Comic books are a unique type of book. Not your typical novel, comic book printing involves turning digital or physical artwork into a printed comic book. While printing a comic book seems like a complex task, it is actually far easier than it used to be thanks to the advancement in technology. Comics continue to grow in popularity, and printing them has become much more accessible for indie writers and artists to self-publish. However, there are still technical specifications that need to be kept in mind, such as comic book size, type, trim, etc.
Before you even start to draw out your comic, make sure you are familiar with the technical specifications for your work. This is especially important if you are self-publishing. Check out our comic book printing 101 to help you set your project up for success.
Book format and sizing
In a standard comic book, a single page measures 6.625” x 10.25.” With that being said, artists need to keep all important details at least .125” inside the edge of the page to avoid losing anything. This is the “safe zone” which ensures that nothing gets cut during the trimming process.
There is also the bleed area that extends .125” beyond each edge of the page. If you are drawing full bleed art, you want to make sure the art extends all the way through the bleed in order to prevent small white borders and gaps appearing during printing.
All print files should be submitted at 300 dpi (dots per inch) to ensure a high-quality print.
Pro tip: it is best to double check with your printer to ensure your files match their specifications, resulting in the best possible print.
Manga and magazines
Manga size comics are a little bit different than your average comic book. Standard manga comics have a trim size of 5.5” x 7.75” and just like regular comic books, they have a .125” safe zone inside the trim and a .125” bleed. Similarly, magazines have the same safe zone and bleed, but the typical page size is 8” x 10.5”.
Color scheme
A majority of print companies offer black and white and full color printing options. Your color scheme will affect what file format you should save your comic book in. If you are printing in color, you want to make sure you are working in the CMYK color scheme as this will ensure that what you see on your screen matches the final printed product.
CMYK vs RGB
If you have ever printed something from your home or office printer and noticed the colors don’t quite match what you see on your computer screen, that is likely because you are using the wrong color profile. Your computer screen works in RGB, not CMYK. This may not seem like a huge deal, but it will impact your final product. A color monitor that is not set up in CMYK will show you different colors than the ones that will be printed. This is because the RGB spectrum is broader than the CMYK, so you will have colors that are not available in the CMYK scheme.
The main difference between RGB and CMYK is that RGB is additive and CMYK is subtractive. This means that RGB colors are added to a black canvas to build an image, while CMYK colors are added to a white canvas to remove other colors from the visual spectrum.
Why printers use CMYK
Some commercial printers might use the RGB color scheme, but most will only print in CMYK. This is mainly because CMYK is much easier to standardize due to the colors available. This will help keep all of your print products looking consistent throughout the print run. With RGB, there are so many variations possible that consistency is hard to guarantee.
Comic book binding style
If your comic book is 64 pages or less, saddle stitch binding is your ideal option. This type of binding is also sometimes referred to as staple stitch because it uses staples to bind the pages together. Saddle stitch is an affordable option when you are just starting out with comic book printing.
Another popular comic book binding option is perfect-bound. Perfect bound books are glued at the spine using a flexible glue. The other three edges of the book are trimmed to produce crisp edges. Graphic novels are often perfect bound as they tend to have more pages than comic books. Books with page counts anywhere from 30 to 200 are ideal for the perfect bound method.
The comic book printing process can vary based on the specific requirements and constraints of your project. Working closely with your professional printer and understanding their offerings and capabilities will help you navigate the process most effectively.
Print your Comic Books with Printivity
Now that you are familiar with what it takes to print a comic book, it’s time to get your project started. With a variety of options from sizes, to paper type, to finish, we can help you bring your comic book to life. Work with our design experts to find the perfect materials for your vision, resulting in the comic book of your dreams. Get in touch with Printivity today at 1-877-649-5463 with any questions or to get your comic book printing started ASAP!
