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Vol. 1 — No. 1Price: free
Every day · one panel at a time

Comic strips, 
drawn in seconds. 

Write the setup and the punchline. Panelo lays out a 3- or 4-panel strip, draws your characters the same way every time and letters the bubbles so the timing lands.

Free to start · no drawing skills needed

MOCHI

by you & Panelo

MOCHI, CAN YOU LIGHT THE CANDLES?
ON IT!
…NEXT YEAR WE'RE GETTING A LIGHTER.

© PANELO

1. Setup2. Build3. Gag4. Reaction

The short answer

What is a comic strip maker?

A comic strip maker is a tool for creating short sequences of panels, usually 3 or 4, that tell a joke or small moment. Panelo writes and draws the strip from your idea, keeps characters consistent across panels, letters speech bubbles automatically and exports PNG strips sized for newspapers, Instagram carousels and webcomic sites.

Comic strips at a glance
Reading directionLeft → right
Panels3–4 for a daily strip, 6–12 for a Sunday page
Classic sizeHorizontal strip, about 3.3 : 1
LetteringMixed or ALL CAPS, round balloons
Social formatsSquare 2 × 2, 4:5 carousel, one panel per slide
ExportPNG, PDF, transparent panels

Timing is everything

Four beats. One laugh.

Panelo plans every strip on the same beat sheet cartoonists use, and gives the gag the room it needs.

  1. 1SetupWho, where, what's normal. One line.22% of the strip
  2. 2BuildRaise the stakes or the expectation.22% of the strip
  3. 3GagThe turn. Biggest panel energy, loudest SFX.30% of the strip
  4. 4ReactionThe deadpan. Silence lands the joke.26% of the strip

One strip, every feed

Re-cut for wherever you post.

Same panels, re-laid out in one click. Bubbles and tails move with them.

Newspapers, Substack, webcomic sites

MOCHI

by you & Panelo

MOCHI, CAN YOU LIGHT THE CANDLES?
ON IT!
…NEXT YEAR WE'RE GETTING A LIGHTER.

© PANELO

Everything in today's edition.

Features · page 2

  • No. 1

    Beat-perfect timing

    Setup, build, pause, punchline. Panelo spaces the beats so the joke lands in the last panel.

  • No. 2

    The same cast, every day

    Lock a character sheet once and every strip uses the same faces, outfits and colors.

  • No. 3

    Auto-lettered bubbles

    Bubbles placed in reading order, with tails that point to the speaker and never cover faces.

  • No. 4

    Strip, square or carousel

    Export a classic horizontal strip, a 2 × 2 square or one panel per slide for Instagram.

  • No. 5

    Series mode

    Plan a week of gag-a-day strips or a running webcomic with recurring jokes.

  • No. 6

    Edit with words

    “Make her look annoyed” or “move the cat left”. Change any panel by describing it.

How it works

From joke to posted in three panels.

  1. Step 1

    Write the joke

    One line is enough: setup and punchline.

  2. Step 2

    Lock your cast

    Describe your characters once. They stay on-model in every strip.

  3. Step 3

    Post it

    Export the strip, a square or a carousel and share it.

One story, every format

Tell the same story another way.

Simple plans.

Start free. Upgrade when your story gets bigger.

  • Free

    $0forever

    • 40 panels a month
    • All four formats
    • 3 saved characters
    • PNG & PDF export
    Start free
  • Most loved

    Creator

    $12per month

    • 800 panels a month
    • Unlimited characters
    • Re-roll & edit with words
    • CBZ, webtoon slices, print PDF
    • Commercial use
    Go Creator

  • Family

    $8per month

    • Panelo Kids for up to 4 kids
    • Read-aloud voices
    • Parent dashboard
    • 20% off printed books
    Get Family

Prices shown are planned launch prices.

Comic strip maker FAQ

Still curious? Write to [email protected].

Can I make a comic strip without drawing?

Yes. You write the idea and Panelo draws the panels. You can still edit poses, expressions and text.

How many panels should a comic strip have?

Daily newspaper strips usually have 3 or 4 panels. Sunday strips and webcomics often use 6 to 12.

Is the comic maker free?

Yes. The free plan includes 40 panels a month and PNG and PDF export.

Will my characters look the same in every strip?

Yes. Each character has a locked reference sheet (front, side and expressions) used for every panel.

Can I post the strips on Instagram?

Yes. Export a classic strip, a 2 × 2 square, or a carousel with one panel per slide.

Can I use my comics commercially?

Yes, on the Creator plan. You own the stories you make.

What's the difference between a comic strip and a comic book?

A comic strip is a short sequence, usually 3–4 panels, often a joke. A comic book tells a longer story over many full pages. Use the Western comic maker for comic books.

Can I make a webcomic series?

Yes. Series mode keeps characters, settings and running jokes consistent across episodes.