PC WEENIES: Tech Toons and Reviews | The IKEA / Comic Book framing project

The IKEA / Comic Book framing project

Comic book covers are terrific pieces of art. It’s been a goal of mine to take a few of my favorite comics and put ’em up on the studio walls. The options I came across while researching this project were decent, but pricey. ($12 a frame? No thank you.)

I wanted an affordable solution. And that’s when I discovered Youseph Tanha’s brilliant Ikea Comic Book Frame Hack.

I headed off to the local Ikea and picked up ten Ikea NYTTJA photo frames for $1.99 a piece. Instead of using black cardstock paper to place behind the comic (as Youseph suggests in his article), I opted to use the paper insert that came with the frame itself. Here are some photos taken from this project. The most time-consuming (but fun!) part of the process was deciding which comics to frame.

I’m a huge fan of Bronze Age Marvel comics, so I dug out my issues of Master of Kung Fu, ROM Spaceknight and Power Man and Iron Fist. To prep the frames, I followed Youseph’s excellent instructions and removed the diagonal frame stand from the cardboard frame backing. It comes off pretty easily.

Here’s what they look like when hung ontop of my closet door. The comics are resting on the closet trim, with some packing tape affixed to the top portion on the back of the frame to secure it. (Nails are on the docket as a more permanent solution, though.)

I’ve got another five that I’m planning to hang up.

It feels awesome to see my favorite comics up on the wall, instead of being tucked away inside a longbox. For $2.00 a frame, this was a pretty satisfying (and economical) project.

-Krishna

Krishna July 24, 2013 comic book display frames, comic book frames, hack, IKEA

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t3rminus Reply
July 25, 2013 at 1:17 pm
This is an excellent idea. It’s so good, in fact, that I’ve also put up some choice pieces using similar means.

My frame of choice? A $1.25 document frame from my local dollar store. It’s actually “borderless”, consisting of a solid backing, with four clips around the edges holding a glass pane on the front.

Since I’m not much of an avid comic collector, I’ve chosen to frame some incredible digital art, from various artists I’ve come across on the internet.

It’s mostly video-game themed, but I think you might recognize at least one of them…

http://oi44.tinypic.com/2hpsnde.jpg

Not sure if embedding/linking works, but there it is.
- CoyotyReply
  July 29, 2013 at 2:40 pm
  How did you get that concave effect in your photo?
- Krishna M. Sadasivam Reply
  July 29, 2013 at 7:15 pm
  That looks amazing! Thanks for sharing it – and your gallery looks impressive, terminus!
ThomasReply
August 13, 2013 at 7:15 am
Your framed collectibles look great and you seem to have a spacious enough appartment.
But aren’t you afraid the covers will bleach out after some time. Sunshine is not good for NM/M comics.
Did you ever consider scanning the covers and print them on a high class printer? Only YOU would know the difference.
I would get the fits if my favorite covers would loose their gloss.
Thomas
Berlin, Germany
- Krishna M. Sadasivam Reply
  August 13, 2013 at 7:21 am
  Hi Thomas –
  
  That was, in fact, a concern of mine, but my room doesn’t get direct sunlight – so it should be safe. Scanning and printing the covers is an option I hadn’t considered – great suggestion!