Trying to self publish my work, and looking around online I've found myself severely discouraged... I'm trying to find a non-sleazy, decently priced printer for short runs (maybe 100 at the most) of comics. Black and white interior, maybe a color cover...
It's difficult when they want to charge you $5 for the printing, then the store that carries them is going to want a cut, then my costs. Sheesh.
Any suggestions of people you've worked with or heard good things about?
It's difficult when they want to charge you $5 for the printing, then the store that carries them is going to want a cut, then my costs. Sheesh.
Any suggestions of people you've worked with or heard good things about?
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Fri, April 6, 2007 - 1:12 PMsorry; but the way the comics industry works (and the printing industry too...) is volume. It costs the printers the same amount of money (and yes... expenses are involved) to set up a job for 100 peices that it costs to set up a job for 10,000. You get a much better deal per unit in volume. The idea is to get the costs of the individual comics as low as possible through bulk printing (done in China these days) and then mark them up as much as the market will bear. (A regular comic goes for $3 US; whereas a no-ad pestige format comic can go for between $5 & $7.)
You'd have more luck with web promotion (ie: set up a website and upload comics by the page; ask for donations from members...) than trying to print just 100 of them. Your only other option is to seize the means of production by investing in your own off-set press.
good luck! -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Fri, April 6, 2007 - 5:18 PMtry this site www.comixpress.com/ -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Sun, April 8, 2007 - 6:33 PMWow, these guys look stellar (decent price, proof copy too).... have you used them before? -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Tue, April 10, 2007 - 12:18 PMNo, I haven't used them yet. They won't do porn comics, and that's all I have done so far. I have a pg-rated book I am wrapping up for A.P.E. this month, but missed the deadline to get it to a printer and back by then! I am doing a xerox style version of it for A.P.E., but will be trying comixpress with the book once I am done with it -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Thu, May 10, 2007 - 11:29 AMjust an update to my last post, I've been having sporadic luck with comixpress, namely they haven't gotten back to me since I wrote them a few weeks back. I've since discovered www.ka-blam.com/ and am trying them -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Thu, May 10, 2007 - 1:54 PMHmm. These guys look pretty comparable in price, not to mention they sound a hell of a lot more lenient on the whole sex/nudity issue.
And I know it sounds silly, but it looks like the people that use them have better work than comixpress. Lame as it might sound, I can't help but think that if people who produce good work use these guys, they must at least be decent/better than comixpress.
Thanks for updating with this! -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Mon, June 25, 2007 - 9:30 AMI just got my book back from ka-blam, and it is very nice. I recommend them. -
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Unsu...
Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Mon, June 25, 2007 - 11:19 PMwow... nice one Davey.
Really great prices.
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Wed, September 26, 2007 - 6:55 PMHey,
I've heard good thinks about Lulu but haven't used them yet..
www.lulu.com/
I know a couple of creators that used kablam with success as well.
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Tue, October 2, 2007 - 6:44 AMThis cat is right on point! I just discovered them like three weeks ago! Looks and sounds like it's a great biz to print your work!
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Tue, June 26, 2007 - 12:44 AMI read Davey's post but I do have to say that Comixpress throws some good quality prints. I, also found them a little hard to contact, but the second time I called with just a general question, they remembered me and were very friendly. Also, they were very friendly when I met them at APE. The comics themselves are good quality. My 2 cents
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 7:52 PMAH! Don't know if it's too late to tell you this yet..but judging from the post dates..it probably is :-\
Well I'll say it anyways....here at Alterna Comics, we use 2 printers that do fantastic jobs. One is Estrada Media (site looks a little dingy but their print work is SOO much better than kablam or comixpress AND it's cheaper in price!) and we use MIRA printing for our graphic novels (they do regular comics too but at about $1.80 a piece whereas Estrada does it for about $1.35.
MIRA is superb though when it comes to making our perfect bound graphics and trades and I couldn't give them a higher recommendation.
I hated dealing with kablam and comixpress because of their lack of response when we needed help and their constant printing delays. I'm glad we found these two printers!
You can go to our site - www.alternacomics.com - and click on our printers link to get more info! -
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Tue, September 18, 2007 - 8:00 PMcool, thanks!
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Re: Decently priced comic printers?
Fri, April 11, 2008 - 11:51 AMKablam, www.ka-blam.com, not too bad, especially if its bw on inside....