Custom comic book: your pet, family or loved one as the hero of the story

What a custom comic book is, and what it is not

A custom comic book tells a story in drawings: several panels in a row, often over a few pages, with speech bubbles, captions and a beginning, middle and end. The characters are real: your dog who steals socks, grandma and grandpa on their first holiday together, your colleague on the last day before retirement.

That makes it different from a single portrait. The comic book photo effect for a single portrait turns one photo into one striking comic-style picture. A personalised comic book, by contrast, is a whole story with several scenes about the people or animals you love.

Who a personalised comic book is for

A comic strip story works whenever there is a story worth telling. Popular occasions are:

• A comic book of your pet: the adventures of your dog, cat, rabbit or horse, from puppy days to favourite walks.
• A family comic book gift for a birthday, an anniversary or a family reunion, with everyone in their typical role.
• A wedding or jubilee: how the couple met, told in panels, as a surprise at the party.
• Retirement or farewell: the highlights of a career, with the running jokes colleagues will recognise.
• A memory of a loved one: the story of a person or a pet who is no longer there, told with warmth.

For a pet that has passed away, a comic story can sit next to a pet memorial cartoon as a single keepsake. Hans takes the time to listen to what made your companion special.

How your comic strip story is made

The process follows the same rhythm as every order at De Cartoonist, with a little more attention to the story:

1. Tell the story. Send a few lines or a voice message about what should happen: the main moments, funny habits, a line someone always says.
2. Send photos of every person or animal who appears, plus any places or objects that matter, such as the house, the car or a favourite toy.
3. Agree on the size and pay. The number of pages and panels is agreed in advance, so you know the price; you then pay via a Tikkie on WhatsApp and Hans starts.
4. Check the proof. Within 3 days of payment you see a proof and can ask for changes to faces, texts and details in one revision round.
5. Receive the pages digitally, in high resolution and without a watermark.

Hans combines AI tools with his own drawing and manual finishing, so the characters stay recognisable from panel to panel. The general order steps are explained on how the proof and revision round work for every order.

Which photos and details make the best comic book

The best custom comic book comes from clear photos and a concrete story. One sharp photo of each face is the minimum; a second photo from another angle helps when someone appears in many panels. For a pet, send a photo that shows the colour and markings of the coat, and one that shows its typical pose.

Details make the story come alive: the nickname only the family uses, the chair nobody else may sit in, the way your cat stares at the fridge. Write them down in your message. You do not need to write dialogue yourself; a rough idea is enough, and the proof shows how it reads.

What a custom comic book costs

A custom comic book costs from €250. The final price depends on:

• the number of pages and panels;
• the number of people and animals in the story;
• how detailed the backgrounds and scenes are;
• extras such as a cover or a dedication page.

You hear the price before Hans starts and you always see a proof first. More background is on comic book pricing and what adds pages. Would you rather have something that moves? Then an animated cartoon video as a moving extra is a good companion to the book.

Printing and sharing your comic book gift

You receive the pages as high-resolution files without a watermark, so you can have them printed as a booklet, a photo book or a poster at a print shop of your choice, or share them digitally in the family app. Mention in advance whether the story will mainly be printed or read on a screen, so the page layout suits it.

Questions before you begin? Use the ways to reach Hans about a comic story; asking is without obligation, in English or Dutch, wherever you live.