Change). I personally have comics that have been in poly bags in my collection since the late 1980s (when I did a large-scale re-bagging effort, apparently not even using backing boards at that point in time). Polyethylene is more flexible than polypropylene. As far as Im aware (and I could be wrong) there is no added value to having a shipping cover attached, other than the fact that it may have preserved the cover of the magazine underneath. Try this experiment if you don't believe this. Drawer Boxes: Standard short and long boxes are not meant to be stacked up more than 2 or 3 high. Advantages of Mylar Type D Compared to Commonly Used Plastics: Resistance to diffusion of gases like oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, etc. Polyethylene is like the father; polypropylene is like the son. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Some collectors have a lot of angst about storing their comics. is 350 times greater than polyethylene. PE turns yellow, can stick to each other and can get gummy under the tape. By Fans who Love Comics for Fans who Love Comics http://comicspectrum.com/, Variant vs Chase covers: How chase covers can ultimately harm Publishers. A good place to get poly bags is Bags Unlimited. Started by Many of the polypropylene sleeves are less than 2 mil. These are also useful for certain newer comics that come out in the wider Golden Age format (27 and Cowboy Ninja Viking from Image come to mind, as well as the current Life with Archie series. Several people who have done this seem to have responded on the CGC board. All returns are subject to a 10% restock fee. Learn how your comment data is processed. Polyester film (Mylar) is basically the same - but is superior to PP and PE because it's thicker (except if it's a Mylite - then it's really no better - sorry, Kenny!). (LogOut/ While the 1 mil thickness is the cheapest Mylar solution, they are very thin and crinkly feeling, though they should provide the same chemical protection as thicker Mylar. What about boxes? Consider this example: Suppose you were looking for the perfect gene to clone a tough guy. I am starting to put anything that's super high grade into mylars. A brief note on slabbing: The ultimate in protecting a comic is, of course, to get it slabbed by Comics Guaranty, LLC. Thoughts? I personally have not seen PE turn but the reason i sell PP is because i have had no problems since I started selling them either. The primary purpose of a backing board is to add some stiffness to your comic book storage and prevent unintended bending or creasing of your comics. Top Loaders See definitions below. Many comic shops do not carry this size. To me, this is a clear indicator this is a more stable plastic compound. I dont like to spend 30-40 cents on a bag/board for a comic that is going to be in a $1 bin in 2 years time (e.g., 80+% of the comics published every month by Marvel & DC). Mike, I have also noticed that sometimes if I get a back issue where they put the backing board in with the wrong (not shiny) side to the book that I get a little image transfer of the back of a comic onto the backing board. These typically cost 2.5x and up what standard backing boards cost. But if the storage period is longer and you do not switch to Mylar, then you qualify as DIRECTLY proportional. When Im done I just slide those 15 or so comics back in at the end. There are various widths, make sure you buy the right width for the comics you need to store: 7 (aka Current) I do not like using this width. I have a strong preference for PE. At Comic Equip we sell E. Gerber Mylites and BCW Poly-bags. Now, would you rather have the genes from the son of a tough guy or fom the original tough guy, in this case, the son's father? Mylar: How does Mylar, which is biaxially extruded polyester film, afford more protection? For instance, I live in Southern California and we dont have many bugs compared to someplace like Florida (well, most places dont have a lot of bugs compared to Florida, but you get the idea). 2017 Certified Guaranty Company, LLC. E. Gerber and Bill Cole have these in acid-free buffered cardboard. The PP bags are overall better looking and seemed to have held up better than the PE bags (some of which are stickynothing to do with the Leather and Lace and Black Kiss comics contained within). They are different plastics but they perform the same service. She used to do a lot of scrapbooking and suggested that he use the acid-free double-sided tape they use for mounting photos. It doesn't matter to me as any book I deem a keeper goes in at least a myliteplus,and the rest go into whatever I have laying around. Re: Alternating facing to reduce spine roll: Yes, I do this. For display purposes I dont think there would be a problem with carefully folding the shipping cover to the back so you can display the magazines cover. This can be purchased from BagsUnlimited, BCW (who calls them Comic Extenders) and Bill Cole (who calls them Life-X-Tender Plus). Then there are those who recommend alternating facing them front then back to mitigate spine rolling (even in bagged/boarded comics). Many of the sleeves being sold on the internet and by hobby and comic shops are very flimsy and range from .5 mil to 2 mil. I don't go around purposely tearing my bags, so this point is moot. Are their and disadvantages I should be aware of if I were to try storing modern age comics in Golden Age bags/boards. Almost every collector has seen one of the white comic book storage boxes at some point, but there are more categories to choose from than you might think. E. Gerber calls these Half-Backs and Full-Backs. Again, I think it's mostly the storage conditions - the books turn the bags yellow, not vice-a-versa. Problem (mostly) solved. A good deal of polypropylene is imported. It seems like having these be really tight in the bag could be a problem, but if theres a bit of room because youre using bags that are a bit wider than the comics, maybe its not such a big deal. maybe that is just a waste of money as well. I replaced my bags in 2016. I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience, Pedro, Im not sure I have answers to your questions because youre doing stuff I have never done. People usually bag and board a comic and put it in a box, theyre not tossing it around where they need this kind of extra protection. Before I sold my business to Diamond, I sold over 800 million plastic bags under the ComiCovers brand. Comic Bags It can be harder or easier depending on where you live and what kind of average humidity youre dealing with outside. 7 3/4 to 7 5/8 (Silver/Gold) Good for 1950s onward. The Library of Congress uses it, and they know a thing or two about preserving paper products. Powered by Invision Community, I offend someone, on some level, somewhere. The difference in cost between 2 mil polyethylene and thinner polypropylene is a penny or 2 per bag. Poly p's don't seem to share this problem. Are you someplace with high humidity? To get around this and allow stacking various companies have developed boxes that fit into an outer shell that allows the comic box to be slid out like a drawer from any position in the stack while the outer shell supports the weight of the boxes in the rows above. So I recently completed my collection of NM Neil Gaimans Sandman and want to bag and board it properly, preferably in Mylar and with high quality boards. No comic looks better than one displayed in a Mylar 4 mil Sleeve. I would definitely put my For Sale comics into poly-bags, but only for a short term, say a couple of months. Due to its rigitity, polypropylene sleeves are more prone to tear, especially at the seams. Thank you very much for the reply! I understand but that small piece of advice was already more than enough and I really thank you for it. is 350 times greater than polyethylene. The shiny side is coated with a very thin 3% calcium carbonate buffer and should be the side that is placed next to the comic book. Bags Unlimited calls them Standard Acid-Free and Super Acid-Free. In more chemistry-speak, propylene (CH3CH:CH2) is is a sub-stratum of ethylene. Hi, I found it immensely helpful and entertaining. MicroChamber Paper: Very thin paper specially constructed with dispersed molecular traps that remove and neutralize acids, pollutants and the harmful by-products of deterioration. Reading through your article I was wondering. Poly bags also come in a variety of thicknesses, with polypropylene typically being thinner (1.2 to 1.5 mil). Yes, thats clear. The answer to that for a serious collector would beMylar. (tape doesn't count), I guess the concepts of progress and evolution are total BS thenNazi. For added protection, you can also place sheets of micro-chamber paper in your comic that are designed to remove and neutralize acids as well as trap pollutants. This re-enforced caseholds up to 15 bagged and boarded comic books,or up to 20 loose comic books. If I was starting out today Id have more of my collection in these. Do you have issues with mold, mildew and fungus in general? Bobs Recommendation: I believe those are mostly comics that have been stored in harsher environmental conditions than I have. Will the fact that they are extra stiff full backs make a difference or will the size discrepancy put my comics at risk in any way? I wouldn't consider the storage conditions ideal -- but they are away from heat and light for the most part -- the temperature is probably around 70 degrees or so, slightly cooler in the winter humidity is sort of a problem here but the comics are in a room that makes the dehumidifier not a great option. Personally, I dislike the 1 mil Mylites/Arklites (Ive bought the 1 mil Arklites). It can be shelved in a book case or carried in your backpack to safely transport your comics to your favorite comic book convention. The lower static charge produced by polyethylene as opposed to the higher charge emitted by polypropylene means that polyethylene will attract much less dirt, dust and other foreign, organic elements. I like both, and in some ways prefer PP but some of the old yellowed bags that were PEs have some of the freshest whitest looking books in them when I've been digging in long boxes at stores. I always have someone comment about how cool this is when they see me pull it out of my backpack at a con. maybe thats the way to go if you feel its safer. BCW sells some of these with little stands built in, long and short boxes made out of corrugated plastic, comparison of the DrawerBox vs. the Comic House here, How many comics fit in a short box QNAFaq, How many comics fit in a long box QNAFaq, https://comicspectrumblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/rack-system-for-comic-long-boxes/, https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/357459-two-books-in-one-bag/, https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/504270-comic-book-conservation-niche-questions/, ComicCon@Home: Bobs Sunday 7/25/2021 Panelsreviewed, ComicCon@Home: Bobs Saturday 7/24/2021 Panelsreviewed, ComicCon@Home: Bobs Friday 7/23/2021 Panelsreviewed, WonderCon@Home: Bobs Saturday 3/27/2021 Panelsreviewed, WonderCon@Home: Bobs Friday 3/26/2021 Panelsreviewed. Volatile Additions--Mylar contains no dangerous plasticizers, slip additives, surface coatings, antioxidants, acid-hydrolysis compared to other commonly used plastics. https://comicspectrumblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/rack-system-for-comic-long-boxes/. Allans wife was watching him re-bag/board old comics, while being very careful with the tape. What about insects (especially the kinds that like to chow down on paper products, termites, silverfish, etc.)? Bag Width Foolkiller, September 21, 2007. Ordinary Cardboard: If you use backing boards, use only alkaline buffered acid-free board. An aside on taping your bags: Some people like to tuck the flap in and dont use tape, fearing that it will snag a comic when taking it in/out of the bag. Standard Comic Boxes: These can be bought in almost any comic book store and come in different lengths & widths: Plastic Comic Boxes: Are those regular cardboard boxes just not doing the trick for you? Above is a picture of a couple of comics in poly bags (I believe polypropylene) that have been in a comic box in my garage (stored upright in a low humidity environment) since late 1989. Also, the failure mode of PP does seem to involve wrinkling and warping, whereas PE's failure is moreso yellowing. Youve heard about Mylar, do you really need to use it to keep your comics collection from disintegrating before your eyes? Are the Mylars better to use than the cheaper poly-bags? We do not preach fire and brimstone. Permanence. I have some old MAD Magazines with the shipping covers still attached. Try to gently tear each one. Keep in mind that thicker boards take up some extra room in the bag and may make the fit for your comic very snug so it does not go in and out of the bag easily. But if I wanted them to look their best, I might try Mylar. There is not doubt that mylar is the best material for archival storage of paper collectibles. This Blog entry will eventually end up as a page on the ComicSpectrum web-site. List Of Clients | Preservation | Price List | Contact Us | Links | Home | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Just spring for the Mylite 2's, you can afford it. If you found this to be informative, drop me an e-mail or leave a comment below. A cool, dark and dry environment will person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point the aging process. I've said this countless times over the years to collectors, retailers and archivists: PE is no better than PP. Even so, we are not totally bug-free, and I have a service that comes out monthly and sprays the perimeter of the house and property line to keep bugs out. Bob Bretall: bob@comicspectrum.com The cheaper one that doesn't turn the color of pee is more appropriate for me. Moving up a step, I know people who swear by the 2 mil Mylite2/Arklites2 bags. Besides, is it the end of the world if one of the bags I paid $3/100 for tears? Poly-bags will not actually destroy your comics. I have been using one of these to carry books to conventions for years. After having read your blog post and followed your advice on the bookcases, I finally went for the kill. Acid Free Storage Boxes: These are typically used by people storing comics bagged in Mylar, but seem a bit like like overkill, theyre VERY expensive. Obviously, you want the purest tough guy genes, so you would go with the father. Re: Having the board be too long for the mylar Not a problem Ive had, but Id personally just trim the board a bit to make it so that it is not too long. Re: Splitting the mylar when putting in the board You just need to be more careful sliding it inthis will get easier for you as you get more practice. Consider your Environment Yeah converting everything to mylar could be a bit pricey. Mylar is an extruded film that is simultaneously stretched in two directions to give it maximum strength. Polyethylene costs more. There is no use stiffening your comics and saving a few pennies if the boards' natural acid turns your comics into "stiffs". Polypropylene is a thermoplastic resin that is a polymer of propylene and is more rigid than polyethylene. Do you have a lot of these factors in your area and if so, do you take steps to manage them? In other words, molds, mildews, and discolorations will not occur with an inert substance, so there's no way a polyethylene sleeve can damage your collectible, nor can damage readily occur to it. The relatively rough surface of polypropylne has the potential to produce scratches to the surfaces of collectibles while the ptoential for scratching by polyethylene sleeves is minimal. Resistance to diffusion of gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, etc. Resistance to moisture, insect attack, fungus, mold, mildew, acid, oils, grease, and solvents is "excellent" compared to "fair" for others. BCW also offers Acid Free boards that are independent lab certified. Corey, This is not something Im an expert in. Backing boards and MicroChamber paper are used in conjunction with your bags of choice to enhance the preservation of your comic. Even the 1 mil thick Mylar bags cost 2-3 times as much as poly bags (wholesale/bulk). Same here. Cost They will simply afford a lot less protection against the elements. Keep in mind, that we are not talking about 4 or 5 times better as compared to their price; we are talking about offering the kind of protection for 100 years which poly-bags cannot offer for even one year. Take an ordinary piece of writing paper (rigid) and a common paper towel (pliable). If I were a dealer or collector and wanted to keep oily fingers off my wares and valued collection, I would definitely put my "For Sale" comics into poly-bags, but only for a short term, say a couple of months. I keep my comics in boxes where there is no light. This paper also eliminates odors such as smoke, mold and mildew. Here is what E. Gerber has to say about storing comics on their web-site (keeping in mind that they are, after all, in the business of selling mylar bags): Poly-bags will not destroy your comics. By contrast, polypropylene is stiff and hard, while polyethylene is soft and pliable. A good 1st step is making sure you have good weather stripping/seals on all your doors/windows in the garage. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But now Im thinking about getting the humidity out of the garage somehow. As far as humidity control for your garage, thats always a good idea. The translucent nature of polyethylene prohibits a greater amount of light penetration than the transparent polypropylene. BCW has long and short boxes made out of corrugated plastic that come in either black or white (they make the regular cardboard variety also). Polypropylene is also inert, but that's where the similarities end. Bill Cole calls them Thin-X-Tenders and Time-X-Tenders. Not trying to be my normal overly smart alec self, just honestly curious. Bobs Recommendation: Generally, thicker bags are better. The translucent nature of polyethylene prohibits a the greater amount of light than the transparent polypropylene. I believe that replacing poly bags ever 2-5 years is not necessary, but is encouraged by those that have a vested interest in selling collectors bags or up-selling collectors on Mylar. But not every single comic. They will simply afford a lot less protection against the elements. PP is no better than PE. It costs more because it is a product of higher purity (100% Virgin) in addition to the advantages already presented, and will outlast and outperform any derivative product. Ethylene is the purest form of the base chemical and thus the purer better of the two. Pingback: How many comics fit in a short box QNAFaq, Pingback: How many comics fit in a long box QNAFaq. Join our mailing list to get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales. However, I buy whatever is cheap - poly e's seem to have had a real problem with sizing in the past couple years, in that silver age bags don't fit silver age boards, and the bag sizing is all smaller than the width indicated on the packaging - doesn't seem to matter what the brand. Due to its rigidity, polypropylene sleeves are more prone to tearing, especially at the seams. The sheer weight of the comics will cause the bottom boxes to start crushing. Back when both types of bags were first introduced, PP was advertised to be more archival and have a longer life than PE. They are simply a means of protecting your comics from storage and handling damage. Bag Thickness I had to face how expensive these products were (and also about the size difference between my mostly copper and modern comic collection and the Silver/Gold bags) and thought about double booking, a.k.a. There is one dealer who advertises "Made in the USA" who sells sleeves that say "Product of China" right on the package. But, as the person said in the earlier post, mylar is your best option. Pedro, I have at least 200 comics in my to read pile stacked on a shelf that gets zero sunlight right now. Poly, or Mylar? Poly-bags will not actually destroy your comics. https://comicspectrum.com/ Covering the full spectrum of comics culture. Sold by E. Gerber, BCW, and Bill Cole. I have never personally used or seen these bags and cannot speak to their quality. Having said all that, PP does seem to have won in the marketplace over the last 10-15 years, with Bags Unlimited being pretty much the only source for PE as far as I can tell. They could be useful if youre shipping a comic in the mail and want the extra protection. Article was by Bob (last comment/question was from Matt). So, what do you need to use? Re: 2 books in a single bag: Ive never put 2 books into a single bag/board. Before that I was storing 2 books per bag since the early 1990s and keeping them in Rubbermaid containers. Storage Folios Polyethylene: A polymerized ethylene resin that is inert, translucent and creates a lower static charge than polypropylene. Bobs Recommendation: I like to take the value of a comic into account when determining the cost of the storage materials I use with it. Just to let you know, PET (Polyethylene Terepthalate) is Polyester which is Mylar. And it is those elements which produce damage to collectibles. Personally, nowadays if Im going to take the step up to Mylar from poly bags, I go all the way to the 4 mil thick archival bags. I use tape, I like keeping that flap securely in place. I tend to put them in groups of 5. As for strength and stability: it is also several hundred times stronger and more stable. A Tip on Sealing Your Bags I found this forum post on CGC that seemed to claim there were no issues with it: https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/357459-two-books-in-one-bag/ PP, while it gets wavy, stays clear and doesn't get gummy. This was proposed by Allan Phillips and sounds like a great idea! Simple logic dictates that it should be a superior product and it is. Get what feels right for you, taking the knowledge presented here into account. If you get reusable dessicant packs, they will indicate via color change when they need to be recharged, pop them in the oven till they turn back to their original color again and when they cool off they are good to put back in your comic storage location. The main problem with Golden age mylars (for me) is that they are too wide to fit in a standard short or long box for storage. * Use basic boards with poly bags This is why its important to put that buffered side of a regular backing board facing the comic. Ive never tried these, but they seem very sturdy and may be the solution to those times when I pull a long box off a shelf & the side by the handle rips out because of the weight or the corner separate (see box 191 in the picture above). (LogOut/ There's no dirt or dust in my boxes either, and, if there was, only the top of each comic is exposed, and, even then, they're all in BAGS. That said, Id likely be on board with this philosophy if my business was made up of selling Mylar bags to comics fans who are fearful that putting comics in poly bags is tantamount to wrapping them in a tissue and setting them out in the rain. As with bags where you have Mylar and poly(ethylene/propylene), for backing boards you have 2 basic varieties: Basic Boards: Typically .24 mil thick these are usually shiny on one side and a matte finish on the other. Back then in AC equipped public storage (when I was renting an apartment) and then my garage. I would think the extra minimal cost is worth the expense to perhaps get a better price in the sale. I have tons of books still in both PE and PP that have been in them for at least 15 years and the books haven't been affected by the bags. Magazine boxes: Similar to short boxes, but 9 wide and slightly taller so they can accommodate wider magazines and wider format graphic albums. BCW sells some of these with little stands built in that are kind of cool as a cheap alternative to a frame if you want a quick display for some of your comics. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. youre welcome! Many people have asked why Downtown Magazine sells only polyethylene sleeves rather than the cheaper polypropylene sleeves. Matt, thank you so much for this article! Thank you. I see no particular degradation of the bags other than a bit of wavyness, the comics inside are not degraded or damaged in any way. These are pH neutral cellulose fiber and are buffered throughout with 3% calcium carbonate. In addition to the Mylar brand name, Bags Unlimited has Museum Grade Archival Polyester in 2 and 4 mil thickness that is compared to Mylar and is a bit cheaper. The paper tears readily, while you have to give the towel a little more of a tug to tear it. That keeps a decent amount of external humidity out. I have been selling PP for the past two years because there have been complaints about PE even before I got into this business. The comic has MicroChamber paper inserted inside the front and back covers, is sealed in Mylar, and then encapsulated in a hard-plastic shell (also called a slab). 7 1/4 (sometimes called Standard, sometimes Bronze) A good overall width for comics from the 1970s onward. I use collectorz, too. Everything else > 2 mil Polyethylene bags. Thats why you dont want to use just any cardboard (which can be highly acidic), buy boards specifically created for comic storage. The 3 most common materials for bags are mylar, polyethylene, and polypropylene, lets get technical for a moment: Mylar: A biaxially extruded polyester film that is simultaneously stretched in two directions to give it maximum strength. ive heard different stories about changing PP or PE bags every 2 years or every 6 months or every 3 months. Given the published differences between the 2 types of bags, I think 2 mil polyethylene is the best bet for general comics storage (even though you can get polyethylene in 3 and 4 mil thickness, if I feel the need to go up to 4 mil, I am going to go to Mylar). They will look better and you wont have to worry about them. Others have the option of a passive, continuous drain system or a pump to drain water through a nearby sink, window, or other outlet. There are things that can be done to manage your environment far before you get to the bags you keep your comics in, but the last line of defense if going to be the comic bag. You are not committing a crime against comics in using polyethylene bags. Mylar is the Cadillac of storage bags. Because my preference comes down to more aesthetics rather then preservation qualities even though I feel Mylar superior to poly hands down. You should be fine keeping them like this. Polyethylene is more flexible than polypropylene. Be careful, not all bags are made alike. Of the 800 million, 500 million were PE, the remainder PP. Has anyone ever scratched the cover of a comic by sliding it in and out of any type of bag? Valuable comics > 4 mil Mylar Im always up for amending/adding to make reference material more complete. Be sure this specification is in writing and from someone you trust. These are made of PVC and are not archival (like Mylar). You can also get these made from corrugated plastic from BCW & BagsUnlimited. Polyethylene costs more. It actually kind of resists tearing by having some flexibility. However there appears to be a wide supply shortage right now. REPEAT: None of these bags are protecting your comic books from aging. Storing Your Comics: Bags & Boards & Boxes.Oh, My!! Polyethylene provides better protection for both the short and long term. Compare this to using archival Mylar where you take off the tape, place it safely to the side, remove your comic from the sleeve, read it, and then return it to the sleeve and re-tape it. The downside that the slab cannot be opened without breaking it and youll never be able to open and read your comic again unless you want to crack the slab and then youll need to pay a lot of money to have the comic be re-graded & re-slabbed if you want it back in the slab. Graded Comic Storage Boxes: These are larger sized and made to accommodate books in CGC or PGX slabs.

Sitemap 22

polyethylene comic bags