What Is a PS Artbooks Facsimile Edition?
- PS Artbooks
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
A PS Artbooks Facsimile Edition is a carefully crafted, page‑for‑page recreation of a vintage comic, produced to replicate the experience of reading the original issue exactly as it first appeared on the newsstands. These editions are not reinterpretations, curated highlights, or modern redesigns. They are faithful restorations, created with respect for the original material and the era that produced it.
The goal of a facsimile edition is simple but ambitious: to allow modern readers and collectors to experience historic comics as they were originally intended, without the barriers of rarity, fragility, or extreme cost.
A Faithful Reproduction of the Original Comic
Every PS Artbooks facsimile edition is designed to mirror the original publication as closely as possible. The original artwork is preserved in its authentic form, maintaining the line work, colouring, and printing style of the period. Period adverts are included exactly as they appeared, offering a fascinating snapshot of the time and adding to the overall reading experience.
Classic splash pages, story layouts, and editorial features are all reproduced in full, ensuring the structure and rhythm of the original comic remains intact. Nothing is removed, rewritten, or modernised. If it was part of the original issue, it remains part of the facsimile.
While the presentation stays true to the past, the restoration process benefits from modern expertise. Each page is restored with exceptional care, addressing common issues such as fading, discolouration, tears, and print defects that have developed over decades.
The restoration work is detailed but restrained, ensuring the comic is cleaned and stabilised without losing the character and charm of the original printing. The aim is not to make the comic look modern, but to present it as it would have appeared when first released.
Paper Stock True to the Period
Authenticity is not only visual but physical. PS Artbooks uses paper stock that is faithful to the era of the original publication, carefully selected to recreate the look, weight, and texture of vintage comics. This attention to detail ensures that the facsimile doesn’t just look right, but feels right in the hands.
Turning the pages is meant to evoke the sensation of reading a comic fresh off the presses decades ago, rather than a modern glossy reprint. The result is an immersive experience that honours the original production methods of the time.
Comics Once Lost, Damaged, or Unaffordable
Many of the titles released as PS Artbooks facsimile editions are comics that now sell for thousands at auction, when copies can be found at all. Original issues are often extremely rare, heavily damaged, incomplete, or entirely lost to time due to the disposable nature of early comics.
Facsimile editions make these historically important works accessible again, allowing readers to explore landmark comics without risking fragile originals or paying prohibitive prices. They serve both as readable editions and as a form of preservation for comic book history.
Iconic Titles Brought Back to Life
The PS Artbooks facsimile range includes some of the most iconic and sought‑after titles of the Golden Age and beyond. These include Captain Marvel Jr., Startling Comics, Phantom Lady, Planet Comics, and This Magazine Is Haunted. Each facsimile captures the tone, energy, and visual style that made these comics memorable and influential.
By restoring and reproducing these titles, PS Artbooks helps ensure they remain part of the living history of comics rather than fading into obscurity.
A Wide Range of Classic Genres
PS Artbooks facsimile editions span a broad spectrum of classic comic book genres. Readers can explore science fiction filled with ray guns and alien worlds, action and adventure stories packed with daring heroes, gritty crime tales, chilling horror comics, and foundational superhero stories.
Together, these genres showcase the creativity, imagination, and cultural influences that shaped early comic book storytelling.
Facsimile February: Three for the Price of Two
To celebrate the facsimile range, PS Artbooks is running Facsimile February, offering three facsimile editions for the price of two. It’s an ideal opportunity to discover rare classics, revisit legendary titles, or start a facsimile collection.
Facsimile February is a chance to experience vintage comics as they were meant to be read, preserving the past while making it accessible for today’s readers.
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