Written by Chris Albrecht
Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 12:56 PM PT

 

The Rise of Motion Comics Online

Somewhere between standard cartoon strips and full-blown animated work lies what’s known as the “motion comic.” This emerging style of entertainment is increasingly being put to use online, either to promote big-name offline works, or in some cases, just to make an extra buck.




Motion comics look like traditional comic books, but incorporate voice acting and a musical score. And only certain elements of the “page” are animated: a zoom-in, a pan, someone raising their arms.

The most recent example of this style can be found in the “graphic video” version of Stephen King’s short story N. The first three episodes are out, and there will be a total of 25 released each weekday until August 29th. It’s all to promote King’s upcoming book of short stories of which N is a part.

Warner Bros. has been a big believer in the motion comic. It used the style to create animated prequels for Will Smith’s I Am Legend. The studio is also giving the motion comic treatment to the acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen, releasing the animated version on iTunes in advance of the feature film due out next year, as well as the Batman story Mad Love, which is available through Xbox Live. Warner Bros. is also digging though its massive comic book archive to find other properties that it can deliver this way.

And they aren’t the only comic book publishers getting into the game. Marvel is co-producing N, and MTV is doing a motion comic series around the Image comic Invincible.

Is this just a trend or are motion comics here to stay? This first generation is admittedly crude, but there is enough “motion” in these motion comics to keep the viewer’s attention, and so far the music and voice acting have been great. Plus, the level of experimentation and sophistication will grow as more are produced.

I don’t think motion comics will be a huge moneymaker, or replace traditional animation, but they are so easy to produce (compared with full-blown animation and live action) and these studios have thousands of stories to choose from, so there’s no reason not to create them. Plus, they are perfect for the web, and when you allow embedding (like N), they can be a cost-effective, entertaining way to promote a bigger project.

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Topic: Shows & Stars

Comments (15)

  • This is hardly the first generation; comic book companies have been putting comics awkwardly into Flash for years and years, with very little interest on the part of the readers. Heck, the old Spiderman cartoon was essentially what’s being called “Motion Comics” today.

    The problem from my position is that once you animate it, it ceases to be a comic book, and becomes an animation. And you wouldn’t call comic adaptations of animation “static animation,” or some such, would you?

    Brian Hogg — 6:21 PM on July 30, 2008 Reply

  • At LA TV Fest on Wednesday, YouTube Director of Partnerships Jordan Hoffner was asked what type of online content has the best upside for monetization. He answered: “Animation.” It’s relatively inexpensive to produce, has an audience that loves comics, manga, etc., and is easily dubbed into different languages for international distribution. Smart.

    The Watchmen “Motion Comics” on iTunes are cool, too.

    Alec McNayr — 11:01 AM on August 1, 2008 Reply

  • I think the idea is really cool. Just like reading the watchmen with a little motion and some good voice acting. Works best in an IPOD format, I’d guess.

    Scooby Dooby Doo — 1:00 PM on August 5, 2008 Reply

  • I’m a little bit disappointed with the article because for more than a year the Heroes Transmedia Department has been doing this with a great sucess. It’s a huge case of solving the gaps from paper to digital. You should do a better homework.

    Maurício Mota — 7:35 AM on August 22, 2008 Reply

  • I just released a new motion comic for my zuda series, “The Night Owls.” Check it out.

    Bobby Timony — 8:17 AM on September 16, 2008 Reply

  • I’m working on a motion comic adaptation for a UK publisher’s series and from my point of view it certainly has its place. A place that is very exciting actually.

    It allows you to pull focus where you can’t in static print formats. You can guide the reader the way the original writer intended the panels to be seen, drive the emotions with the soundtrack and add drama with camera motion.

    It’s a mix of various genres. Audio books, music, graphic arts, animation. The key here is to cast your voice actors well. And have voice actors, not just announcers. Get a great soundtrack that makes it unique. And lastly the original property should be worth the effort, if it’s a turd it will stay a turd, no matter how much you polish it.

    Frank Jonen — 6:32 AM on September 20, 2008 Reply

  • im DLing the watchmen “motion comic” now, i hope its worth it. but from what ive read, motion comic is more of like your old comics with music..and SOME animation. so, it is the first generation. as it is being produced by studios like warner, there must be real potential in motion comic or at least a new way to market or advertise entertainment/media.

    jugabas — 10:35 AM on February 28, 2009 Reply

  • King Features brought Jantze Studios in to create motion comis of the daily comic strip “Zits” as content for newspaper web sites. You can find samples on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/comicskingdom
    So it’s spreading to daily comics as well.

    Michael — 9:54 AM on April 10, 2009 Reply

  • I think that the future of motion comics will be shiny as a new way to communicate. But we need to focus on the fact that comic makers have to create something more than standard comics rather than something less than animations. Furtheremore, goes without saying that in order to gain success it has to be money worthy. Take a look at website q-721.com in mid May…

    goro — 8:03 AM on April 29, 2009 Reply

  • There is also a motion comic called Godkiller that they showed a preview at Fangoria’s convention last month. It’s based on the sci-fi comic and stars Lance Henrickson, Cally from Battlestar Galactica, and the girl from all the Halloween movies. Looked really cool.

    Sammy — 12:56 AM on May 8, 2009 Reply

  • Check out my 3d animated motion comic The Twisted Mind of Sofia.

    http://www.TwistedSofia.com

    You will enjoy it if you like movie parodies.

    Nicolas Casanova — 11:02 AM on September 11, 2009 Reply

  • Has anyone seen this contest?

    Marvel is looking for new ways to do motion comics and they are doing a contest
    with Hulk Vs. Wolverine the “Puny little man” comic ed Mcguinness did.

    Thought this one looked pretty cool.

    http://www.aniboom.com/competitions/Marvel/400641/The-Stronger/

    ComicFan — 10:34 AM on October 11, 2009 Reply

  • I think you’re right about the promotional aspect of these things, I think it’s also a great way to revisit the story (Just watched Superman : Red Son, it’s so cool)

    arelente2 — 12:47 PM on October 12, 2009 Reply

  • Chuck McCann called the limited animation of the 1960s and 1970s “illustrated radio.”

    Some people here have compared motion comics to such things. I think that’s a bit unfair, especially for ones that don’t incorporate sound (voice, music) at all.

    AMC is pimping The Prisoner with one:

    AMC’s The Prisoner: Digital Book Is Now Live!
    http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/amc%e2%80%99s-the-prisoner-digital-book-is-now-live/

    All you people here doing motion comics, drop a Comment at my blog so I can take a look.

    mikecane — 1:30 PM on November 12, 2009 Reply

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