservation literature to comic book conservation. It was through this interaction that he met his co-author for Comic Book Conservation, Dr. Shelby Thompson. His current collecting interests lie in golden age comic books, especially those that are in need of preservation from the ravages of time. When he’s not studying the conservation literature or reading comic books, he can be found either in the weight room or in the field observing the natural world. President of Certified Guaranty Company (CGC)