How to store comic books

1. Handle the comics properly. Wash your hands with soap and water before handling comics. This will remove any oils from your hands, which can cause staining on the cover or interior pages. Ideally, you should wear gloves when handling the comics. Never handle comics by the stapled edge, rather, pick them up at the open edge, top or bottom. The fewer spine stress marks, the better.

2. Place each comic in a bag and backing board. Use supplies created specifically for archival storage.

Mylar sleeves are considered the premiere bag or sleeve of choice (see Tips). While it may be superior, it is probably not essential, if ordinary care is taken to check the books periodically and change the bags when or if any yellowing is noticed.

Back boards are important to provide support and will prevent spine stress and corner/edge wear. As long as the backer board is white all the way through, you can use it forever as it is acid free.

For everyday use, ordinary bags and boards are less expensive and work fine. Unless you're using Mylar with virgin, alkali-buffered backer boards, however, you should plan on changing the bags and boards every 7 years or so.

3. Get your comic books in order. Organize your comic collection and find an acid-free box to store them in. A good storage box is one made of acid-free cardboard. You can also buy smaller archival storage boxes from archival and conservation supply stores online.

4. Store your comic boxes in a cool (70 degrees F or below is ideal), dry (50-60% relative humidity), and dark location, where humidity and temperature do not fluctuate. Interior closets are usually the best places to store comics in a typical house. Do not store comics in a basement if you can avoid it, as a burst pipe can result in flooding, which will ruin your comics. If you must store comics in a basement, make sure that the boxes are at least one foot off of the ground so that if any flooding occurs, you can minimize the possibility that water will reach the comics. Moisture is a comic book's second worst enemy; right next to fire.

5. Check up on them regularly. Check for bleeding of colors onto the boards, yellowing, and mold or mildew. If you notice ANY odor of mildew, remove the books from the contaminated location, set them out to air dry, and check again in three days. If you still smell mildew around the books, re-bag and board them immediately. Finally, if the mildew smell lingers, it is best to amputate - destroy the infected books, or at least remove them from contact with the rest of your clean collection. Mildew is a living thing and will migrate right through even Mylar to destroy your books (not to mention their value - the barest whiff of mildew will send a prospective buyer running).

6. Insure your collection. Comic books are NOT covered under your homeowners policy, even if part of a collection - they require a separate insurance rider. If your collection is extensive or valuable, talk to your insurance agent to get appropriate coverage in case of fire or theft.

7. Consider having good quality, older books professionally graded by a known, respected company. This is the ultimate protection for these books as they are sealed in an archival acrylic "well" with alkali buffers after being appraised by a panel of experts as to their condition. They may be re-sealed and certified for a small fee if you need to open the book for any reason (such as to show to a prospective buyer).



Tips
Mylar scratches and scuffs easily. If you handle your collection often, you may find the Mylars looking hazy. This won't affect their efficiency in protecting your books, but if you should decide to sell one, consider putting it in a new sleeve.

Golden and Silver Age books are far more susceptible to yellowing and any detrimental qualities in the storage materials, due to the type of paper they're printed on (crummy newsprint). New books are printed on acid-free paper, so unless you expose them to light, water or fire on a regular basis, a tiny bit of care goes a long way.

Be sure that the box you buy will fit the comics you have (older ones vary in size) and that the boards you buy fit properly in the box as well. Golden and Silver Age books are wider than current or regular sized comics, and will need a special box, they will not fit in a standard one.

The best quality bags and boards are no substitute for proper handling.

Remember, though - Comics are not merely for collection or investment. Great craftsmanship can be found in both the storyline and artistic aspects of comics - Treat them well, store them wisely, but remember that they are made first and foremost to be read and enjoyed!