Comic book and graphic novel printing
We print single issues, collected volumes and graphic novels from one copy. Below: which size to draw for, page setup, lettering and black.
See the products- Single issues, 24 to 60 pages
- Graphic novels up to 400 pages
- A5, A4 and album sizes
Formats for your comic
Collected volume or graphic novel, glued spine, up to 200 pages.
Album or deluxe edition, up to 400 pages.
A stapled single issue of 24 to 60 pages.
Your cover as a print for the con table.
Which size to draw for
We print A sizes and a few album sizes.
A US-style single issue
- Usual size
- about 168 × 260 mm
- Closest here
- A4 portrait magazine
- Note
- A4 is wider: add art at the sides or lose some at top and bottom.
Manga or a pocket volume
- Usual size
- about 128 × 182 mm
- Closest here
- A5 portrait paperback
- Note
- Almost the same proportion.
A graphic novel
- Usual size
- varies
- Closest here
- A5 or A4 portrait, paperback or hardcover
- Note
- A4 for detailed art.
A European album
- Usual size
- about 225-240 × 300-320 mm
- Closest here
- A4 portrait or 29 × 35 cm hardcover
- Note
- 29 × 35 cm for the large album size.
A webcomic collection
- Usual size
- vertical strips
- Closest here
- 21 × 21 cm or A4 landscape
- Note
- Suits strips of three or four panels.
Pages at another proportion are filled to the size, and we warn you when more than 2% would be cut off.
Setting up a comic page
- 1
Canvas: trim plus bleed
A5 is 154 × 216 mm (148 × 210 mm plus 3 mm all round), A4 is 216 × 303 mm. Drawing at 150-200% and scaling down tightens the lines.
- 2
Safe area
Keep balloons and captions 5 mm inside the trim. Panels that bleed must run all the way into the bleed, or a white line can show.
- 3
Spine margin
On a paperback or hardcover, keep panel borders and balloons 10-15 mm from the spine. A stapled issue needs less.
- 4
Resolution
300 dpi at printed size for colour, 600 dpi for black line art.
- 5
Export
Interior pages as one PDF in reading order. A paperback or hardcover needs a separate cover PDF; the product page gives its size. See the print-ready PDF guide.
Lettering
Size
Measure at the printed size: 7-8 pt minimum for dialogue in A5, 8-10 pt in A4. Print a page at 100% at home to check.
100% K only
Set lettering in black ink only. Four-colour black can blur thin letters.
Live text or 600 dpi
Typed lettering stays sharp in the PDF. Scan hand lettering at 600 dpi.
Black for large areas
Black ink alone (100% K) prints as dark grey in large areas. Use it for line art and lettering. For a night sky or big shadows, use rich black: C60 M40 Y40 K100, 240% ink. Stay under about 300%, or the ink can set off on the facing page.
This applies to CMYK files. RGB files from Procreate, Clip Studio or Photoshop are converted for you; use 0, 0, 0 for dark areas. Don't put 100% K lines on a rich-black fill, or the lines disappear.
Paper is lighter than a screen, and dark greys can fill in. Lighten them a little where detail matters.
Prices for a con run
No setup cost, and the same price per copy from 1 to 50. Free shipping from €50.
A4 issue, stapled, 32 pages
- Per copy
- €10.29
- Good for
- A first issue
A5 paperback, 32 pages
- Per copy
- from €17.79
- Good for
- A mini-comic with a spine
A5 paperback, 120 pages
- Per copy
- from €48.59
- Good for
- A collected volume
A4 hardcover, 64 pages
- Per copy
- from €36.99
- Good for
- An album edition
A3 poster
- Per copy
- from €6.99
- Good for
- Cover art print
Order 10 first and reorder what sells; a reorder takes a few days.
Issue, paperback or hardcover
- A single issue of 24 to 60 pagesStapled magazineIn A4 portrait, the cover is the first two and last two pages of your PDF. See also zine printing.
- A graphic novel up to 200 pagesPaperbackLow price per copy for a short run. At 32 pages the spine is too narrow for a title; around 120 pages it fits.
- A European-style album or deluxe editionHardcoverBoard cover, up to 400 pages, in A4 or 29 × 35 cm. Compare: paperback vs hardcover.
How it works
Upload your file
Choose a product, a size and options, and add your PDF or photo. We check it right away and show you a preview, before you pay.
We print it
We print your order in the Netherlands on the paper or material you chose, from a single piece. No minimum order, no account needed.
We bring it to your door
We ship it to every country of the EU, with tracking. The checkout shows the delivery date for your address.
Questions
What size should I draw my comic pages?
What black should I use for comics?
Can I put the title on the spine?
How many pages can a graphic novel have?
More ideas and guides
All ideas and guidesHow to make a print-ready PDF
Make a print-ready PDF: trim size, 3 mm bleed, PDF/X-4, no printer's marks, single pages and a cover spread with the right spine. InDesign, Affinity and more.
Zine printing, from one copy
Zine printing, stapled, 24 to 60 pages, from one copy up to 50. Upload your pages in reading order, no imposition needed. With page counts and riso tips.
A5 book printing
A5 book printing from one copy: paperback, hardcover, spiral or layflat. A5 next to trade sizes, font sizes, page counts and setting up your PDF.
Paperback or hardcover: which one fits your book?
Paperback vs hardcover: page counts, paper choice, cover files and example prices at the same size. Both printed from your PDF, from a single copy.
Print your own recipe book
Recipe book printing from one copy: a spiral book that lies flat in the kitchen, a paperback or a hardcover. With page counts, layout tips and a template.
Wedding album printing, and a guestbook to match
Wedding album printing from one copy: a layflat that opens flat, from your own PDF or your photographer's spreads. Plus the guestbook and the seating chart.
Print your comic
Upload your PDF, check the preview and print one copy first.