Exploring comics fandom and the book arts through the practice of comic book binding

Abstract

In this poster, we explore the niche but growing practice of comic book binding, wherein fans consolidate multiple “floppy” comic books into a single bound volume, transforming both the physical artifact and the reading experience. Using surveys and interviews, we hope to shed light on the motivations behind this practice, its perceived benefits, the formal and experiential elements of comics that may be compromised or enhanced in the binding process, and readers’ organizational and creative contributions in the binding process, such as reader-contributed title pages, tables of contents, and cover designs. The survey addresses how fans began the practice of comic book binding, the types of comics they bind, factors that determine the design of a bound book, and alterations to the comics in the binding process. We share the preliminary results from our study and future plans for investigating the practice of comic book binding, a phenomenon that intersects with fandom, collecting, preservation, book studies, and personal creativity.