LULU.COM LAUNCHES ON-DEMAND COMIC PUBLISHING SERVICE

[MattBrady]

Press Release

Lulu.com, the on-demand publishing tool for books, e-books, and other digital content, is quickly becoming the publishing resource of choice for comic artists.

To meet growing demands, Lulu ( http://www.Lulu.com ) is catering to the needs of comic book creators. Lulu's newly expanded comic book capabilities offer artists the option of publishing comic book size (6.75"x 10.375") books in addition to the trade paperback and textbook sizes previously available.

All comics are published on high quality paper with the option of vibrant color or black and white. Publishing a comic on Lulu is free. Individual copies can be purchased for under $10 and bulk discounts are available. Authors set their own royalties.

"The decision to expand the dimensions of our comics was driven by customer demand," says Henry Hutton, who manages Lulu's online communities of writers, musicians, and artists. "Self-publishing in the comic world is a labor of love. We wanted to give our creators a comic book that feels like a real comic."

Lulu representatives are also traveling the comic con circuit to inform artists of the latest tools available, as well as learn more about their specific needs. Lulu recently attended DragonCon and will attend this weekend's Small Press Expo ( http://www.spxpo.com ), both of which are popular events promoting independent comic book artistry.

"Comic book creators have been publishing their books in a plethora of ways outside of traditional publishing," says Leah Riley, a graphic design artist for Lulu and comic creator ( http://www.lulu.com/comics ). "It's really cool for me to go to conventions like Small Press Expo and explain how Lulu.com works and can help independent comic creators. For some people it is exactly what they've been looking for: a professional-looking full-color version of their work available on-demand."

Lulu's goal in the comic book world is to build an active community of independent authors and publishers where artists who publish comics and graphic novels feel at home.

Founded by open source entrepreneur Bob Young (co-founder and former chairman of Red Hat), Lulu provides independent publishers with free access to on-demand publishing tools for books, e-books, music, images and calendars.

[matthewstarnes]

Wow, very cool concept.

[Erik K]

A cool concept, but...

After I finally located the information page at http://www.lulu.com/static/comix1.php (maybe it's just me, but I couldn't find this link on the Lulu site until I read this press release there), I got to thinking about the pricing scheme.

It's hard enough to sell an established book for $3.00, so how do you form a fan base when you have to charge $5.13 for a 30 page black and white or $9.03 for a 30 page color? And that's without making a cent of profit? I guess these might be good for mailing to art directors, but still. It would have to be one hell of a creative team to get me paying $9.03 for a 30 page color floppy. I don't think I'd qualify for someone paying that amount yet, and if I did, I'd almost certainly have a publisher...

[The Scribbler]

First, I gotta say that I know Leah Riley from college and think the idea is really cool, so it's not entirely unbiased...

Originally posted by Erik K
It's hard enough to sell an established book for $3.00, so how do you form a fan base when you have to charge $5.13 for a 30 page black and white or $9.03 for a 30 page color? And that's without making a cent of profit? I guess these might be good for mailing to art directors, but still. It would have to be one hell of a creative team to get me paying $9.03 for a 30 page color floppy. I don't think I'd qualify for someone paying that amount yet, and if I did, I'd almost certainly have a publisher...

They're basically betting on a few things, here:

1- Some people just want to see their stuff published and Lulu produces some professional-looking stuff at a price that isn't all that bad (even if it can be a little pricey).

2- Some people can make the pricing scheme work by doing a larger work... individual issues may not be that great price-wise, but the more pages there are the better (I believe, as I saw a decently priced trade on sale there) the price is.

3- The higher quality materials that they use will make some people willing to pay the difference.

4- There are at least some variations in the pricing and binding models, which allows some more control over the final look and feel of the product.

5- EDIT... also, that's 30 pages and no ads.

I know for a fact that it's #3 (they don't use the cheaper paper that most comics do, and I'm not sure that they will be at any point as it would require some major changes. I know it took them a while to even get the comic-size printing down pat with the changes it required) that's got the price as high as it is comparitively.

Anyway, it is going to be an issue for some people, agreed.

EDIT: Also, they explain some of this stuff, likely better than I do, on their forums.

[Zadillo]

I don't know much about self-publishing comics, but just the fact that this is "on demand" seems to make a difference...... that you can get individual copies printed up.

If you wanted to have a comic published some other way, normally wouldn't you have to spend thousands of dollars just to get them to do it at all?

If I had some comic that I just wanted to see printed, maybe a really limited run, paying $9 each or something to have a few copies printed up to maybe give to friends or hand out wouldn't be so bad (compared with trying to come up with thousands of dollars to have a run of comics printed)

-Zadillo

[jasinmartin]

Cool another small press option. I'll have to check this out!

In response to some of the posts concerns, there are at least a couple other "on demand" or short run comic book print services I'm aware of:

1)Blue Line Pro -
http://www.bluelinepro.com/graphix.htm

They offer decent prices on smaller print runs in a variety of options.

2)ComixPress -
http://www.comixpress.com/?osCsid=85...c763340c3e3bfb

Brand new start up that offers true "on demand" printing for as low as a single copy. Neat concept, and I'm intending to try it out. Looks like they just raised their prices a bit after initial orders.

The Small Press Association used to offer short run printing but are now aligned with ComixPress for that. They are however, a great resource for small pressers.


It's great to see a growing number of options, and perhaps some new technologies that make small press comics a more viable medium.

[jasinmartin]

Originally posted by Zadillo
I don't know much about self-publishing comics, but just the fact that this is "on demand" seems to make a difference...... that you can get individual copies printed up.

If you wanted to have a comic published some other way, normally wouldn't you have to spend thousands of dollars just to get them to do it at all?

Yes, on demand is key, and gives the ability to print small runs of books initially, followed up with more at reasonable cost once you've sold inventory. Thus, you don't have to pay the higher prices for 500 to 1000-3000 books up front (that you may not sell for ?? period of time).

Essentially you can now have printed books via the same model as batching hand-made ash-cans or minis (admittedly for a little more cash, but at reasonable to moderate cost). Perfect for creators building a name via the con circuit or what not.

[matthewstarnes]

I think the ISBN option for trades would be awesome too.
Ingram would be able to order your books.
You could say have a press release here on Newsarama about your new graphic novel and list an ISBN code. Then people without access to a comic shop could order your graphic novel in most book stores.

[Damian]

i think, although the print on demand price structure doesn't really make it feasible for doing issues, it's a great avenue for small press artists to get their books out there and not go broke doing it.
with no print runs and no backstock, it gives you much more breathing room to just get out there and build up a readership.
as an example of the price reasonability of graphic novels (not to mention a most kick ass horror/action comic) i present to you, The Hole: http://www.lulu.com/content/75706
it's ten bucks for a....i think it's like a 120 page graphic novel, around that, which seems like a really good deal to me. definitely comparable to other retail outlets.
i know we're (rehab25.net) planning on using it to put out our WHISP trade.
am i a whore? i feel like a whore. aw yeah.

[jasinmartin]

Originally posted by Damian
am i a whore? i feel like a whore. aw yeah.

Actually you're a pimp.
(at least within the context of your post...)

[noir7000]

hey!

i am glad lulu is getting around to the comics forums!
i published i book with them over the summer and they
are great!

actually, my book "the Hole" was pimped by my creative-
partner Damian earlier in this thread..d'oh! he beat
me to it!

the print quality is amazing and the binding on their
perfect bound books is really,really good!

i published my story in color AND black and white.
once you upload your content..it is almost criminally
easy! the moment i ripped open the fedex package
and saw my book...amazing!!!

i was skeptical at first myself being that you can upload
your books...FOR FREE!

btw, i love NEWSARAMA.
i heart it so much.

later.

noir.

[megafury]

I published a 200 page book there and I'm selling it for $10, and the base proce was only like $8. The more page you got, the better the deal. I was doing single issues before I realized this.



high quality stuff

heres a pic of the inside

http://www.crudedude.100megs32.com/paperquality.JPG

it's a lot better than cafepress.com, expensive over there

[DrTzinTzin]

A website called Lulu.com and not one Franz Weidekind or Louise Brooks reference!!