Tips For Bagging and Boarding Comics

#comicbooktips #mylites

[@darthsneaky]

Thanks for the video and shout out! Unfortunately, I am not local to A-1, but I will call to see if they will ship to me. Glad to see someone as "particular" about their bags and boards as me...lol. I love it!

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Yeah let me know what they say. I would also give E Gerber a call too about custom cutting. If you order enough boards in bulk, they can become pretty affordable.

[@deetee1151]

Very informative. I use Standard Mylites and Full Back Standard boards. Never thought of using the 7: 1/8 boards.

[@calebleland8390]

Awesome advice, Chris.

[@davidyoung4141]

I do the exact same thing. I use 7” bags and 6/8” boards!

[@MnDisease]

I had to go back to this video after having changing all my collection to mylars from polys. I had the wiggle room problem. So remembered that you had solved that issue. Thanx a bunch

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Nice! So glad it helped out along the way!

[@MatildaGothika]

Thanks for the tips Chris 🙂

[@maxsantiago7058]

Thanks for the tutorial, Jerno.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

For sure!

[@itcamefromthenerdcave1669]

Great video as always. Working my way backwards through your videos and loving them. If you haven't already, how about a video on how to store storage supplies? I spent a couple hours on Sunday sorting my various sizes and types of bags and boards and it was a hot mess. Not sure I improved anything from the way it was!

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Good suggestion! Honestly, the way I store supplies isn't that great either! lol. I definitely need to find a better system.

[@meetmarty4472]

VERY informative.

[@oldman-gamers303]

Solved my Situation Chris

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Sweeet!!! Happy New Year Chris!

[@lisamedcalf6986]

Really informative, thanks! Size does matter! 🤣 Ironically I'm bagging and boarding, photographing and cataloging some Venom and Moon Knights as I watch this. I'm an E Gerber fan. For modern era I use the Mylites 2 #725M2 with their 7" half-backs, #700HB w/ double-sided removable tape under the flap. They are a hair too big and will slide a wee bit if I shake the book, which of course I don't. These are also for the new books that go in the unread crate and will be handled a few times. For copper age and very special books (I know, they are all special) I use the same Mylites but with the 7" full-backs. They are a bit better fit for storing in my crates made by Romany House. Love those crates. As this is the year of hindsight 2020 and I do wish I had them custom cut the half-backs. Maybe next time. Love your channel Chris. 👍

[@A1Authority]

If I may ask, why the photography?

[@lisamedcalf6986]

@@A1Authority - Hi Don, thanks for asking. I have friends I trade books with. It's easier to grab cover image off a site but it's not the same as them seeing the real book to decide on. Plus, many Silver Age covers are hilarious with their crazy scenes and exaggerated teaser lines. Wish modern era was silly. Ben Grimm gives the best expressions on those old Fantastic Four books. And the monsters! Having a bad day? Go look at Strange Adventures #79 cover. Snowmen with friggin laser beam eyes! Dr. Evil would approve.😂 Love the art. Also, having the pics stops me from buying duplicates when I go to the shops. Takes just a few seconds check the album on my phone. I don't have many books but still forget which ones sometimes. There you have it! Regret asking now? Lol 😁

[@Tord-is-bord-chaos]

Good video

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Thanks Travis!

[@d.michaelyoung221]

Hey, super informative videos. Thanks for putting this stuff out there. I'm going to Rebag some magazine-size books and am looking at the E. Gerber magazine Mylites and E. Gerber magazine boards, which are white on one side and I've been reading that current E. Gerber boards are brown cardboard on the back. Will this backing affect the front cover of the next book sitting behind it? If you get some time to answer....

[@petegrimm5063]

I did the current set up and damn it’s super tight😬

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

With Mylar? And what type of board?

[@darklightdays]

Great video. Have a question, though: do you deal with flexing/bending of the comics from the boards filling up TOO much space in the bag? The Mylars don't stretch like the PP/PE bags do, so once a board is in, there's very little "give" for the book itself. A slightly thicker book, like a special or an annual, can cause it to be slightly bent in the bag, from what I'm finding. The problem isn't as bad with comic-sized books as with magazines (Heavy Metal, etc) which are even harder to find proper matching sized boards for! E. Gerber's own boards don't seem to be optimally sized for their bags, in my opinion. Even when they are, the half-backs are too flimsy, and the full-backs are so thick that they can cause the flexing issue I described.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Great question! First, yes E Gerber's board sizing to me is way off, so recently I have been getting them custom cut. As for flexing, the sizes I use do not, but I have come into situations were if the book is a giant size issue, the flexing.bending appears. In this case, I would be forced to use a smaller width board.

[@aquila3168]

Can you do a review of the Comic ProLine - 2mil OPP which is probably a cross between a poly to mylar bags? The have complimentary boards either 28 or 56 pt and double coats both sides. Also, to my knowledge and you can confirm, books have to be opened to allow the book to breathe in all bags so that the colour does not bleed onto the bags? What are your thoughts?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Thanks for the comment! I'll try to get my hands n some ProLine. As for "breathing," this is a very good point. If a book is not truly "encapsulated," books can definitely release their own gasses and ultimately damage themselves. It's similar to fruit or vegetables being zip locked in a bag; they will create their own egosystem. This is why if you ever have produce in a bag in the refrigerator, don't ever zip close it all the way. You have to let it breathe. Obviously, books are different, but just making a point. This is also why environmental conditions are still vital to the preservation of your books. If you keep your books in bags and boards, and your environment is extremely volatile, those bags won't help much.

[@equesvindicta2435]

Awesome video! I just started collecting comics so as a newbie this was extremely helpful! A bit irrelevant, but do you have any sizing recommendation for 8x10 items (both bag and full back) that would give me a similar aesthetic to the one you have? -Dan

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Glad you could find some value in it! As for 8x10 sizes, I would suggest checking out E Gerbers website because they have bags and boards that fit digests, standard manazines, etc. Not sure if any are specifically 8x10, but would be worth taking a look.

[@equesvindicta2435]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture appreciate the help! Might go the custom route but their chart is a good reference

[@chadjohnson3965]

So for early amazing spiderman (25ish) it looks like it should fit in standard, would you recommend doing the bigger silver/gold there?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Personally, I wouldn't. There is so much space from side to side. I would never put any silver age book, unless it's a giant size or oversized square bound book, in golden age bags.

[@Greg_Koenig]

What tape do you use for the Mylar? A good tape for opening and closing alot without leaving glue behind..Painters tape? Round Avery yard sale stickers? Magic tape? Thanks

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Absolutely painters tape

[@zorographics5710]

Great video, i bought some 4 mil bcw mylar but the size are 7 1/2" i also bought te recommended silver age bcw backing boards but they are 7" and theres so much space between the board and the bag, do you know wich backing boards will fit tight and correctly on this 7 1/2 bags?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

I'm with you on all that space! So I don't know a specific brand that has a specific pre cut named board, but for a 7 and 1/2 bag, I wouldn't go smaller than a 7 and 1/4 board. You might even try a custom cut of a 7 and 1/3, but depending on the thickness of the board, it might be pretty tight. I know E Gerber custom cuts their full and half backs.

[@Gabe--xd3wi]

Hey! I have a quick question. So my uncle passed some of his comic books down to me and I want to say that there is like 150 or more, and I don’t know if I should bag and board every single one of them, they aren’t rare or anything, they are recents so I don’t know if I should bag and board them or just put them straight in the comic storage box. What would you do?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

It really all depends on you. Do you plan on keeping them for yourself? Do you plan on selling them? No matter what you do though, baging and boarding them is going to be the best way to keep them in the best condition, even if you are just setting them in a box to sit and store.

[@truegritgmd]

Great video. Would comicproline's 56pt boards fit properly with the standard mylite 2's? The width is 7 1/8 but im concerned the board may be too thick for a silver book to fit in the standard mylite 2 as well

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

This is a great question! And you most likely are correct. The thickness of those boards most likely would stretch the bag and possibly break it at the seems. On my next order from E Gerber, I am going to order some fullbacks custom cut at probably 7 and 1/10 inch, to get a feel for the right size of those thicker boards.

[@BiggRuss]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Care to share your findings? Very interested!

[@TonTHunT]

Sorry if this is a redundant question I'm pretty knew to the hobby. Do you recommend 6 7/8" boards and 7" bags for modern size comics?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Never feel bad for asking questions! When it comes to bags and boards - like many things in this hobby - it boils down to preference. For me, it's not always about the size of the bag, but making sure I have the right size board for each size bag, because I cannot stand having extra bag room from side to side. But, I would suggest a few ways. One, is investing in Mylar bags if you have the budget. If you order in bulk (from E Gerber) you can get them down to a decent prize. Current Mylar bags are 7 inch, and BCW has a regular size board that is 6 7/8. For me, when I have to use Poly, I usually use the BCW current THICK book bags, which are 7 inch as well, and fit the same regular BCW board that I use for mylar bags. But, current poly bags, that are 6 7/8 inch, do fit perfect with current boards, which are 6 3/4 inch, and these are the most common that you will find in LCS's. Hope this helped!

[@TonTHunT]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Thank you for all the info!

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

@@TonTHunT Of course and good luck to all of your collecting endeavors!

[@Paddistic]

Question: Do I put the comic in on the matte or glossy side of the board?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Gloss side is acid buffer. Definitely sit the gloss side against the back of the comic!

[@christopherbevacqua5255]

Does your system work with the thicker boards? I was considering the 56pt comic pro boards

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

I swore I responded to this but it seems like it didn't go through, but i do believe you reached out on Whatnot.

[@pinewoodilluminati4195]

Thanks for the tips. What dimension bag do you recommend for Copper Age comics? Would that be a 7” bag or a 7.25” bag. Thanks again.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Copper age should be fine in a modern bag, unless it's a giant size or overly thick book. So if it is a poly, you can do current 6 7/8 inch bags, or a 7" current Mylar bag. You can also use the BCW Thick Current Poly bags that are 7". If you use standard current poly, the standard current boards are 6 3/4 and will fit nicely, or for any 7" bag, use a 6 7/8 inch board. Hope this helps!

[@pinewoodilluminati4195]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Yes! Thanks so much! I am planning on mylar, so I will probably just cut larger boards down to 6 7/8", rather than try to find them online. Good video!

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

@@pinewoodilluminati4195 Good way to think outside the box! Also, if you ever buy E Gerber boards, they will custom cut them to whatever size you desire as well. If you ever do need to purchase new boards that are affordable and 6 7/8, I would recommend buying from BCW, as their "Regular" size boards are 6 7/8, and when you buy them in bulk, you save a good deal.

[@RoTelnCheese]

Hi Chris. Having supply issues in the UK, what do you think of me cutting some super gold size fullbacks to 7 1/8 inch wide for my standard size mylites2? Would the boards still be effective and acid free if trimmed to size? Cheers mate

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Sorry to hear about supply shortages! I would ask what would you cut them with? If you have a paper slicer that can get a solid, clean and straight cut, I'd say go for it! You can't go wrong there. I would just be careful if you are using regular scissors. If the edge isn't smooth, the book can get snagged on it, and it might have a chance of pulling on the bag.

[@RoTelnCheese]

Jerno's Comics & Pop Culture just ordered a $30 guillotine from amazon, so I’ll give it a try. Do you think the fullback is acid free throughout?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

@@RoTelnCheese Nice! And yes, fullbacks are 100% acid free throughout the board.

[@RoTelnCheese]

Jerno's Comics & Pop Culture cheers dude 👍

[@contamino7476]

Which one should I use for ec comics precode horror

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

I would use Golden Age bags.

[@BiggRuss]

Do 7 1/8" ComicPro Line 56pt boards fit well in 7 1/4" Mylites 2's?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

I'm assuming you meant 7 1/4 mylites? If so, then they should. I actually have never used Comic Pro line. How thick are the pro line compared to standard BCW boards?

[@BiggRuss]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Yes, that's what I meant. My bad! Proline makes a 24 and 28 pt. regular board (so basically running the same thickness as BCW). Then they have the ultra thick 56 pt board. They also have 60 pt. and 80 pt. clear boards which, I must say, are phenomenal. Albeit, pretty pricey. I think I'll take a shot at the 7 1/8 boards and let you know how I feel about it.

[@A1Authority]

2nd COMMENT: Keeping comics as tight as you're describe is for 9.6, 9.8 grade and higher, likely meaning you never plan to touch that book for reading, so you better get two, and now we're in extravagance land... especially if your using Mylar, which can badly ding the book edge when you get it wrong, putting it away. When I use Mylar, I go oversize to help avoid this. MY BAGGING TIPS: Especially for new comics, last 30 years-ish, use 1 board and nearest size needed bag to 5 comics. WHY? A) Huge savings on bags and boards. B) This will likely help maintain PH value, being as how so many items of the same paper type are together. C) Easier to lug around a given reading session. D) More space in your comic boxes.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Two points here. One, the bag and boards I use together actually aren't that tight. I know what "tight" looks like, and you're right about having them too tight, to where it becomes so hard to pull them out, etc. I should do a video actually showing how the books go in, fit in, and come out in the system I use. Secondly, I definitely appreciate your tips on how you use your system for new books. I think it shows that there are multiple different ways that could work with different types of collectors. I personally don't like to use oversized bags because I feel the book having space to slide around can also ding corners. But I like your idea about 5 books to the bag, especially if they are reading books and you're carrying them around. Not sure if it is something I would ever do, but it makes a lot of sense. I actually have been thinking about doing the two books on both sides of one board in a single back, that way you can minimize box space and not worry about spine stress.

[@A1Authority]

1st comment. Great subject to cover! Will comment on such next but... (and this is not to be insulting) Do you have a comprehensive vid concerning PH values? I've seen very little on the subject, of people who actually know what they're talking about. For me this seems the ultimate, final subject at the end of the road, for hardcore collectors.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

You are absolutely right! Many of us get stuck on the aesthetics of the bag and board, but tend to disregard how they actually protect our books!

[@A1Authority]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture So the answer is 'no' at this point?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

@@A1Authority I do believe I've touched on it, maybe in a couple of videos concerning storing books, but not a specific video solely for that topic.

[@A1Authority]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Yeah. In my experience it's a tough one. I only ever found one site on it, an can't remember it now. Even then, it was not perfect. I think we need a chemist. I know Mylar is the best, but board wise, I want to understand the difference and how PH values come into play in various situations.

[@SchizoMelody]

Here's a tip: don't waste your time or money bagging & boarding - buy more comics instead!

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Lolll. My son would agree!

[@thegreyman]

I am useless at bagging and boarding, I never used to do it at all really, then I went with 8 or 10 in one bag!! With no board! I have so many now that buying new bags and boards is a no-no, also with bags and boards they won't fit back into the boxes I have for them! Oh well.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

loll omg!!!!! Reading this is triggering my ocd!

[@thegreyman]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture ah sorry mate, when I 1st started collecting there were no bags and boards as far as I know and by the time I learned of them I never bothered at 1st and now I have too many to be able to do them all

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

@@thegreyman i totally understand! Bagging abs boarding is definitely a chore.

[@A1Authority]

You should probably board your best stuff, at least, for myriad reasons. This was my 2nd Comment to the poster: Keeping comics as tight as you're describe is for 9.6, 9.8 grade and higher, likely meaning you never plan to touch that book for reading, so you better get two, and now we're in extravagance land... especially if your using Mylar, which can badly ding the book edge when you get it wrong, putting it away. When I use Mylar, I go oversize to help avoid this. MY BAGGING TIPS: Especially for new comics, last 30 years-ish, use 1 board and nearest size needed bag to 5 comics. WHY? A) Huge savings on bags and boards. B) This will likely help maintain PH value, being as how so many items of the same paper type are together. C) Easier to lug around a given reading session. D) More space in your comic boxes.

[@davidramirez882]

Your out in Sac?

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Did I mention it in the video? Or I did I show off some A-1 Comics stuff? lol.

[@davidramirez882]

Both! Ha

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

lol well there you go!

[@davidramirez882]

I used to live out there. Im in modesto now. I have cousin's that collect comics in sac.

[@A1Authority]

3rd COMMENT: This is basically a single, 11 minute tip. We get your 'tight' thing. Why aren't you telling people 1) Why you like it so tight. 2) Why you use the materials you do. ...3) If 'Scott' can't find comic boards absolutely of any size online, that's weird. The size in question came right up. Maybe he needs to introduce himself to a comic store associate.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

Not sure what you are asking here or stating with this one. I did talk about why I like it "tight." But again, it isn't really a "tightness" that I like. It's a flush, from edge to edge board in bag look that I like. It really has nothing to do with the tightness on the book. Also not sure what you mean about Scott's issue.

[@A1Authority]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture 1) If you're doing for the 'look' that's personal overkill. 2) I'm saying every size board or bag imaginable is available online, plain and simple.

[@JernosComicsPopCulture]

​@@A1Authority I apologize if I'm reading into this wrong, but now I'm getting the feeling that you're being a bit sassy with your comment here. 1) if I'm doing it for the look, why is that personal overkill? As I have always stood by, there is no right or wrong way to collect comics. I could say the same thing for your comment about bagging 5 books into one bag - that's personal overkill. But in reality, neither my way NOR your way of using bags and boards is personal overkill, because it boils down to personal preference. Your way isn't wrong, and neither is mine. Also, I never said I "only" do it for the look, but aesthetics is a component for many collectors. 2) Instead of insinuating that every board size is online, as if Scott's struggle is trivial, maybe you could have supplied some online resources or links to Scott to help him out with his search.

[@A1Authority]

@@JernosComicsPopCulture Not looking for an essay. Sassy or not, I'm trying to save people (even you) money over mere aesthetics. I do, single comic/board y best comics, just not the run-fillers. Peace, bro.