Frequently asked questions

Damini — 3D figures

What's a Damini?

Your person, sculpted. A one-of-one 3D collectible figure made from one photo (or any character in your comic), about 10 cm tall, full colour, hand-finished, in a collectible window box. It's a display piece, not a toy.

How much is a Damini?

You'll see the price while you design your Damini, before you pay. Every extra Damini in the same order is cheaper than the first. Taxes included, shipping free, no surprises at checkout.

Can I buy a Damini without a comic?

Yes. Get one on its own, or add one to your comic.

What are the Damini editions?

Classic, Hero, Occasion and Donkey. Pick one per figure. Classic is the default. Donkey isn't available for under-18 heroes when you buy a Damini on its own.

Which characters can be a Damini?

The hero and any supporting character you uploaded a photo for. No photo, no Damini.

Can I change how my Damini looks?

Yes, before it's locked. Buying it on its own: fix the 2D preview as many times as you like before you pay. Adding it to a comic: unlimited fixes at the first review. Once you approve the 3D model it's locked and I start making it, so look closely first.

Will I see my Damini in 3D before it's made?

Yes. After you pay, I sculpt it and show you the exact 3D model I print. There are no edits at this step: if something went wrong, tap "Tell us" and a human looks at it. Approving the 3D locks it.

Is shipping free on a Damini?

On a Damini or a comic + Damini bundle, yes. A comic on its own gets shipping calculated in the cart. Either way, no hidden fees or taxes.

I ordered a comic and a Damini. Only one arrived.

Normal. They ship in two separate packages with the same arrive-by date, so one can land first. If the second one hasn't shown up by the arrive-by date, email support@damndonkeycomics.com with your order number.

Can I cancel or return my Damini?

Before you approve the 3D model: yes, 100% back, no questions. After you approve: it's made to order, so it can't be cancelled. In a bundle you can cancel the Damini on its own before its 3D approval, even if your comic has moved on. Email support@damndonkeycomics.com with your order number; the team confirms refunds.

I already approved the 3D. Can I still change something?

No, sorry. Approving locks it and production starts right away. If something actually went wrong with it, email support@damndonkeycomics.com and a human will look.

I never clicked approve and my Damini moved on by itself.

Each review step gives you 24 hours, with a nudge before it ends. If you don't respond, the timer approves it for you and I start making it. Before then you can ask for more time, and telling us something's wrong pauses the clock. If it already moved on and something's wrong, email support@damndonkeycomics.com right away and a human will look.

My Damini arrived broken.

Ugh. Send support@damndonkeycomics.com your order number and photos of the figure and the box within 30 days of delivery, and we'll reprint it or refund you.

My Damini broke on the shelf.

If it broke in normal use, we'll reprint it or refund you. Email support with your order number and photos. If it was dropped, that one's on gravity, and we can't refund it.

My Damini doesn't look like them.

The likeness is fixed before you approve, which is why you see it first. After delivery it isn't treated as a defect, since you signed off on it. If something genuinely went wrong in production (it doesn't match what you approved), email support with photos and a human will check.

Can my kid play with my Damini?

It's a fragile collectible, not a toy, and it's made for ages 14+. It can break if dropped and has small parts, so keep it away from little ones. Shelf, not sandbox.

How do I clean my Damini?

Dry or slightly damp cloth. Don't dunk it, don't put it near heat or a flame, and no dishwasher or microwave. Keep the box, it has the batch number.

I think there's a safety problem with my Damini.

Stop using it and email support@damndonkeycomics.com with the batch number from the box and a photo if you can. A human reads every safety report. Details: damndonkeycomics.com/product-safety/action-figures

Creating your comic — Hero & characters

Can I see my characters and my pages before it's printed?

Yes — twice, and you can change things both times.

Before you pay, you pick the cover and regenerate it as many times as you like.

Then you order, and I stop. First stop: your hero and the whole cast, drawn. Don't like a face? Hit Regenerate, tell me what's wrong, and I draw them again — two goes per character. Nothing has been drawn yet, so a full refund is still on the table here.

Second stop: every single page, laid out. Any page you don't like, tell me what to change and I draw it again — you get half your page count in redraws, so a 24-page comic gets 12. That includes the words in a speech bubble.

Nothing reaches the printer until you hit Send to Factory. You get 24 hours at each stop, I nudge you at 12, and you can always ask for more time.

How do I make the character look more like my hero?

There's a button for it right under the cover preview — hit it and I'll push the cover closer to your hero's face.

The real lever is the photo: one clear, well-lit, front-facing face filling most of the frame. No sunglasses, no filters, no group shots. I draw what I'm given.

And you get another shot after you order — the character review lets you tell me what's still off and I draw them again.

What kind of photo works best?

A sharp, well-lit headshot. Daylight, plain background, eyes visible, no heavy filters. Selfies work great — the closer the face, the better. Group photos, sunglasses and tiny low-res images do not.

Can I upload more than one photo of the hero?

One hero photo per comic — I lock the face from that single image. If you want to add other people (friends, family, your dog), do it in the supporting-characters step.

Can I add friends, family or pets as side characters?

Yes. During creation there's a step to add supporting characters — upload a photo for each one and they'll show up alongside your hero in the story. Pets included. The donkey doesn't discriminate.

Can I change the photo after I started?

Yes, until you check out. Go back to the photo step and swap it — your cover regenerates with the new face.

After checkout you get another go at it. On the character review I send you, hit Change this on anyone and either say what's wrong or upload a better photo, and I draw them again. Two goes per character.

One catch on the hero specifically: your cover is already made and paid for, so it can't be redrawn. A new hero photo changes how they look inside the book, which means they can stop matching the front. For the hero, a written note is usually the safer fix.

Can I edit the characters after they're generated?

Yes, at every stage — that's the whole point.

Before checkout: on the cover preview page you can swap the supporting-character photos, and you can go back to the upload step to change your hero's photo.

After checkout: I email you a link to your cast, drawn. Hit Change this on anyone and either tell me what's off — wrong hair, too old, wrong nose — or upload a better photo, and I draw them again. Two goes per character. Only once you approve them do I write the story and draw the pages.

After you send the finished pages to the factory: that's it. Locked and printing.

The character came out the wrong gender / age / skin tone — how do I fix it?

Fixable. Before checkout, try a sharper, closer, front-facing photo and regenerate.

After checkout, don't panic — I email you the whole cast before a single page is drawn. Hit Regenerate on that character and tell me exactly what's wrong ("she's 8, not 18"). Two goes each.

Still wrong after that? Say so and a human picks it up. I'm not printing a book with the wrong kid in it.

Creating your comic — Story, cover

I lost my comic while I was making it. What do I do?

Ugh. Sorry. If you were signed in, check My Comics first — it's usually sitting right there.

If it isn't, use Report an issue right here and the losers in support will dig it out. And if all else fails, start another one. The world needs your comic, mate.

Can I edit the story or text in the panels?

Two different things.

The words in a speech bubble: yes. When I send you the finished pages, open that page and tell me which bubble and what it should say instead. It costs one redraw, and I redraw the whole page to do it, so give the other bubbles a look afterwards.

The story itself is decided before you pay: tweak any story idea or pick a different one, and change your answers — that's where the plot gets decided. Once the pages are drawn, it's set. If the finished story is genuinely wrong, there's a Report the story button on the review page, and a person reads every one of those.

Can I pick the genre or theme?

Yes — there's a theme step in the wizard with options like superhero, 3D illustrations or Retro Japanese. Pick one and the whole story bends around it.

How many pages can my comic have?

Anywhere from 16 to 40 pages, in steps of 4 (so 16, 20, 24… up to 40). More pages = more story, more jokes.

Can I add a personal note or dedication?

Yes. There's a "Personal note" option that prints up to 30 words on the back cover. Perfect for gifts.

The cover doesn't look right — can I regenerate it?

Yes. Hit Regenerate on the cover screen and I'll draw a new one. You can flip between the versions and pick your favorite before moving on.

Whatever you pick is the cover that prints — it's the one thing that's settled before you pay, which is why you should keep going until it's right.

How many times can I regenerate the cover?

As many times as you want. It costs you nothing, and the cover is the one thing you settle before you pay — so keep going until it's right.

How long does generation take?

The cover takes 1–3 minutes from the moment you hit generate. You don't have to wait on the page — I save your comic and you can come back.

After you order, the cast takes a few minutes and the full set of pages takes a couple of hours, sometimes longer. I email you at each stop, so close the tab and go do something else.

Can I save my progress and finish later?

Yes. Your comic auto-saves as you go. Come back from the same browser (or sign in) and pick up right where you left off. We hold drafts for 16 days before I eat them.

Pricing, shipping & delivery

How much does a comic cost?

A comic's price depends on how many pages you pick: 16 pages $54.99, 24 pages $64.99, 32 pages $72.99, 40 pages $78.99. Extra copies of the same comic are half price: a second 24-page copy is $32.50, so two cost $97.49 and four cost $130.00 — two of them free. Shipping is calculated at checkout, based on where your comic is going.

Authentic vs Premium paper — what's the difference?

Authentic is thin, retro, classic — it feels like a real old-school comic book. Premium is thick, smooth, gift-worthy — heavier paper, nicer feel, better for collectors and gifts. Same comic, different vibe.

How much is shipping?

Shipping is calculated at checkout, based on where your comic is going. No hidden fees — you'll see the exact number before you pay.

Do I have to pay customs or duties?

No. We cover import duties on US, UK and EU orders. If a carrier ever asks you to pay a customs fee, don't pay it. Email support@damndonkeycomics.com and we'll sort it.

Order & payment

What happens after I pay?

Two check-ins, then I print.

First, a few minutes after you pay: I email you a link to approve your cast, drawn. Wrong face, wrong age, wrong species — hit Change this, say what's off or upload a better photo, and I draw them again. Two goes per character. Nothing has been drawn yet, so you can still walk away with 100% back.

Second, when every page is drawn — that's a couple of hours, sometimes longer — I email you every finished page. Don't like one? Tell me what to change and I redraw it — half your page count in redraws.

Then you hit Send to Factory and it prints. You get 24 hours at each step, I nudge you at 12, and you can ask for more time or stop the clock entirely.

How do I pay? Is it secure?

Payment runs through Shopify's checkout — the same one used by millions of stores. We never see your card number. SSL, PCI-compliant, all the boring acronyms that mean your money is safe.

What payment methods do you accept?

Major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay. Whatever Shopify supports in your region, we support.

When do I see the finished comic? What's actually inside the pages?

Inside is a full comic script I wrote from your answers — your hero on every spread, your supporting cast turning up throughout, and the story you picked.

And you see it before it prints. You approve the cover before you pay. After you order I email you the drawn cast to approve, then I email you every finished page to look through. Nothing goes to the printer until you hit Send to Factory.

After that the printer binds it, and I email a tracking link the moment it ships.

Where's my order? How do I track it?

Once your comic is printed and handed to the carrier, I email you a tracking number. If you signed in, you can also see order status under My Comics.

Can I get a refund or exchange?

Depends where you are.

Before any page is drawn — at the character review — 100% back, no questions, no argument.

Once the pages are drawn, the standing offer is 90% back, because it's already written and drawn, and the book is cancelled, not printed. Use Report the story on the review page.

Once it's delivered: 30 days to tell me if it's damaged, misprinted, never turned up, or isn't what you ordered — I reprint it or refund you. Changed your mind about the comic itself? That's what the two review steps were for. Email the losers in support — support@damndonkeycomics.com.

Can I cancel or change my order after paying?

You can change plenty — just not by editing the order itself.

Right after you pay I email you a link to your cast: regenerate any character you don't like, two goes each. A full refund is still available at that point, because nothing has been drawn.

Then I email you the finished pages: redraw any page you don't like, half your page count in redraws.

Once you hit Send to Factory it's locked. After that the only thing still changeable is the delivery address, and only until it leaves the printer.

Account & technical

I didn't get a confirmation email — what now?

Check your spam or promotions folder first (donkeys might hide there sometimes). Still nothing after 10 minutes? Email the losers in support@damndonkeycomics.com with the address you used and the comic details and we'll resend it.

How do I sign in? / I can't sign in

Enter your email and I'll send you a 6-digit code. No password to forget.

If it doesn't land in a minute, check spam and promotions. Still stuck? Email support@damndonkeycomics.com.

Do I need an account to create a comic?

No. Start as a guest — make your hero, pick a theme, generate your cover, the lot.

Signing in is how you keep it. Your draft is tied to that browser until you do, so if you clear cookies or switch to your phone, it's gone. One email, one 6-digit code, and it follows you anywhere. You will need to sign in to check out.

How do I delete my account, photos or data?

Visit the data deletion page at /data-deletion, or email support@damndonkeycomics.com from the address on the account and say what you want gone. Photos, account, the lot — your call.

What do you do with my photo?

I use it only to draw and sculpt the people in your order. No face recognition. We keep photos and characters for 2 years after your last order so you can reorder, and delete them whenever you ask at /data-deletion. Never used to train AI or in ads without asking you first.

Can I call you?

Email is the way: support@damndonkeycomics.com. A human replies within 24-48 hours.

The product itself

Do I get a digital or PDF version?

No — I make physical comics only, and I don't send out digital or PDF copies, before or after printing.

You do get to see every page on screen at the review step before it prints, which is the part most people are really asking about.

What does the printed comic actually look like?

A real comic book — full-color, saddle-stitched (stapled spine), printed on your choice of Authentic (thin and retro, exactly what a comic should feel like) or Premium (thicker, smoother, gift-worthy). Comic-book size, professionally bound, with your hero on the cover. Looks like something off a comic-shop shelf.

Is this appropriate for kids?

Set the hero's age range and I write to it. Set it to a kid, you get a kid's comic.

And you read every page before anything prints, so nothing ends up in the book that you haven't seen and signed off.

Can I send it directly as a gift? Gift packaging / gift message?

Yes — at checkout you can ship it straight to the recipient. Add a 30-word personal note that prints on the back cover. There's no separate gift-wrap option right now.