5 Best Comic Book File Cabinets For Storage
UnsplashAs a comic book fan, the issue is not whether you should have an organizational method or not. The issue is deciding which organizational method is best to use. Owning comic books is huge a responsibility. Comic books damage easily, add to clutter and require meticulous organization for easy access since they are sequentially ordered by titles and issue numbers. If you own thousands of comics, then you may need a comic book file cabinet storage solution.
Comic books attract dust. Comic books are made from the cheapest quality paper, ink, and iron staples. (The quality of such materials incrementally improved in recent decades, but not as much as you think.) As comic books are made from wood pulp, they contain a natural biological acid called lignin.
As the paper contained in comic books are exposed to air and the elements, its releases naturals gases and lignin which slowly discolors and dissolve paper fibers on the molecular level.
The longer you leave comic books exposed to sunlight, humidity, and air, the quicker they disintegrate. Although the process takes decades, you can see your comic book fade, yellow, and become brittle to the touch within a few years if you don’t protect them
Comic books must be stored and filed in the same manner that you would do for books. It is so easy to spill food, and drink, or damage them if you have them covering a desk or stacked in unstable towers on the floor.
So, let’s talk about some comic book file cabinet storage options that are readily available. The hard reality is that while there are a lot of file cabinet storage options for documents and books, there is not a similar system for comic books.
Let’s explore that problem first before examining solutions.
Comic Book File Cabinet Storage Solutions – The Struggle is Real
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Did you know that a lot of people turned to reading comic books during the recent pandemic.?And that development put a light on the struggles of comic book collectors trying to organize their collections.
There are multiple Pinterest groups and posts dedicated to people creating their own comic book file cabinet-style storage solutions for their collections. People are repurposing file cabinets, wall units, document drawers, and even IKEA drawers into file cabinet storage systems for their comic books.
So, if you’re good at carpentry or hacking existing wall units, desk drawers, and IKEA furniture systems into bespoke comic book file cabinet storage systems, there is hope for you.
But if you’re like me, this just won’t do.
Companies should make it their mission on Earth to create comic book file cabinet storage systems for the existing demographics clamoring for one.
If you want a comic book file cabinet storage that serves your needs and doesn’t require you to MacGuyer your own organizational solutions, then there are a few options out there for you.
However, the best solutions are wide comic book box housings made of cardboard that you can stick preexisting comic book long boxes and short boxes into. So, you can create mock comic book file cabinet storage systems. However, you can only stack these boxes two or three levels high. Since they are made of cardboard, the accumulated weight of the comics within will crush the boxes under them over time.
BCW Short Comic Book House
BCW is a well-known name for comic book collectors looking to protect their comic books. This product is called a “comic book house,” but it is really a cardboard housing or shell that allows you to insert a comic book short box.
You can then pull it out and stick it in the short box like it was a file cabinet. Your comic book short boxes slide in and out as if they were a file cabinet. Here are the dimensions of the housings: 16.5 x 9 x 12.75 inches. This product is colored white and is constructed with durable, high-quality corrugated cardboard.
You get one of these cardboard houses with every purchase. You then have to buy one of BCW’s comic book short boxes to compliment the BCW short comic book housing. (You can get that here, 10 short boxes for $69.)
Keep in mind that you should only stack these short comic book housing two or three levels high only. Stack them on a desk, or stick one on the shelves of accommodating wall units. Don’t fill the comic book short boxes to capacity. Such boxes can hold up to 150 to 175 comic books.
If you stack these comic book housings higher than two or three levels, and at full storage capacity, then the accumulated weight of the comics will crush the comics underneath.
You necessarily need ot buy this product – after all, it is a large cardboard sleeve. Still, it does offer you extra protection for your comic book short boxes. This product also make organizing your comic books easier. Instead of deadlifting your comic book box, you can slide it in and out of this protective housing.
You can buy 1 unit of the BCW Short Comic Book House for $26.99. Check them out soon because they sell out fast. (BCW also sells a 10-count Short Comic Book House for $90, but it has been out of stock for a while due to high demand.This product is a great deal, so check on it to see it has been restocked.)
BCW Starter Comic Book Storage Kit
This product is essentially a more durable, plastic version of the BCW Short Comic House.
The BCW Starter Comic Book Storage Kit is a starter kit for new comic book fans who want to learn how to properly organize their collections.
This heavy-duty comic book storage box comes with 100 mylar resealable sleeves, four divider partitions, 100 acid-free backing boards, and even a cleaning cloth. The plastic storage box itself is acid-free too.
Here are the product’s dimensions: 20 x 14 x 6 inches (WxHxL).
You can fit 100 to 150 comic books in each storage box. And the manufacturer claims that you can stack these boxes up to six levels. So, you can create an ad hoc comic book file cabinet storage system that way.
But, you will have to pull out, shift and move boxes as needed since each box has butterfly-wing opening lids. The best option may be to place these boxes on wall units with enough depth of space for you to slide them in and out.
Please note that this comic book is optimal for mylar-sleeved or unprotected comic books, not slabbed or top-loaded comic books.
Get it now at Amazon for $54.99.
BCW Graded Comic Book Bin (2-Pack)
Slabbed comic books are comic books that are encased in rigid plastic shells. An apt analogy to a slabbed comic book is the way you may get a valuable collector’s baseball card laminated.
Usually, a third-party comic book appraisal company assesses the value of the comic book, gives it a grade ranging between 0.5 to 10.0 on a “CGC” grade, slabs it, and then puts stickers and documentation attesting to the value of the comic.
The comic is slabbed to protect its value and slow down natural deterioration from exposure to the elements. (You can slab your own comics, but you can’t independently attest to their market value.) But that does not mean comic book collectors don’t enjoy holding and admiring the slab like a trophy.
The BCW Graded Comic Book Bin is a durable plastic comic book storage bin that is designed to exclusively store slabbed comic books. Here are the product’s dimensions: 15.5″L x 13.25″W x 8.75″H inches.
You can store 30 slabbed comics in this product and stack them several boxes high. Or you can place these boxes on wall units with enough depth of space for you to slide them in and out like a mock file cabinet.
This product comes with two storage boxes as a two-pack item. Get it at Amazon for $79.99.
Leffis 5-Pack Stackable Comic Book Storage System
Leffis’ stackable comic book storage system is an affordable alternative to the standard corrugated cardboard and plastic storage bin systems.
Here are the internal dimensions of this product: 15.5″ X 7.5″ X 11.3″. Each one of Leffis’ comic book storage boxes holds up to 150 comics.
Leffis’ storage boxes are made of a high-quality linen exterior with a sturdy and collapsible PVC shell interior and baseplate. Each box has a Velcro lid that covers the interior. And each box is sturdy enough to stack up to two levels safely. When not in use, you can collapse the box for easy storage.
This item is a five-pack purchase. Get it at Amazon for $43.99.
LVSTEEL 2-Drawer Mobile File Cabinet with Lock
As this list has made it very self-evident by now, there is no standard comic book file cabinet system. And there should be one by now, considering the market.
You can easily repurpose an existing mobole file cabinet to store and safeguard dozens of your valuable comic books. Since these drawers use hanging file folders it would behoove you to place your comics in a Mylar sleeve with a backing board or a slab before putting them in a hanging file folde.
This LVSTEEL vertical, two-drawer file cabinet is designed to be rolled under or beside a desk for easy access. It was manufactured with durable, cold-rolled steel and is designed to protect documents and last a long time. This white-colored file cabinet features a rust and corrosion-resistant powder finish.
It is also lockable, resistant to tipping over, and comes fully assembled. You could store dozens of your priced comic books in these drawers.
Here are the product’s dimensions : 20.00″D*15.75″W*25.00″H.
Until some manufacturer wises up and makes a file cabinet product exclusively for comic books, this could be your best bet to protect your more valuable comic books.
Get it now at Amazon for $129.98.
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Ever wondered how you could make money investing in something you love? If so, then comic book investing might be for you! In this guide, I cover everything the casual investor needs to know in order to get started. Learn about what makes a comic book valuable, how to determine value on your own, and strategies for making a sale. Plus, find out why now is the best time to start investing in comic books.
The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
