Picking up Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories—Liliana #1 is an easy call for most collectors — a $4.99 single issue isn't a big commitment. Protecting it properly once you own it is where a lot of first-time comic buyers, especially ones coming over from the card-game side, get tripped up.
Comic storage uses an entirely different system from card storage, and the two don't overlap the way you might expect. A deck box or card sleeve does nothing for a 32-page comic issue.
This guide walks through exactly what you need to buy a physical copy with confidence and keep it in top condition, whether you're planning to read it, display it, or just hold it for a few years.
None of this applies to a digital copy, obviously — this is specifically for readers tracking down the print single issues and their variant covers.
Untold Stories—Liliana #1 is a standard current-format comic: 32 pages, full color, measuring roughly 6 5/8 by 10 3/16 inches. That's the same general sizing as the vast majority of comics published today, which matters because comic supplies are sized by era, not by title.
If a bag, board, or loader is labeled for Golden Age, Silver Age, or magazine-size comics, it won't fit this issue properly — you specifically want products labeled for current or modern-age comics.
A resealable polypropylene bag is the first line of defense against dust, moisture, and finger grease, and it's the cheapest part of the whole setup. Current-age comic bags are sized specifically for modern single issues like this one, with a resealable flap that keeps the book sealed between reads.
Buy bags in bulk rather than one at a time if you're planning to pick up more than one cover of issue #1, since you'll want each copy bagged separately regardless of which variant it is.
A backer board slides inside the bag behind the comic to keep it from bending, creasing, or warping in storage — a real risk for modern comics printed on lighter paper stock than older eras. Current-age backer boards are cut to the same dimensions as current-age bags, so the two are meant to be bought together.
Skipping the board and using just a bag is the single most common comic storage mistake, since a bag alone does nothing to stop a spine from curling over time.
If you want to actually display a specific cover rather than just store it flat in a box, a rigid plastic top loader built for current-age comics gives you a stiffer, more durable layer than a bag-and-board combo alone. This is the step worth adding if you're planning to keep a favorite cover out on a shelf rather than boxed away.
A top loader isn't strictly necessary for a reading copy you'll handle regularly, but it's a smart upgrade for a key variant cover you don't want creased from repeated handling.
Most serious comic collectors buy two copies of a book they genuinely care about: one to actually read and handle, and one to bag, board, and never open. That split matters more for a licensed crossover book like this one, since demand from both comic readers and Magic players can push first-print values up over time.
If you're only buying one copy, bagging and boarding it after your first read still meaningfully extends its condition versus leaving it loose on a shelf.
A single issue doesn't need a dedicated box, but if Untold Stories—Liliana is your entry point into collecting comics more broadly, a standard comic storage box sized for current-age issues keeps bagged-and-boarded copies upright and organized as your collection grows past a handful of books.
Store the box somewhere temperature-stable and out of direct sunlight — the same basic rule that applies to graded trading cards applies here too.
Before you go further, it is worth keeping a couple of essentials on hand: EVORETRO Comic Bags for Current Age Comics and EVORETRO Current Age Comic Backer Boards both help keep this collection in solid shape long-term.
Current-age or modern-format sizing, since the issue is a standard 32-page current comic.
No, a top loader is mainly worth it for a display or key variant copy rather than a reading copy.
No, comic bags and boards are a completely different system from card sleeves and deck boxes.
Many serious collectors do, especially for a licensed crossover release like this one.
Have your storage ready before October 14 with current-age comic bags and boards from EVORETRO's Comic Supplies Collection, sized correctly for a modern single issue.
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