How to Preserve Your Comic Books
Use specially designed comic book bags., Select a size., Bag each comic with a supportive board., Decide whether or not to tape your bag.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use specially designed comic book bags.
Store your comics safely in a protective bag made from acid-free materials.
Limit their exposure to moisture and dirt.
Keep the pages as crisp and clean as possible.Expect most comic book bags to be made of one of either three materials:
Mylar, polyethylene, and polypropylene.Save Mylar for your most cherished, expensive, or frail books, since Mylar is the thickest material and will offer the most protection.
Use polyethylene and polypropylene (the least expensive) for the rest of your collection. -
Step 2: Select a size.
Be aware that the average size of a comic book has changed over time.
Expect older comics to be larger than today’s.
Buy an appropriately sized bag for each comic to avoid the damage that might occur when you insert or remove it from a bag that is too small.
Bag sizes are categorized by era:
Golden Age (1940’s and earlier): 7 ¾ by 10 ½ inches, or
19.685 by
26.67 cm.
Silver Age (1950’s to 1980’s): 7 ⅛ by 10 ½ inches, or
18.1 by
26.67 cm.
Current Age: (1980’s to present): 6 ⅞ by 10 ½ inches, or
17.46 by
26.67 cm. , First, slide your comic into its bag, spine first.
As you do, gently press the comic closed to prevent the bottoms of the pages from scratching the edges of the bag’s opening.Once the entire comic is safely in the bag, slide a backing board in behind it.Give your comic a stiff, durable support to help keep its shape when stored upright.
Some backing boards are “buffered,” meaning that one side is smoother than the other.
If yours is buffered, have the smoother side facing the comic inside the bag.Since acids can ruin your comic, make sure your backing board is acid-free.
If you purchased a bagged comic with a backing board included, either confirm with the seller that the board is acid-free or replace it yourself to be 100% sure., Once you have bagged your comic, crease the bag’s flap to close it.
Then decide between tucking the flap into the bag or taking the extra step of taping the flap to the outside of the bag (some bags may come with their own adhesive strips along their flaps).
Be aware that there is some debate over which is best:
On the plus side, sealing the bag with tape will further reduce the chance of any outside elements coming into contact with the comic.However, when the bag is reopened, the sticky tape at the edge of the flap may come into contact with the comic when it is removed or reinserted, causing damage. -
Step 3: Bag each comic with a supportive board.
-
Step 4: Decide whether or not to tape your bag.
Detailed Guide
Store your comics safely in a protective bag made from acid-free materials.
Limit their exposure to moisture and dirt.
Keep the pages as crisp and clean as possible.Expect most comic book bags to be made of one of either three materials:
Mylar, polyethylene, and polypropylene.Save Mylar for your most cherished, expensive, or frail books, since Mylar is the thickest material and will offer the most protection.
Use polyethylene and polypropylene (the least expensive) for the rest of your collection.
Be aware that the average size of a comic book has changed over time.
Expect older comics to be larger than today’s.
Buy an appropriately sized bag for each comic to avoid the damage that might occur when you insert or remove it from a bag that is too small.
Bag sizes are categorized by era:
Golden Age (1940’s and earlier): 7 ¾ by 10 ½ inches, or
19.685 by
26.67 cm.
Silver Age (1950’s to 1980’s): 7 ⅛ by 10 ½ inches, or
18.1 by
26.67 cm.
Current Age: (1980’s to present): 6 ⅞ by 10 ½ inches, or
17.46 by
26.67 cm. , First, slide your comic into its bag, spine first.
As you do, gently press the comic closed to prevent the bottoms of the pages from scratching the edges of the bag’s opening.Once the entire comic is safely in the bag, slide a backing board in behind it.Give your comic a stiff, durable support to help keep its shape when stored upright.
Some backing boards are “buffered,” meaning that one side is smoother than the other.
If yours is buffered, have the smoother side facing the comic inside the bag.Since acids can ruin your comic, make sure your backing board is acid-free.
If you purchased a bagged comic with a backing board included, either confirm with the seller that the board is acid-free or replace it yourself to be 100% sure., Once you have bagged your comic, crease the bag’s flap to close it.
Then decide between tucking the flap into the bag or taking the extra step of taping the flap to the outside of the bag (some bags may come with their own adhesive strips along their flaps).
Be aware that there is some debate over which is best:
On the plus side, sealing the bag with tape will further reduce the chance of any outside elements coming into contact with the comic.However, when the bag is reopened, the sticky tape at the edge of the flap may come into contact with the comic when it is removed or reinserted, causing damage.
About the Author
Jason Webb
A passionate writer with expertise in crafts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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