How Do I Publish My Comic?
Thanks for checking out Indie Comics Zone — the site dedicated to helping spread the word about indie comic book titles, and their creators. As we’ve gotten into the scene, one of the biggest questions for new creators is how to get a comic book published as a paper publication.
There are several ways to get your book printed. The best approach will depend on your specific situation and preferences. The following are a few steps to get you started:
- 1. Before printing your comic book, you need to have a finished product. This includes completing your book’s writing, artwork, lettering, coloring, and other aspects.
2. There are several printing options available, such as Print On-Demand (POD) services, offset printing, and digital printing. Each option has pros and cons, so it’s essential to research and compare them to find the one that fits your needs and budget. See the list below for companies which can help both printing models.
3. You may wanted to create a mock-up which showcases how it will look when printed. This can help you visualize the final product and make necessary adjustments before printing.
4. Depending on your chosen printing option, you may need to prepare your files in a specific way. For example, POD services often have file requirements that differ from offset printing. That being said, most print shops require files to be formatted as a PDF.
5. Once you have all the information, contact printing companies and request quotes. Be sure to compare prices, quality, and turnaround times.
6. Based on your research and quotes, choose a printing company that fits your needs and budget. And once you’ve chosen a printer, place your order and provide them with your mock-up and files.
7. One must-have item before printing your comic book, are proofs. Review them carefully and make any necessary changes. The proof is basically the last thing you’ll see before the book is printed. Sometimes these are on paper; while other times it’s completely digital.
8. Once you’ve approved the proofs of your book, the printer will print and ship it to you.
So, the following is a list of companies who can get your book printed. This is for those of you who want to set up a stand at a comic con and sell your creation. This information is not for folks who want to print their book and get it distributed into the thousands of comic book stores everywhere… that will be a different guide. This list is constantly evolving, and if we’ve left anyone off, please e-mail us.
NOTE: This list is primarily focused on U.S. and Canadian-based solutions. Also, due to the changing costs associated with the print industry (and for paper itself), we did not include any prices for these vendors. For that very important bit of detail, please check out their sites. Thanks!
Amazon Print On-Demand
In the past, Amazon’s Print On-Demand was a viable solution for those who were looking to print very small orders. We interviewed Tyrone Meijer, creator of the series “Obscure,” who currently uses Amazon to fulfil some of his orders.
That being said, when we visited the Amazon “Kindle Direct Printing” section, there was not information specifically for comics. They do have a dedicated macOS and Windows app to help creators convert their comics into Kindle-compatible files. With the recent news of the slow “fade” of Comixology, it is unclear if Amazon will continue to support comic books for indie creators — for digital or print.
NOTE: Here is a good step-by-step on working Amazon for self-publishing
BookBaby
Like Lulu, BookBaby is primarily a service for authors who want to self-publish, but they also have robust support for indie comic book creators. You can use their print-on-demand service for small orders, and they say their service can get a book printed and shipped in under five days (wow)!
They also have a team of on-staff graphic designers who can help spruce up your cover art, should you want “sprucing.” As noted earlier, this is not a “how to distribute my indie comic book guide,” but since BookBaby has the feature, we need to mention that this is something they can do as well.
Comics Experience Publishing
Comics Experience (or CEX for short) is a company run by former Marvel editor Andy Schmidt. Andy and his team offer classes and workshops for those who want to get into comic books, and have the drive to learn from the professionals.
In fact, comic book writer Paul Allor (who has written for IDW, Marvel, and Vault) is one of the many talented CEX faculty. We mention CEX Publishing in this context because they also offer printing, publication, and distribution for folks who are enrolled in the CEX program.
Comix Well Spring
Located in Michigan, Comix Well Spring is known by many in the indie comics realm. In fact, a few of the creators featured here on Indie Comics Zone use Comics Well Spring to print their books. That includes William Anderson (creator of Karmic Agenda) and Jack Harris, Jr. (creator of Terminus Veil). Harris said that he was impressed with how quickly Comix Well Spring got his books printed and turned around to him.
Comics Well Spring has just a 25-issue minimum run, and can print much higher quantities as well. They also can deliver some of the things a creator would need to showcase their art at a convention, including flyers and tablecloths. Something that might set them apart is their online store. If a creator chooses Comics Well Spring to print a title, they can also sell it on the CWS store.
Crowdfunders take note, CWS also has a discount program aimed directly at helping you.
Ka-BLAM
Another popular choice for indie comic book creators is Ka-BLAM. They are located in Florida, and can print standard U.S. comics, Manga titles, and magazines as well. They offer a number of customization options, and they will send you a sample book for you to check out what their finished product looks like.
One option for you to consider is that they will give you a discount if you run an ad from Ka-BLAM in your book. That’s just like the good ol’ days when comics used to have ads for video games, chewing gum, and X-ray spectacles in them.
An incredible feature, which may help set Ka-BLAM apart is that the company will help you crowdfund your book and fulfill those orders. That must save creators a whole bunch of time. Creators can also sell books through a Ka-BLAM integration with IndyPlanet.
IngramSpark
Another option recommended by indie publisher SnowyWorks, is IngramSpark. According to their website, IngramSpark allows creators to “publish quality print books and ebooks.” They also can give creators access to global book distribution. Now that is pretty special! IngramSpark says that once a creator writes and formats the book, “we make it possible to share it with the world.”
SnowyWorks recommends IngramSpark, and here’s what SW said about the company: “Their service is pretty huge [and] is much like Kindle Direct Printing in terms of print on-demand, but their distribution is pretty wide as well (ability to list on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WalMart, Target, etc). It’s a good one stop shop for print on-demand.”
Lulu
Not to be confused with Lularoe or Lululemon, this company has been around for a while, and they are best known for helping print authors get their first book published. Self-publishing is a big deal for print authors, and Lulu is one of the go-to companies.
And since they do books so well for so many, you might want to check out their comic book printing options. Lulu says that they offer custom printing services — as small as one issue. As mentioned before, since Lulu is geared toward self-publishing for print authors, their Lulu University and Resources are geared almost entirely for that audience.
Mixam
The Mixam company says they are “the smart way to print.” They can print standard U.S. sized comics or Japanese-style Manga. Mixam features a calculator also, which allows you to figure out how much everything will cost. Mixam reports that they are rated “excellent” on TrustPilot, with a 4.6 out of 5 stars, based on 1478 reviews.
They accept a variety of payment methods, including AfterPay, which lets you break the cost up into chunks. Mixam also generates a web version of the book, which is “flippable” and sharable with others.
Marsid M&M Group
According to their website, the Marsid M&M Group has been in business for over 40 years. The Marsid M&M Group says that they can print most sizes with full color and bleeds. They also offer the option to see the printed proof prior to production. This way, the creator can see precisely how the color looks and for quality matching. Apparently, Marsid M&M must be all-in, because they say that “independent comic book printing is an exciting industry.”
On their site, they also have a calculator which allows you to figure out how much your print run will cost. It allows you to adjust for number of pages, color vs. black & white, paper quality, and more. As of this writing (February 2023), M&M offers free ground shipping on orders. They also tout “free setup, price match guarantee” and a “dedicated print specialist” for assistance on your order.
Print Ninja
Based near Chicago, Print Ninja likes to say that they are the “leading printer for independent comic creators.” Print Ninja is rated excellent on Trust Pilot, and they also have an instant quote calculator, so you know how much your book will cost.
You can also order a sample pack to feel the quality of their paper, and see the Print Ninja colors as well. Creators can select from single issue printing, trade paperback printing, graphic novel printing, manga printing, and even webcomic anthology printing! Very cool.
Printing Center USA
Located in Montana, Printing Center USA can handle any print order from 10 issues to 50,000. Their site features a quote calculator, and they have downloadable templates for Adobe Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator, and more. That’s good because they require the creator submit their file as a PDF, so templates are a must.
They also will review you PDF file for free before it is submitted to print. Printing Center USA has been serving customers for over 50 years, and sports an excellent rating on TrustPilot.
Ready Comics
Located in Arizona, Ready Comics aims to be a one-stop shop for your comic book printing needs. Not only can do they print comic books, but they can also collectable cards, posters, calendars, and comics with metal and chrome covers (which all those 90’s collectors will love). They even have an option for glow in the dark covers and black light metal. That’s cool!
Ready offers on demand printing, and deliveries to comic cons. They can also do crowdfunded project fulfillment for Patreon, Indiegogo, and Kickstarter campaigns.
PLEASE NOTE: This list does not constitute any endorsement of products or services. This list is presented for informational purposes, and there is no guarantee or recommendation stated or implied.
