Q+A: Top tips for storing and protecting your comic book collection

Are you an avid comic book collector? Do you go bonkers for Beano? Well, you’ll know that the hobby of comic book collection, whilst enjoyable, can take up a lot of space – be it cluttering up your spare bedroom, or the cupboard under the stairs. And whilst you may think you have solved the issue of storage, what you might not have considered is whether these places offer the best conditions for keeping your prized editions in tip top shape.

Launched in 2006 and housing around 6,000 original cartoons, caricatures and comics, and a library of 18,000 books, we’d say that the team at The Cartoon Museum might know a thing or two about the subject area. With such an expansive collection, the team came to us at Big Yellow to see if we could offer support in providing additional storage, particularly over the last few months during which the museum has been closed – something which the team Big Yellow were able to help with.

Knowing that they might have a few expert tips up their sleeve, we caught up with Steve, the museum’s Learning Officer, and Curator, Emma for a quickfire Q and A about both the museum and their expertise on storing and protecting your comic book collection:

What is your background and how did you get started in this industry?

Steve: Having been a lifelong comics fan, I became a professional cartoonist and comic artist in 1988. With a background in teaching and youth work, I took over the running of a school for cartoonists, The London Cartoon Centre, in 1991. After funding cuts closed it down in 1995, I began sporadically working for the Cartoon Arts Trust Gallery, which eventually evolved into The Cartoon Museum.

How would you best describe the Cartoon Museum?

Emma: The Cartoon Museum is dedicated to preserving the best of British cartoons, caricatures, comics and animation. As the museum’s Curator, my work focuses on our incredible collection. The Cartoon Museum has a nationally important collection of 6,000 original cartoons, caricatures and comics, and a library of 18,000 books, including 500 rare books, journals and letters. The archive covers 270 years of original drawings and prints as well as automatons and Spitting Image puppets. There are 250 original William Heath Robinson cartoons, rare original watercolours from 1750 – 1820, the Golden Age of Caricature, and important pages from graphic novels, including Watchmen and V for Vendetta. It is a unique representation of Britain’s cartoon heritage and incorporates the complete spectrum of British cartoon and comic art. 

As well as conserving and providing access to Britain’s cartoon and comic art heritage, we are also passionate about supporting new work by cartoonists and comic artists and encouraging participation in and raising awareness of the artform.

Why is preservation and protection important? And do you have any expert/specialist tips for helping fellow collectors protect and preserve their collections? 

Emma: Most things deteriorate over time. The conditions in which objects are kept and the ways in which we interact with them can have a big impact on how quickly and severely deterioration and damage takes place. Caring for historic objects so that they can be enjoyed and experienced by future generations is a key role of every museum. Comics and cartoons are generally works on paper, making them fragile and prone to damage from damp and heat. The following are some key pointers to keep in mind when storing works on paper.

 There are simple things you can do at home which will help you to protect and preserve your collections: 

• Limit light exposure as much as possible - both natural light and indoor lighting
• Keep the storage room at around 16-20 degrees Celsius and where possible, avoid things like heating or air conditioning
• If you are lucky enough to own a house with a ‘spare room’, keep your collection in there. It is important for collections to have their own space, away from the hustle and bustle of people and to limit deterioration
• Do not stack lots of boxes on top of each other if you can avoid it. This limits air ventilation in the space, which affects the environmental conditions. It also carries a risk of toppling over!
• Do not eat or drink near collections. Besides the risk of spillages, this can attract pests
• If you wish to preserve your collection rather than use it regularly, it is best to handle items in your collection as little as possible. When you do wish to handle an object, prepare a clean, clear space to do so and make sure that your hands are clean. Tie up your hair and remove any loose clothing or jewellery. Handle the object carefully and only open books up to 180 degrees. Before moving the object, check to see if there are any tears or weaknesses which you might need to give extra support to when moving
• If you want to get really serious about it, you can buy museum quality storage materials online, for example at https://www.preservationequipment.com/. They are made from special materials which limit damage and deterioration.

How have you managed to maintain the collection whilst the museum has been temporarily closed? 

Emma: Only around 5-10% of our collection is on display in the museum - so actually most of it spends much of its life ‘in lockdown’! It is important for collections to have their own space, away from the hustle and bustle of people. The presence of people changes the temperature and relative humidity of a space, causing fluctuations and the condition of objects to deteriorate. That’s why most of the collection is stored separately from the museum, in facilities such as Big Yellow. Big Yellow offers a stable, secure space which is dedicated to our collection – the units are clean, accessible via personal PIN and also offer flexibility in terms of duration, something which has been particularly useful with the curveballs that 2020 has thrown our way! The units also have tried-and-tested systems in place to deal with things which may pose a threat such as fire, theft. These systems would require a lot of money and time to put in place yourself and would require regular maintenance and monitoring over time. At Big Yellow, it is all taken care of for us. 

How can people get involved/enjoy the museum from their own homes?

Emma: Visit our website to explore online exhibitions and free downloadable learning resources: https://www.cartoonmuseum.org/

People can also connect with us on social media to engage with our museum’s collections: 

Twitter: @CartoonMuseumuk

Instagram: @thecartoonmuseum

Facebook: @TheCartoonMuseum

Steve: We also have downloadable drawing activity sheets for young and old and a ‘Draw the Coronavirus’ cartoon competition. Donations can be made via the website’s home page, and a number of famous artists have offered to donate artwork for auction at a later date. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the museum when we re-open!

Thinking about following suit and potentially moving your collection out of the home and into one of our units? Head to our website to find out more and locate your nearest store.

Also, remember to keep an eye out on our Twitter and Instagram pages for more helpful tricks and tips.