I mentioned the possibility of doing a print run for the Nuclear Weather Rock comic and then promptly didn’t mention it again outside the forum. This should remedy that.

I found a local place where I can get short runs of full color prints done for very reasonable prices. I can do a run of 15 prints at 11×17 inches for under $2 a piece (almost impossible everywhere else I looked) or 10 prints for like $2.10 each.

Aaaand if that were the only expense I’d sell ’em for $5 a piece and double my money and feel really good about myself.

But then beyond the print cost there’s the Paypal fees, and the shipping fees, and depending on how I ship the container fees and I can see why a poster costs $15 on some of these websites now. :(

If I can find a shipping method through the US Postal Service that will mail prints in a tube (including the tube) for under $2 a piece, I can do a print run of either 10 or 15 prints, charge $6+$2 shipping (or $8 total), and I only have to sell 6 (or 8 if I do 15) to break even. If I actually did sell all 10 (or 15) I’d actually make a profit on something I did for the comic for the first time ever.

(Unless you count that incredible $5.50 I’ve made from Cafepress in the last year. I can’t eat at McDonald’s for $5.50, so that doesn’t count.)

I could even do a run of 5 prints at $6+$2 shipping, and still break after selling 4 prints. It’s more likely that I’ll hit 4 prints, but less likely that I’ll make a profit, especially as the 5th print would be for my wall.

Now, if I can’t ship for $2 or less, then I’d have to ship USPS Priority Mail and they cost $4.05 per package to ship. At that point I break even (barely) selling exactly 5 prints for $10 (That’s $6 per print plus $4 for shipping) each. At $8 ($4 for the print and $4 for shipping) I have to sell 9 of a 10 print run or 12 of a 15 print run.

Aaaand so far, ideaphile peri-renna is the only one who’s expressed an interest in a print. So, well, it’s all up in the air but if anyone else is interested, I’d love to hear about it. Hell, I’ll sign up for you if that’ll up the interest.

Meanwhile, my respect for the big successful comics that actually make a profit doing this every day has gone up tremedously.