Comic books are more than words and pictures: they are collectible pieces of art that can carry a great deal of value if they're in good condition. However, despite their small size, they can quickly take up a great deal of space as your collection grows. In order to preserve the condition, and thus the value, of your comic books, you have to be sure to store them properly to prevent damage from occurring.
Clean Hands
The most important thing that you should do before you start putting your comic books into storage is to make sure that your hands are clean. The oils on your hands, as well as any dirt or other contaminants, can cause damage to the ink and paper, ruining the appearance of your comic books and bringing down their value.
Backs and Bags
Make sure that you support the backs of your comic books to prevent them from folding on themselves and creasing. You should use acid-free, non-dyed cardboard for support behind the back of each comic, and bag them in airtight plastic bags that prevent air from yellowing the paper.
Boxes
You shouldn't leave comic books loose, even if they're in bagged properly. Instead, put them into boxes made out of acid-free cardboard. This will help prevent them from exposure to moisture and give them increased support, reducing the risk of them becoming damaged over time.
Proper Storage
When choosing a self-storage unit, you want to ensure that your boxes of comic books are stored in the right manner to protect them from any potential environmental damage. For example, to prevent the threat of moisture damage on the bottom of your boxes, you should store them above the ground. You can do this in a number of ways: setting the boxes up on milk crates are one good option. Further, you may want to place rat and insect traps around the unit, to prevent pests from eating away at the box or books themselves.
Climate Control
Further, when storing comic books, you should look for a climate-controlled unit that allows you to maintain a constant level of medium humidity and a temperature under 70 degrees. This will prevent mold and mildew growth, which could cause significant damage to the books if allowed to develop and spread.
Check-in
Finally, it's a good idea to go to your storage unit and check up on your comic books every few weeks or so, just to ensure that they're still in good shape. This can help you address any concerns that may arise before they do a significant amount of damage to your collection.
For more information on storage options, consider contacting companies like North Star Mini Storage.
