Producing a comic book or a graphic novel is a big task. you have to develop the story, create the illustrations, design the cover, and determine the physical layout of the book. Before you delve too deeply into the project, it also helps to consider the printing phase of your book. after all, the last thing you need is to be caught off guard by an unforeseen surprise when you’re ready to print.
Below is a list of six things that will affect the look and cost of your book project…
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1) binding style –
Because the page count is relatively low, comics are traditionally produced using the saddle-stitched binding method. Saddle-stitched books are constructed from folded sheets held together by wire staples. Staples are inserted through the book spine fold to secure the pages in book form. Although simple, the result is a very professional looking document.
In addition to being the most economical binding style, saddle stitching allows the book to lay almost flat when opened. this works well for illustrations that span two adjacent pages (cross-images).
Being more of a book than a simple brochure, graphic novels generally have a higher page count than comics. To accommodate this increased page count, graphic novels are often produced using the perfect binding method.
Perfectly bound books are created by gluing the pages and cover to the spine with a strong, flexible glue. the other three sides of the book are trimmed as needed to give them clean, “perfect” edges. Unlike the saddle-stitching method, perfect binding often allows for printing on the book’s spine.
2) dimensions –
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dimensions refer to the width and height of the book in its final form. the standard dimension for a comic is 6-5/8 inches wide by 10-1/4 inches tall, though there’s no law that says you can’t vary a little.
Graphic novels don’t really have a standard size and can be printed almost any size you want. That said, your printer can make size suggestions to help keep your production and distribution costs as low as possible. some subtle design changes up front could translate into big savings later.
3) quantity –
The number of books will determine the most suitable type of printing press to produce it. For example, if you only need 200 or 300 copies of your book, you will generally achieve a lower unit cost by printing your books with a digital press. This is because a digital printing press has minimal setup costs associated with a production run. An offset press, on the other hand, has higher setup costs that cannot be spread efficiently over a small production run.
However, as the order quantity increases, say 500 or 1000 books, offset printing becomes the most economical production method. although the setup cost of offset printing is higher, a larger order allows this cost to be spread over more books. And once an offset press is up and running, the actual cost of applying ink to paper is substantially less than a digital press.
By the way, just because the unit cost of a book decreases as the order quantity increases, it’s wise to consider what print run size is optimal for your specific situation. a lower unit cost is great, but not if you’re ordering more books than you’ll ultimately need.
4) number of pages –
The page count of your comic or graphic novel (along with the total number of books needed) will help your print shop estimate how much paper is needed to produce your project.
by the way, when transmitting the page count to your printer, make sure you don’t confuse sheets with pages. Basically, each sheet inside the book represents two pages. even if a page in the book is blank on one or both sides, the printer will count it as two pages. therefore, there will always be twice as many pages as leaves within a book. 100 sheets = 200 pages.
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Another thing to keep in mind about a bound book is that the number of pages must be a multiple of four (4). This is because spine-bound books are created from folded sheets.
5) ink colors –
Most comics and graphic novels are produced with a full color cover and pages. In some cases, black ink may be the cheapest option, but full color provides the most impact and perceived value. sometimes there may be a mix of full color pages and black ink pages.
Also, your printer may ask if the ink coverage extends to the edge of the pages or the cover (called bleed). depending on the project, an ink bleed may cost a bit more because it requires printing on a larger sheet of paper and then trimming the paper to the desired size.
6) paper characteristics –
The characteristics of the paper you select, such as thickness, texture, and gloss level, largely depend on the image you want to project. for example, a book made with a heavier, glossy cover provides a higher quality image than a thinner, duller cover.
In addition, a variety of paper liners are available to enhance the appearance and durability of your book. For example, you may want to apply a clear coat, such as a UV gloss or laminate, to the cover of your graphic novel. UV gloss and lamination not only increase durability, these coatings also enhance the vibrancy of ink colors.
To save money, the cover of a comic book stitched on the spine can be the same thickness as the inside pages. this is called “self coverage”.
If you have any questions about an upcoming comic book or paperback graphic novel project, please call formax at 866-367-6221. Or, if you already know your specifications and would like a quote, click here. We look forward to helping you!
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