Those shiny scissors clenched in your hand are mighty powerful indeed, but before you use them to gut that pile of old comic books, remember that for all intents and purposes, those small rectangles of paper are still considered art and ideally should be revered rather than ravaged. If they are in excellent condition, do justice to them by first attempting to sell them to eager collectors via Craigslist, eBay or through a local comic book store. If you are informed that for some reason your old comic books are less than desirable and/or not worth cold hard cash, at least try donating them to a library, school, children’s summer camp, church, hospital, nursing home, charitable organization, thrift store, etc. You might even leave a few copies in doctor, salon and clinic waiting rooms to put a smile on a stranger’s face.

In the event that you do end up with a pile of comics that no one seems to want despite trying your best to spread the magic, go ahead and pull out those glorious metal shears so you can:

• Accent your fashion statement du jour with a pair of recycled comic book paillette earrings.
• Upgrade a plain pair of ballet flats with images cut from an old comic book.
• Tightly wind thin strips of comic book pages into beads that can be transformed into a cool wrist cuff.
• That old lampshade needs a fresh new outlook. Help it shine with a comic book page transformation!
• Make recycled comic book valentines for that special someone.
• Make a comic book tablecloth sandwiched in a layer of fused, waterproof, recycled plastic!
• Adorn your jacket lapel or book bag with a bunch of handcrafted comic book pin buttons.
• Wallpaper a room!
• Cover gifts with recycled comic book wrapping paper, and don’t forget to make matching gift tags.
• Revamp old furniture such as chairs, cabinets and coffee tables, or boxes and even toy dinosaurs with comic book decoupage.
• Beverage coasters are another unique application for old comic books, as are bracelets and hand-wrapped pencils.
• Make your next party a bit more festive by hanging a homemade recycled comic book garland.
• Adorn a lonely table with a handcrafted comic book bouquet in a recycled glass bottle.
• Tuck your school ID or a few select credit cards into a protective recycled comic book case.
• Make a necklace pendant by following the steps in this easy tutorial.
• Have a bunch of comic books that are water damaged? Instead of plunking them in your recycling bin, allow them to literally spawn new life by seeding them with this year’s garden.
• Mail letters inside totally eco, totally awesome recycled comic book envelopes — just use an old envelope as a template.
• Throw a comic book-themed baby shower accented with oodles of recycled decorations.
• Dress up a hair clip with an image gleaned from a favorite old comic book.
• Create a decorative comic book dish that can be displayed on a wall or used as a basic catchall.
• Give a beat-up flask a total makeover by covering the outside with a new comic book look.
• Cover old light-switch plates with select comic book graphics for a playful punch of color.
• Guess what? If you appreciate the artistic esthetics of your comic books fully intact, you can simply use them to bestow a nerd-tastic vibe to your walls. Pop each one in a frame and you’re good to go!