Cool temp, reasonable humidity (leaning toward less), don't touch them.

Seal them in plastic if possible but I don't think most people do this to trades, only to the individual floppies.

I learned from experience to make sure you keep books out of direct sunlight to avoid discoloration. I have bookcases of graphic novels that have been there for close to 15 years and haven't had any problems with deterioration of quality over that time. I will bag some of the smaller books but that is just preference.

Bags and boards my friend.

The less you open them the less wear and tear.

I recommend you swap them out for some posters or prints. They are better off in their boxes.

Some of the recent posts around even ambient UV damage has backed me off placing some of my books on the wall, but I already have the frames (https://a.co/d/banBAK1) that I bought from Amazon and they were kind of expensive so I am using facimile’s in the frames now.

Top Loaders

https://preview.redd.it/jmww1c80jjbf1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=beb53dcf86015b837928fc85f6f26611a3808e4a

While this isn’t a guarantee as light is the enemy of all things printed - here’s what I’ve been doing for years as both a comic collector and a print collector who likes to display.

https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbookcollecting/s/Vp17kSKQsO

I forgot I also bought these shadow boxes from Hobby Lobby and they are another good option in my opinion (https://www.hobbylobby.com/home-decor-frames/frames-framing-supplies/shadow-boxes-display-cases/see-all-style-shadow-box/p/80781914)

Upright in bags with backing boards. Mylar is the best in the long run but slightly more expensive upfront. I recommend using silver age size bags and boards as the extra room allows for both larger silver age books as well as over-sized modern books. Use the shiny side of the boards against the comic when placing them into the bags. The shiny side is the acid-free coating if you use the other side your books may transfer ink to the boards. Get yourself a shortbox for storage so the comics can be pulled out from the collection without having to grab the spine area like you would if pulling them shom a shelf.

If you ever get deep into the hobby, you may consider stacking multiple long boxes...if you feel you're going to amass a considerable amount one day, I highly recommend researching comic book filing cabinets. It's a nicer way to store and access a collection. They aren't specifically designed for comics, but instead, repurposed regular filing cabinets for use with comics.

Get yourself some mylar and fullbacks. I recommend continue storing them on bookshelves because it looks cleaner to me. If you'd rather use your shelf space for something else, I recommend short boxes because they're easier to move. There are shelving solutions (such as metal racks) that you can store the short boxes on that look nice as well.

In the fridge.

I wish we had a FAQ that new users can read before asking...

https://old.reddit.com/r/comicbookcollecting/wiki/gettingstarted#wiki_protection_and_storage

Aim for 35% relative humidity and below 72° F. Avoid light, heat and dampness. Maintaining steady temperature and relative humidity are preferable over conditions that cycle up and down. Attics, bathrooms and basements are generally to be avoided. The inside walls are drier than outside walls, where moisture can collect. High humidity can lead to the development of foxing or mold growth.

I've bagged my shelf trades since I started collecting 20 years ago without issue. I live in a humid area so I just make sure temperature is constant and limit direct sunlight on them.

Be sure to always add boards to your bags - wasn't clear in your post if you do this, but its important for posture.

This is part of why I'm a big advocate for digital comics. My .cbz files aren't going to turn yellow and smell funny or crumble to dust when I try to read them decades from now.

Digital is important for long term preservation.

Bag, board, and store in a box in a dry area.

Or don't bag/board but keep in a box.

My collection sati in boxes, both bagged and not bagged for over 30 years.

Just opened them up a few months ago and they are exactly as when they went in.

I just pulled out some of my pieces that I’ve bought solid decade ago, suppose felt nostalgic and wanted to have a clear picture as I’m gonna be doing some renovations, including getting some proper shelves.

In majority, they are as new. My hardbacks show almost no difference, occasionally tiny scratch or something on the dust jacket and that may as well have been a thing all those years back and I’ve forgotten. Admitedly some of my paperbacks are slightly bent (I have very limited storage space, they have to be stacked on top of each other, please don’t judge me....), which I may or may not be able to fix. Only a few of them are getting the slightly yellow page corners.

I think the biggest enemies are sun damage and humidity. My pieces are largely in closed spaces, didn’t have to face either so far. As long as you have that figured out (basically you just wanna avoid extremes, not much else to it), you should be good and your collection should blossom for many more years.

Depends on the quality of the paper and how acid-free it is. Most modern printing is on good paper. It's the older, pulpier newsprint that's the problem, and will show age. Also depends on the air quality, humidity, exposure to sunlight, etc., where they're stored. All that being said, enjoy your books. 30 years from now is 30 years from now, and we don't know the future. Don't let this be a stress. If it is, evaluate if that's worth it to you. Collecting can have its compulsive tendencies. Take care of your mental health.

keep them out of direct sunlight, humidity, and dirt/dust, and that will go a long way. I own a lot of trades that I've had for 15-20 years and they're perfectly fine, though the paper quality is different than what new trades are printed on now. new trades and omnis generally have better paper quality than books from 20 years ago, I would just make sure to not stress out the spines in any way (crease them, etc.), but you're probably not doing that if you're concerned for keeping them in good shape in the first place.

Librarian here! When we’re storing rarer editions of books or magazines we usually place them in sleeves and then use plastic locking totes for transfer or storage.

Remember to store your comics with a generous amount of silica gel packets to combat moisture and mold! If you’re worried about bugs, placing a hunk of cedar wood in with them helps immensely.

old milk crates? do they still make them? don't know if they'd fit a legal pad, but they're stackable if they do.

Best way is in mylites/mylar with acid free backing boards, then stored upright in a comic or magazine box. Normal way would be regular comic or magazine sleeves with acid free backing boards upright in a box. Also, keep them in a temperature controlled area, not a garage, basement or attic.

If you have paperbacks, do you mean trades? They are usually made of nicer paper. I would check that first. If it is printed on newsprint, then that will turn yellow if it gets hot. That might need a sleeve with the flap taped shut.

If you mean single issues, those are also called floppies. Best protection will be sleeves with boards, and taping the flap.

I use Mylar bags from Comic Pro Line. And thicker 28pt. backing boards. I put a board in the middle of each comic and in the bag. So 2 boards. And all my comics look fantastic in the Mylar bags. And you won’t have to change them out in a few years. To make it simple I use the Silver Age size bags Silver/Regular size boards for most everything. Good stuff.

Man the 90's loved that shimmer foil on their books. I have a couple of them!

Bag and board.

Mylar and if you're really anal, 2 boards

I gotta be honest putting it in a bag and board, putting it in a box, and keeping it inside and climate controlled is enough. If you need more you’re being way too rough with your comics.

I picked this up at a comic book store, I heard that it was one of the best Doom stories. Even though it's not in the nicest condition, I would like to preserve it. How do you guys preserve your old big graphic novels?

I picked it up for 52 bucks, do you think it was worth that for its condition?

Magazine bag and board will stop it from getting messed up any more

Bag and board, if they make boards this size. And keep it out of the way if water and direct sunlight.

That's about it as far as I know.

Magazine sized poly bag.

I keep my trades and HCs in bags and boards. Depending on its size, you’ll want Silver, Golden Age, or Magazine size. For larger Omnibuses I also use Treasury size.