Holds a few hundred bagged comics upright.
Typical price
$8 to $20
Why we pick it
- Typical price
- $8 to $20
- Works with
Stores issues upright so spines stay straight. Sort by title and number and you find a sold issue in seconds.
Our approved alternative for the same job: Clear stackable 32 qt bins, 4 pack
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Back-issue stock that outgrows a shelf
A long box makes sense once your back issues no longer fit on a shelf. If you sell single comics on eBay or run comic shows on Whatnot, a few boxes sorted by title turn your spare room into a back-issue bin you can pick from in seconds.
One box holds a few hundred books, so 1,000 to 2,000 issues need four to eight boxes. Below 100 issues, a short box takes less floor space.
Cardboard, lid and inside width
Corrugated cardboard with a separate lid and handholds at each end is the standard build. A typical long box holds around 250 to 300 bagged current-size comics and measures roughly 27 inches long inside.
Measure the inside width against your largest bags. Silver Age and Golden Age bags run wider than current ones, and a box cut tight for modern books will crush their edges.
Plastic long boxes cost more, resist moisture and stack higher. In a garage or basement, choose plastic or a sealed tub.
Filing runs so a pick takes seconds
File every comic upright, bagged and boarded, in title order and then issue number. Write the range on the box end, such as "Amazing Spider-Man 1 to 300", so you open the right box first time.
Fill each box until the books stand without slumping, with enough slack to flip through. A spare board makes a divider between titles; write the title along its top edge.
Add the box code to your listing notes, and a sale sends you straight to the right box.
Tubs, shelving and bags alongside the box
Clear stackable tubs are the fallback. They seal out moisture and dust, though comics stacked flat inside a tub pick up pressure dents; stand them upright with boards between titles.
A 5-tier steel shelving unit holds long boxes off the floor, which protects them in a garage or basement that can take on water.
Comic bags and boards come first: in a long box of unbagged books, covers rub and spines slump.
Lifting, stacking and humidity
A full long box of a few hundred comics gets heavy. Lift it by both handholds, and keep the boxes you pull from often at waist height. Cardboard boxes stack two or three high before the bottom one bows.
Heating vents, damp walls and direct sunlight fade covers and soften cardboard, so keep boxes clear of all three. Once a box goes soft at the corners, it has lost its stacking strength.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Five cardboard long boxes in one stack will crush the bottom one. Keep stacks to two or three, or move them onto shelving.
- Raise boxes on a shelf or pallet in a garage or basement; on the bare floor, moisture creeps into the bottom row.
- Books packed so tight they bow turn every pick into a struggle. A finger's width of slack fixes it.
- Without dividers, mixed titles turn a sale into a search, so add labeled board dividers between runs.
- Stand comics upright in the box. Lying flat puts stress on their spines.
Setups that use it
Complete kits this product is part of.
Questions
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
How many comics fit in a long box?
Around 250 to 300 bagged and boarded current-size comics, fewer if many are thick annuals.
Long box or short box?
A long box stores more per square foot of floor. A short box holds about half and is easier to lift, so it suits smaller collections and shelves.
Do Silver Age comics fit in a long box?
Most do. Measure the inside width against your wider bags first.
Can I ship comics in a long box?
For a big bulk sale, yes, with the gaps filled and the lid taped down. For a handful of issues, use a smaller box or a stiff mailer.
Should I store long boxes in the attic?
Attics swing between hot and cold and can be humid, which harms paper. A spare room or dry closet is safer.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
3,200-count card storage boxes
Sort singles by set and number with dividers, and you can pull a sold card without flipping through binders.
Typical price$9 to $18
See on AmazonClear stackable 32 qt bins, 4 pack
Mark each bin with a shelf code and record the code against the listing. When an item sells, the code in the listing tells you which bin to open.
Typical price$30 to $55
See on AmazonHeavy-duty double clothing rack
Hanging stock stays wrinkle-free, so it photographs and ships without ironing. A double rack fits along one wall of a spare bedroom.
Typical price$40 to $80
See on Amazon5-tier steel shelving, 72 in
Floor space runs out first, so build up instead. Number the shelves and give each item an address you can pick from.
Typical price$40 to $90
See on Amazon