Description
- Perfect bound (glue binding) - square
- Interior page counts from 20-300 (*If page count exceeds 300 email for quote)
- 25 minimum quantity print
- Rush delivery is available
- Price Breaks with higher quantities
- Wide variety of cover & interiors paper options
- Full color OR Black & White (includes grayscale)
- Printing templates available!
- CWS AD insert discount option
*Spine width formula: Use our new CWS spine width calculator here!
Reordering Note:
For reprints/reorders of comic books over four months old, sending us a physical copy of the previous version helps ensure color consistency. Please reach out to customer service (sales@comixwellspring.com) if you have questions regarding shipping costs for this process. We DO NOT keep files on hand for more than 12 months. If you have not placed an order in over 12 months, you must share your files with us.
Variant Covers
Separate Line Items: Different stocks or interiors (even one page) are not considered variants and must be ordered as separate line items. This includes sketch covers, foils, etc.
Minimum Order Quantities:
- For true variants, submit the interior files once and each cover individually, labeled clearly.
- Indicate quantities of each variant in the notes section. Each variant must be ordered in a minimum of 10 copies.
- Specialty orders (e.g., foils) require a minimum of 25 copies, which can be split further (e.g., 10 and 15) if noted.
- When placing your order, you can upload variant cover files and signify the details in the notes section.
Please make sure to label the covers CLEARLY and indicate in the notes how many of each.
Graphic Novel Printing
No matter what genre of graphic novel or comic you’re creating, the final print size and quality have a huge impact on your readers’ experience. Whether you’re a veteran with a large following or a new artist trying to break into indie comics, you’ll need the best printing team on your side.
Comix Well Spring specializes in comic book and graphic novel printing. We offer perfect bound books and saddle stitched comics custom printed in black and white or vibrant color. We offer multiple book sizes and can even create custom sizes so you can tell your story however you see fit.
Which Binding Is Best for Graphic Novels?
Comic books tend to be serialized, while graphic novels are almost always wrapped up in one or two volumes. By definition, graphic novels tend to be longer than the 64-page maximum allowed by saddle stitching binding. Square binding is a much better option, as it allows page counts of 260 or more.
Both binding options are very durable, and can last for years when used with the right paper and ink. However, square stitching looks more professional. It also allows room for printing the novel’s title on the spine, which helps readers find it more easily.
Paper Quality and Type for Square Bound Paperbacks
At Comix Well Spring, we use 60# bright white paper for the inside of our saddle stitched and square bound books. This paper is bright enough to keep your illustrations highly visible, and thick enough to hold up through years of re-reading.
We offer three cover comic book printing options: Standard, UV coated, and sketch covers. Standard covers are glossy 80# paper, which has a good balance of durability and low cost. UV coated covers are 12pt cardstock with a special glossy coating. Sketch covers use 80# paper with a matte finish to allow them to be drawn on easily.
Graphic novels can use any of the three cover types. If you regularly visit conventions, a sketch cover is a great investment for fans who want something they can get signed and customized. UV coated covers are the best option for a professional-quality collectible product.
Full Color or Black and White
Full color and black and white comics offer dramatically different final results. Black and white is perfect for horror stories, gritty detective stories, or other narratives that rely heavily on shadows and textures. Black and white printing can also handle grayscale, which is great for everything from manga to minimalist memoirs.
Although full color is more expensive than black and white printing, it’s well worth it for high-action genres with heavy worldbuilding. Books with black and white interiors still include color covers, so you can show off and entice readers with your full-color art.
The best option for your graphic novel depends on your own art style and budget. If you put the work into creating a full-color graphic novel, make it available to your fans with our affordable full-color printing. Black and white and grayscale artists can still develop a huge following, partly thanks to the lower printing costs.
Book Sizes
The standard comic book printed size is 6.625″ x 10.25”, magazine size is 8” x 10.5”, and manga size is 5.5″ x 7.75″. All three sizes require final art that is slightly larger than the page size, to allow for trimming.
Manga size may be an option for artists who use fewer panels per page or have less detailed art. It’s also a good way to keep costs as low as possible, regardless of the length of your printing project.
Graphic novels tend to be longer than comic books, so larger magazine size books may not be cost-effective. However, this can be highly variable depending on ink color and overall length. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about length, size, and ink possibilities. Whatever you decide, make sure to use the correct comic page template for formatting your final product.
Support from Start to Finish
No matter what kind of comic book or graphic novel you’ve created, Comix Well Spring can help get you through the final step of printing. Our perfect binding books have reliable turnaround time, with standard printing taking two weeks after proofs are approved. We also offer faster printing and express shipping if needed to meet your deadline.
Our customer service team knows about the process of creating and publishing comics, so they can answer any questions you have about comic book printing, formatting, and shipping. Join us as you embark on your next artistic adventure.
197 Reviews
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Printing
Some of the best customer service I have experienced. Book came out great!
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Unparalleled quality, service, and convenience.
When it comes to quality of product and service Comix Well Spring is unparalleled, and better yet – accessible. During both the road to the Kickstarter Campaign and fulfillment of ‘Scott Snyder Presents Tales from the Cloakroom Volume 2’CWS was used to print and ship our Ashcan previews, the published edition, and its merchandise. They promptly shipped, printed and reshipped, any proof orders that were placed with my updates back and forth over the course of six weeks before approving of final shipment. They were amenable and friendly in correspondence as well as timely. Their Kickstarter fulfillment system where they will ship your Kickstarter’s books for you was a life saver in convenience (your time and labor as the part responsible for fulfillment). They helped with minor formatting issues (from my end) on the sticker order, knocked it out of the park on the art prints and bookmarks, and offer many options on paper and finish so you get the book that you need. Any errors made were corrected fairly (one of them was caused by a mistake on my part) and expedient fashion. The first is that I accidentally paid for shipping to my own address when I meant for the order to go in with the Kickstarter fulfillment – where they sent me a return label before the package even arrived. The second is the one of the orders of the book, the practice order before final order, had a minor trim line issue – of which they reprinted and shipped the order. For anyone who needs to print and ship their comic or merchandise I cannot recommend Comix Well Spring enough.
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Amazing Work
Comix Well Spring continues to knock it out the park. They are the ultimate printer for comics.
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Graphic novel
The vibrant colors on all the pages in the paper back square novel I order is better than I thought it would be. Thanks greko.
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Printing and customer service
I have printed thousands of books with Comix Wellspring and there is a reason for that. Their customer service is the best as they always communicate well and timely and they go above and beyond with making sure the books look professional. The print rates are also much lower than other companies with high quality production. I can't say enough good things about Comix Wellspring. Give them a try and see for yourself.
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TREBLE THE RHYTHM WITHIN
Books were perfect.
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As always, an amazing job!
This isn't my first rodeo with Comix Wellspring, and it most certainly wont be my last! They do amazing work, amazingly fast. Great quality on the covers and interiors, the colors look fantastic and I'm always pleased with my orders!
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I gotta say wow.
On top of making the process quite easy to get the paperback book set up, the price, quality and speed are pretty amazing.
