If you’re looking to create the next big comic phenomenon, you’ll be pleased to know that comic book printing isn’t the exclusive realm of massive publishers.
Many smaller comic book printing services can turn your homegrown comic into a tangible reality. You can even make your own comics at home with the right materials and a little ingenuity.
8 Steps to Comic Book Printing
Self-publishing is a dream solution for creators who want to sidestep the publishing industry and its often frustrating submission process. But before you take advantage of a custom comic book printing service, make sure your comic is dynamite.
1. Develop Your Comic Book
You’re essentially storyboarding your comic at this point. How long will your comic be? How will one scene flow into the next? What layout style, colors and fonts will you use? You must lay the groundwork for your story before you can start drawing and inking.
2. Proofread Your Comic
Once you finish the initial draft of your comic, go over it with an eye for detail.
Any comic book printing company you hire will be happy to print your comic, but it’s up to you to make sure it reads well. Look for grammatical errors and typos, artwork inconsistencies like color swaps or dialog balloons going to the wrong character. You can always hire a proofreader or editor to help with this task.
3. Choose a Printing Service
When comparing different comic book printers, look for companies that have experience working with amateur comic book authors and artists like yourself.
Partnering with a veteran comic book printer like Print Bind Ship will ensure you get the best results every time.
4. Select a Printing Method
The printing method you choose for your comic will impact not only your total project cost but also the reader experience. Here are a few of the most common comic book printing methods.
Digital Printing
Digital printing results in an even, flat feel. It has a low setup fee and is excellent for on-demand printing.
The per-book cost is often higher, and the image quality won’t be as good as other methods.
Offset Printing
Offset printing uses a printing plate to apply color. It does this four times for each of the four colors required to get the final image. While the setup is more expensive than digital, you can print large batches at a lower cost.
Letterpress Printing
Letterpress printing gives the feeling of a raised, inked surface. The setup cost is higher than digital or offset, but as with offset printing, it’s possible to run large batches of printed comics at a lower cost.
Each method can create gorgeous comic pages, and Print Bind Ship can perform them all with excellent results. If you’re unsure which is best for you, contact us to learn more about your options.
5. Select a Paper Type
The type of paper you use will affect how readers perceive your comic. Standard paper can give your story that classic comic feel, while glossy paper can lend longer full-color comics a more upscale look. Similarly, heavy cardstock makes for weighty, durable covers, one-page comics and promotional art that will last a lifetime.
6. Send Your Comic for Printing
Now that your comic is ready, all that’s left to do is send in the files for printing. You’ll receive a proof of concept version before the final run so you can approve the look and feel of your comic.
7. Receive Your Printed Comic Book
Once we’ve completed your first batch of comics, we’ll ship them to you directly. Then, it’s up to you to get them into the hands of prospective readers. You can either sell them online yourself or set up a deal with a distributor.
8. Market Your Comic Book
There are numerous ways to market your self-published comic. You can take out social media ads and become active with your social media followers, or plug your new comic on various comic book forums.
You might also take out video ads on YouTube or audio ads on Spotify and Pandora. Fiverr and other freelance sites are excellent places to find people to produce ads for you.
Partner with Print Bind Ship for Custom Comic Book Printing
You need to work with quality comic book printers to create a quality comic. Print Bind Ship works with comic authors like you to get comics to customers worldwide.
Highest-Quality Printing
We use durable, high-quality paper that feels as it looks. Our printing methods rival those of the biggest publishing houses, with sharp, crisp images and vibrant colors.
Affordable
We offer ultra-competitive prices that are among the best on the market. No need to order thousands of copies of your comic — we’ll print as many or as few as you specify. You also can opt for a print-on-demand scheme where copies of your comic only get printed as people order them.
All-in-One Shipping and Tracking
You could go to the trouble of distributing your comics yourself, or you could let us do it for you.
We’ll warehouse, package and ship your comics anywhere in the world. We’ll provide convenient tracking services for you and your customers, and we can handle returns.
Print Bind Ship Is the Hero You Need and Deserve
To see your comics achieve the success you want, you need to partner with the right printer. We understand that comics are your passion, so we’ll do our best to ensure that every copy meets your high standards.
Contact Print Bind Ship to bring your comic to life today.
FAQ
As part of the standard printing process, rotating plates print both sides of a sheet of paper with the images for each page. The sheets are then glued or stapled together to form the actual book.
One thing you’ll need to keep in mind is that the page count of your comic will impact the binding style. Low-page-count comics usually use staples, while thicker collections or longer graphic novels are glue-bound.
Self-publishing a 60-page comic in full-color costs around $6 on average, while printing in monochrome (black and white) costs about $4.