The 40th birthday gift with their face on the cover.
Forty years of stories, turned into a real comic book starring them. Drawn from their photo, written from your memories, printed to keep.
40th birthday gift
A 40th birthday gift that is about them
Forty is the birthday where a card and a bottle stop being enough. A comic book about them is the gift that gets passed around the party: their face on the cover, the old stories in the speech bubbles, the friends as supporting cast.
Tell us the moments worth telling: the first car, the terrible haircut, the trip everyone still talks about, the day they became a parent. We write and draw ten pages. You see the cover free in about a minute and can change any page before it prints.
Order the printed book about three weeks before the party, or pick faster delivery at checkout. The digital comic is ready the same day, so it works for a surprise that is already close.
What you get
- Forty years in ten pages. The highlights, the disasters and the inside jokes, drawn as a real comic.
- Their face, their people. One photo each for up to four characters. Partners, kids and best friends make a great supporting cast.
- Printed, glossy, ready to wrap. A saddle-stitched comic with your dedication inside the cover. Free US shipping.
What a 40th birthday comic looks like
Most 40th gifts are jokes about getting old. This one is a story about a life well lived, and it happens to be funny.
Sample page← ten pages like this, with their faces in every panel
Printed & shipped free← glossy cover, dedication page inside, about three weeks to your door (faster delivery available)
Story ideas
Steal one of these, or tell us yours.
The Big 4-0: a superhero discovers that their new power is making a noise every time they sit down.
This Is Your Life: one page per decade, ending at the surprise party.
A heist comic where the crew is their real friend group and the prize is the birthday cake.
Forty and Unstoppable: every villain is something from their real week, from the school run to the inbox.
What to put in it
Four things that make a 40th birthday comic land.
- Ask a sibling or an old friend for one story the birthday person has forgotten.
- Name the real places: the hometown, the first apartment, the bar where it all happened.
- Keep the age jokes to one page. The rest should be about what they have done.
- End with a panel about the next forty.
How it works
Three steps to their 40th birthday comic.
Upload their photos
One or two clear shots per person. They become the characters and stay recognizable on every page.
Tell us the story
Where they grew up, the stories everyone retells, their people, and what forty looks like for them. A sentence is enough; we write the script.
Preview free, then print
Read the first pages in minutes. Unlock the rest, redraw anything, and order it printed with a dedication.
Reviews
From people who gave one.
This was a great experience! Very communicative and patient with me. This arrived much quicker than I expected and I love it. It is going to make a great birthday gift!
★★★★★ Katherine · BirthdayI cannot wait to give this to my husband! He's gonna be so excited to read it to our son at bedtime. Great quality! I love that he gave a preview before printing and shipping. He noticed that my son's hair was different and suggested we update it. He focused on all the little details and did an amazing job. 1000/10 recommend!!
★★★★★ Katrina · HusbandI came in with a very particular vision for two custom comics and he brought them to life perfectly. He was patient and responsive. My husband absolutely loved the final result. Highly recommend!
★★★★★ Laura · HusbandQuestions
40th birthday gift: the questions people ask.
Is this a good 40th birthday gift for a husband or wife?
It is the most common reason people order one. A comic about your years together, with both of you as characters, is hard to top.
Can friends be in it?
Yes. Up to four characters, each drawn from one photo.
The party is next week. Is it too late?
The digital comic is ready the same day. For the printed book, faster delivery is offered at checkout and takes about a week and a half.
How much does a 40th birthday comic cost?
The Keepsake, which is the comic plus the printed book with free US shipping, is $39.99. The comic on its own is $19.99. The cover preview is free.
Prefer to have it made for you?
Our white-glove service on Etsy does the whole thing by hand: send the photos and the story, we write, illustrate and proof it with you before printing. Order on Etsy.
More ideas
Also great for…
For him
For her
For a friend
Ready when you are
Forty years deserves an issue.
The 40th birthday gift that gets read out loud at the party. Free preview, no card needed.