Frequently Asked Questions: Characters, Worlds, Assets

Where do I add and edit characters?

In the issue workspace, open the Cast pane in the left rail. Add a character there, or click an existing one to edit it. Assets live in the neighbouring Assets pane.

You can also just ask Sidekick for a character. It opens the Cast editor pre-filled with a name, description, and any reference image you attached — you review the values and save, rather than having a character appear behind your back.

Full guide: defining characters.

Does adding a character to my Cast put them in the comic?

No. The Cast is your roster; each panel has its own cast list. A character has to be added to a specific panel before the AI will draw them there, and a page has to be regenerated after you change its panels.

If you add characters after a script already exists, the fastest route is to ask Sidekick to work them into the script — it edits the panels rather than making you assign each one by hand.

How do I upload a reference photo for a character?

Open the character in the Cast pane and scroll to the reference image field. Upload the photo, then save and regenerate so the character's art is built from it.

Two things worth knowing:

• Reference photos are deleted after generation. ComicInk doesn't keep your uploads on file. When you regenerate that character later, the edit modal opens so you can re-upload if you want to reuse the photo.
• Ordinary photos of children are allowed. An image is never rejected just because a child appears in it. Sexual imagery, and anything sexualizing a minor, is blocked. See the content policy.

Why was my reference photo rejected?

It failed content moderation. Use a different image, or skip the photo entirely and describe the character in words — hair colour, complexion, build, age, clothing. A specific written description produces consistent results without any photo at all.

How do I tell the AI which part of a reference image to copy?

Add a short instruction in the description field below the reference image. "Copy the dress", "copy the hat", "match the hairstyle" — naming the element you care about gives you far more control than leaving it blank, because otherwise the AI decides for itself which parts of the image are the point.

Can I make a character that looks like a real person?

No. The image models refuse identifiable real public figures. Describe the qualities you're after instead — the build, the era of the clothing, the bearing — and you'll get the feel without the likeness.

Can a character have more than one look?

Yes — that's what avatars are for. Up to 3 avatars per character, each a different outfit or period, with the same face and body. You can then set which avatar a given page uses, so a character can change clothes between pages without becoming a different person.

See character avatars.

What does it cost to add or regenerate a character?

A flat 10 credits, every time — the first character and the fiftieth regeneration cost the same. The same flat cost applies to avatars, assets, worlds, and series title images. There is no free quota and no free regenerations.

There's also a free Save on the character edit modal: if you're only changing the name or description and don't need new art, save without regenerating and you're not charged.

Full breakdown: character costs and what costs credits.

How many characters and assets can a series hold?

50 characters and 50 assets per series. Characters are defined once and reused free across every issue in that series — you only pay when you first define one.

What happens if I delete a character?

The character is removed from the roster, and no credits are refunded. If a script already references them, ask Sidekick to rewrite the affected panels around the remaining cast — otherwise pages regenerated later will still be trying to stage a character that no longer exists.

Why does the cover show characters I didn't ask for?

Your cover description mentions characters that aren't in the cover's selected cast. The description and the selection have to agree — the AI takes names in the description as an instruction to draw someone, and invents a figure if it can't match one.

Trim the description to only the characters you actually selected, then regenerate the cover.

What's the difference between an asset and a world?

An asset is a specific object that must look the same every time it appears — a particular car, a sword, a locket, a spaceship. A world is a place and its atmosphere — the city, the station, the forest, and how they feel.

There's a third thing that isn't either: the Setting field on an issue, which is free text describing where that issue happens. It doesn't generate an image. See reusable assets and worlds and settings.

Are my characters saved automatically?

Yes. Characters, assets, and worlds save as you create them and belong to the series, so they're there whenever you open it. They're scoped to that series, though — a character defined in one series isn't available in another.

If you want a character in a different project, ask Sidekick to copy characters between projects rather than redefining them by hand.

Updated on: 02/08/2026