Every comic book collector knows of the white cardboard boxes that are the staple of comic book collecting. Any convention also sees scores of them used to sell back issues. Parents, spouses, and partners have been known to criticize the appearance of this storage method. However, there are other ways for fans to use.
Sometimes the ways are a matter of finding a new purpose that was never intended. Sometimes, companies have developed new specialized products to offer more choices. Sometimes the solutions come directly from the retail quarter. Whatever the case, there's really a lot of better options than simple white boxes.
10 File Cabinets
File Cabinets are among the strongest methods of storing large amounts of paper. This strength makes them perfect for comic books, which can weigh a lot. Anyone that's had to move their collection can attest to that.
In a 2009 article, Wisconsin collector Jeff Keller stated that one of his file cabinets could hold approximately 2400 comics. They can match other office furniture and best of all, close to keep a collection not only out of sight but protected from damage.
9 Bookcases
Bookcases are storage furniture that's easy to place and relatively inexpensive. For the equivalent cost of white boxes, inexpensive bookcases can be purchased. Adjustable shelves on cheaper bookcases can't support the amount of weight for the comics to fill a shelf. However, fixed shelves are stronger, which includes the stabilizing bottom shelf.
This method works with other methods. Magazine holders can separate brief runs and allow for the weaker shelves to be accented with other collectibles. This method is superior to white boxes because of how inclusive it is with other parts of a collection.
8 Bound Comics In Hardcover Collections
Many comic fans will supplement their collection with trade paperbacks or hardcovers. Some will actually wait specifically for a published run to be released in a bookshelf format. There are a few that get their comics professionally bound in a book.
Professional binding can cost anywhere from $25-75, depending on options for detailing, materials, and of course, the business doing the binding. Some methods preserve the two-page spreads better than others, so research is recommended before going for this method.
7 Retail Fixtures
Stores close all of the time and have to sell their fixtures for various reasons. Sometimes a business will simply update its fixtures and get rid of the old ones. Prices will vary, and the condition may be well-worn, but it can make for a unique method of storing and displaying a collection.
One option is also looking into government auctions for fixtures. The prices can be quite a bargain but may net you more than you have room for. If buying fixtures in bulk, have a method for storing or unloading the surplus.
6 Repurposed Storage Furniture
Storage furniture, namely benches and trunks can make for unique hidden ways to store comic books. Sometimes, they'll need to be adapted for separating rows of comics or facilitating a level bottom. The result is a truly unique look for a collection.
It doesn't allow for a lot of expansion, though. As the collection grows, new ways need to be added for storing comics. Fortunately, anyone with enough ingenuity to adapt furniture to store comics can certainly do it again.
5 Binders
With the boom period for comic collecting in the 1990s, there was an explosion of companies offering storage methods for comics. The nine-pocket pages that had worked so well for trading cards were easily adapted for comics. Binder pages for comics tend to be more durable than cheaper bags white boxes were made for.
Binders go on sale quite often and can be purchased in a variety of designs. If a collector also dabbles in trading cards or collectible card games, the collections can accent each other. Small mini-series or story runs can be grouped in a binder to make organizing go much easier.
4 Art Printed Comic Book Boxes
The printed comic boxes have been a more recent development in comics storage. There are still only a few manufacturers creating these boxes, but the offerings have exploded, with some smaller sellers offering customized boxes. The primary manufacturer of these attractive boxes is BCW.
The primary drawback is the price, as the printed boxes are more expensive than regular boxes, There also may not be a design for a collector's specific interest. There have been more generic designs made for collectors, freeing up a variety of possibilities for collections.
3 Cardboard, Plastic and Vinyl Storage Cases
These storage cases hold about 15-20 comics each and provide for runs to be easily transported. The most readily available and widely distributed is BCW's Stor-Folio. Its attractive black cover has windows on the spine and front for indexing. Bags Unlimited has a cardboard alternative that flips upward. However, there are a few smaller players on the market.
One is retailer Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC. Their boards come in a reusable cardboard box. The printing on the side of the box allows for indexing the contents. The white cardboard does mirror the white boxes so many try to get away from, so it works best with other methods of custom storage. It retains the portability of BCW's Stor-Folio, and creative collectors can easily customize them.
2 Furniture Designed For Comic Storage
A cottage industry has popped up over the past couple of years around storage furniture designed specifically for comic book storage. While a lot like repurposed furniture like trunks and file cabinets, these differ in that they're designed specifically for comics. The higher-priced ones are designed not to look out of place in a living room or den, easing friction with family members tired of the white long boxes.
Some individual woodworkers can sometimes be seen at conventions, and those are usually the ones custom-designing wood furniture for the common areas of the home. Some companies have made it modular, making more affordable storage drawers. Some have even made the plans available for enterprising home woodworkers.
1 Comic Book Spinner Rack
The comic book spinner rack used to be the staple of convenience stores and drug stores where comics were sold before the development of the direct market. Some comic stores still keep these wire rotating displays in their stores as a nod to that nostalgia. Older collectors have even sought out older spinner racks for their personal collections.
Spinner Racks, especially vintage ones, can get pricey. Some companies sell new ones, but even those run into the hundreds of dollars. The cheapest alternative is magazine and literature spinner racks, which lack the traditional header of older comic book racks. These can fall under $200, making them almost half the price of more nostalgic offerings. Nevertheless, nothing adds the nostalgia feel that a spinner rack full of back issues of favorite comics.
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