Creating a Comic
A comic in the Neopian Times is usually an image with a single or multiple panels and text that together form a joke or story. They can be a single, standalone piece, or a continued series that is published across several issues.
There are many reasons to want to create a comic. Maybe you're an artist, not a writer, but still want to enter the Times. Perhaps you're looking for less time commitment, or a good starting point for your initial Times foray. It could even be that you noticed there's a lot more publication slots reserved for comics, which could increase your chances of getting in. Comics are also a great way to collaborate with friends; one person can write the plot, and a second can draw it.
Whatever your reason, this guide will help, from conceptualizing your comic to submission. Let's get started!
Look no further for help!
Comic Series
While a comic series may sound like a shortcut to getting your 10 entries published, unlike written series there is no longer a guarantee on sequential publication as of early 2023.
Previously, you would need to submit your entire comic series at one time, just like how written series operate. Nowadays, you will submit one piece at a time. Once that piece has been accepted, you can proceed with submitting the next part.
Hello! In light of last Editorial, I was wondering if you could please further explain comic series submissions and publication. Should one still submit every part at once, or do we need to submit one part at a time before each issue? And why might they not have guaranteed sequential publication like written series? Is it to do with the submission form, or do themed entries take precedent over a regular comic series? Between the biweekly publications and number of themed issues these days, I've only managed to get four comics in my series published these past six months. There's been little precedent for this publishing style with comic series before, and it just feels like there's not much incentive to submit them now. I was hoping we could at least get more insight as to why this has changed, or if there was any way to reconsider this rule change. Thank you. ~twillieblossom
It is best to submit one part at a time so that the submission portal doesn’t get too clogged up resulting in possibly losing submissions.
This is not to say that comic or non-series writing parts won’t make publication. It is just that they are not guaranteed continuous publication one right after the other. So unlike series, if a themed or special issue happens a comic series won’t necessarily make it into that edition as themed entries will take precedence. If you would like the highest chance of making an entry into one of those issues, it’s best to craft a submission specifically tailored towards that issue. It’s not that they can’t make it in, just that they likely won’t if there are lots of entries that other users worked hard on to fit with the theme or holiday. But once the special issue is over the comic series could continue as long as it continues to meet qualifications.
We enjoy comic series and want to see them continued, but this is mainly to state that we cannot guarantee that because one part of the comic was accepted that the rest will automatically be accepted as well and that there may be breaks between when the next part may be accepted and continued. But as long as the series keeps meeting qualifications, we will do our best to continue featuring users' great work!
~~ Stone
From Neopian Times, Issue #977, published February 24, 2023
A pro of this system is that you don't necessarily need to have completed your entire comic series before you start submitting - you can create as you go. A downside is that it can take a very long time for your series to finish publishing, and the parts may be separated by several issues, making it hard for readers to follow. Some users prefer to keep their comic series on the shorter side as a result, or forgo series entirely and stick to standalone comics.
Conceptualizing
What kind of comic do you want to create? They can be funny, yes, but they can also be dramatic, neutral, or anything in between. They can be a single one-off comic, or an entire series of comics. You can use original characters, site characters, your Neopets, or any combination of these.
With so many options, how do you narrow it down? You need an idea for your comic, and that will lead the way. Ideas can be found everywhere, but Neopets ideas are found by interacting with the site and related products. Inspiration can come from:
- Favourite lands, characters, and stories
- Holidays and current Neopian events
- Past events and plots
- Random events and other site quirks
This list isn't exhaustive, but should give you a general idea of where to start.
Creating
You have an idea, and now you're ready to take the next step! You're ready to start creating your comic!
Scripting
Before you jump right into drawing, take a moment to jot down your idea before you forget it. This can be as simple as a sentence or two, or an entire script. They can be with or without simple sketches as well, whatever it takes to convey your idea to yourself, or others such as your collab partner.
A detailed script takes each panel and describes the action, dialogue, and characters. These are recommended if you're working with others on your comic, or if you're working on a complex, detailed comic.
Captain K is in a tight place, and your writing should be too.
Drawing
Ready to start drawing your comic? You already have a drawing medium in mind, whether it's digital or physical art. You can also use image assets from the site, but we recommend creating original art, both for increased quality and overall chances of getting in.
While you can work larger while drawing your comic, the final submission must be 200 KB (kilobytes) or less. The maximum width is 470px (pixels), there is no limit on the height, other than the limit imposed by the 200 KB file size. A typical comic runs three to five panels long, however, there is no hard limit on the number of panels you can put in.
The file formats allowed in the Neopian Times are GIF and JPG. While you don't have to scan or draw your comic in those file formats, the final version you submit must be converted to one of them.
While there's no rules about it, you'll want your panels and speech bubbles to read left to right, top to bottom, just like reading English text. This makes for the best reading experience and improves your chances of getting in. In general you'll want your panels to be vertical like a webcomic, as opposed to horizontal like a newspaper comic. This is because of the 470px limit on the width, in contrast to no limit on the height. You can put panels side by side for small panels, but overall they should be top to bottom.
Submitting Your Work
You've created your comic, but now you need to submit it! For general submission info, check out our main guide.
Titles
For comics that are continued series we recommend including the part in the title, so the editor can easily see it is an ongoing piece. E.g. "Socko's Story: Part 3".
Thumbnails
As you probably already know, the Neopian Times has a picture for all of the entries in it, displayed in the top-right corner of the entry's page and right next to its description in the sidebar on every page. This is also known as a thumbnail.
Comics are unique in that they are the only submission type that contains a field to upload your own thumbnail. Custom thumbnails are commonly a logo you create for a series, or an image taken directly from the comic itself. However, your custom thumbnail is ultimately up to you, so long as it meets the file size requirements. If you don't submit a thumbnail, the editor will choose one for you.
Broken! The thumbnail portion of the comic submission form is currently broken. If there is a particular thumbnail you want to use, you will need to link it in the comments field, either directly or by uploading it to a Petpage and linking the Petpage.
File Compression
Comics have strict sizing guidelines that must be followed, or else you will be unable to upload your work.
- Maximum File Size: 200 KB
- Maximum Image Width: 470 pixels
- Accepted File Formats: GIF, JPG
Warning! The submission form only checks file size—it will allow you to submit a comic that is wider than 470 pixels. Be sure to triple check your image width, or it may be rejected.
It's likely the comic you've created is over 200 KB, meaning you will need to compress it. You may also need to convert the file to a JPG or a GIF, if it is not already. A JPG file allows for more colour and detail than a GIF. Conversely, a GIF makes for a smaller file size, but comes at the expense of the quality of the final product. If your comic involves animation, you must use the GIF format.
Windows
For computers running Windows, the easiest way to accomplish this is through the built in "Photos" app. This is the default app that all images open in, unless you have changed your settings.
The resizing tool allows you to immediately see what the new file size will be after every adjustment, saving you from having to repeatedly edit, save, check the file properties, reopen, and repeat. You can make minute adjustments in size and quality to preserve the most of your image, while checking the projected file size in real time.
Navigate to the "..." menu on the top toolbar and select "Resize image". Your first step should be to reduce your image's width to 470px, which is the maximum allowed. Then, see if the projected file size is <200 KB.
Note that the application defaults to 80% quality. If your file size is <200 KB at maximum width, scale up the quality as high as it allows while remaining within the size limit. If your file size is still above 200 KB, try reducing the image width a little further. You can also set the quality to 100%, and reduce the image size until it meets the requirements. You want your comic to be as large, and as high quality, as you are allowed.
macOS
For computers running macOS, the easiest way to accomplish this is through the built in image "Preview" app. This is the default app that all images open in, unless you have changed your settings.
The resizing tool allows you to immediately see what the new file size will be after every adjustment, saving you from having to repeatedly edit, save, check the file properties, reopen, and repeat. You can make minute adjustments in size and quality to preserve the most of your image, while checking the projected file size in real time.
Navigate to the "Tools" dropdown on the top toolbar and select "Adjust size...". You may need to change your unit of measurement to "pixels" if it defaults to something else, and you should ensure that "Scale proportionally" is checked, so your comic does not get distorted. Your next step should be to reduce your image's width to 470px, which is the maximum allowed. Then, see if the projected file size is <200 KB.
The Preview app does not allow you to directly adjust the quality of your overall image. So, if your image is just slightly above 200 KB you may try lowering the width/height a bit more. If it is significantly above, try an online file compressor such as Adobe to compress your image (reduce the file size) for free. You want your comic to be as large, and as high quality, as you are allowed.
Other Options
There are many websites that offer free file resizing and compression such as Adobe Creative Cloud Express (resizing, or compressing). You may also consider using your go-to image app, if you're a digital artist, or another "default" app such as MS Paint. It may require a bit of trial and error to find the optimal combination of size and quality, to preserve the most of your comic.
More Help
This guide gave you a basic run-down of comics, but there's so much more to this topic. For more help, try reaching out to your fellow comic creators, via the Neoboards or fan forums.
Now that you're armed with all this knowledge, go forth! Create comics! Have fun!
Take over Neopia! Whoops, didn't mean that last one...
This page was written by Twillie Blossom, June, and noileh and last updated on May 15, 2025.
