8 steps of comic book storage

Find a comic you want to keep around beyond today and tomorrow and into the future. Personal taste rules importantly here, it's all about taste really. As does a rabid link into prescience as to what will be highly coveted in years to come. That's a good thing to have as well.

Or perhaps you just a want to preserve something so that the kids and grandchildren will be able to enjoy many decades from now. After all, who knows how much they can save by reading the comics now that will most likely be regurgitated later on when they run out of ideas?

Of course, doesn't at all hurt to store the entire comics collection across the board and to all the comics in the reading library.

Grab a comic bag designed to fit closest with the dimensions of the chosen comic. Such things can be bought at any local comic shop. Such as the Comic Shop or online at other stores. You will find them under names such as "comic bags", "comic storage bags", "polymer bags" or "mylar bags".

Comics made today fall into the "Current size" and will most often fit bags designated as such.

Older comics, those often of pre-1970s will find a fit in either the "Silver Age" or "Golden Age" dimensions.

Others still may need to branch out even and find themselves in "Magazine size". These include the classic comics from EC such as WEIRD SCIENCE and TALES FROM THE CRYPT.

It's important here to find the right size so as to not have the comic either jumping and sliding about while inside or squeezed too tight and thus end up warped for the pleasure of safety.

Alongside bags, it's a good idea to also pick up a set of backing boards. Make sure they are of the same dimension and size range as the comic bags.

These will lend the comics a stiffer backing and make them slightly sturdier in storage and movement.

Look to the shinier side to the board. This will be the side that has been heat-treated to be acid resistant.

And that's a good thing since acid is a bad thing and will turn your pages and covers and that's not a good look.

It's the acid in the board and other contact areas which will degrade and decrease the life of a comic. Comic storage boards are usually treated throughout, but use the shinier side for extra peace of mind.

Getting the correct size here is crucial since again you do not want the bag to be busting out of the seams trying to accommodate a board too big for its birches.

Place the comic front cover up and atop the board. Make sure the back of the comic lays on top of and within the borders of the shiny side of the board.

Getting them lined up makes it easier later on when slipping both the comic and backing board into the bag.

Insert board and comic into the comic bag. Come at it from either the bottom or top, depending on how you wish to close the flap later on.

If you're not looking to tape it down, it's better to have the flap on top and thus enter the bag with the bottom of the comic going in first.

Make sure the flap closes away from the front cover. In other words, have the lip of the bag touch the front cover of the comic.

Line up the comic and board so they are flush and fully within the bag.

Fold the extended flap of the bag over and behind. Keep the lip on the outside of the bag unless choosing inside and keeping things tight and tidy.

At this point, you can choose to tape the flap down. Or if it will be stacked with other comics, or no tape is wanted, just folded nicely.

Repeat as often and as necessary for the rest of the comics you'll be bagging and boarding.

Buy in bulk to save on costs. Bags and boards are sold in lots of 100 count. Not only do you save money when you buy in the big count, you can also gauge the rough count of your collection with how many lots you go through.

After all comics have been bagged and boarded, it's best to find a storage box for them.

You can buy them premade or flat from the comic shop. While tough to figure out at first, once you fold and make your own box, they're quick and easy later on. Cost doesn't matter outside of shipping as to whether or not you buy it flat or premade.

Comic boxes today often come in either a magazine or comic size. And between that, the choice of short or long boxes.

For space and mobility, go for short boxes. Short boxes on average hold about 100 comics neatly and comfortably. Any more than that and it's like squeezing a hippo into shorts for a gazelle.

Otherwise, a long box could be a good idea. Long boxes store about 300 comics and does the job for those who aren't planning on shifting their collection often and have the space to accommodate.

Close the lid and enjoy the peace of mind of having your comics stored away for a longer reading life.