If you want to enjoy your comic books forever (well almost), if you want your comic to increase in value you need to store them properly as early on as possible. Just to be clear– you should store your comic books properly as early on as possible!
What does that even mean? What are the basics?
There is a lot of comic preservation information out on the internet. Some have contradictory information and opinions and it can be quite confusing. I have complied a comprehensive guide using that information from reputable sources and common sense to form recommendations and guidelines so that you can be better informed to make your choice of how to preserve your collection. Reputable sources include those that are in the business of document and comic preservation; Australian War Memorial, Library of Congress, Northeast Document Conservation Center, Bags Unlimited and CGC. A reference list is provided at the bottom.
There are a multitude of factors to take into consideration when preserving your comic.
1. Environment – keep in a cool and relatively dry place.
2. Light – keep in the dark or if displayed, protect from UV light.
3. Encapsulation – protect from vermin, oily fingers, migrating acids, water, off gases. Protect the comic spine.
4. Cost – economic resources are finite
Environment recommendations:
- Keep in a cool environment – 21°C
- Keep in a relatively dry place – relative humidity between 30 – 50%
- Keep the temperature and humidity as consistent as possible
- Use a closet on the main level of your home
Light recommendations:
- Use polyester bags or sleeves
- Use UV protected display cases – minimize exposure to ultraviolet light with appropriate filters.
- All light sources in working and display areas should be filtered for UV radiation @ 30µW/lm
- Use museum grade products when displaying your comic
- Store in a dark environment e.g. Closet
- The recommended lighting level for display of paper items is 50 lux or less
- use incandescent light
Encapsulation recommendations:
- Slab it – for the most expensive/collectable/memorable comics in your collection
- Use Polyester bags – for long term storage, display and protection. Polypropylene/ Polyethylene bags – will not destroy your comics. They will simply afford less protection against the elements.
- Use acid free boards – provides structural integrity for your comic book and does not add to the deterioration of the comic. For long term archiving ensure boards are acid free and not just acid free at the time of manufacture. If available, use a board that can trap and neutralise the acids that will deteriorate your comic.
- Use Micro Chamber paper – for the expensive/collectable/memorable comics in your collection or if archiving for long term. Helps trap and neutralise migrating acids.
- Use acid free tape – if you use tape…and not on the comic book
- Use acid free boxes – to ensure good encapsulation is complete.
Adhesives – Tapes
Adhesives and tapes, even those marketed as “archival,” should never be placed in direct contact with collections. Generally, it is best practice to use acid free tape when/if the flap is secured due to possible off gases from standard tape.
Preserver Haven offers Neschen Acid-Free tape which has the added benefit of being removable.
Boxes
Comic book boxes made specially for storing comic books are made with different material. If you do use poly-bags for storing your comics, then you should most definitely use boxes made of acid free material. If you already store your comics in polyester then the acid free nature of the boxes is not essential, but it is still desirable.
Preserver Haven has the BCW Comic Book Bin available for your storage needs.
Store comic books upright. This is more of a controversial rule because it doesn’t apply to all comic books. Some people suggest storing comics upright will cause unnecessary stress on staples and the spine, but if proper precautions are taken, upright storage is the way to go.
References
https://www.bcwsupplies.com/blog/2015/06/22/polyester-polypropylene/
https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/paper.html
https://www.awm.gov.au/about/our-work/projects/documents
https://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/preservation-leaflets/overview
https://www.keepfiling.com/archival-safety-a/134.htm
http://www.clearfile.com/archival-storage.aspx
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/preservation/choosing-safe-plastics.html
http://www.home-museum.com/howto/HowToArts/Materials/materials.htm
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/167267/safe_enclosure_materials.pdf
http://www.spnhc.org/media/assets/SPNHC_CND_Supplies.pdf
https://www.bagsunlimited.com/category/41/comic-backing-boards-microchamber-paper