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Reference upload guide

Upload a reference image before creating a comic.

The LlamaGen upload operation accepts one multipart file and returns a fileUrl that a later comic-generation request can reference in images, roles, or other supported image fields.

Uploading stores an input for a later request; it does not transform the image or start a comic generation. The separate image-to-comic workflow begins only when your server creates a generation.

Open the upload documentation

Account, API key, usage, and billing open on LlamaGen.AI.

Direct answer

The decision this page is for.

Last verified:

Upload a comic reference with an authenticated multipart POST to /v1/comics/upload. The response supplies a fileUrl for a later generation request; the upload itself does not generate a comic. Validate the bytes, keep the bearer token server-side, and disclose consent and retention separately.

Verifiable request

Multipart upload from a trusted server

cURL
curl -X POST \
  https://api.llamagen.ai/v1/comics/upload \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LLAMAGEN_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@./references/hero-turnaround.webp"

Structured response

State your application can route

response.jsonILLUSTRATIVE
{
  "fileUrl": "https://cdn.llamagen.ai/uploads/example-reference.webp"
}

Upload walkthrough

Move a consented reference into a reviewable comic workflow.

The lived-in scene connects a private source image, its uploaded file reference, a finished comic proof, and human review.

An adult and teenager compare a family portrait on a tablet and phone with a finished printed four-panel comic
Editorial illustration generated with AI; it is not a customer photograph and not a generated API result.Art direction · Contemporary American lifestyle editorial

Two-operation workflow

Validate the source first, then reference the returned URL.

Keeping upload and generation separate makes consent, validation, deletion, retry, and cost boundaries visible in the product.

  1. 01Your application

    Accept the source

    Authenticate the user, record consent and purpose, then apply a strict size and file-type policy.

  2. 02Upload service

    Inspect the bytes

    Check extension, media signature, filename, and image-decoding success before sending the file upstream.

  3. 03Server

    Upload once

    POST the multipart file with the bearer token kept in a trusted runtime.

  4. 04Application database

    Store the reference

    Associate the returned fileUrl with a private customization or character record, not with public customer metadata.

  5. 05Comics API

    Create the comic

    Place the fileUrl in the appropriate supported image field and create a separate generation job.

  6. 06Your application

    Apply retention

    Delete local sources and mappings according to the policy disclosed to the uploader; confirm upstream retention separately.

Capability and boundary facts

Facts an integration can verify.

Last verified:

Operation
POST /v1/comics/upload
Request encoding
multipart/form-data with one file field
Success field
fileUrl returned by the upload operation
Documented failures
400, 403, 413, and 500 responses
Verification
Contract checked against the LlamaGen OpenAPI file on 2026-10-28

Good fit

Use it when

  • Photo-to-comic products with server-side uploads
  • Recurring character and product references
  • Separating customer upload state from asynchronous generation state

Wrong fit

Do not use it for

  • Starting a generation by upload alone
  • Exposing the bearer token in browser code
  • Treating a returned URL as a permanent public archive

Production limits

Plan for the boundaries.

  • 01The public OpenAPI contract does not state a complete file-extension allowlist or retention duration; confirm current rules with LlamaGen before promising either to users.
  • 02Validate extension, media signature, size, and authorization before forwarding an upload; a browser-supplied Content-Type is not sufficient validation.
  • 03Keep identifiable source images private, obtain permission from the people shown, and expose only a short-lived application URL where your product controls access.
  • 04The example file URL is illustrative and was not produced by a live request from this page.
  • 05Generation is asynchronous; production interfaces must handle processing and failure states.
  • 06Outputs should be reviewed against product, brand, safety, and print requirements before delivery.
  • 07You must have the rights to prompts, photos, scripts, and reference assets submitted to the API.

Authoritative sources

LlamaGen Comic API documentationLlamaGen OpenAPI contractCurrent pricingTermsService statusOWASP File Upload Cheat Sheet

Questions

Direct answers before you integrate.

01Does uploading an image start comic generation?
No. Upload and generation are separate operations. Store the returned fileUrl, then pass it in a supported image field when your server creates a generation.
02Which upload formats and retention period does LlamaGen guarantee?
The public OpenAPI contract reviewed on 2026-10-28 does not state a complete extension allowlist or retention duration. Confirm both with LlamaGen before making a customer promise, and enforce your own stricter validation and deletion policy.
03Can the browser upload directly with my API key?
Do not expose a bearer key in browser code. Send the file to an authenticated application endpoint, validate it, and call LlamaGen from a trusted server or worker.

Related evaluation paths

FormatImage-to-Comic API for Photos and ReferencesFormatCharacter Consistency API for Multi-Panel ComicsIntegrationShopify Comic Product Personalizer Integration

Next step

Move from evidence to a real API request.

LlamaGen provides the playground, API key, usage, billing, and authoritative service documentation.

Open the upload documentation