5 Cheap-as-Free Things to Make From Old Comics

Comics are a great story telling medium. I've been collecting comics for many years, and I have a bunch of unwanted comics and old comics doubles that aren't worth much. What do I do with them? If they're in good condition, I'll give them away to kids. otherwise, there are a bunch of cool inexpensive things you can do with them. I'm making 5 different things in this instructable:

1. A Clock
2. A Poster
3. An iPad stand
4. Bookmarks
5. A Paper Wallet

Pretty much everything I use in these projects can be found around the house. So, onto project 1!

Step 1: Clock

Do you have a boring old clock at home? Want to turn it into something fun? Easy!

1. Take the cover of the clock and carefully remove the hands.
2. peel the cardboard face of the plastic clock body.
3. place the cardboard face on a comic page/double page and use a craft knife to cut around it.
Alternative 3. if you want a more collage-y look, use a bunch of comic panels.
4. glue the page (or panels) to the clock face.
5. put the clock back together. make sure you set the hands at 12:00.

Done!
Onto project 2!

Step 2: Poster

Posters aren't always cheap, but they're a great way of expressing who we are. Like comics? well here is a totally free way of making a great comics poster. All you need is 9 comic covers, some masking tape and a craft knife.

1. cut the covers of the comics.
2. set the covers up in  3 rows of 3.
3. use the masking tape to tape the backs of the covers together.
4. hang up your new poster!

onto project 3!

Step 3: Ipad Stand Step 1

I use my iPad as a second screen for my computer, as well as an alarm clock on my bedside table.I wanted a simple stand for it, but didn't want to pay ridiculous amounts for one. So I made one, completely free. You'll need some corrugated cardboard (double corrugation works best), a ruler, a craft knife, some comic panels and some glue.

this is a little more complex than the other projects, so I've done it in 2 parts.

part 1
1. cut a length of corrugated cardboard approximately 58cm (23 inches) by 14 cm (5 1/2 inches). Cut the cardboard along the corrugation. If the cardboard has a crease, make it 12.5 cm/5 inches from the top.
2. measure 26cm (10 inches) from the top and draw a line, and then draw a line 33cm (12 2/3 inches) from the top.
3. make 3 folds along the lines - the first toward you, the second away from you and the third toward you (see images 2 and 3).
4. use masking tape to cover all the outside edges, pinching in each edge as you go.

on to part 2!

Step 4: Ipad Stand Step 2

part 2 of the Cheap as Free comic themed iPad stand!

1. draw a 5mm rectangles 1 cm (1/2 inch) and 10 cm (4 inches) from the bottom.
2. run a craft knife  down the edges of each rectangle, MAKING SURE YOU ONLY CUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE CARDBOARD.
3. remove the top few layers of cardboard from the rectangles, so you have two trenches. these will lock the stand in place - one for a high angle, one for a low angle. 
4. turn the cardboard over and cut a 1 cm wide trench 27cm (10 1/2 inches) from the top. this will be we're the ipad rests.
5. cover both sides of the cardboard with comic panels.
6. fold the front flap down into one of the back trenches so flaps 1 and 2 form the stand, flap 3 the ipad rest and flap 4 the base. (see image 2 for flap numbers)


onto project 4!

Step 5: Bookmarks

I've often been reading a graphic novel and have had to put it down for some reason, scanned the general vicinity for something to use as a bookmark and end up sticking in an old receipt or somthing. How much cooler would it be to used comic themed bookmarks?

you'll need comic panels (you can go a collage-y look, or use bookmark shaped panels like I have), some thin cardboard (i used a cardboard parcel package), glue, a ruler, a craft knife and some clear contact.

for a long panel bookmark:
1. cut out a page with half the long panels your using and glue it to the card board.
2. cut out the panels with the cardboard.
3. cut out the rest of the long panels and glue them to the back of the bookmark.
4. cover the bookmarks with clear contact.

for collage-y bookmarks:
1. cut out some strips of cardboard.
2. glue comic panels onto the cardboard.
3. cover with clear contact.

Onto the final project!

Step 6: Paper Wallet

I can't claim this one as mine - I got the idea from this instructable by theRIAA. By using a page from an oversized comic like 2000ad, you can make a pretty good comic themed paper wallet.

1. get a page from an oversized comic like 2000ad.
2. follow this instructable.


There are so many great ways to upcycle old comics - decopage furnature, coasters, etc, etc. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them, and throw in some of your own comic upcycling ideas!