About Kaptainmyke — How to Press Comics
Kaptainmyke's How to Press Comics is the long-standing definitive online guide to comic book pressing. Originally published in the early 2000s and updated periodically since, the tutorial documents the materials, equipment, and step-by-step techniques used to remove non-colour-breaking defects (bends, dents, finger curls, mild spine roll, dust shadow) from raw comics before grading.
The guide is widely cited as the foundational resource that taught a generation of US-based pressers their craft. It covers the full workflow — initial assessment, dry pressing with a tacking iron and pressing boards, humidity-assisted pressing for stubbornly set defects, finishing and re-bagging — with photographs, equipment recommendations, and honest discussion of when not to press a book (some defects will not respond, and some interventions risk doing more harm than good).
For UK collectors interested in the technical side of grade improvement, this guide is essential reading. It is also useful as a primer on what professional pressing services like Fantasy Road's in-house workshop actually do to your books — understanding the process makes it easier to set realistic expectations on grade movement when you submit.
The guide is free to read. Note that pressing is a craft skill — practising on low-value books before working on keys is strongly recommended, and any irreversible chemical work (cleaning, restoration) should be left to qualified professionals.
The guide is widely cited as the foundational resource that taught a generation of US-based pressers their craft. It covers the full workflow — initial assessment, dry pressing with a tacking iron and pressing boards, humidity-assisted pressing for stubbornly set defects, finishing and re-bagging — with photographs, equipment recommendations, and honest discussion of when not to press a book (some defects will not respond, and some interventions risk doing more harm than good).
For UK collectors interested in the technical side of grade improvement, this guide is essential reading. It is also useful as a primer on what professional pressing services like Fantasy Road's in-house workshop actually do to your books — understanding the process makes it easier to set realistic expectations on grade movement when you submit.
The guide is free to read. Note that pressing is a craft skill — practising on low-value books before working on keys is strongly recommended, and any irreversible chemical work (cleaning, restoration) should be left to qualified professionals.
