It occurred to me last night (as I was in the midst of last night's Comic Book Talk Radio show with Jason Miner) that there are a couple more gift suggestions fans might make to people who say, "What do you want this year?" Some of those people aren't likely to make it to your favorite comics shop -- but they might have a craft store they visit. So you might suggest an assortment of acid-free items that are, surprisingly, now pretty widely available.

For example, I still see pros at shows signing items with run-of-the-mill black Sharpie pens. Nothing against the Sharpie, which has many, many uses. But an autograph with a Sharpie or one of those gold or silver pens that suspend tiny metallic flakes in some sort of oil will age speedily and nastily. I'm not saying acid-free metallic ink will never age -- but I think it'll hold up better than some of the inks I see at shows these days. Or ballpoint-pen ink.

Maybe acid-free products (and check out Bags Unlimited and Bill Cole for cool ideas) could be part of a more elaborate "Travel Kit" for collectors. I bought a photographer's vest from eBay a year or so ago, and it provides both mobility and the "place for everything and everything in its place" convenience that has eased my increasing travel load. My autograph pens and other writing tools fit in the pen pockets, my cell phone fits in the pocket high enough for me to hear it easily, cash and credit cards go in a zipper pocket, reading glasses go in a compartment next to the compartment that holds my Palm Pilot and a small writing pad. Just a thought.