By Tom Salistean,  August 2011

 

Custom graphic covers for comic book binds are a great way to make your comic collection unique and attractive.  But if you’ve never designed a graphic cover for a book, you may be perplexed.  I hope this article will help first-time graphic cover designers, as well as seasoned pros create cover designs that fit right the first time without re-designing and re-printing.  Having the graphic cover files laid out correctly saves you time, money, and prevents delays so you can get your books back faster and start enjoying!

 

First, we need to define what the dimensions of a standard graphic cover should be for a regular comic book bind.  On a standard comic bind, the front and back cover should each cover an area of 10.25 x 6.625 inches (this is the average finished size). Naturally, the thickness of the spine will vary depending on how many issues in the volume. Our template (seen at left) also calls for a 1-inch “wraparound” area around all 4 edges of the file.  So, for example, if the book to be bound is 1 inch thick, the final dimensions of the entire cover file (including the wraparound) should be 16.25" x 12.25".  To determine the thickness of the book, place the stack on a flat surface and apply a small amount of pressure to the outside edge.  Measure with a ruler to the nearest 16th, rounding up if it falls between two marks (see picture).

 

It is also wise to keep any aspect of the cover that you absolutely want to be visible in the final product at least 1/4" away from the visible area's edge, as well as 1/4" from the spine.  This 1/4" area could be called the "questionable zone," and any crucial design elements should not be placed in this space.  This ensures that a word, or a part of an image will not be cut off in the final product.

 

There is sometimes confusion about the purpose of the “wraparound” area.  This area is not outwardly visible in the final product, as it will ultimately wrap around the back side of the cover boards (See picture, the back side of a hard cover). However, extending the background graphics into this area ensures there will be no unintended borders visible along the outside edges of the final cover.

 

The design to the right is a good example of some of these design tips in use:

 

In this example, the green lines show (approximately) where the spine and cover areas are, as well as where the visible part of the cover will end, and where the wraparound area begins.  This designer did a nice job of extending the images on the front cover out to the right, so that if the size of the final cover varied slightly from what is expected, all of the important elements of the artwork will still be visible. 

 

The most important aspect of designing a cover in this way, is that it allows for some flexibility. This designer also placed the title on the front cover in such a manner that it is not intended to be centered. Though we try to trim each comic book volume to the exact same size, there can be some variance due to a number of factors, many of which are out of the control of the bindery. 

 

Of course, there is no perfect formula for designing a custom graphic cover (however, if you find one, I'm all ears!)  I hope these tips will help you in your efforts. 

 

It is important to note that on thicker smyth sewn volumes, it is wise to wait to finalize the graphic cover design until the book has been bound and rounded.  Thick smyth sewn volumes swell up a lot in the spine area due to thread buildup.  For thick smyth sewn volumes, I would recommend allowing the bindery to bind, trim, and round the book first, and finalize the cover design once the final spine size is known.

 

If you have any questions, or input on this article, please email me: tsalistean@houchenbindery.com. This article is not necessarily a finished product.  New ideas, hints, and tips are welcome and appreciated!

A special thank you to Randy D. for his contributions to this page.