Collecting single issues into a trade edition? Compare hardback and paperback.
Comic & Graphic Novel Printing
- Single-page PDF, 3mm bleed on all edges
- Images at 300dpi, CMYK colour
- Free file check on every order — we flag issues before press
Not ready? Generate a cover template or run the pre-flight check now.
Also available: Bookwove, coated and heavier stocks · spot UV and soft-touch covers · sewn hardback collected editions · B-format to A4 · foil blocking · runs from 10 to 10,000+.
How much does comic book printing cost?
The table shows the same A5 graphic novel — 64 pages full colour on 100gsm bookwove white, perfect bound — at six quantities, priced live by our calculator.
Bookwove is the stock most indie comics use: it takes ink without the glare of coated, and it feels like a comic rather than a brochure. A collected edition in hardback is in the calculator above. See full UK book printing prices or get your exact price →
| 10 copies | £14.43 |
| 25 copies | £6.58 |
| 50 copies | £4.90 |
| 100 copies | £4.13 |
| 250 copies | £2.93 |
| 500 copies | £2.34 |
Set your files up with our free book tools
Built by us for book work — every output is generated to your exact spec, not a static download.
Cover template generator
A press-ready cover template built for your trim size, spine and cover material — in seconds.
Pre-flight check
Upload your PDF and we flag bleed, resolution and colour issues before anything reaches press — free.
Spine width calculator
Your exact spine width from paper, page count and binding — live, to the tenth of a millimetre.
Book size guide
Every UK trim size at actual size, with what each one is conventionally used for.
What people print
Indie creators
Small print runs of self-published comics — graphic novels, web-comic collected editions, mini-series. Soft-touch matte covers, ISBN barcoding, French flaps optional.
Small press & collectives
Anthology runs, collective publications, convention exclusives. Cost-effective short runs at 50–500 copies with retail-grade finishing.
Schools & education
Student comic projects, educational comic-format publications, manga and zine workshops. Affordable short runs from 10 copies.
Convention & merch
Print runs timed for conventions, special-edition variants, merchandise comics. Tight turnarounds, premium cover finishes for convention-grade presentation.
Comics & graphic novels specification
Binding
- Perfect bound — pages glued at the spine, the standard for paperback comics
- PUR bound — stronger polyurethane adhesive for thicker books
- Thread-sewn hardback for premium graphic-novel editions
- Saddle-stitched for shorter floppy comics — see booklet printing
Paper
- Coated 115–170gsm in gloss or matte — the standard for full-colour
- Uncoated 80–120gsm for indie zine-style or monochrome work
- Mix paper stocks within one book — useful for plate sections
- Recycled options available across the range
Sizes
- B-Format up to 210 × 135mm
- A5 210 × 148mm — most common for indie graphic novels
- Royal 234 × 156mm
- B5 / A4 for larger-format manga or art-led editions
Cover & extras
- Gloss, matte or soft-touch matte lamination
- Foil blocking, French flaps, embossing
- ISBN barcodes added free where you supply the ISBN
- Plate sections, inside cover printing, shrink-wrapping
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Comics & graphic novels FAQ
From 10 copies upwards. Pricing scales meaningfully at 25, 50 and 100 copies — worth running the quote at a couple of quantities to find your sweet spot. Most indie creators we work with run 100–500 copies for a debut and reprint as demand builds.
Both are glue-bound at the spine. Perfect uses an EVA hot-melt adhesive — cost-effective, the standard for most paperback comics. PUR uses a polyurethane reactive adhesive that’s stronger, more flexible and more durable. Worth the small upcharge for thicker books, anything over 200 pages, or anything that’ll get repeated handling. For graphic novels we’d recommend PUR most of the time.
Yes. French flaps are extensions of the cover folded inward, often used for author bio, dedication, alternate cover art or a pull-quote. Available as an extra on paperback editions; particularly popular for indie graphic novels going for a "trade" feel.
Yes — we generate and place an ISBN-13 barcode on the back cover at no extra cost where you supply the ISBN. If you don’t have one yet, the free ISBN barcode generator on our site builds one you can place yourself.
Coated paper. Gloss 115–135gsm for the most saturated colour reproduction; silk 130–150gsm for vibrant colour without high-gloss shine. Avoid uncoated for full-colour comics — the ink soaks in slightly and saturated panels can lose punch. For monochrome zines or art-led editions, uncoated is fine and reads as more deliberate.
Standard turnaround is 3–5 working days for paperback, 10–12 working days for hardback, from approval of your proof. Tight convention deadlines are doable; call us before placing the order if you have a fixed event date.
Yes — order a free sample pack showing different binding styles, cover laminations and paper stocks. Particularly useful for indie creators making spec decisions before their first run.
From quote to delivered books.
Get a quote
Build the spec above — size, pages, paper, quantity — and the price updates as you go.
Upload files
Print-ready PDF preferred — the free file check flags resolution, colour and bleed issues.
Review proof
Free digital proof of cover and interior — we never print your run without your approval.
Printing
Covers and interiors printed in Exeter on presses profiled for accurate colour.
Bind & finish
Interiors and covers printed, then perfect or PUR bound, trimmed and laminated.
Dispatch
Wrapped, boxed and dispatched via DPD or pallet courier, UK and overseas.
Ready to print your comic?
Get an instant quote in under a minute, or order a free sample pack to see and feel our work first.