I love comic books, and for a time, I thought about framing some of my books for display. Unfortunately, because of the odd shape of comics (6.63" x 10.24"), you basically need to order a custom frame. I have inquired about custom frames before, and the quote I got back (with “Museum-quality glass” and acid-free matt) would cost about $80.

Earlier this week, I discovered these 7x11 Special Moments Memories Collection: Wall Art Reproduction Encadrée prints at Dollar Tree for $1 each. This size is nearly perfect for comics, the width is just about right, but the height is slightly taller than modern sized comics. It’s hardly noticeable, though.

I know it’s not meant for comics, but if I were head of the Special Moments people, I would recycle these frames and market it to comic collectors. Maybe upgrade the backing to a firmer acid-free cardboard or “comic book styling” frames. Charge about $5 to $10, and I can guarantee you can sell them.

Anyway, I bought 15 prints, and one of them was defective. At $1 each, I’m not going to complain... but just inspect your frames when you make your purchase. I pulled out some comics I thought is worth something or have a special meaning for me. Some are autographed, some I just like the cover artwork. It was kind of fun to go through some of my comic boxes.

Some tips when you put your comics in:


I didn’t really care what the frames looked like, but if you have a preference, there seems to be four types of frames: Black, Gold, Gold with Bumps, and Brown with Gold Bumps.

If you don't live near a Dollar Tree store, their website sells these frame size (7x11) by the case - 24 frames for $24 - via dollartree.com. You might not have 24 comics you want to frame, but at that price, it’s still cheaper than one $80 custom frame.