Graphic Novel Printing
Your imagination is the only limit when you choose our world-class graphic novel printing services
A graphic novel is an alchemical laboratory where literature, art, theatre and film bubble together in the alembic of imagination. When the mix is right, the result is pure gold.
At QinPrinting, we believe graphic novels deserve the same outstanding production values as any other literary art form. Our passion, combined with an exceptional team, state-of-the-art technology and personalised customer care, places us among the world’s leading independent graphic novel printing companies.
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QinPrinting Rated Excellent
They produced an excellent product that was printed, shipped and arrived within the expected timescales.
Emails were responded to quickly by Susan.
The whole process was smooth and straightforward.
What a delight!
Whenever I have a creative idea, their team goes above and beyond to help bring it to life. I’ve printed four comic books with them, and each time, they’ve exceeded my expectations. If you’re considering a printer, take a chance on these friendly, reliable folks—they truly value your business. - Chad Townsend, Creator of The Black Phantom.
But working with Nelson was an absolute pleasure. He patiently addressed all my concerns, and my final printed book was just as I would hope it would be.
Common Graphic Novel Sizes
We can print your graphic novel in any size you like. However, non-standard sizes may cost a little more and take slightly longer to produce due to additional pre-press and setup work.
In the Australian market, the most common graphic novel sizes include:
- 148 mm × 210 mm (A5) – compact and economical, great for younger readers or indie releases
- 170 mm × 240 mm (B5) – a popular choice for manga-style and general graphic novels
- 210 mm × 297 mm (A4) – larger format, ideal for detailed illustrations or premium editions
From a commercial perspective, choosing a standard size is often the best approach. It keeps production costs lower, meets reader expectations, and ensures faster turnaround.
That said, don’t be afraid to experiment. Custom sizes can help your book stand out—whether it’s a 90 mm × 90 mm micro-comic or an oversized 297 mm × 420 mm (A3) collector’s edition. You might also try a landscape orientation for something a bit different. The possibilities are endless.
The only real limits are your creativity—and how you think your audience will respond.
Comic Book Paper Options
The paper you choose for printing your graphic novel will influence its appearance, durability, and overall printing and shipping costs. Many commercially produced graphic novels use lighter uncoated paper for black-and-white interiors, and thicker coated stock for colour pages. These choices work well for most titles.
At QinPrinting, we recommend the following paper types for graphic novel interiors:
- 105 gsm, 128 gsm, or 157 gsm coated paper
- 80 gsm or 100 gsm uncoated paper
These stocks provide a crisp, vibrant finish for artwork and ensure the text remains clear and easy to read. They also help prevent artwork from “bleeding through” to the reverse side of the page.
The best interior paper also depends on your book’s size and thickness. As a general rule, thinner paper is ideal for smaller books—it opens more easily and lays flatter. Thicker paper in a small-format book may reduce flexibility and make it harder to open comfortably.
For books sized 216 mm × 279 mm or larger, we recommend using heavier interior stock, such as 128 gsm or 157 gsm coated paper, or 100 gsm uncoated paper. If your book has 32 pages or fewer and you plan to use perfect binding, we suggest 200 gsm coated paper to achieve the necessary spine width.
Cover Paper
The cover paper for your graphic novel depends on the binding method you choose. We usually recommend heavier gloss art paper for covers. Sewn perfect bound and sewn hardcover bindings are ideal for graphic novels—they offer a professional finish, enhance durability, and allow the book to open flat, making it easier to read.
You’ll need to choose two paper types for your graphic novel: one for the interior pages, and another for the cover.
Paperback Cover Paper
- 200 gsm gloss cover paper
- 250 gsm gloss cover paper
- 300 gsm gloss cover paper
- 350 gsm gloss cover paper
- 200 gsm matte cover paper
- 250 gsm matte cover paper
- 300 gsm matte cover paper
Hardcover Paper
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2 mm grey board
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2.5 mm grey board
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 3 mm grey board
- Other paper types wrapped on grey board (custom options available)
Interior Paper
- 105 gsm coated text paper
- 128 gsm coated text paper
- 157 gsm coated text paper
- 200 gsm coated text paper
- 80 gsm uncoated text paper
- 100 gsm uncoated text paper
- 120 gsm uncoated text paper
Special Finish Options
Shiny and reflective, perfect for vibrant graphics and photos.
Glossy highlights on specific areas for a striking contrast.
Smooth and non-reflective for a simple yet professional design.
Similar to matte lamination, but the resulting surface has a delightful, almost velvet feel.
A glossy finish applied to specific areas for a bold and distinct look.
Metallic or pigmented foil for a shiny, eye-catching effect.
Raised designs for added texture and elegance.
A recessed design that creates a tactile impression on the cover, adding texture and sophistication.
Cut a shape out of the paper material
Thin metallic foil—usually gold, silver, or bronze—is applied to the trimmed edges of your book's pages.
Custom patterns and images are sprayed on the edges for a truly unique appearance.
Print your design on a special paper that reflects light in a rainbow-like pattern.
Wrap your book in a durable synthetic leather material.
Cover your book with woven linen or cotton fabric.
Bindings for Graphic Novels
Graphic novel fans often read their books multiple times and treasure them as part of carefully curated collections. So, your graphic novel needs to not only look great, but also be easy to read and durable enough to withstand repeated handling.
At QinPrinting, we recommend sewn perfect bound and sewn hardcover as our preferred binding styles for graphic novels. Your choice will depend on factors such as your budget, the book’s length, and the overall design. Both options provide outstanding results—and importantly, they allow the book to open flat without damaging the spine, making them ideal for immersive reading and re-reading.
Sewn Perfect Binding
This is the most popular binding style for graphic novels. We collate the interior pages into sets called signatures, which are then sewn together and glued into a wrap-around cover made from heavier art paper or lightweight card. This method results in a beautifully bound book at an affordable cost.
Hardcover Binding
With this option, the interior pages are also organised into signatures, which are printed, trimmed, sewn, and glued into a rigid case wrapped in a printed cover sheet. This is the most robust and professional-looking binding option—perfect for collector’s editions, deluxe versions, or high-end retail releases.
You can further enhance the finish with:
- Embossed or debossed titles
- Soft-touch lamination
- Foil stamping (gold, silver, coloured)
- Custom dust jackets or slipcases
- Ribbon markers and headbands
These additions are particularly appealing for collector’s editions or as stretch goals in crowdfunding campaigns.
No matter which binding style you choose, we aim to make your graphic novel project as easy as possible. You’re welcome to use one of our free design templates, and we can also send you paper and finish samples. Samples are free—you’ll only need to cover the postage.
Graphic Novel Design and Artwork Tips
The quality of your artwork reproduction is absolutely vital when printing a graphic novel. Whether your story is light-hearted and funny, a fast-paced adventure for teens, or a layered, mature narrative, you’ll want the illustrations to leap off the page and spark the reader’s imagination. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to follow when preparing your files for print.
Export your files as vector-based PDFs for the best results. We recommend using Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign for graphic novel layout and design. These programs also let you convert your colour space from RGB to CMYK, which is essential for offset printing.
If you're not using vectors—say, you're exporting bitmaps from Photoshop—make sure all images are at a minimum of 300 dpi. Unlike vectors, bitmap images can become blurry or pixelated when resized, so high resolution is key to maintaining print quality.
Add a 3 mm bleed around all pages. This extra space extends beyond the final page size and ensures that your artwork runs cleanly to the edges after trimming. Anything within the bleed area will be cut off, so it's best used for background extensions. Bleeds should be clearly marked, typically in red lines.
Inside the bleed zone, mark your trim line—this defines the final page size. Make sure all important visual elements (text, faces, logos) are kept at least 10 mm inside this line to avoid being accidentally cropped during trimming.
If your graphic novel includes splash pages or spreads, be mindful of the centre crease. Avoid placing key details—like character faces or important text—across the gutter where the two pages meet, as some elements may be lost in the fold.
If you’re working with a professional designer, they should be familiar with these requirements and know how to deliver print-ready files. But if you’re doing the layout yourself for the first time, these are the key things to keep in mind before submitting.
Don’t worry—our pre-press team manually checks every file before printing. If we spot any issues, we’ll let you know and help you fix them. We won’t hit “go” on your graphic novel until we’re confident it’ll print perfectly and you’re completely happy with the proof.
Need Help Preparing Your Files? We Offer a Free File Checking Service
Can’t find what you want? Contact us!
Graphic Novel Printing Costs
At QinPrinting, we collaborate every day with talented and committed independent graphic novel creators. We also understand that many skilled emerging artists and writers are working to a limited budget, or raising funds via platforms like Kickstarter. That’s why we’re always working to optimise our processes—so we can deliver top-quality graphic novels at the most competitive prices possible.
But don’t just take our word for it. You can get a quick estimate of your printing costs using the simple price chart below. The actual cost of printing your graphic novel will depend on several key factors—such as:
- your choice of paper stock
- the number of pages
- cover and interior finishes
- book dimensions and layout
For a detailed, project-specific quote, use our Online Printing Cost Calculator. Unlike many offset printers who require a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 500 or more copies, we’re happy to print as few as 100 copies in a single run—perfect for your first-stage crowdfunding campaign or independent release.
How much does it cost to print a paperback graphic novel?
Paperback Graphic Novel Printing Price Chart (B5 size – 170 mm × 240 mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies | 10,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64pp + 4pp | Unit: A$8.16 Total: A$816 |
Unit: A$2.27 Total: A$1,134 |
Unit: A$1.43 Total: A$1,429 |
Unit: A$1.05 Total: A$2,106 |
Unit: A$0.86 Total: A$4,284 |
Unit: A$0.79 Total: A$7,920 |
| 80pp + 4pp | Unit: A$9.75 Total: A$975 |
Unit: A$2.73 Total: A$1,363 |
Unit: A$1.72 Total: A$1,724 |
Unit: A$1.27 Total: A$2,542 |
Unit: A$1.03 Total: A$5,155 |
Unit: A$0.96 Total: A$9,606 |
| 96pp + 4pp | Unit: A$11.32 Total: A$1,132 |
Unit: A$3.19 Total: A$1,595 |
Unit: A$2.02 Total: A$2,017 |
Unit: A$1.49 Total: A$2,978 |
Unit: A$1.21 Total: A$6,072 |
Unit: A$1.13 Total: A$11,291 |
- Please note: All prices are EXW (Ex Works) from our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 250 gsm coated art paper with matte lamination on the outside
- Interior: 105 gsm coated art paper, full colour printing
- Cover and interior: Full colour throughout
- Binding: Perfect bound
How much does it cost to print a hardcover graphic novel?
Hardcover Graphic Novel Printing Price Chart (B5 size – 170 mm × 240 mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies | 10,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64pp | Unit: A$14.81 Total: A$1,481 |
Unit: A$4.00 Total: A$2,001 |
Unit: A$2.90 Total: A$2,901 |
Unit: A$2.46 Total: A$4,913 |
Unit: A$2.11 Total: A$10,567 |
Unit: A$2.02 Total: A$20,171 |
| 80pp | Unit: A$16.91 Total: A$1,691 |
Unit: A$4.56 Total: A$2,279 |
Unit: A$3.25 Total: A$3,252 |
Unit: A$2.71 Total: A$5,413 |
Unit: A$2.29 Total: A$11,453 |
Unit: A$2.18 Total: A$21,842 |
| 96pp | Unit: A$19.01 Total: A$1,901 |
Unit: A$5.13 Total: A$2,566 |
Unit: A$3.60 Total: A$3,604 |
Unit: A$2.96 Total: A$5,913 |
Unit: A$2.47 Total: A$12,337 |
Unit: A$2.36 Total: A$23,553 |
- Please note: All prices are EXW (Ex Works) from our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 157 gsm coated paper with matte lamination, wrapped over 2.5 mm thick greyboard
- End sheets: 140 gsm uncoated paper, blank
- Interior: 128 gsm coated text paper
- Cover and interior: Full colour printing throughout
And don’t forget, we’re real people here at QinPrinting. We genuinely love graphic novels too, and we’re always happy to answer any questions you might have. Just get in touch however you prefer—whether by email, phone, or our easy-to-use online contact form. One of our friendly and knowledgeable team members will be delighted to assist you.
Graphic Novels Crowdfunding
Unlike many other printing companies, we truly care about all our clients and appreciate the intensive creative effort involved in bringing a graphic novel from first inspiration to finished print. We genuinely want to see you succeed.
So, if you’re running a crowdfunding campaign—whether on Kickstarter or another platform—get in touch with us first. We’re happy to assist with graphic novel interior and cover design templates, provide free artwork checking, and offer special discounts on a range of tailored printing solutions.
Let's Talk!
If you’re an indie author or small press looking to print a graphic novel—and only the finest quality and unbeatable customer service will do—we should have a chat. Get in touch today to discuss your project or request a no-obligation quote. We can’t wait to help make your next graphic novel your best yet!
