making a comic zine

[Alan Lawless]

I'm putting together the first issue of my zine. it's mostly going to be fiction and photography, but I'm also going to include an excerpt from a graphic novel I'm working on. my question is: what's the best size layout to use for a comic? should I do my zine half size  or full 8.5"x11" pages? which works better? is there even much of a difference? any help you can give would be very helpful. thanks!

         -alan

[NicoleIntrovert]

Most comic zines that i have read are 1/2 size. I know i would prefer to read them in that size as well.

[Rebel Jane Mills]

I'm going to be putting a comic in issue 2 of my zine and I'll be doing it 1/2 sized. Most comic zines I've seen have been 1/2 sized or smaller. Good luck! :)

[Alan Lawless]

thank you both very much. your advice was really helpful. best of luck with both your projects. keep creating. :)

[Heather Wreckage]

I do a comic 1/2 size, but just started drawing it on larger paper and shrinking it down to 1/2 size after, and it makes things look soo much nicer!

[APFuchs]

What's going to be the final size of the graphic novel? If that's going to be full sized, then you're going to have resize the pages and lettering for the zine (if you go 1/2). Up to you how much work you want to do now and later.

However, I do know some popular comic zines at 1/2 size (i.e. King-Cat by John Porcellino, and Phase 7 by Alec Longstreth).

[ButterSword]

1/2 size!
Also... I guess I could add that it depends on the art.
If it's all bad-ass then I wouldn't go smaller than 1/2 size. But if it's goofy simple stuff then even smaller can be cool.
When it's out drop us an email if you'd like to trade comic zines in the mail.