

Once everything has been laid out, each page is scanned and printed on a copy machine, and distributed to comic book stores, used book stores, Infoshops, and libraries. Zines are usually created by cutting out blocks of text and graphics and literally pasting them to a master page. Filled with self-published booklets that are too niche, too quirky, or just too individual for any company to spend money on producing, zines are produced by one or two people who have something to say and want to express themselves through text and graphics. If you're not terribly experienced, the tool is a great starting kit to work your way up to paid graphic design programs.One of my favorite shelves at my local comic book store is the zine rack. It gives you enough to make a gorgeous layout if you know what you're doing. However, if you need to make a layout for a page, Scribus is a lifesaver. Since you're saving a considerable amount of money, it's expected that you might lose the ability to use gradients or other features.

Though it's missing some of the advanced features of InDesign, the essentials are all here. The program has an easy PDF creator that makes creating a printable worksheet or layout simple.

Color selection isn't as robust as you might expect, but you can blend colors to create the look you need. There's no toolbar like there is in most programs, but you can create just about any sort of graphics, text and boxes to make a clean layout. It mimics InDesign's layout almost exactly.

Plus, if you've ever used InDesign, you won't feel too lost using Scribus. Most of that can be forgiven for the sheer number of features you get. Not only is it a relatively large file to download and install, but the program takes some exploring to figure out. It takes a while to actually get started with Scribus. It can run stride for stride with higher-end graphic design programs like Adobe InDesign - and it's free. If you want to work your way up to those, Scribus is an awesome place to start. Most top-of-the-line design programs have a large barrier to entry, though. A graphic designer's work becomes much harder if they don't have a canvas.
