Action Figure Storage & Protection Methods

Agent's & Banshee's...

(ISSUE #77, WEDNESDAY JUNE 19 2013)

 Action Figure Storage & Protection Methods

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCING THE NEW REVIEW SPOT...

AGENT'S & BANSHEE'S...

MONTHLY ONLINE PUBLICATION...

While taking a break from my review duties with the upcomig Iron Man 3 review, I decided to talk action figures for a moment. (Editor's Note: usagent2009 promises a very tough talk review for Iron Man 3 as he said instead of going to Iron Man 3 he should have stayed at the office and played with his toy collection.) I used to collect action figures back in the mid 80's throughout the famous Toybiz years and it was not uncommon at the time to keep your figures in package and mint on card. We could only hope storing these little devils would one day make us rich and popular with the Cosplay chicks lol! But as with any hobby we never expected storage would drive us out of room and drive our girlfriends and wives nuts.

 

Anyone who has tried to find the right way to protect action figures has probably been met with many typical problems stemming from damaged blister bubbles, bent backer cards and everything in between. Really there is no right or wrong answer. If your in it for the long haul or for life you'll have to try new options and see what works with the space you have. This may include parting with old sets that just look cheap and like garbadge next to constant updated characters as the years progress.

 

individual plastic bubble cases can be one option. I think for the best results a 30 gallon plastic sterilite tub might be your best way of protecting large series of action figures if collecting the entire run from the first figure to the very last to be produced is your goal. Plastic sterilite containers generally run 16$ and up for something like a large 30 gal. unit with a snap on lid.

 

 Make sure you get a lid or this will be a total waste of time and wont keep out dust, lite and moisture. Card board backer boards that make up most action figure packaging tends to bend and worp very easy over a few years time. Moisture is your action figures enemy! I cannot stress how important it is to not leave tubs with figures in a damp basement area. Routine opening of tubs every 6-12 months should be on your list of duties to reposition and alternate the placement and direction of these carded figures.

 

Gravity will also make board and even some plastic curve and bend over time. So flip these packages from once being in a face down position to laying on there backs. interlink two figures at an opposite direction. One card over the others clear blister bubble the keep things flat. Bubble wrap can go over the last row but make sure things are not too tight! If there is not a gap above the top row and the lid the next tub you stack on top will crush your figures. Never over stack. If you stack 4-5 tubs keep rotating these often.

 

 Loose action figures are a bit more fun and require a different method. I find that use of ziplock bags is a common option most collectors use to protect against scratch and weapon loss. You can black magic marker ziplock bags too for keeping your memory intact years down the road when even you can't remember each figures character name when you own two thousand or more toys. But dont stop there, place these guys in a plastic sterilite shelve unit like the one featured in our picture above. You can separate teams and comic book companies this way. Or keep rogues villains to your spider-man and x-men displays at a drawers reach. Each collector from a mint of card finatic to a loose articulated display geek needs to find what works for them...

 

I just thought as we at S.B.T. try to discuss new topics to post that this was porbably going to help get you off and running without making some common mistakes. Be particular about what you collect. Decide if packaging is going to last the test of time before you buy. What kind of room you have and how much money your willing to dump to do things right. This is not a cheap hobby, it requires many hours or arranging, protecting and displaying along with storage. Storage can be pricey. And you could be looking at 20 to 30 or more tubs that require their own room.

 

Detolf caes are another way to go with loose action figure dispalying. Again a big production if your going to have more than one or two cases. These range from 35-45$ dollars and you'll need to build them.

One last option is wall displaying for carded action figures which a few Pegboards and store hooks will usually do the trick and make any room look like you take great pride in dispalying your entire collection.

Until next time, keep on collecting & keep your cape at your back!!!

USAGENT2009