For both beginners and seasoned pros
Comic and graphic novel sales are on the rise. Between 2017 and 2018, the market grew from an already impressive $800 million to a stunning $1.095 billion. Needless to say, now is an excellent time to get your comic concepts drawn and published.
But what if you’re not a seasoned professional with all of the necessary tools and equipment? Well, there are several comic book creator software tools on the market that fit any budget and experience level.
Table of Contents
Let’s take a look at the best comic book creator software for beginners, novices, and even professionals.
Clip Studio Paint Pro 1.3
You may know of this software as Manga Studio and the cheaper version of the Clip Studio Paint EX (we’ll touch on that next).
But if you’re not familiar with this tool, you’ll find it’s ideal for illustrators. It comes with all the paintbrushes, vector tools, and drawing capabilities needed to bring your creations to life.
It’s a lot like Adobe Photoshop, so it’s a plus if you’re accustomed to using that platform. What’s also great about this software is that it comes with comic book and manga features like comic page layouts. This makes it so you can quickly design the look of your graphic novel (or webcomic).
If you’re a beginner and would like to get started making comics (without breaking your wallet), then this is recommended. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC devices.
Just make sure your device has at least 1 GB of RAM so that it runs nice and smooth. There are a lot of tools to become acquainted with, so be prepared to use the resources provided (and YouTube).
You can find Clip Studio Paint Pro 1.3 for between $40 and $60.
Clip Studio Paint EX
If you don’t mind dishing out a little more money (okay, a lot more), then you should consider Clip Studio Paint EX.
To justify the hike in the price, you do get a bang for your buck. For instance, it comes with built-in animation features (imagine the possibilities with webcomics!).
Then there’s also an asset library filled to the brim with poseable 3D human figures. So all you have to do is drag them into your scene and add your customizations. It even allows you to adjust characters into complex body positions.
If you’re a backdrop artist who struggles with drawing people, then you’ll find this attractive. Then you can use Illustrator and Photoshop files, as well as JPEG, BMP, PNG, MOV, and MP4.
So what’s the price? $229 and worth every penny. The only downside is that the audio tools aren’t as extensive.
Comipo!
Yes, the exclamation point is included in its name – and it has every right to be ecstatic. While this isn’t a major software tool like the others on this list, it’s worth mentioning because of its cool features.
It’s the perfect software for folks who don’t have any drawing skills whatsoever but would like to try a hand at bringing their stories to life.
Comipo! comes with all the bells and whistles you need to create scenes and characters. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it simple to create a series of full-fledged scenes with backgrounds, infrastructures, and people. Plus, there are a variety of add-ons you can buy, such as themes for outfits, furniture, and backgrounds.
For example, if you need a scene with high school sports and students, you can download the high school sports pack. But don’t worry about spending an arm and a leg. Both the comic book creator software and its packs are in the affordable range.
You can buy it as a download on Steam for $50. There are also bundles you can purchase if you already have an idea for the theme you want to go with for your first comic.
Make sure you have at least 4GB of memory RAM.
The downside? You have to log into Steam to use this tool, which means no internet, no Comipo! But being able to play around with 3D model characters makes it worthwhile.
Comic Creator Studio
Here’s another beginner-friendly comic book creator software. It comes with a range of characters, graphics, and settings so you can quickly craft your comic strip. It allows you to drag and drop everything, including word balloons you can position anywhere.
But for the low price, you can’t expect much flexibility. For instance, it lacks illustration tools. However, it’s designed for the creatives who lack drawing skills. It also allows you to create and select layers so you can manipulate key areas as needed. Then once you finish, you can embed them in emails or share them on Facebook.
If you’re looking for a cheap option to create comics for your story ideas, then this is an excellent choice. You can find it online for $20 to $30.
Comic Draw
Alright, illustrators – this one is for you. Comic Draw is a comic book creator tool designed specifically for iPad owners (sorry Windows and Android users).
All you need is your iPad and a graphics pen, and you can begin conjuring up images from your wildest dreams. It’s not limited to experts or beginners. It’s created with both types of artists in mind, offering simplicity and impressive features that benefit both. For instance, it comes with an array of drawing tools.
While it doesn’t come with premade panels, it does allow you to create them easily. Plus, it comes with layering so you can draw and manipulate landscapes, buildings, and character poses without ruining your scenes. There aren’t any assets to leverage, so you’ll have to draw everything from scratch.
In the end, you do get professionally formatted scripts (with help from the software tips). You’re also able to view your script or drawing on full-screen or side-by-side split screen.
And best of all, you only have to spend $9.99 to get it.
Is Your Comic The Next Best Seller?
It very well could be. We all can dream, can’t we? But there’s no way to know for sure unless you find the right tools to publish your ideas. Who knows – your comic book, graphic novel, or animation could be the next big hit.
So test these comic creator software to see which suits your next comic project.
