Comic Book Packaging: How to get it right and how to get it wrong...

Suggestions online of how to package comics and graphic novels commonly involve one, or in some cases all of the methods below:

• "Bagging and Boarding". A method used to initially protect the raw comic book and further store it once it has been read.
• Measuring and cutting cardboard to create makeshift comic book mailers
• Stuffing with newspaper
• Bubble mailers
• Oodles of tape
• Using ill fitting boxes teamed with loose Polystyrene filling

How not to do Comic Book Packaging...

As pointed out in many blogs, guides and the article, 'The Proper Way to Ship Comic Books My Suggestion', nobody wants to receive a rare and expensive comic or graphic novel in a bubble mailer.

It is rife with problems such as tearing and bending and only protects against marking. The article goes on to discuss how these items should be packaged to protect against impact damage, which is the biggest issue surrounding comic book packaging. This is all well and good, however this process is hugely time consuming if dispatching higher quantities of comic books, and would not be sustainable if mailing out more than a few packages at a time.

The Comic Book Collecting Association suggests placing the comic in a bag, then placing this between two pieces of measured cardboard, taping the bag to the cardboard pieces thus creating a comic book 'sandwich', filling the gaps with polystyrene packing and placing this in a relatively large box.

Polystyrene is usually used in copious amounts, which is down to an ill fitting outer box. This is both costly and damaging to the environment as polystyrene isn't biodegradable. While placing the comic in an initial plastic poly bag is useful for the raw comic in terms of waterproofing, measuring the cardboard to the correct fit is time consuming when mailing out on a medium to large scale. Taping the package both internally and externally is both time consuming, expensive and frankly frustrating. Using newspaper to pad out the package simply puts the comic book at risk of marking. Picture it unwrapping the outer packaging, handling the newspaper, fingers covered in black print, fingers come into contact with the comic book.

Comic Book Packaging done right...

 

"This looks like a job for Lil Packaging!" regarded as the producers and suppliers of the world's best packaging for comic books, trusted by comic book stores and collectors the world over!

• Use a C-Com bukwrap. This size of book wrap fits all comic sizes and graphic novels, which is down to its variable-depth creases, and internal flap lengths.

• Our book wraps provide a perfect fit and superior protection against impact in the post, which is down to our incredibly strong kraft corrugated material, and the design which restricts internal movement. Unlike loose polystyrene filling, our packaging is 100% recyclable.

• Save 'bagging and boarding' for storage of your precious comic or simply recycle your Lil Packaging C-Com by placing your comic in a plastic bag and keeping it in our fantastic book wrap.

• Speed the process up. All of our book wraps have overhanging release paper, making the peel and seal feature 25% faster to pack.  The hot melt glue is super strong. Nobody's getting into that package until it meets its rightful owner justice prevails!

In a nutshell, this is not pass the parcel.  A quality product should be packaged in a quality way.  The customer experience of opening the package is lasting. It is every bit as important as the contents. The packaging is often the only touchpoint that you will have with your customer, as Reed Comics found. 

Do what some of the largest internet retailers do. Simply put your comic books and graphic novels  into a C-Com bukwrap, its the best packaging for comic books!