Once you've got a table at your first zine fest or indie comics market, the prep comes down to three jobs: read the exhibitor guide, make your samples and a character intro, and promote your table through the event catalog and social media. This guide walks through each one using COMITIA158 — Japan's market for self-published original comics, held on Sunday, December 13, 2026, from 11:00 to 16:00 in East Halls 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 of Tokyo Big Sight — as the worked example. The question most first-timers get stuck on is the same everywhere: how do you introduce an original character to people who've never seen it?
The same order of work applies to small press expos and zine fests in the US, the UK, and elsewhere. We use the dates and generative AI rules published on COMITIA's official site to lay out the prep order and how to make samples and a character intro sheet. COMITIA doesn't allow works consisting mainly of generative-AI output to be sold, distributed, or displayed, so this guide limits a 3D model of your character to two jobs: reference for your own drawing, and introductions outside the venue.
Note: Figmee currently offers figurine-style images created from your drawings, 3D model data (GLB / 3MF), and turntable videos of your 3D models. Ordering physical 3D prints is Coming Soon, and when it launches, shipping will be limited to Japan.
COMITIA158 dates, and what to do after the acceptance notice
Here are the dates published on the official site (as of September 28, 2026).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Sunday, December 13, 2026, 11:00–16:00 |
| Venue | Tokyo Big Sight, East Halls 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 |
| Acceptance notice | Friday, October 23 |
| Exhibitor guide mailed | Tuesday, October 27 |
| Web catalog online | Saturday, November 14 – Monday, December 21 |
| Tia's Magazine 158 (printed catalog) on sale | Sunday, November 15 |
Sources: COMITIA158 overview, event schedule
COMITIA is a market for self-published comics limited to original work. Working backward from the dates, the prep after you're accepted runs in this order:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now through early November | Read the exhibitor guide and check the rules for the day (exhibitor entry time, how to bring your stock in, how sample copies are handled, and so on). Decide what you'll sell and how many copies |
| By mid-November | Start on your samples and character intro sheet. Prepare what you'll put in the web catalog |
| From November 14 | Start promoting on social media as the web catalog goes live |
| Late November to early December | Finish your files or production and gather everything you'll bring |
| Sunday, December 13 | Show day |
If you're using a print shop, its deadlines vary from shop to shop — check the schedule of the one you use.
What to bring on your first time, and how the day runs
The detailed rules for the day are in the exhibitor guide. On your first time, read it from start to finish and mark what you need — it's the easiest way not to miss anything. Things most markets of this kind call for:
- Anything the exhibitor guide asks for: items needed for entry or check-in, exactly as the guide says
- Your stock: new and older titles, and how many of each
- Samples: a copy visitors can flip through to see what's inside (next section)
- A character intro sheet: one page that introduces your character to newcomers (see below)
- Price tags and a list of what you're selling: so people can tell what costs what from the aisle
- Change and a cash box: plenty of coins
- A table cloth and small display pieces: fabric, book stands, and the like
- Pens, tape, and scissors: for fixing your signs on the spot
The day itself usually goes: exhibitor entry → setup → doors open (11:00) → sales → doors close (16:00) → pack-up. Check the guide for entry times and pack-up rules.
How to make sample copies
What newcomers at your table want to know is "what's the story, and what's the art like?" A sample is the tool that answers that in a few dozen seconds.
- Use an actual copy as the sample: nothing shows the content better than the content itself. A slip of paper on the cover saying "sample" keeps it from getting mixed in with your stock
- Make the first pages work on their own: people flipping through a sample probably decide within the first few pages whether to keep reading, so put a scene that shows who your character is near the front
- For social media, use the cover plus a few pages: show the same pages in your promo posts for people who like to read ahead
Many markets ask exhibitors to submit sample copies to the organizers. For how and how many at COMITIA, check the exhibitor guide.
At COMITIA, samples count as part of what you distribute and display. Don't put generative-AI output in your samples, and don't set out AI-made images in place of a sample (the reasons are in the section on generative AI rules).
How to make a character intro sheet
With original work, people who get to know your character first are more likely to open the sample. Prepare two versions — one sheet for your table (a display item) and one for social media — and you can use each where it fits.
Five items are enough for a character intro sheet:
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Name | Add the pronunciation if it's not obvious |
| One-liner | "A kid who…" in a single line |
| Look | Hairstyle, clothes, things they carry — what you can see in the art |
| Personality and role | What the character does in the story |
| Where they appear | Titles of your new and older books |
The art on the sheet at your table should be drawn by you, just like your stock. Drawing a full-body front view alongside the side or back view helps newcomers grasp the character's shape.
Before and while drawing, check angles in 3D
When you draw a side or back view with only a front view to go on, the shape can be hard to pin down. With Figmee, you can turn a front-view illustration of your own character into a 3D model and rotate it 360° in your browser to get a feel for how it looks from the side or back.
This is reference for your own drawing. The 3D model and any images or videos of it don't go into your samples, intro sheet, stock, or venue signage. You draw the character yourself while looking at the reference. The AI infers parts you didn't draw, such as the back, so if the reference doesn't match your character's design, go with your design.
For how to settle your character's shape with a turnaround sheet, and the full workflow of turning a character into 3D, see how to turn your original character into 3D.
Promotion: the web catalog and social media
COMITIA's web catalog goes live on Saturday, November 14. Since the web catalog is run by the organizers, it's probably safest to use the same hand-drawn art as your stock and leave generative-AI output out of it. Check the exhibitor guide and the official site for what you can post and by when.
On social media, promo posts help visitors decide which tables to look for on the day:
- First image: your stock — the cover, plus your table number, the title, and the price
- From the second image: sample pages — the same pages as your sample copy
- Your character intro — the social media version
Outside the venue — on your own social accounts or in the Figmee gallery — you can also add a 3D model turntable video as an introduction: "here's how this character looks in the round." If you do, say that the 3D was made with AI, and make it clear that the work you're selling is hand-drawn. The turntable video is a square clip of about 6 seconds with the Figmee logo in the bottom-right corner.
How you lay out a table (cloth, posters, and so on) depends on each event's rules. For ideas on building a booth, see artist alley setup for Design Festa 64 (the approach in that article of showing 3D samples at your booth can't be used at COMITIA).
On the day: introduce your character to newcomers
On the day, aim for people passing by to grasp "what kind of character, what kind of story" within a few seconds.
- Put the intro sheet next to the sample: when they're close together, someone who's just met your character can go straight to the sample
- When someone asks, answer in one line: say the one-liner from your intro sheet out loud and you won't fumble
- Display the same art as your promo post: if the cover from your first promo image is in view, people who came from social media can spot you more easily
Check the exhibitor guide and the official site for the rules on taking photos at the venue.
Generative AI rules: what COMITIA doesn't allow, and where 3D still fits
Since COMITIA156, COMITIA's rules state that works consisting mainly of generative-AI output may not be sold, distributed, or displayed (entry page, official blog, January 21, 2026).
- Display items that aren't for sale are covered too: this includes posters and other signage you don't sell
- Examples of what isn't "assistance" are spelled out: the organizers say that comics or illustrations cleaned up by generative AI from the artist's own roughs or thumbnails, and goods that use AI-generated material, don't count as assistance
Because even art cleaned up by AI from your own rough is covered, you can't use 3D models, turntable videos, or figurine-style images made with Figmee in your samples, venue signage, or cards you hand out. It's safest to limit Figmee to these three uses:
| Situation | How to use Figmee | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Before and while drawing | Reference for checking angles by rotating your character 360° | Keep it out of your stock and display items. Draw the art yourself |
| Outside the venue (your social accounts, the Figmee gallery) | Turntable videos and 3D models as a supplement to your character intro | Say it was made with AI, and make it clear your stock is hand-drawn |
| After the event | Show the characters from the work you sold in 3D | Post outside the venue and say it was made with AI |
If you're unsure about a use, ask the organizers while you're still preparing. Rules can change from event to event, so check the entry page for the edition you're applying to.
Who Figmee suits, and who it doesn't
- A good fit if you: want a rough sense of the shape before drawing side or back views, or want to introduce your character in 3D after the event
- Not a good fit if you: want samples or handouts to show at the venue (COMITIA's rules don't allow it), or need data to animate your character (the 3D model is shape-and-color data; rigging and VRM aren't supported)
How to make the 3D model
- Prepare your illustration: a photo or scan of a drawing on paper, or a digital illustration (PNG, JPEG, or WebP, up to 20 MB per image). Photos of real people, animals, objects, or scenery aren't supported
- Upload, choose a quality, and generate: choose Standard, Pro, or Max and press "Generate 3D Image" to create a figurine-style image (usually 2–3 minutes)
- Generate the 3D model: press "Generate 3D Model." It's ready in a few minutes, and you can rotate it 360° in your browser
- Export a turntable video (for introductions outside the venue): on the artwork page, use "Create 360° video"
On pricing: new accounts receive 5 free tokens as a sign-up bonus (valid for 3 months after registration, only for the first registration with a given email address). A figurine-style image costs 1–3 tokens depending on the quality, and a 3D model costs 5 tokens — your first 3D model is free, once per account. You can buy 5 more tokens for $5.99.
For how rights work when you turn your own character into 3D, see can you sell original character or fan art figurines?.
FAQ
Can I hand out character intro cards made from images I created with Figmee?
Not at COMITIA. Its rules don't allow distributing or displaying works consisting mainly of generative-AI output, and display items that aren't for sale are covered too. Make any cards you hand out and any intro sheet you display at the venue from art you drew yourself.
What if the art is my own rough, cleaned up by AI?
You can't use it. The organizers list comics or illustrations cleaned up by generative AI from the artist's own roughs or thumbnails as an example of what doesn't count as assistance.
Can I sell art I drew myself while looking at a 3D model?
Drawing by hand with a 3D model as reference isn't the same as using AI output directly. Still, the organizers decide what counts as assistance, so if you're unsure, ask them before you apply or before you sell.
How many sample copies do I submit, and how?
Check the exhibitor guide for the method and the number of copies. Where it differs from the general advice in this article, follow the guide.
Can I turn the 3D model into a physical piece for my table?
Ordering physical 3D prints through Figmee is Coming Soon, so you can't order them yet (and when it launches, shipping will be limited to Japan). And because COMITIA doesn't allow works consisting mainly of generative-AI output to be displayed, we don't recommend setting out anything based on an AI-made 3D model at the venue.
Summary
Preparing for your first table at COMITIA158 (December 13) — or any indie comics market — goes smoothly in this order: (1) read the exhibitor guide, (2) make your samples and character intro by hand, and (3) promote through the web catalog from November 14 and on social media. Since COMITIA doesn't allow works consisting mainly of generative-AI output to be sold, distributed, or displayed, use a 3D model of your character as reference for checking angles while you draw, and for introductions outside the venue (your own social accounts, the Figmee gallery) and after the event.
