10 Intermediate Tips for Comic Collecting I Wish I Didn't Have to Learn the Hard Way

[@marcrobinson4907]

Tip #1 use painters tape. It won’t damage your bag. If it happens to stick to your comic it’s less likely to damage your comic.

[@goldenshark3182]

The best way is to not use any tape at all, just use removable dot stickers which you can buy in stationary stores or Amazon, worth every penny.

[@jackleddington2315]

I really should get some of that, you get so much in one roll too!

[@jackleddington2315]

@@goldenshark3182 I'm going to look into that, good idea!

[@spiderscomics1180]

This is the way. 3m blue painters tape. You can undo the tape on the body side and fold the tape back on the tab side, remove the book, read, clean, inspect, press, whatever...then just reuse the tape again! Mylar silver age bags and boards for all books: from silver to current - the extra space looks awesome framing the book and mylar make even rough books look amazing!

[@cha5]

I use draftsmen dots myself on all my Golden Age Mylar bags, they never stick to the book itself and work like a charm.

[@jeremybarnett3945]

I learned the lesson of not overpacking boxes early on. If a book doesn’t slide into the box easily, I get a new box.

[@jackleddington2315]

I should really follow that advice, I just always forget to pick one up from the LCS because I'm so busy looking at books haha!

[@ash2357577]

I have my own way of taping bags. I'll put a piece of tape on either end of the flap with one important modification. I fold the tape inwards slightly and then put it on with this non-sticky part on the top. That way I can easily peal the tape off without damaging the bag.

[@kyleknapp2055]

I enjoy collecting comic books and i enjoy the hobby myself

[@Mazzter88]

So many videos on speculation and grading-good to watch one about the enjoyment of the hobby-well done

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you! I'm thinking about doing a "how to grade comics" video soon, but we gotta stay in love with the hobby. Thanks for watching!

[@wildclay]

Thanks for the video! That was a lot of fun to watch. I agree about the tape tips and removing the tape from your bag as to not damage the cover (I've been there). Keep up the great work!

[@sebastianstark8517]

Good stuff, Jack. I also agree with the "buy what you actually like" advice. My favorite books are not always my most valuable books in the general market, but they *are* the most valuable to me.

[@wayneralph5449]

I like to bag the other way round. Not a popular idea I know. However as someone who tends to read his books I find I've had one to many tape accidents. With the reverse method I open the book & pull the board up to the point it obscures the tape before removing said comic.

[@jackleddington2315]

I can definitely see that if you're an avid reader. Good tip!

[@johnnydropkicks]

Tip #238: when storing your comics in bags and boards in a comic box, have them all facing the same direction but alternate one comic right-side up, one comic upside-down. This distributes the spines evenly throughout the box and you won’t get those light creases that run the length of the spine on some of your books. Not a spine roll… but you know what I’m describing. If you try to do an even distribution of the spines by facing one book forward and the next one backwards, the spines will slightly roll off of each other causing more of those creases that run the length of the spine. If you have them all facing the same direction (one up, one down) each book has a board behind it as well as a board in front of it from the bagged and boarded comic in front of it.

[@shortstuf1105]

A tip I know is hard to follow for most collectors is to not be afraid to sell books. Recently I won a lot on auction of FF 46-51 and I sold everything but the FF49. After selling those books, I'm only into a 2.5 copy of FF49 for $150. I'm younger so I thought some of the books I have like ASM 129, Hulk 180, and other books were going to be completely out of reach for me, but I learned how to spot and take advantage of deals to build up towards those bigger books. Anybody can do it, it's just hard for those first few sales.

[@jackleddington2315]

That is a really good tip, I kinda needed to hear that! I always find myself scared to sell books but I know logically I should definitely start too.

[@ifreezetvcomics]

A tip I learned was how good silver age comics look in mylar bags

[@jackleddington2315]

This is the truest thing I've ever heard. Absolutely, mylar is a gamechanger!

[@wheredyougetthat]

Great tips! Thanks for sharing! I learned the hard way with using tape.

[@zballzero]

Wow you are photogenic and charismatic. You are a natural. Keep making comic videos because they are great. Stay true to the community because you can be big.

[@jackleddington2315]

Wow, this is a really amazing compliment thank you! I love the community and it's comments like these that keep me motivated, more soon to come!

[@johnnydropkicks]

zballzero, that is a very positive and encouraging comment. I’ve found that collectors who genuinely appreciate comics and haven’t become jaded over the years, are always very kind and helpful people.

[@RikMorrison]

After years as a collector I never use clear tape to seal my bags because no matter matter the direction there is a chance it will rip the bag (which increases over time). I use blue painters tape.

[@whiterabbit75]

I have to agree. I recently bought Mangazine #11 (vol. 2) for $100, and it is easily my favorite comic, beating out even Avengers Annual #10 (first appearance of Rogue, my favorite X-Man), because it is the first appearance of Gina and Brittany Diggers, from Gold Digger, and almost completes my entire run of the series. I started collecting that series with #10 way back in '93, and let me tell you, I fell in love with it. Even after I stopped buying Marvel because the writing went into the crapper, I still kept up my Gold Digger subscription.

[@TheMab2180]

Excellent new show; Great content. Thank you!!

[@sebastianstark8517]

The 1 $25 book over 5 $5 books is a good one and also helps by reducing inventory and storage requirements.

[@sp1970ful]

Great tips. We all learn the hard way about some facet of the hobby.

[@jackleddington2315]

Yeah no kiddin! sometimes the hobby can be brutal but rewarding nonetheless!

[@fstgeorge]

Great tips dude!!! I got away from buying solely what I love and fell into the “fomo” trap a couple years ago, and now I’m trying to unload some of those books to free up space and cash so there’s more room for what I actually want. Lesson learned though! 🙌🏻

[@xordoom8467]

Thank you!! I have no idea why people believe Hulk 181 is the 1st appearance of Wolverine, when in fact it wasn't a cameo its a full shot of him in his outfit....

[@kadett_6889]

Well done. Been collecting for 30+ years. Going to share with son, sometimes to hear from a young person insead of a old man makes it more relatable.

[@ColeCollects]

Great tips Jack! I hadn't realised that holding books at the side can cause minor spine ticks, but you are correct. I also cram too many books into a box, but I recommend having a separate "keeper" box for keys and books you really love.

[@jackleddington2315]

That's a great tip! I'm going to have to grab myself a keeper box now!

[@KennyHaiHo]

Wall mounting is the best but becareful, recommend UV and while you’re at it nano ceramic tint your windows for like 20$. If not those comics gonna start fading.

[@jackleddington2315]

This is a really good tip, I'll definitely keep that in mind for when I get my own place, I haven't even thought of that!

[@blackyodaprime]

Alternate your books so the spines don't all line up. It will reduce the number of comics you can fit in a box(or bag), but it will also reduce the amount of spine rolling on the books.

[@jackleddington2315]

That makes a lot of sense actually, I assume that having all the staples on one side could eventually lead to spine roll too. Good tip!

[@johnnydropkicks]

Yes!! This!! I will have my comics (which are bagged and boarded) facing the same direction with one comic right-side up and the next one upside-down. Never do one forwards and one backwards. Doing that will have the covers face each other which will cause them to roll off of each other and create a light crease along the entire length of the spine.

[@DarthLemon616]

I started collecting comics last year. I've been get all the books of characters I love. Spiderman, Batman, Harley, Poison Ivy & Superman. But this year I've moved on to collecting slabs, because I have for too many books (1000 so far)

[@fossiladventures2926]

Tape pull , a right of passage 😅 you only do it once. I use Mylites , cut the corners off the flap and just fold and tuck. No tape 😊

[@garyw.9628]

Many great tips Jack. Especially, go for higher quality books even if that means fewer books; and, collect what you love. Well done !

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you so much for watching! I definitely agree, the higher-quality books are great, and you have way less bulk to lug around!

[@HeyThreshold]

Great tips but having those slabbed comics next to what looks like a window or anyway in a very bright room is very dangerous if you care to preserve their grade even if they have been UV-shielded.

[@marcelahernandez369]

I got into comics through Sonic and X-Men when I was a kid. 🤣 crazy part is, to this day, i still collect x-men! (Not so much Sonic, but I still read the new IDW sonic online!)

[@emtp227]

Your ru in golden bag has a divider so there is no ink transfer right?

[@kevinhash6844]

Love the video. Great tips. Question: why are all the comics backwards?

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you! Answer: southern hemisphere

[@alecgomez]

Solid Tips. Thanks dude

[@nowherebound2908]

Great video! It's clear you have a passion for the hobby - I loves me them Silver Age Marvel too!

[@CBs_Bill_from_Montana]

I can’t believe this video was so good. Thank you. You could do a series easy

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you so much for the compliment! I think I will definitely be doing more videos, more soon to come!

[@jayhays8267]

Very interesting collection of comic books. The covers are all backwards!

[@jackleddington2315]

Maybe they were printed in the southern hemisphere?

[@xbamfedit]

i had the tape stick to the cover of one of my comics and it took off a tiny piece and i hated myself for accidentally letting something so stupid happen 😭

[@2tastey]

Dope video. Great tips honestly.

[@calidistro]

Super enjoyable video.

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@RJI8]

Everything this man said is true. Choose to take the advice or not. If not, you’ll learn the expensive way. I’m speaking from experience of take the hard way 😢 Comics can be an addiction quick. So just relax

[@toomworld]

Ohhhhhh man. I too started with a hard ADHD hyper-focus !

[@sumrandomguy6199]

Where you get those drawer boxes from

[@filipmujkovic]

Can you do a video about the different types and qualities of bags and borads (and boxes)? It is impossible to find them in my country so I will have to order them from abroad (a larger quantity) and I don't want to mess up.

[@jackleddington2315]

I'll add it to the list! Not a bad video idea but I'll give you the short answer right now. BCW is a well-respected and reputable company, I use all their stuff. You can get them on Amazon for a fairly good price. Because different ages of books are different sizes, you want to ensure that the bag and board are the right size to fit your comic. If you have golden age books, use golden age bags and boards. Have modern or current books? Use modern and current-sized bags and boards, etc. You can use larger bags and boards for smaller books in a pinch, but you can't use smaller bags for bigger books. Some bags are marked resealable, and those are really nice because you don't have to fumble with tape, they are however a little more expensive, so if you don't wanna take too much toll on the wallet, you can go with the normal ones. However both work. I like to use mylar archival bags for my nicer books, but they are significantly more expensive. However, I like the look of them, so if you're in the market for something nicer, this is the bag for you. They use the same sizing chart. For boxes, I still go with BCW. They have the standard long boxes which hold 250-300 comics, and short boxes which hold 150-200 comics. The width of the short and the long box will hold any aged book Golden through Modern, but will not hold magazine-sized books. I recommend just getting the classic BCW long box, it should last you a good long while, but if you're looking for something nicer with easy access, the BCW Drawer boxes are definitely worth looking into. Hope this helps a little!

[@filipmujkovic]

@@jackleddington2315 Jack, thank you very much. You helpped me very VERY much. I searched about all this but it was so confusing. I have some nice books and thanks to you they will be well protected.

[@supapuffn8]

Good tips, man.

[@HydraCollectables]

This was a Great Video. Nice work 👍

[@jackleddington2315]

Thank you! I'm very grateful to see that it was well received

[@frankieno-nose8447]

You're doing God's work. More of this please.

[@jackleddington2315]

You got it! Maybe I'll do a part two soon!

[@frankieno-nose8447]

@@jackleddington2315 Could you elaborate on how you stack comics in a golden age bag please? Is it front to front or back to back and how many can fit inside one bag?

[@guymccloud6731]

Good clip, youngfella.

[@unkle_Enkil]

Am I the only one in the comments section that appreciates the humour.?

[@jackleddington2315]

Haha, thank you so much! Just don't get me started in the hulk 180 vs 181 debate....

[@unkle_Enkil]

@@jackleddington2315 : definitely 180, last panel, last page.

[@jackleddington2315]

@@unkle_Enkil THATS WHAT IM SAYING! Couldn't agree more

[@Steampunk_Star_Raisin]

Good and interesting video. keep making more...

[@jackleddington2315]

Absolutely will! Thank you for watching.

[@leehamilton7788]

I was looking at the 1 app of Wasp at lcs. I asked the owner to open it. I didn't want to accidently get tape snappers. He got the tape stook to it three times yeesh. At least it was he fault not mine

[@mrmac3971]

why don't you sell your bulk books?

[@BrooklynStateOfMind]

Sup dude, new follow/sub here. Gr8 content shared! I'll keep following. Looking fwd to more content 👏👏👏👏👏

[@comicbookaesthete7841]

It's cool how you display your comics, but aren't you ever concerned about burglary? Mr Clean Magic Erasers rock! 9.6s are fine with me. Yes, variant prices go down after the hype. Yes, I do love what I collect. No Sonics in my collection. I believe in the magic, lol.

[@wylier]

In this context - being a KZbin content creator - the wall books add a kind of legitimacy to what he is doing. Just dont publicize where he lives, and he should be OK.

[@Joeh1154]

Nice video, thanks for posting. I would suggest everyone be very careful with the Mr. Clean magic sponge as it is very abrasive and can easily cause color rub (you'll rub off some color). I tend to use it on the back cover and I block off the ad so I just get the white parts of the back cover. I block areas off with a backing board. If I use it on the color ad and wording, I use it with light pressure and in a circular motion. I would also suggest the Absorene sponge for color areas. I cut the sponge to a smaller size for ease of handling and once it removes some filth or grit, I dispose of it. Before I use either, I will use a cotton square to remove light discoloration. The eraser is fine but again, go easy on it after you've used the cotton square and the Absorene or Mr. Clean sponge and take your time. Make sure you dust off any debris that may be left on the book after a light cleaning before you bag and board it. If you really want to get adventurous, invest in a heat press. I suggest a 15" x 15" press. There is a lot of information on pressing techniques on various YT videos for pressure weight, amount of heat and length of time used. Before you go to town on your better books, try a book with a lot of defects for your initial attempt as you're likely to alter press weight and amount of heat. Lastly, Comics are a fantastic hobby and a true American art form. Telling stories through the use of sequential art is as old as the caves in Lascaux. Most of all, read them, look at them and enjoy them. I'm a boomer and I've been at this for decades. My personal claim is having my childhood letter to the editor in ASM #50 from 1967 when I was 12. Best to all.

[@briandobbelaere3918]

You only regret the books you don't buy.