Variant and sketch covers

Variant and sketch covers
21 March 2025
Variant and sketch covers

Variant and sketch covers

Turn your comic book or magazine into a true collector's piece by including a variant cover with stunning alternative artwork, or add a sketch cover for artists and fans to personalise your publication.

  1. Variant covers
  2. Sketch covers

Variant covers

Variant covers are a big hit in the comic book collecting world. These are comics printed with multiple cover designs but have the same content inside. The covers might feature different artwork or finishes and are generally produced in smaller quantities to boost their collectability, encouraging fans to buy more than one copy. They're also an excellent perk for Kickstarter campaigns.

To order a variant cover, please contact YouLovePrint for a bespoke quote. We will then ask you to send us your variant cover file.

Comic book with two distinct covers

Sketch covers

Another favourite within the comic book community is the sketch cover. These special edition covers typically come blank or just sport the comic's logo and are printed on uncoated paper, making it easy for another artist to add their own artwork.

You can opt to add sketch covers to either the front or back of a comic, with the original cover artwork being featured inside as one of the early pages, or as a pin-up at the end.

To create a sketch cover as a variant, just follow the instructions above. If you want to include it in a standard print run, choose 'Uncoated' paper for the cover.

Please be aware that uncoated paper will be used for the entire cover and it won't be possible to apply special finishes like lamination.

Example of a sketch cover

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