How to Store your Physical Comics

While many people collect comics haphazardly, there are many factors to keeping the comics safe and in good condition over time. This blog aims to point out some of the most important factors to keep your comics safe.

TIP ONE: BUY BAGS AND BOARDS

To anyone inexperienced in comic collecting, seeing a bunch of plastic bags and boards at your local comic shop might seem confusing. However, they are very integral to the condition of your comics over time. Specifically, the boards themselves are a must-have. This is mainly because they help to stop the comics from bending out of shape while in a bag. Additionally, the boards help to keep comics organized when placed in a container or box of sorts (more on that later). Another specific issue for old comics that boards resolve is the neutralization of acids. The pages of these older comics could yellow over time if a board is not placed to neutralize the acids.

TIP TWO: BUY COMIC BOXES

This might sound obvious, but I’ve seen many people just leave their comics out in random piles and stacks. Depending on how many comics you own, there are many different-sized comic boxes. You can often find them for cheap at your local comic store, or get a more expensive version with a design on it if that’s what you prefer. Personally, I stick with the basic white boxes from my comic store that fit around 150-200 comics per box. They’re very sturdy and do a good job at keeping my comics safe, in combination with the bags and boards.

TIP THREE: KEEP THE COMICS IN A COOL ENVIRONMENT

While it might not be obvious at first, humidity can permanently damage your comics. This can especially affect older comics, as mold growth and paper warping are likely. Additionally, try not to keep the comics in a room that is too dry. This could lead to a weakness in page durability, which obviously will decrease the value of the comic over time. Ultimately, comics will suffer the least amount of damage if you keep them in an area that is neither humid nor dry, and follow the other previous rules!