Holy comic books Batman!

Need a birthday gift for your kids, your grandchildren, your niece or nephew?

Consider a Comic Book Subscription of the child's favorite cartoon character: Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Scooby Doo, The Archie’s, Peanuts, Iron Man, etc.

Growing up, my brother and I collected comic books by the hundreds. I can vouch that comic books are a great way to encourage a child to read, and to learn the hobby of collecting. While you can surely buy a stack of comics from the bookstore, it is a thrill for a kid to receive mail delivered each month to their home specifically addressed to them. A comic book subscription is an excellent birthday/Christmas/Hanukkah gift for boys, girls, tweens, and teenagers.

When purchasing a book, beware that each book is marked either for “All Ages” or “T+” for 13 and older (usually in the lower left hand corner of the cover page). This indicates the content in the book. The T+ can include adult themes, violence and language, whereas “All Ages” is suitable for children.

Your local comic book store can provide guidance on the book best suited for the age/personality of your recipient.

Spice It Up:  Pick out an archival storage box to stow their new comic book each month.
This will protect the books, keep mom happy by preventing clutter, and allow the kids to easily find the books to read over and over again.  Plastic boxes are fine, or you can buy the more expensive archival boxes that protect paper on par with an antiquarian library. $3.99-$40.00 

Note: I recommend avoiding the magazine holders that are upright as the comic books are not thick enough to stand, and will crease if stored in this manner.

Once you select the comic book, then add a colorful sticker of the character on the box. This will make it special, and the child will know exactly where to find their books. $2.99-$5.99

Alternate idea: If buying for a youngster, a storage box may not excite them the day they receive it. Instead, consider an action figure of the character to bundle with a single issue of the book. Action figures are readily available at Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, etc.

Where to Buy:

Subscriptions - can be purchased online at DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or at Things From Another World (they are the direct source for all Dark Horse Comics). $17.99-$39.99 for 12 issues

Comic Book/Single Issue - When presenting the gift, buy a single issue at Barnes & Noble or your local comic bookstore to bundle with the subscription confirmation. An actual issue of the book will make it more tangible for the child. And, don’t worry, if the child seems unsure when receiving it—once the subscription starts they will be thrilled! $2.99-$3.99

Note: Most subscriptions take 4-6 weeks to commence. So, either purchase well in advance or write a brief note marking the expected start date so they will know it is not lost.

Storage Box - Container Store, Staples, JoAnns, Target, and more all have storage boxes and archival boxes to suit.

Stickers- Comic book character stickers can be purchased at your local comic book store. In Dallas, try Keith's Comics at locations near SMU, Carrollton, and Frisco.

1 comment:

  1. I like the overall looks of your storage box -- solid black, metal corners and trim. Where exactly did you find this one?

    ReplyDelete