The kit for comics
Bags and boards for every book, a long box for stock, and rigid mailers or small boxes for shipping.
Buy a shipping scale once you ship bundles and runs, because they get heavy quickly.
Single issues, graphic novels and manga volumes. Bagged, boarded and boxed, so spines and corners arrive sharp.
What you need to sell comics and manga
The kit our builder picks for a typical Comics and manga seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
1 of 2Setup Builder
Phone mount
60-inch phone tripod with remote
A tall stand for showing clothing or sneakers head on.
Lighting
Two softbox lights with stands
Large, soft light for clothing and full-body shots.
Microphone
Clip-on wireless phone mic
Keeps your voice clear when you turn away from the phone.
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Packing single issues and runs
A bagged and boarded single issue goes between two pieces of stiff cardboard, then into a rigid mailer or a snug box. Stop the book bending: buyers complain about bends and creased spines.
Runs and bundles go in a box with the books standing tight, filler in any gaps, and cardboard on the top and bottom. Loose space lets books slide and dings the corners.
Kit for this step
Storing comics in long boxes
Keep comics upright in long boxes, filed by title and issue number. Use divider cards to find a book in seconds.
Store boxes off the floor in a dry room. Damp ruins paper, and garages, attics and basements can run damp.
Kit for this step
Photos and condition notes
Shoot the front, the back and the spine, plus close-ups of any creases, tears or stains. Take photos out of the bag if the plastic causes glare.
Describe condition plainly, in words a buyer can check. If you aren't confident giving a grade, describe the flaws instead of guessing a number.
Selling comics live
In a live show, sell a run or a themed lot you can talk through. An overhead phone arm lets you show covers flat on the desk without glare.
Keep each book in its bag on camera, and handle them by the edges. After the show, pack in the order you sold so nothing gets mixed up.
Kit for this step
Growing past the first 50 orders
Buy bags, boards and mailers in bulk, and keep a set of each by the packing area. A simple stock list with box and divider references makes picking fast.
Group bundles into themed lots. They sell well, clear slower stock and cost less to ship per book.
Kit for this step
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- A soft poly mailer leaves a comic free to bend, so use a rigid mailer or two pieces of cardboard.
- Leaving gaps in a box of runs lets books slide and ding, so pack them tight with filler in the spaces.
- Damp ruins paper, so keep long boxes in a dry room off the floor.
- If you quote a grade you can't back up, buyers open disputes, so describe the flaws in plain words.
- Shooting through a glossy bag hides creases, so take key photos out of the bag.
Setups
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Shipping per order
What most orders like these ship by, at today’s published rates. Rates checked October 7, 2026.
USPS Ground Advantage, under 1 lbUsual$6.93 to $8.95
TrackedUp to 1 lbClothing, cards in a mailer and other small items under 1 lb. Tracked, with $100 insurance included.
- USPS Ground Advantage, 1 to 2 lb
$7.61 to $13.42
TrackedUp to 2 lbShoes, jeans and boxed items up to 2 lb, tracked with $100 insurance.
USPS Cubic via Pirate Ship$6.00 to $15.00
TrackedUp to 20 lbSmall, heavy boxes up to 20 lb priced by size, not weight.
How to pack it
Mailers with no stiffener. Sorting machines bend the comic inside.
- 1Bag and board the issue, then add a second board behind it.
- 2Slide it into a rigid mailer, or a small box for runs and graphic novels.
- 3Weigh it and buy the Ground Advantage label for that weight.
A bag and a stiff board for each single issue.
Light boxes for boxed toys and beauty sets.
Selling comics and manga
Comics sell on condition, mostly corners and spines. Every issue goes in a bag with a board before it goes anywhere near a show.
Long boxes keep issues upright and sorted by title and number. Ship single issues flat between cardboard stiffeners; runs and graphic novels go in a small box.
Questions
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
Do I need to bag and board every comic?
Yes, for anything you sell individually. It costs pennies an issue and buyers on Whatnot and eBay expect it.
How do I ship a single comic?
Bag and board it, add a second stiff board, and send it in a rigid mailer by USPS Ground Advantage. It will weigh well under 1 lb.
Should I get comics graded before selling?
Only for valuable keys, where a CGC or CBCS grade adds more than it costs. For most books, honest photos and a clear condition description do the job.
How do I ship a run of comics?
Bag and board each book, stand them tight in a box with cardboard top and bottom, and fill any gaps. Weigh the box and compare Ground Advantage with Media Mail if the run qualifies.
Is a long box better than plastic bins?
A long box holds comics upright at the right width and is cheap. Bins work if you add dividers and don't let books slump.
Do bags and boards need replacing?
Old bags yellow and some older boards aren't acid-free. Swap them for fresh ones before you list a book you care about.