If you love getting started with comic books, you might have heard the term “bagging and boarding”. This is a simple way to keep your comics safe from dust, dirt, and damage over time. When people say “bags and boards,” they mean putting each individual comic book into its own protective plastic sleeve (the bag) with a sturdy piece of cardboard behind it (the board).
To do this correctly, you slide the backing board in first and then carefully slide the comic book inside the bag with the board to its back cover. Then, you seal the top of the bag. This keeps the pages flat and prevents them from bending or folding.
Comic books come in different sizes depending on when they were made:
- Golden Age (pre-1956)
- Silver Age (late 1950s to early 1970s)
- Modern Age (current era, usually standard size)
You need the correct bag and board size for each age so that your comics fit perfectly. Using a “standard” modern-sized sheet won’t work well for older books because they are often larger or have different proportions.
It is important to use boards with an archival quality. This means the material used does not contain chemicals that will damage, stain, or stick to the paper of your comic book as it ages. Archival materials ensure your collection stays in great shape.
There are two main ways people seal their bags:
- Tape method: You fold the plastic over the opening and put a piece of tape to seal the bag.
- Built-in sticky section: Some newer bags have an adhesive strip covered by plastic at the top. When you are ready to close it, you peel off that thin layer and press down on the seal. This is often better because standard tape is hanging there just wanting to grab onto your comic book the next time you take it out of its bag. The downside of the built-in adhesive strip is the extra plastic and its static cling!
If you want people to be able to see art printed on both sides of a cover (known as wrap-around covers), there are also clear plastic boards available that let the artwork show through while still providing support and protection from behind.
Different types of bags, like Mylar, come in various thicknesses. Thicker materials provide more durability against bending or punctures but may be heavier than thinner options. Choosing a thicker bag is great for protecting high-value comics you want to keep safe forever.
Once your comic books are bagged and boarded, the next step is storage. You should put them into boxes so they do not get crushed on shelves. You can find storage boxes made out of sturdy cardboard or heavy-duty plastic depending on your preference for weight and style.
- Short boxes: These are usually about half as long as an average cardboard box. They fit well in smaller spaces or under desks.
- Long boxes: these can hold many more comics and take up much less shelf space because of their length.