The whole purpose of having the backing board in the bag is so that it stays perfectly with the module, insuring that the board takes the hit instead of the module.

But to address your specific question, I actually think it helps, not hurts to have the board next to the module because of the principle involved in why people can be hit with a sledgehammer safely when there's a cinder block in-between.  The block disperses the force of the blow over a wider area than the smaller face of the hammer.

The greater threats, in my opinion, are from bugs, mold and humidity.

The bottom line for me is that having the board outside the bag just isn't practical.  You either have to attach the board to the outside of the bag which involves glue or tape, or place the board in another bag over the bagged module.  Unless someone makes a bag with a board holder or some such, which I could only imagine as being prohibitively expensive.

Aneoth wrote:No expert here but I think the board in the bag with the book/magazine/module/comic is the better of the two options.

I have never been sure which side of the backing board should face the comic --- the shiny side, the dull side, or either one?

red_bus wrote:I am not sure if it matters that much - but I have been told by comic book guys that the dull side is best.  I also think that some boards are constructed to be slightly alkaline, to counteract the natural acidity in paper (especially the old newsprint-ey paper that early comics are printed on).

That is odd.  The shiny side is what I have always been told is the correct side to be against the comic.  The reason why it is shiny is because it has a coating of calcium carbonate that is supposed to help absorb acid.

JohnGaunt wrote:Is direct contact with the board necessary, or is being in the same bag enough to do the trick?

Logically if the acid is on your fingers and you read the comic it would then transfer to the paper.  If the backing board was turned around so that the dull side was up I don't see how it could absorb any acid.  But... when people read comics they touch the cover so how does the acid from your fingers get absorbed if the backing board is behind the cover?  No clue...but that is why I try not to touch the cover when I am reading them.  

Aneoth wrote:
Please keep in mind that the next question is coming from a dude that does not intentionally collect comics.
Although I do have several hundred of them as you know and you know how I got them.

HOW do you manage NOT to touch a comic cover while reading it?

Do you wear gloves?

Personally, I use a latex glove.....

I'm the opposite, my poor comics, I left the store the other day and one already had a bend in the cover from holding it wrong...

Mike B.

The purpose of a backing board is not so much to absorb impact (otherwise, you'd have to put one in the front, too!), but to assist in preventing bends and creases, especially when the item is stored upright in a box.

With that in mind, yes, place it inside the bag, with the item.

Foul

serleran wrote:Yep. I use them to prevent curling, or as a "lean-to" when the item is placed for display purposes, front facing outward.

Yup, the "C" curve that they would get if they stood upright with no backing is the main protection. Also, the safety of the spine against creasings. I put mine shiny side toward the module, as that's what I've been instructed to do by my comic book shop owning best friend. He's got the first 15 X-Men comics, so, I'd imagine he's know how to protect them.

Zen

joe _ collector said what I was thinking.
Where was the doubt to being with?

The makers of the card board backing spent extra money coating one side...
WHY?!

I always assumed it was because they wanted you to use that side for some reason....

red_bus wrote:
http://boards.collectors-society.com/ub ... 96&fpart=1

Whew!  No changes needed here.  I have twelve long boxes of comics and five short boxes of d&d stuff, so I'd have been one busy boy for weeks.  Although, I can't help but wonder if the ph evens out over time requiring new boards every twenty or so years.  It seems like I read something about that somewhere.  I could google it, but since I've only been collecting comics for the past six years, I shouldn't have to worry about that for a while.