Protect and Organize Your Graded Comic Books

To grade comic books, trusted companies such as the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) and the Comic Book Certification Service (CBCS) will evaluate comic books, grade them on a 1 to 10 scale, and encapsulate each comic in a rigid plastic frame, called a slab. A grade of 10 is a flawless comic, but that grade is rarely awarded. These comics will be protected for years to come, and a graded comic will have a higher secondary market value. The obvious negative of getting a comic slabbed is you cannot view the interior pages without breaking the slab, and the risk of damaging the comic in the process.

Even after a comic is enclosed in a slab, safe storage is needed. Store the slabs in a dark location to prevent fading from UV light. Keep the slabs in a cool, dry location.

Many collectors of graded comics place slabs in bags to prevent the slabs from getting scratched or damaged. BCW Supplies offers graded comic bags made from both polypropylene and Mylar.

Prior to 2016, the slabs from CGC were slightly smaller. BCW’s original Graded Comic Bags (1-BAG-GC-R) are designed to fit the earlier slabs. At the 2016 Emerald City Comic Con, CGC transitioned to using a slightly larger slab. You can tell the difference between the two slabs, as the new, larger slabs are welded all around the slab, whereas the original slabs sealed in the four corners but were not welded close. The slabs offered by CBCS are larger than the earlier CGC slabs as well. Hence BCW offers a new, larger polypropylene bags (1-BAG-GC1-R) for the larger CGC and CBCS slabs.

For collectors that demand Mylar bags, BCW offers 2-mil thick Mylar Graded Comic Book Bags (1-GC-M2) and a 4-mil Mylar sleeve (1-GCSLV-M4).

To protect and organize a large collection of graded comics, BCW carries Graded Comic Book Boxes (1-BX-GCB). These boxes will store 35 to 40 graded comics.

For a premium box that includes a partition to keep your comics upright, try a Graded Comic Book Bin. The BCW Graded Comic Bin is a heavy-duty comic box sized specifically to store graded comic books. It will hold about 30 graded comics. The bin is made from acid-free, snap-together panels. Each Graded Comic Book Bin comes with a movable partition that helps stand up your growing stack of graded comics. Additional Graded Comic Bin Partitions are sold separately. Identification slots on the ends of the bins help you mark your boxes with either an index card or a toploading card holder. The lid panels feature sliding locks for added security.

When you buy a Graded Comic Book Bin, it will likely be unassembled. Several panels will need to be snapped together. For the easiest assembly process, please follow the steps shown in this video:

For the ultimate in protection, we offer BCW Graded Comic Cases in 3 sizes. All 3 are made with a durable exterior and soft foam interior. Additionally, the Large and X-Large Cases feature carrying handles and built-in combination locks. The combination is customizable; you can learn to set yours by reading this article on our blog.