DIY Project: Custom comic book cases for your Android device

Alright, Phandroids. We’re nearing the weekend and I thought I’d turn you guys onto a fun, easy, and affordable DIY project to keep your favorite Android protected, and in style. Yes, I know. There are a million cases on the market, but if you really wanted to stand out from the crowd, you could always make your very own one-of-a-kind, custom comic book case featuring your favorite super hero.

A good friend of mine was nice enough to put together this custom Spider-Man case for me and now, I want to show you guys exactly how to do it. You ready to get your hands a little dirty? Alright — here’s exactly what you’re gonna need:

Plastic smartphone case (preferably with printed design)Favorite comic book1 bottle of Modge Podge (either gloss or matte finish)Paint brushScissors1 can of finishing spray (either gloss or matte)Smidgen of creativity

All the above items can easily be found at your local arts and crafts store with the exception of the plastic hard case for your Android device. I was lucky enough to find a place online that ships from China and sells in bulk, but you guys can find individual cases on eBay for around $3 a piece (just expect long shipping times).

One more thing: while this tutorial isn’t specifically for the Samsung Galaxy S3, it was for this specific kind of case. I can’t guarantee this will work with other cases, on other devices. The reason being these cases in particular only hold onto the sides of the phone, and even after wrapping the case in a thin layer of comic book paper and glue, they still held onto the device perfectly. Other types of hard cases on other phones may vary (although I’ve seen similar designs for many other phones). When choosing a case, it’s incredibly important to find one with print already on it (cassette tape, vintage camera, etc.). This is so that if you miss a few spots when applying the comic book clippings, it wont be noticeable.

Now that we got all that out of our way, we can start crafting. And don’t worry, you’ll get your masculinity back once you see the final results.

Find a totally badical comic book worthy of plastering all over your device. Spider-Man, X-Men vs Avengers, manga — whatever. Just try and be mindful of the overall color of the scenes featured in the comic. If you plan on making more than one custom case down the road, it can be fun to have a variety of cases featuring specific colors (like blues, blacks, or greens).

Handpick a few good frames featuring a badass action scene and cut out entire frames. These will be used as the “background.” Next, cut out your favorite super hero (or villain) doing something awesome. Jumping, flying, kicking someone in the face — that sorta thing. After that, cut out a few action words like, “BAMF! OOMPH! THOCK!”

Apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the spots where you’ll be laying down your hand picked frames. Place the frames on top, almost as if they’d appear in a comic book. This is going to be your background. Continue until the entire case is covered. You may have to cut out a few very small pieces to get full coverage. Let dry.

Next, apply another thin layer of Modge Podge over the pasted frames. Apply your comic book hero cutouts, title, action words. Apply another thin layer of Modge Podge over the top and let dry.

Lastly, apply the finishing spray. Matte if you want a more authentic comic book look, or gloss. Whichever tickles your fancy. Hopefully, you’re pleased with the end result. POW!

So, as you can see, there really isn’t too much to it. With a little bit of time, and some creativity, you too could have your very own custom comic book case. Now you, and your Android phone will be the hit of the party (or something like that). If making these cases isn’t really your thing, you can custom order them from Etsy for $20 each.

[via Etsy]

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