How do you protect your 1970s UK girls' comics?

[MistyOldGirl]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I just wanted to get some advice form the girls' comics community. I have recently moved into a new house and unpacked my complete collection of Misty comics which had been stored in boxes for years. I'm looking forward to rereading them, but I'm also wondering how to store them in a way that will protect the paper. Some of them are looking a bit fragile. I went on eBay and noticed lots of American sellers listing comic bags with a hard piece of card in them, which looked excellent - but they were all for small US comics, and a Misty would not fit in them. I couldn't see any UK equivalents for sale. So, any suggestions for me? How do you protect your girls' comics? Thanks in advance.

[Phoenix]

Click on the word Search at the top of the page, and then type in bags and boards for comics, or some such, and you will see that the topic has been discussed at length on a couple of threads. You will certainly get some guidance on one or other of them, which should be helpful.

[Marionette]

bags and boxes to fit Misty are available from specialised dealers, but they are expensive and it's debatable how useful they are unless your comics are pristine to start with and you intend to keep them that way.

Personally, I keep most of my comics in waterproof plastic crates. I've found one size that holds 200 Misty/Tammy/Jinty sized comics nicely; they keep my comics safe enough for me and cost about £7.99.

[Lew Stringer]

Personally, I keep most of my comics in waterproof plastic crates. I've found one size that holds 200 Misty/Tammy/Jinty sized comics nicely; they keep my comics safe enough for me and cost about £7.99.

That's a good idea! Presumably they'd be fairly airtight too, so would keep out the dust/spiders/etc? (As opposed to cardboard comic boxes which have holes for handles.) The only drawback I imagine might be if they're the transparent type of boxes then sunlight might affect the comics? (Solution would be to keep 'em out of the sun obviously.)

[Marionette]

That's a good idea! Presumably they'd be fairly airtight too, so would keep out the dust/spiders/etc? (As opposed to cardboard comic boxes which have holes for handles.) The only drawback I imagine might be if they're the transparent type of boxes then sunlight might affect the comics? (Solution would be to keep 'em out of the sun obviously.)

Yes, having suffered from flood damage a few years ago I wanted something that would be safe against all but the most determined elements. The seal is airtight enough to keep out spiders and dust, though I doubt it would last long if it were completely submerged. And yes, although they are translucent, and therefore subject to sunlight, they are also just the right height to fit under the bed.

[stevezodiac]

You can buy 2000AD bags in packs of 100 for around a tenner and I presume they will also fit Tammy/Misty/Lindy etc.

Just looked on ebay and its £12.99 for 100 old style 2000AD bags. Free postage.

[marckie73]

I keep the unread ones in transparent plastic crates, which I store under the bed. After I've read a full year of a comic, I wrap the bunch in cellophane, to protect them against dust and (I hope) insects. After that, I put them in a comics box, bought at Ikea. I put a piece of (thin) cardboard in front of the first and last issue in the box, just in case it might be exposed to sunlight.

[geoff42]

keep your collection away from the radiator and areas that are susceptible to damp, buy relatively cheap acid free bags (if you're more serious, accompany each issue with an acid free backing board that benefits in keeping the shape of your comics). Do not store in any old cardboard box (acids in them are detrimental) Again, if you're flush, invest in acid free storage comic boxes. Your collection is best suited in a bedroom that doesn't gain much sunlight and can reside without any threat of an overhead leak. And (yeah, I know, some groans on this subject) invest in a dehumidifier. You'll be amazed at how much moisture such a machine collects in a matter of two days! Moisture ain't good for paper. Condensation is the equivalent of a stake from a vampire's stance.

[marckie73]

We bought a dehumidifier a while back, and it's indeed amazing how much moisture it collects.

[DavidKW]

I've got mine stored in faux leather boxes I bought from Wilkinson's. They are all in plastic wallets most with card backings - many brought from 30th Century which already had them when bought. Those broguht without I'v efound some platic wallets with assorted card backings where I find them.

Most of comic runs I bought from Borders Bookshop came in tight plastic packaging.

Hope that's ok for storage (most boxes are in my wardrobes).

I rent a room so there are storage limits - if I could get and afford more I'd buy far more comics.

[marckie73]

Yes, storage space is really a problem. When I just had my collection of several thousand Dutch girls' comics, things were more or less okay. But now with all these British girls' comics, it is getting a bit of a problem. I have set my limits to what I want to collect (Jinty, Tammy, Sally, Sandie, June, Lindy, Misty, and just because they merged with one of those also Penny, Pixie and Princess), but if I should have all these complete, I would have to think hard where I could put them.

[Phoenix]

But now with all these British girls' comics, it is getting a bit of a problem. I have set my limits to what I want to collect (Jinty, Tammy, Sally, Sandie, June, Lindy, Misty, and just because they merged with one of those also Penny, Pixie and Princess)

All collectors of D C Thomson's story papers for girls will wish you great success in your quest, marckie, while simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief that you are not going to be treading on our toes.

[marckie73]

...and the ones who collect the IPC titles will think: could he be the one that outbid me last time on Ebay when I thought I would finally be able to fill that gap in my collection?!
I don't mind *that* much if I'm being outbid, because the one who outbid me this time, won't need another copy of it, so perhaps next time it turns up I will be the lucky one. There are only two examples when I don't like being outbid: when it's by someone who collects number ones (I never understood that, collecting number ones without even liking a comic) or when you suspect someone bought the comic because of a feature on a film or pop star, and will probably cut the magazine up and then throw the remainder of it away.