Comic book storage and display

July 25, 2021 4:45 PM

I have about 1000 comic books, most of which are the standard journal/large format (about 7x10) although some are digest size (about 6x4). Right now they are stored in four large, long cardboard boxes made for comics that I picked up at a comic book store about 25 years ago. I would like to put them on a shelf or display them in some way, but I can't figure out the best method.

Most of them are from the 1970s and 1980s, and they're well-loved. I want them out so I am more inclined to read them and because they make me really happy! A normal bookshelf probably won't work for the journal size because they're so floppy, and I'd like to keep the collection all in one place in my apartment. I'm not super interested in getting individual sleeves for each journal-format book because it's too fussy for me. How do people with comic book collections store and/or display them?

I am not opposed to storing about half of them in a closet in new comic book sized cardboard boxes, but those boxes do seem kind of expensive online for what they are (the boxes they are in are grungy after spending 20 years in an attic without climate control). I would still like to display the other half and would rotate them out. Everything I'm seeing online for comic book storage tends to prioritize keeping them in mint condition, so I'm hoping that people here who read and love their comics collection can guide me to a better solution.

posted by twelve cent archie to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Best answer: I think the keyword you might find works best for you is periodical shelving. This is generally for magazines which works great for comics you want to display and access. Some of them can be tilted from angled to flat so you can do stacks of like, series, below the one with your favorite cover or whatever. You can find low displays which you could place on top of a trunk or buffet that holds the rest of your undisplayed collection for easy rotation.

Also, you can find long boxes made out of the same kind of plastic as milk crates, which might work better for long term but still accessible storage.
posted by Mizu at 5:19 PM on July 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

A rack spinner would be a good way to display comics. Bonus points if it declares, "Hey Kids! Comics!"
posted by SPrintF at 5:22 PM on July 25, 2021

Ikea has "magazine files" that will hold maybe 15 comics in each. You put the comics in the file and the files on your bookshelf. You could put a label with comic art for that title on it to help organize them and make them look better.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:57 PM on July 25, 2021

If you have space a map cabinet might work. They're typically 3' x 4' or so, and have a couple of dozen drawers, each maybe an inch deep. You can get them cheaply, (well, last time I checked, a decade back) because they're too big and clunky for most things. I've always wanted one but don't have a real need.
posted by AugustusCrunch at 1:47 PM on July 26, 2021