Motion Comics are a fairly new trend in the comics industry and at this point it's mostly been used as a cost effective promotional tool as opposed to an actual creative art form. It's a perfect fit for the web so many existing companies are using the platform as an alternative to print, no printing or distribution fees keeps the overhead low, so it's not surprising to see heavy hitters like Stephen King with his "N" Series and Marvel Comics getting into the act. Marvel announced at this years NY Comic Con they have developed what they are calling “In-Motion” comics that will go through iTunes. Supposedly the company is working with Neal Adams and Continuity Studios on new titles to be available exclusively online. This is obviously due to the great numbers Warner Brothers are enjoying right now on the Watchmen motion comic sales on iTunes promoting the upcoming feature film.
For a while now Flash animated shorts and series were becoming popular yet they were still "underground"online destinations for fans of comics looking for something new to get into. Independent comic studios are dropping like flies in the dipping economy and online comics and flash animated stories are a cheaper alternative for an artist/writer to get their work out there and build their own fan base. A perfect example of this is XOMBIE, a flash animated story that gained so much buzz, Devils Due Publishing printed the collected web story last year. And episodes are being released on DVD March 31st by Halo 8 Entertainment. Halo 8 is throwing their hat into the web ring and are planing to release their own original title "Godkiller" this spring featuring the voices of cult icons Lance Henriksen ("AVP: ALIEN VS PREDATOR"), Bill Moseley ("THE DEVIL'S REJECTS"), Tiffany Shepis ("NIGHT OF THE DEMONS" remake)have signed on for the 'illustrated film' or 'Motion Comic' adaptation "GODKILLER," written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Matt Pizzolo ("THREAT") based on the comic book he created with illustrator Anna Muckcracker.
GODKILLER takes place in a dark-future after economic collapse, after nuclear holy war, and after Earth is colonized by alien races. Tommy and his kid sister Lucy live in an orphanage in one of the few remaining city-states, but Lucy is critically ill and desperately in need of a new heart. Tommy's odyssey to find a new heart for his sister begins when he follows an organ-stealing prostitute named Halfpipe out of the city-state and into the savage borderland known as Outer City. GODKILLER mixes unforgiving brutality, quantum physics, conspiracy theory, and secret history for an iconoclastic hero's journey like none before it.
Halo-8 Entertainment will unveil a preview clip at Comic-Con International's Wondercon in San Francisco during the "Indie Film and Comics" panel on Saturday February 28, 2009. I'll try and get my grubby hands on that one for the blog as soon as possible.
Halo-8 intends to release limited-edition, serialized, short-form DVDs through the Spring and Summer before releasing the full-length feature theatrically in Fall 2009.
I by no means think that comic books are going to go the way of the CD. Motion comics are cool and I believe they have their place in the industry, but comic book fans want to hold a book in their hands and have it signed, boarded and bagged and added to their collections.
The disappointing thing of it all is what looked (for a brief moment) like the new horizon for creator owned independent comics (you know the guys just starting out with a cool idea but no industry contacts and a lot of heart) Is now about to become flooded with comics from all directions, small indie publishers and corporate giants alike. In this time when publishing and many other businesses are in need to find new revenue streams to get back in the black, it's kind of like prospecting in the old west. A voice cried out of the dust "Hey I found a Gold nugget!" Only to find himself crowded out by larger groups all looking for the same thing.
I'll post a full review of "Godkiller" when I get a preview copy, in the meantime I wish Halo 8 and everyone else who's chasing the comic book dream good luck. the good news is, if you have Talent, Professionalism, and persistence you can still make it, only now you can't just be a penciler, inker, colorist. Now you need years of experience in HTML, Dreamweaver and Flash just to get started!
2 comments:
That sounds really cool. I think I may just have to get the itunes Watchmen comics. And since getting all those Itunes cards at Christmas I have the money to spend. Plus I want to do it before the dem. gov. of NY starts taxing itunes sales.
This is very interesting Phil!
~Hunter
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