New Product Announcement: Comic Books and Magazines

Here at Lulu, the last couple of years have all been about innovation. Today we’re happy to introduce Comic Books, Magazines, and Linen Wrap Hardcover books for our Lulu, Lulu Direct, and Print API users! 

What does that mean for you?

Well, if you use Lulu and want to print Comic Books or Magazines, you’re in luck! These two products use unique paper, page sizing, and cover printing to achieve their distinct look and feel.

Comic Book Printing

This is the most interesting and extensive update to a product offering. Lulu.com has long had the ‘Comic Book’ paper size available. But we’ve never offered it as a part of a preset to help you quickly and easily create your book. Now, with Lulu xPress, you can select the Comic Book product type, upload your interior file, and Bam! You’re ready to print!

The Comic Book product uses industry-standard print size (6.625 x 10.25 inches) for individual issues and graphic novels. We also include printing on the inside cover, something not previously available. 

Comic Book Specifications

Printing on the Inside Cover

This is a huge update from ALL of Lulu’s previous printing options. With the introduction of Comic Book products, we are offering creators the means to upload a two-page cover file with printing on the inside cover.

If you’ve created your own PDF cover file before, the process for a Comic Book cover is very similar. You’ll use this new template, which includes a second page with the inside front and back cover. The file you create will likewise include these elements.

Be sure to follow the template design carefully, so we print the inside front cover page in the correct location!

And with the Comic Book product available for Saddle Stitch and Standard Paperback (perfect bound) you can create a single issue or graphic novel comic. With unique paper available only for Comic Book and Magazine printing, you get the professional look you need and the freedom to design Lulu has always offered.

Magazine Printing

Using the same principles as our Comic Book products, the Magazine option offers to print on the inside front and back cover along with specialized, coated paper for the interior. Aside from the printing on the inside cover and introduction of the Comic and Magazine paper, traditional Magazine printing has long been possible with Lulu.

We’re just taking the product up a notch with improvements to better match existing standards for printed magazines. 

Magazine Specifications

Hardcover, Linen Wrapped, Dust Jacket Printing

This last update is a mouthful. We’ve offered the traditional hardcover dust jacket book type for many years on Lulu.com. For our fiction writers, it’s a mainstay for the initial book launch and to sell a ‘premium’ version of their work. 

When we first launched xPress, we didn’t include hardcover dust jacket options because we knew our initial users wouldn’t need this product as much as our other options. As we roll out more features, adding hardcover dust jackets was always near the top of our list.

Linen Wrap

Mirroring the options available on Lulu, our hardcover dust jacket options include linen over a stiff board cover. We have six linen color options available and feature stamped, foil text on the spine. 

The foil stamping is available in three color options, giving you plenty of unique cover combinations.

And you’ll still be able to create a dust jacket with a front and back cover, and the inner jacket flaps.

What’s Next?

We’ve got a lot more in the pipeline. As we improve our new publishing wizard and product options, we’ll bring all our recent work together. What does that mean for you? Over the coming months, you’ll be seeing a lot of improvements to our site, the experience you have creating your book, and the options you’ll have after publishing.