This site is devoted to presenting issues in the preservation and conservation of the physical structure of comic books. Our mission is to present reference material to help you make to informed choices in the care of your comic book collection. See bottom of the page for consulting services in the New York City Area.

Because comic books were often, at certain points in their history, published on low quality paper, they often don't age very well. Great care must be taken to preserve the original conditiona of a comic book. Much of the material on this site will be links to other sites that have more comprehensive material on the overall subject of paper document preservation, such as the CARING FOR WORKS OF ART ON PAPER or Library of Congress.

What is Comic Preservation?

In terms of the subjective study comic preservation cover these general areas:

Proper Handling of Comics

• Keep your hands clean and dry when handling comics.

Proper Archival Level storage of a Collection

• Use acid free comic books boxes for long term storage.

• Use the proper comic encapsulation method, that is appropriate for ones' economic resources.

Proper basic comics cleaning (non toxic chemical)

Proper assessment and treatment options for structural damaged to a comic.

• The subject of comic preservation can be a heated one, among those devoted to the reading and collecting these graphical storybooks. The main issue in the debate is not whether ones comic should be preserved, but rather what is preservation and when does it become restoration. The general notion of preservation involves two ideas:

  1. The first idea is that one wants to prevent decay of what they have at present.
  2. The second idea is that a person wants to maintain whatever they have, in the condition, in which they have it at present.

Both ideas must be linked like the concept of yin and yang, if ones collection is to survive the long term ravages of time and decay caused by varying environmental conditions. The notion of maintenance and prevent from decay in the comic world, are not yet so blended together. The main problem is a lack of education, limited grasp and or interest in dimensions of paper documents preservation.

Another problem is a lack of understanding of the difference between preservation and restoration. In truth there is a fine line between the two ideas. There are two general types of comic restoration.

Restoration Types

1. Restoration type one is to repair physical structural damage to a comic, such as mending a binding, general paper tears sealing, and replacing missing or rusty degrading staples.

2. Restoration type two is done to enhance the appearance of a comic, such at cover color touch ups.

The second class of restoration has caused lots of problems in the comic marketplace, because seller would not tell buyers about cosmetic enhances to the comics that they were buying. This lack of disclosure was and is seen as a type of fraud.

Restoration type one in reality, improves the life span of ones comic, but suffers as a preservation tool because of the stigma of all restoration work. In the case of very rusty staple, sometimes found in golden age book (issue of climate and moisture) staple rust can migrate to the paper around the staple, which can result in the deterioration of the binding and de coloration of comic pages in contact with the staples. In such cases, structural restoration can prevent the further decay of the comic in association with rusty staples. In this situation, as in others relating to type one restoration, preservation and restoration meet.

These links below are to professionals in the business. They are very informative on the subjects of comic collecting, preservation and more.

http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/index.html 

http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/mylar.html

http://www.bcemylar.com/paperdocs.cfm

http://www.metropolisplus.com/COMICSBASICS.htm

 

 

 

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This portion of the site is devoted to issues related to paper used in comic books.

Coming Soon

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Comic Encapsulation

To many collectors putting their prized comics in polyethylene bag, thinking "this is a good enough preservation move", until they come back to their comic in a few years to find the quality of their book is changed for the worse.

While polyethylene bags are OK for short time comic storage, perhaps over a few months to a few years. Comic aging depending partly on the climate where the comics are stored. Polyethylene are not considered a safe long term archival quality solution to document preservation. Polypropylene is considered a better encapsulation method because generally it is more stable in structure than polyethylene. In the end although polyester film encapsulation is considered the best for the value.

 

Polyester Film Encapsulation link

Uncoated archival quality polyester film encapsulation is commonly known as Mylar Sleeves, for most comic collectors. These sleeves are at present the most logical form of long term storage, that is in direct contact with your comic books. These Polyester sheet usually come in the form of sleeves that are made in 1 to 4 mils in thickness. There is another product called Melinex which used for encapsulation, but not usually seen in the comic world.

NOTE: Mylar can crack and tear.

1. The thicker mylar usually is the one that may crack if its too dry and hot.

2. Thinner mylar may tear, if not handled with care.

Another source for a break down of plastic types used in storage: Guide to storage products

Special Encapsulation:

Note: First Vendor Name Listing are web clinks

There are some encapsulation methods that are for special situations.

CGC: Comics Guaranty, LLC (CGC) is a company that grades comic. They use a product called a CGC holder. This two layer comic encapsulation container maybe one of the best methods of storing a comic and having a idea of its market worth. The CGC holder has few different parts, two of these are a Barex plastic and Micro Chamber Interleaving Paper.

Because of the cost of grading and the quality of the holder, this encapsulation method is usually reserved for special items.

Millcase is a hard plastic case that is listed as having UV filtering.

CGC Protective cases ideas. These products may help protect your valued CGC cases from being scratched

• Global Genealogy in Canada as has a mylar sleeve that may be suitable for CGC slabs, check it out here.

• E. Gerber has a product that may help protect your CGC slab. It is item: 914R 9 x 14 1/2 Legal Size. This is a sub class of a 4mil mylar product called a Archives

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Comic Encapsulation Support Materials

Micro Chamber Interleaving Paper

Micro Chamber Interleaving Paper has actually a few aspects. The terms of Micro Chamber paper: in this context we are refering to a line of trademarked items that are lignin and sulfur-free, that also have alkaline level. It is also made partly of zeolites. Such paper reduces that effects of pollutants that are usually associated with paper document degradation. Interleaving are acid free sheets of paper or thin cloth rag put between sheets of a document to prevent the ink transfer from one page to another and reduce the effects of other agents that are pollutants to paper.

Acid Free Backing Boards link

These stiff boards are made of cloth/rags or wood/paper. They are usually a little bigger than the size comic book, they are made to support. These boards are inserted in a mylar sleeve usually in back of a comic book. The board helps supports the comic, to preventing bending the book and also getting creases in it or color breaks on its cover. The acid free nature of these board helps protect the comic book from acid migration found in the aging process of paper.

Some boards come with a 3% to 4% calcium carbonate buffer at a ph of about 8.00 added to the acid free backing. The idea is to help reduce the amount of environmental pollutes from getting into the comic. Backing boards fall under the area of Archival Board in the field of document preservation and in art presentation as a support product such as mattes.

 

Comic Book Storage Boxes

The day of keeping your comic collection in just some nice clean cardboard box are over. It is now a known fact that such simple storage opinion are straight forward, but damaging to comics over time. The reason for the is the cardboard itself. Acid in the wood pulp of cardboard can migrate into first the cover of a comic and over time the inside pages discoloring and aiding in breaking down their physical structure over time. Lucky there are quick a few vendors who make varying types of fairly acid free comic storage boxes.

Things to look out for when choosing the right storage box for your consideration

• Check to see that your are getting the right size boxes for your collection. A box the is a maybe a little big, like putting modern size book in a box made for silver and golden maybe a waste of space, but is better than the reverse situation.

• Seams on storage boxes can break if the container is over loaded or with weather condition that can effect the chemical bound of the adhesive.

• Make sure the height of the storage box with its lid is high enough it fit the type of Comic Encapsulation you are using. For example, make sure it you use mylar with vertical flaps that the height is not higher than the top of your box, if it is you may have problem with closing the lid on the boxes you have.

Tape:

The most under rated comic encapsulation support material is tape. It is used to keep the flap on mylar sleeves closed. Before acid free tape, comics could and did get damaged by tape getting old and releasing acids

Click here for the main type of acid tape to use, in general. TIP: remove tape from mylar before taking a comic out of sleeve, then put it back on when finished. A little piece of tape is not worth damaging your comic book.

Vendors

Comiccollectors.net: Commercial Comic Collector site with lots of general information.

Item: Protective Mylar Sleeves, and Boards

Note: First Vendor Name Listing are web clinks

E. Gerber Products, LLC : are the makers the famous Mylites mylar sleeves. Mylites are mylar sleeves that have a bendable flaps much like a ploy bag, but are make of one and two mil mylar. Mylites are one mil thick and Mylites 2 are two mils. E. Gerber Products also makes 4 mil open top sleeves. E. Gerber's prices are some of the most in inexpensive on the market.

The company also makes Acid Free Backing Boards called Half (24-mil) and (42-mil) Full Backs. All these These boards have a 3% calcium carbonate buffer throughout, maintains ph of 8.0+ add to the acid free backing board. The company also make other products like CGC comic boxes. Full Backs are also perhaps the thickest and stiffest backing boards on the market.

NOTES: In the pass, some have commented on the quality of the seams on E Gerber's sleeves, we have not had such problems to date. The seam issue may have a bad production run or a problem that may occur from time to time.

Another note to mention, as of the summer of 2010 they do not have an auotmated online ordering system. You have to call or e-mail your order in to them. I suggest you at least e-mail your order in to them to confirm what you have requested. Confusion in ordering can equal wasted time and money in reorder, returns and repacking fees. You can also order their products at Comicsupply.com and have the adavantages of a automatic web transaction with payment options and visual order details confirmation.

Mylites 2 and 4 mil are a cost effective way to protecting large collects, for comics have to be opened from time to time.

Bill Cole Enterprises: is the maker of the Super Mylars sleeves called TIME-LOKS®. These 4 mil mylar sleeves have pre-folded flap. TIME-LOKS use Ultraweld™ technology seams to try make their sleeves strong. Bill Cole Enterprises also makes 2 and 4 mil mylar with open flaps. Bill Coles mylars products are prices expensive, because of the increase in international oil prices. Mylar has elements that come from oil products we were told by the company.

The company also makes Acid Free Backing Boards called THIN-X-TENDERS™ (24 mil thick) , TIME-X-TENDERS™ (42 mil thick), and LIFE-X-TENDERS™ have 3 layers: one is acid free backing board, 2. is 3% calcium carbonate buffer throughout, maintains ph of 8.0-8.5 3. another acid free backing board. Only LIFE-X-TENDERS™ have the 3% calcium carbonate buffer at time of press of this article in the Bill Cole line. The company also make other products like CGC comic boxes.

NOTES: The use of TIME-LOKS is best for rare or important comic items that need more protection from dropping, weather, or general handling within encapsulation. There is some skill involved in putting in and removing comics from these stiffer sleeves. Time-loks are usually rather expensive. Although, they are perhaps one of the best polyester film encapsulation products in the market, for items that are not opened and handled regularly after encapsulation.

Bags Unlimited: This company sells many comic related products including their own mylar comic sleeves and is one of the older companies in the industry.

BCW: Another company that has Archival Polyester (Mylar®) comic products. They make 2 and 4 mil comic sleeves and also other sizes. They also offer FREE shipping with some types of orders, which saves lots of money on large orders and is very rare.

Item: Comic Book Storage Boxes

Note: First Vendor Name Listing are web clinks

Bags Unlimited, Inc: The large vendor has a good selection of standard acid free comic book storage boxes.

Bill Cole Enterprises: Vendor has a wide selection of acid free comic book storage boxes and CGC size comics sleeves. (Some of his other products are listed in more detail in other sections of this site)

E. Gerber Products, LLC : Vendor has CGC size comics boxes. (Some of his other products are listed in more detail in other sections of this site)

BCW: This company also sells the card board boxes, but also plastic comic boxes as well. Both type boxes are offered in short (L 15.75 X W 7.5 X H 10.75) and long (L 28 X W 8 X H 11.5) lengths. The plastic boxes may seem better for damp or wet conditions, possible storage problems or moving conditions. The plastic boxes seem to be able to store a heavier weight load.

Special Comic Boxes

Conservation Resources International: Make very serious paper conservation products for museums and government archives. One of these products is small selection of comic related items, such as the .060 Gray/white and .060.

Their Micro Chamber rated comic book boxes are interesting. These boxes are best for small collections of very special items, that will be stored for long periods of time. Please note these are not budget items, but very high quality materials. Also note: Don't overload these boxes seams may become a issue.

Item: Micro Chamber Interleaving Paper

Note: First Vendor Name Listing are web clinks

Bill Cole Enterprises: item is called Life-X-Tenders Plus™
9 Mil Anti-Aging Preservation Sheets.

BCW: There product is called Comic Book Extenders and sold in 10 mil thick sheets

Eclipse Paper Conservation : item is called Micro chamber Interleaving Sheets

ComicSupply.com: items is called Micro chamber Archival Paper

Conservationresources.com: Very serious art and document conservation company click the following link for the right site location (it is very easy to get lost on their site) Click Here Please. From this company also you can buy your own roll of these materials and cut and design to your own needs. Company is in the UK.

Conservation-by-Design: From this company also you can buy your own roll of these materials and cut and design to your own needs. Company is in the UK.

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Vendors: Restoration and Conservation

Note: First Vendor Name Listing are web clinks

While we are listing the following vendors, we can not endorse their products or services. The following information is just being presented for reference purposes.

Classics Incorporated

Classics Incorporated
PO Box 600263
Dallas, TX 75360
Phone numbers: 972-980-8040 – 214-459-1866

Eclipse Paper Conservation

WWW.Eclipsepaper.com
email at: trace@eclipsepaper.com
call (toll-free) at 1-888-836-2821

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Articles of Interest

• This is an interesting article, that list some good sound thoughts on comic care. Check out the links too. Click Here I believe by Dave Gieber

• Another article is found at a yourcomicsonline.com which is appears to be a comic collector's site. The section on handling comic is particularly of interest. Click here

• Other Sites

  • Terms

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Consulting Services for the New York City Area:

For comic book collectors in the New York City area, we offer reasonable rates for consultation on how to best preserve your comic collection, within you budget. We also can give you ideas on how and when to sell your collection and get the best price.

Drop us a line at 7star@sprynet.com or call 1 212 631-1099

Our Collector's Society Page: Just a few items

Updated: July 09, 2010

Site managed by Nathan Chukueke and Kevin Sims

So mote it be.

 

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