How to Protect Comic Books

Bag your comic books individually, either in polypropylene bag or a Mylar bag (use Mylar type D or Melinex 516). As comic books age, their pages tend to grow yellow and brittle as a result of acid, oxidation, water damage and heat. Mylar is more expensive than polypropylene but offers better protection over the long haul. In each case, consider whether the comic is likely to appreciate enough in value to justify the greater expense. In 1993, the rapid sellout of SupermanK, featuring the widely publicized "Death of Superman," would have been a cue to use Mylar. By 2010, copies of this issue in near-mint sold for more than $100 on eBay.

Use an acid-free white backing board to protect your comic book from bending and tearing. Insert the board and the comic book into the bag at the same time, with the edge of the board slightly below the edge of the comic book (i.e., so that the board enters the bag first). This procedure reduces the chances of inadvertent damage while inserting the comic into the bag. Seal the bag by taping the flaps to it with a tape that is easy to remove; the force required to break a tougher adhesive will risk damage to the comic book when you eventually want to open the bag.

Further protect your comic books from jostling by installing bagged issues in comic book boxes. Like the backing board, the storage box should be acid-free. Store your bagged and boxed comics in a cool, dry and dark environment. Basements are susceptible to moisture and attics to extreme seasonal variations of hot and cold.

Visit your comic book collection periodically to check for signs of mildew, color running onto the backing board or other problems. If mildew has contaminated your collection, move it to a new location and determine whether this solves the problem. If necessary, remove the affected comics from your collection to prevent the mildew from spreading to other comics.