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10 Questions With … Danny McLaughlin

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : March 6, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics

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Today we’ve got 10 Questions with Danny McLaughlin of Uproar Comics – the team behind the excellent Zombie Hi

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

 

I’m Danny, Creative Director/Editor/Writer for Uproar Comics! Not sure where to start on what I’m working on, but here’s the tip of the Iceberg; Writing/Editing/Lettering on Uproar Comics Award Winning flagship comic “Zombies Hi”, working on the Uproar DEC (Digital Experience Comic) Exclusive to iPad, writing a story called “The Ballad of Half-Hung MacNaghten” which will be drawn by the awesome Adam Pescott, and also a few more things in the works besides social networking and marketing etc etc TL;DR Loads of comic stuff haha

 

 

2. What drew you to digital comics?

 

 
I was really an advocate of the printed comic until I read Y: The Last Man on the iPad then me and Kevin from Uproar starting chatting about the possibilities of a kind of hyperlinked comic etc from there the DEC was initially born. We wanted to create a reader that would make it possible to not only read a comic but to experience the world with extra content, unlockable bios and games inside etc Page count doesn’t matter on the digital frontier so we could make it as big or as small as possible! Actually the possibilities are unexplored as of yet. Digital Comics aren’t just digital versions of the comic, they should be interactive, atmospheric, multimedia etc, we are at an exciting transition of visual literature.
 

 

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

 

 
Webcomics, this may sound counter intuitive, are already defunct because a lot of them are free. I can get loads of free comics on the web, which hinders my decision, so I just go buy the ones I can get somewhere else. Somewhere deep down I think, like downloading an album illegally: I ignore it, I buy it, I’ll listen to it over and over. Which is really bad because there are loads of great talent out there producing loads of great work. My bad for not reading the free stuff. But I gotta say Digital Comics.
 

 

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

 

 
Simple answer: we are yet to find out what actually works, but the obvious is accessibility and value for money! Can’t shy away from those realities!
 

 

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

 

 
Can they? They will! No doubt about it. Who uses a Gutenberg Printing Press this day and age??
 

Zombies Hi 8 Promo

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

As I have said- We at Uproar are applying a new innovative thinking towards comics. Not just comics but story telling with art and sound and games and video and animation and interactivity! At the minute we are smashing together the elements to see what happens! But alongside the digital we still have the printed version which will at some point be used with a tablet and use augmented reality for the comic to come to life in a way nobody have ever seen! Watch this space is what I’m saying… 

 

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

Weirdly enough- the smell! They don’t have any! The smell of a printed book takes me back to my childhood days. But that’s nostaligia on my part, the next generation of kids and adults wont ever have held a print comic in their hands and will never have that feeling! I’ll still be taking in years to come about the smell of the old print comics… *sniff*…. Ahhhhhhhhhh the good old days lol
 
 

 

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

 

 
As I said I don’t read webcomics, but recently I had been reading all the old Alan Moore series of Swampthing. Y: The Last Man (which is awesome by the way) Walking Dead and loads other random Marvel and DC issues.
 
 

 

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

 

 
Very hard to tell- but the DEC is the what will be the Future…
 

 

10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

 

 
Uproar… ;)

10 Questions With…Stephen Coughlin Writer Of Sanctuary

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : February 18, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics

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Toda’s 10 Questions are with Stephen Coughlin who is the writer of Sanctuary - available from SLG:

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

 

My name is Stephen Coughlin and I’m the writer/artist of the digital comic, “Sanctuary”, published by Slave Labor Graphics.

2. What drew you to digital comics?

 

I wasn’t really drawn into digital comics. My publisher was looking to try publishing digital comics as a way to save money on publishing print comics. Chris Wisnia (Monstrosis) and I were the guinea pigs and it turned out to be a really exciting experience. As great as is it getting people to try digital comics for the first time, I am excited to see Sanctuary published on paper. There’s something about seeing on the bookshelf that’s really exciting. Now, I only buy digital on my Kindle. Having less long boxes of comics that I’ll probably never read again saves a lot of space in the apartment, which my wife appreciates.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

Webcomics seems to me to be the eventual successor to the daily comic strips and digital the future of paper comics. I guess whichever you prefer.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

I think digital comics are a great way to introduce a younger audience to comics without making them go and find a local comic book shop. You can upload a few issues of any comic now into an iPad, Nook, or Amazon Kindle and just hand it to your kid. It doesn’t get much easier than that and it’s usually cheaper.


5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

I know a lot of die hard comic fans will say paper can never be replaced and I agree, but there are a lot less comic book shops then there used to be. I think part of the reason is the people who started collecting in the 80’s and 90’s boom are getting bored with what’s out there. For me, the formula being used by DC and Marvel is just getting too predictable. I see this same belief on a lot of message boards from long-time collectors and fans. I’ve seen Batman fight the Joker so many times that it’s all become a blur now. Killing off characters, bringing characters back from the dead, reboots, D-list characters getting their own series, costume changes, etc. I read a lot more independent publishers now just to get something fresh. I did like what Bendis did recently with All New X-men. It was really gutsy to go back in time and bring the old X-men back to see what had become of their future selves and how disappointed they all were.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

At the moment, it’s rough. Die hard paper fans don’t want to give up on collecting their comics and refuse to go digital. They don’t understand that going digital is just another way for comics to evolve and survive. The publishers really cater to both. They put out the digital issues online and then collect them on paper so both kinds of readers can enjoy. The comic industry has to evolve and reach out to younger readers or it won’t be around in 30 years. Digital is a good way to start. The average comic book reader is 40yrs old. In 30yrs, that person will be 70. If you don’t want to buy digital that’s fine, but don’t trash the idea of finding new ways to attract new readers. They are the future of the industry and might have a lot less local comic book shops than there are now to shop at.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

Convincing my mother to get a Comixology account so she can read my comics.

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Right now, I really like the Batman Beyond digital series that DC is putting out. I know I said I don’t read superhero comics, but this really caught my eye. They combine it with a Justice League Beyond series that’s really written well and Norm Breyfogle’s art is just fantastic. I read a lot of what Slave Labor puts out, too. Model A, Heart of a Corpse, Monstrosis, and Pinocchio the Vampire Slayer.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

I’m hoping that the quality gets better. Some people complain about the images moving and the inability to see the complete page. I’d like to see more motion comics, choose-your-own-adventure comics, and maybe some 3-D stuff. I’m hoping that the artwork gets better every year. When you look back at some of the art of the early days of comics, it looks kinda silly. When more realistic art styles showed up in the 60’s and 70’s, the drawing improved, but the poor coloring was still there (don’t get mad at me, but the books of Neal Adams’ work throughout the years that were digitally touched up look bad). The 90’s were the beautifully painted covers and variant issues by different artists. In the 2000’s the coloring went digital and the page quality was improved. I don’t really know what’s coming next, but it’s exciting to not know.
10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

Isn’t it obvious? Me. J

10 Questions With…Ash Pure Creator Of The Lion & The Unicorn

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : February 15, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics

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Some more questions and answers – this time with Ash Pure who has created a next generation digital comic – The Lion & the Unicorn!

 

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1.       Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

My name is Ash Pure and I’m an alcoholic. Sorry wrong meeting. I create comics (that means words, pictures and everything in between, above beyond and around). I’m currently working on The Lion and The Unicorn, a digital comic and surrounding story world which exists exclusively on Facebook. www.Facebook.com/TheLionandTheUnicorn

2.       What drew you to digital comics?

Having worked in the digital arena (cool – like in Tron? No, like designing websites and that) since graduation in 1999  and having made comics since I was a child it was a logical step. Plus I’m always attracted to the potential of new storytelling platforms.

3.       Webcomics or digital comics?

Facebook comics!
Okay that’s just me (Plus I’m pretty sure every time you say the F word Mr. Zuckerberg gets a pound, so enough of that) the honest, albeit annoying answer is – I like good comics, comics that play to the strengths of their medium. Web comics are great for that weekly hit, but there’s no quality control – a good and bad thing, if you want a more coherent package, something deeper, and I do, digital feels like the way to go.

4.       What do you think works with digital comics?

For me they work best when they’re doing things that you can’t do on paper, and I don’t particularly mean audio-visual things, I’m more interested in the potential for playing with narrative structure, for breaking it out of a traditional linear form. I also think they have the potential for infinite exploration, getting lost in a world that can be forever expanding. Because digital’s not set in stone, like print, because it’s iterable, expandable, stories and universes can grow and evolve in new ways. That’s really exciting.

5.       Can digital comics replace print comics?

Why should they? They are both great platforms. You will never beat the immediacy of print; the tangible, beautiful object, something you can hold, touch smell – the collectors item, the pop art masterpiece. Digital comics have to play to the strengths of their medium, and that doesn’t mean some half baked animation (I want my animation full baked). They shouldn’t try to emulate animation and nor should they reproduce the printed page, there are other strengths to the digital platform which we’re just beginning to explore… Watch this space.

6.       How can print comics work with digital comics?

The print comic is real, it’s out in the world, in the comic shops and at the conventions. It’s job is then to hook you, to draw you in. The digital comic can then take you deeper, give you more. It has to be it’s own, unique experience though, it has to be able to stand alone as well as work alongside the print comic.

7.       What don’t you like about digital comics?

I really don’t like the panel view you get on most comic readers, where you slide from frame to frame. The page was composed as a whole and should be viewed as a whole, really it should be viewed as a spread. The two pages open side by side making a 3rd whole, that is as important a composition as a single panel. That’s why I completely reformatted The Lion and The Unicorn for viewing on screen.

8.       What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

I think Nawlz by Sutu is the best example of what I’m looking for in a digital comic, there’s so much rich content, so much to discover, a whole world to get lost in.There is audio and a sensitive use of animation which in this case genuinely serves to enhance the experience –  http://www.nawlz.com/

On the other hand we have Wormworld saga by Daniel Lieske – a beautifully executed, simple scroll comic. – http://wormworldsaga.com/

I thoroughly enjoy Atomic Robo by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wenga three editions of which I got for free on Comixology. It’s a traditional print format comic which I like to read on my tablet, one page at a time! http://www.atomic-robo.com

ComicDuJour.com is a  great series of daily updated web comics. http://www.comicdujour.com/

And JL8 by Yale Stewart, tales of the Justice League at Kindergarten is simply perfect. http://limbero.org/jl8

9.       Where do you see digital comics going from here?


10.   Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

Daniel Merlin Goodbrey – Check out his genuinely interactive hyper comics with a ‘ multi-cursal narrative structure’. Now that’s deep.  http://e-merl.com/hypercomics

Sutu The creator of Nawlz has announced the finale of Nawlz so look forward to what comes next. http://www.nawlz.com/hq/

Mark Waid is going in the right direction with his Luther PDF http://markwaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Luther-Final.pdf

www.Honigstudios.com I’ve got a good feeling about these guys…

And The Lion and The Unicorn tablet app, which I’m currently developing, will deliver everything I’ve been saying I wanted in this interview. Watch this space.

EXCLUSIVE! Mark Waid talks Marvel Infinite, Thrillbent 2.0, the future of digital comics and Kingdom Come the iPad app! | Pipedream Comics

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : February 13, 2013
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Category: Comic Notes, Digital Comics, Links

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Having written some of the finest comic stories of all time (Kingdom Come, Flash, JLA, Daredevil, Superman), superstar comic writer Mark Waid turned his back on print in 2012 and declared his allegiance to the world of digital. Over the past 12 months he has established himself as the true godfather of digital comics, thanks to the launch of Marvel’s Infinite series, but also with his creator owned web portal Thrillbent and its lead title Insufferable. As one of the most high profile advocates of the brave new world of digital publishing we asked Mark the secrets to a great digital comic and where things are heading in 2013?

What was the inspiration for setting up Thrillbent? Was it intended as way for you to write and publish the books you wanted to without relying on a major publisher? Or was it as a way to help dip your toe on the emerging world of digital comics?

MW: Originally, the former–it was a reaction to the staggering print costs faced by smaller publishers that will probably only rise. And it was also to prove my conviction that the future of the market is the shift away from Big Distributors and towards a smaller economy that’s a direct link between artists and their audience. But honestly, as we began to pull Thrillbent together and I began producing more material, I got more into the actual content–into the process that enables you to tell a story differently in digital.

Read the rest of the interview at: EXCLUSIVE! Mark Waid talks Marvel Infinite, Thrillbent 2.0, the future of digital comics and Kingdom Come the iPad app! | Pipedream Comics.

MTV Geek – Kleefeld On Webcomics #96: ‘Comic Book Think Tank’ Interview, Part One

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : February 4, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics, Links

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Ron Perazza and Daniel Govar have been making waves in the comic industry for several years now. Perazza started his career working on Marvel trading cards, and eventually became the editorial director for DC’s Zuda Comics imprint. Govar comes more from an animation background, but caught comics’ attention with Azure, published through Zuda. Last year, they launched a new project called Comic Book Think Tank, largely as an avenue for them to explore the notions of webcomics in a very public space. As part of that exploration, they’ve created their own webcomics viewer, Yanapax, which they’re making freely available to anyone. Both Perazza and Govar sat down to talk about how they came to create CBTT, what they’re doing with it, and where they’re going with it. Govar was even kind enough to provide MTV Geek with an exclusive look at some of his art for one of their next stories.

MTV Geek: We’re definitely going to be talking about Comic Book Think Tank here, but I want to start with some background to help put things in perspective for everyone. You’ve both been in comics for a number of years, and have exhibited a clear love of the medium. Can you both share some of your earliest comic experiences? Were you big fans as kids? What were the comics that first really grabbed your attention?

Read the interview at: MTV Geek – Kleefeld On Webcomics #96: ‘Comic Book Think Tank’ Interview, Part One.

10 Questions With PJ Holden

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : January 10, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics

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Here’s 10 Questions with PJ Holden Comic artist!

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

PJ Holden, I’m a comic artist. Currently working on Numbercruncher, being printed by Titan Comics and Department of Monsterology for Renegade Arts Entertainment.

2. What drew you to digital comics?

Lack of space, mostly.

3.  Webcomics or digital comics?

Digital comics. I’m an occasional visitor of webcomics, but I like art and webcomics – with a few exceptions – are much more about jokes than the art.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

Easier to say what doesn’t work, I think. Double page spreads don’t work, Tiny lettering doesn’t work, and, well, aside from that, it’s mostly open to anything.

5.Can digital comics replace print comics?

For some people yes, for others no. I don’t think they’ll ever entirely displace print comics, but as devices get smaller/lighter and start being give to children for christmas (next year, for example, my 8yr old and 4yr old BOTH want their own kindle Fires) then I think we’ll see print comics change to work better within the digital medium, and, as newer distribution models kick in – digital first and print collections, for example, seems to be the one a large number of publishers are circling around – we’ll start to see the print market change so that it and the digital market can coexist.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

In the short term, offering free digital codes for print comics can help keep the market going, changing the size of lettering/removing double page spreads to help comics appear on both print and digital and having starting to improve the print comic experience would be great. I’ve seen comics where every other page is an advert, totally destroying the narrative flow of the print comic, and yet the digital comic doesn’t have those ads littered throughout.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I like digital comics to read, but not to collect – there’s almost no satisfaction knowing I have a digital issue of a comic, over knowing I have a print version. For example, I have a Dark Knight Returns, bought in 1988 – and it’s scuffed and a bit musty smelling, but it’s enormously satisfying knowing I still have it. But I also have a digital collection of it but I couldn’t tell you if it was even on my ipad or on the cloud – I know if I want to read it I can download it anytime, from the enormous digital library.

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

2000AD, The Phoenix, Locke and Key and whatever takes my fancy.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

In an ideal world we’ll start to see digital comics start to do things that only digital comics can do, specifically enhanced backmatter – things like wikis built into the comic, video interviews, podcasts, etc, all within the actual comic itself. Maybe including pencilled art or unused / unseen art. I’d also like to see things like text to speech added to comic readers, possibly a kind of panel highlighting (different from the panel by panel reader – this would show the whole page and highlight each panel as they’re supposed to be read) to help kids, non-comic readers figure out the grammar of comics as well as those with learning or sight difficulty.

And why we’re wishing for the impossible, I’d like all publishers to make extant digital comics DRM free so people can manage their own digital collections if they wish.
I’d like to see all of that, but I suspect what will actually happen is the digital market will become coalesce around one company, with a very restricted comic reader (because adding features takes time and money and can’t be easily scaled for volume). At some point DC/Marvel will want to move their comic reader platform in house, causing headaches for people with a massive digital marvel/dc catalogue (either because they will remove their digital comics from other distribution channels, or readers will now find themselves with a collection split across two different comic readers – causing OCD panics). Possibly causing the implosion of any monopolised digital distributor. Causing everyone to suddenly realise that the comics they’ve been buying where, in face, only rented for the duration of the company.

That’s all speculation, and probably just a horrible worst case scenario.

10.Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

More publishers to go either exclusive with digital distributors or to find new, smaller distribution companies who are able to offer them a better deal or better facilities than the current big player in the market.

10 Questions With… Nick Defina Of Septagon Studios

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : January 9, 2013
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Category: Digital Comics

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Here’s 10 more questions with a digital creator. Nick Defina of Septagon Studios is behind the excellent Archeologists Of Shadows, which I have reviewed Volume 1 and 2!

 

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1.  Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

My name is Nick Defina and I am a co-founder of Septagon Studios Inc which is a publishing company that focuses on unique comic properties. We are currently publishing Archeologists Of Shadows, a Sci-Fi – Fantasy – Steampunk digital graphic novel series, you can learn more about the series and us at www.aoscomic.com

 

2. What drew you to digital comics?

We started looking into digital comics when the popularity of mobile devices and ebooks started growing in the mid 2000’s. We noticed that there were some advantages to digital comics such as lower production costs, increased world wide distribution potential and the ability to read your comics anywhere.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

Both are great. Webcomics work well for building readership and connecting with fans. As a reader of Webcomics, it’s fun getting small installments of a series on a daily or weekly basis. Digital comics or digital graphic novels are great because the technology and accessibility is continually improving. You can instantly own and read almost any comic you want in just 1 or 2 clicks.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

I believe any genre works with digital comics. The best device to read a digital comic would be an iPad or 10 inch tablet.

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

I don’t think digital comics can replace print comics. There will always be a place for print comics and print graphic novels. Having a print graphic novel is like owning a piece of art.

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6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

Currently Marvel is offering a duplicate version of their books in digital format. It’s a great incentive to encourage digital comics but you also get to have a print copy for your collection.  More and more publishers are embracing digital comics to build readerships and gain exposure for the print versions of their books.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I like almost everything about digital comics. I think the only drawbacks today are Digital Rights Management and the absence of feeling the actual book in your hands.

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Some of my favorite digital comics/webcomics are Deadpool, Immune, The Sandman, Axe Cop, The Oatmeal, Gates Comic and Box 13.

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9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

There is a bright future for digital comics. The tablet market is increasing by the day. A lot of people are rediscovering comics through electronic devices. Eventually everyone will have some sort of a smartphone or tablet and this will only grow the popularity of digital comics. I also see digital comics evolving and becoming a more interactive reading experience which may include sound, video and animation.

10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

Some companies to watch out for are Comixology, Iverse and MadeFire. As the digital comic market grows and technology continues to improve exponentially, anything can happen. Maybe it’s just a matter of time before we will be plugging digital comics directly into our brain….but I will stick with my tablet for now.

Mark Waid reflects on the first eight months of Thrillbent | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : January 2, 2013
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Category: Links

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Robot 6 have an excellent interview with Mark Waid of Thrillbent about his digital comics experience and processes!

Almost eight months ago, at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Mark Waid unveiled his grand experiment in digital comics,Thrillbent.

A veteran writer for DC Comic and Marvel, Waid is the creator of the alt-superhero series Incorruptible and Irredeemable, former editor-in-chief and chief creative officer of BOOM! Studios, and the winner of three Eisner Awards this year for his work on Daredevil. In other words, he knows his comics. But with Thrillbent, Waid struck out into the unknown, creating a digital-comics site and using it to host his newest comic Insufferable.

The end of the year seemed like a good time to touch base and see what Waid has learned so far and what he plans to do next with Thrillbent.

Read the interview at:

Mark Waid reflects on the first eight months of Thrillbent | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment.

10 Questions With… Sam Medina of Jake the Evil Hare

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 14, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics, Webcomics

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)


Sam Medina, and right now, I’ve got 3 irons in the fire: Jake the Evil Hare, Darkfell: Return to Moonshadow, and Katarina the Dragonslayer and the Secret of Kilara’s Keep (a novel)

2. What drew you to digital comics? 

Well, I was kind of too poor to try going directly to print when I started, so it seemed like a good idea at the time ;)

3.  Webcomics or digital comics? 

Both! JTEH and Darkfell both started as webcomics, and have since made the jump to digital, with collections coming out in print as well.

 

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

Almost anything! As with every form of literature, it’s the story that matters most, though great art always helps.

 

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

They can, but as long as people still want a physical book in their hand, they’ll be around. Indeed, I recall an artist’s surprise when he found out that the Wonder Woman print comic was losing money. His editor said to him something like, “It’s all about selling Underoos.” So there is that element of print comics, that they serve as brand placement for merchandising, so that may well help to keep them around, too.

 

 

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

Pretty easily. The same files I’ve used for the digital versions are used to create the print, so it’s pretty seamlessly on that end. The digital versions are also a great way to advertise the printed editions.

 

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

The biggest challenge for me has been distribution. I haven’t liked the way that the best distribution channels treat the independent creators like second class citizens. I won’t name any names, but there’s one distributor who doesn’t care how popular Jake the Evil Hare  is online, they won’t touch it with a ten foot pole, because they prefer the larger indy studios. I am, however, determined to see Jake succeed with or without them ;)

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Hmm.. Quite a few… Phineus: Magiciain for Hire, Epic Fail, Life After Death, Off Season, Mohagen, Out There, Bug Pudding, The Bean, Twilight Monk, Vinnie Vampire, and a bunch of others I can’t remember at the moment.

 

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

I think we’ll see an attempt by the big media companies to take over the game, much like what’s happened in digital novel publishing, except that I suspect they may have a harder time in the attempt. Sure, they have a presence in digital comics, but they’ve remained within the box of conventional publishing, so when they finally make the decision to stop treating it as a sideline, it might be too late, and that’s a very good thing. I think we may see a bigger effort from the indies to pool their promotional efforts as digital comics makes further headway into social media, as well.

 

10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

I think we can expect great things from Dan Butcher of Vanguard. I first came across his work when I was on WeVolt, and he’s really grown as an artist and storyteller in the last few years. I think he will one day be one of the true masters of comic art. I’d also keep a steady eye on Carlo Ostrout of Life After Death. He’s shown a lot of improvement since he started that comic, and has a great sense of timing with his humor… I think his comic could become really popular as he develops his style.

10 Questions With Topi Koivisto of Tunnel Ground Inc

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 13, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

My name is Topi Koivisto, graphic designer, comic artist and illustrator.I’m also co-founder of Tunnel Ground inc. and one of the creators of the Tunnel Ground comic. Currently, I’m working on the next installment of the Tunnel Ground series. I also do graphic design and illustrations part time for some select companies at the moment.

2. What drew you to digital comics?

Actually it was my dad, Tarmo Koivisto. I was inspired watching him making pictures with wacomtablet and cintiq. After getting apprenticeship contract I was able to work with professionals in work-life and start making digital comics. I have to say that after my first digital sketch, I was addicted to creating digital art.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

I don’t read that many web comics, so my opinion might be slightly biased towards digital comics. It seems that the line between digital and web comics is becoming a bit of grey area. But like I said, I don’t read that many comics on the web. :)

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

It’s handy to have all books in one place and they don’t take up much room, as with traditional comics, which start to take up a lot of space if you have lots of them. Also, there’s the universal functions most devices have, where you can share information about the comics with your friends, have page bookmarks etc… Also, “printing” in color is somewhat more cheap with digital comics than traditional.

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

Printed comic books are masterpieces of art for every fan and collector. You can touch and smell it, feel the paper. Even bite it if you like :) Digital comics are constantly living and future will show how popular they are. I think both are important and they’ll don’t exclude each other.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

Well, you can inform the readers of the cross platform comics, and have different material as a bonus on the digital comic side, for example.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I still miss the old school feeling when reading digital comics. You can’t touch the paper. As a finnish person, I can say that you can read old comic books even in the sauna! (Of course digital comic too but there can be a risk to break your device :)

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

I thoroughly enjoyed Gone with the Blastwave web comic, one of the few web comics that I read. Funnily enough I haven’t read that many digital comics, since I have migrated over from the traditional side quite recently.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

I think there will be even more interactive comics that you can customize. Editing can change some of them more movie like and reader can decide alternative endings or scenes to story etc. There should be many ways to decide your own preferences when reading your comic. For example some people like sound effects or music, some don’t. Touchscreen works well and there will be lots of new ideas in the future on how it’ll affect digital comics.

10.Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

The big players are always interesting to keep an eye on, Disney, Marvel, DC and the likes. Smaller
companies are more likely to invent, large companies are likely to set standards. So keeping an eye on both
is always smart.

10 Questions With…Kevin Quinn of Tabella Publishing

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 12, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

Kevin Quinn, publisher at Tabella Publishing. At the moment I’m promoting ‘Darkness outside the night’ and ‘Devil Cat vs God Dog’, our most recent digital releases. I’m also currently in contract negotiations regarding a very exciting digital project, but I can’t say anything about that at the moment, and I’ve been working for a few months with a new comics artist, on her first book (it’ll be a print edition initially), but again I can’t talk about that at the moment. Oh, and moving house soon!

2. What drew you to digital comics?

I only read digital material these days (books, newspapers, etc on my iPad/iPod touch), so digital comics is the norm for me. I’m always on the internet (as most of us are these days), so I find web comics via twitter, on tumblr, etc. As for our stuff, I’m a bit of a techie, really, and loved the challenge of developing app and ebook versions of our material. As a publisher, of course, the great thing about digital versions is there’s no initial outlay (as there is with print books), and so you can get the material out there really quickly, and and can then perhaps go to print later.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

I read both, though probably more of the former due to never having enough time to read longer works much at all. I find lots of web comics via twitter. Only the other day I discovered Eleanor Davis (via a Julia Scheele tweet). Absolutely awesome, profound, moving stuff.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?


For webcomics, what works is the fact that people can find and follow creators very easily, and can share them with others by simply passing on the link. It’s very immediate, and far reaching. Someone can create a comic (perhaps even just a single panel), and have it out across the net in no time. That just wouldn’t be possible if they were relying on print.
As for graphic novels and the like, what works for them is the same as what works for all digital media. Convenience of access, no need to carry lots of books around, and they look flipping amazing on tablets.

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

No.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?


I’m not really sure I understand the question. I see printing comics/books, putting them on the web, and/or releasing them via apps or as ebooks as all part of the same spectrum. There’s a market/readership for all of those versions, and some work better, and perhaps are more suitable, in some formats than others.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I don’t like the guided viewing technology in some digital comics, it detracts from the experience for me. Web comics … what’s not to like? The only other negative thing is the transience, and lack of real ownership (okay, that’s two things). They’re not treasured possessions, to be shown or loaned to friends. Like everything else these days (music, film, etc), everything in the publishing world is digital. Although I’ve embraced the technology, part of of me still misses the physical object (I still keep a record – proper vinyl – collection!).

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?


Digital comics not so much (though I do have the Sandman and some Batman on my iPad). There’s just isn’t time for ‘proper’ reading. Lots of web comics (too many to mention, though): XKCD, Eleanor Davis, Octopus Pie, Julia Scheele, Jennie Gyllblad, Warren Ellis’ Freak Angels, Archive.org has a collection of really old US comics (Unusual Tales is quite funny) …

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

Hmmm … All publishers are going digital these days, so e-reading books/comics/apps, etc will become the mainstream. People will find new ways of adding features/interactivity/audio/animation/3D, and whatever to comics – both within comics/books on tablets/in apps, and as web comics – the new html5/css3 technology coming to the web means more animation/audio, etc on web pages generally, and therefore for web comics, too … perhaps …

10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

Ah … who knows … have I mentioned Eleanor Davis?

10 Questions With Russell Willis of Panel Nine

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 11, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

I’m Russell Willis, the publisher at Panel Nine. I’ve had two decades of experience in creating digital media, and just over the last few years have produced the #1 podcast, audio book and iPhone and iPad apps in Japan, where I’m based.
Panel Nine specialises in graphic novels and comics for the iPad and have released “deluxe digital graphic novels” with Eddie Campbell, David Lloyd, and Hunt Emerson. Our software has been designed to be the easiest-to-use, most responsive comics-reading software platform around, and most people who use it agree. In fact many reviewers have described it, essentially or in those words, as the “gold standard” of digital comics for the iPad.
In addition to the graphic novels we’ve released, we’re also publishing a bi-monthly iPad magazine about digital graphic novels and comics, called INFINITY (the name being from the fanzine I published back in the 80s). The latest issue has a round up of digital comics news plus reviews, interviews and a great article on Crumb, Griffith and Spiegelman by Alan Moore. Reading it on the iPad is optimal
but we also have a PC version:
We’re currently preparing for the launch in January of the iPad version of Britain’s weekly kids comic, The Phoenix, which is absolutely great…
and whilst I can’t talk details just yet we’ll be releasing well over 50 graphic novels on our platform next year.
 

2. What drew you to digital comics?

I’d been involved in digital publishing in Japan for 20 years, from CD-ROMs through to iOS apps and a client wanted to have their content as a comic — I knew that we could develop an iOS comics reader that was superior to stuff that’s already out there… and realised that graphic novels could reach a much large mainstream audience through digital, and wanted to be part of getting great material into the hands of a real mainstream audience. What the “comics world” currently calls mainstream – the superhero nonsense – should be relegated to the fringes and stuff like that of Art Spiegelman, Eddie Campbell, Raymond Briggs, Alison Bechdel should be the mainstream. We hope to play a big part in that in the coming year.


3.  Webcomics or digital comics?

Tablet-based comics. We’ve had webcomics for the PC for nearly 20 years and it hasn’t led to a significant improvement in either the industry or in comics going mainstream, although webcomics are fine for short daily instalments.
The iPad-like tablet is the real game-changer. If the software is done right (and often it isn’t — see a comparison of platforms at https://vimeo.com/43772561) then you have the ideal immersive user experience and you have the availability and commerce issues solved. You still need to deal with discoverability, though.
I’d give it two years for the vast majority of homes to have at least one tablet. That’s where graphic novels and comics are going to be read.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

Like everyone, “motion comics” with cheesy animation is not relevant.  What Madefire and Tall Chair are doing is intriguing and as long as they ensure the reading experience isn’t a passive one (which they seem to be doing).  Their platforms work for comics created with them in mind. For us though, we are presenting comics that are made for print and our software platform is able to handle ones which use the unique storytelling devices that digital can provide. The work by Mark Waid and Balak at the Thrillbent site is a good current example, even though Thrillbent is optimised for web rather than tablet viewing.

5.Can digital comics replace print comics?

In most cases it is inevitable. The blip we are seeing where digital appears to be helping print is a short-term thing due to factors I discuss in the next issue of INFINITY, but it’s a dead certainty that the “local comics shop” is going to be hit very hard by digital in the next few years. I’m not that interested in the fate of the superhero market, but I do hope that local comic shops see this coming and morph into something that can sustain steadily decreasing sales of print material.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

There will always be things that print can do that digital can’t and vice versa. Chris Ware’s Building Stories is an example. Generally I think people will read digitally and buy expensive souvenir, gold-tipped, signed copies of graphic novels as totems they can put on their shelf to show their good taste to their cat and other visiting dignitaries — like I do!

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I don’t like it that a publisher who wouldn’t dream of releasing their books on crappy paper with the equivalent of mimeograph printing do the equivalent of that with digital. iBooks and a number of “anyone can do that” custom made apps are example. All digital is not equal and savvy publishers (and creators) will start caring about the user experience they are offering to their readers. Most comics-reading platforms are frustrating in one way or another, and I hope what Panel Nine is doing helps raise the bar about what is acceptable.
8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Lots. Most recently lots of stuff by David Hine (Bulletproof Coffin, Storm Dogs) but also The Boys, Jeff Lemire’s Essex County and Underwater Welder.

Apart from the odd short strip, I find reading webcomics that aren’t formatted for the tablet a pain, so I only sometimes take a look.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

HTML 5 may or may not work for digital comics on the tablet. Issues of availability, commerce (mostly solved) and discoverability (a constant headache) will be addressed.  People will realise that comics need to be read on platforms created for comics reading. Digital will expand the market for grown-up graphic novels, and Panel Nine will be there as that happens.

10.Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

From a technical platform and publishing perspective, well… us! From a creative perspective… well every talented comics creator out there will be looking to be involved in digital.

Links to Panel Nine’s apps:
INFINITY – Digital Graphic Novels and More (FREE!)
The Certified Hunt Emerson
Dapper John by Eddie Campbell
Kickback by David Lloyd

10 Questions With…David Lloyd of Aces Weekly

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 10, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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Today with have 10 questions with industry legend – David Lloyd!

1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

David Lloyd – widely known for V For Vendetta, and now contributor to, and publisher of, Aces Weekly, an EXCLUSIVELY digital online comic art anthology magazine, featuring some of the finest creators in the world.

2. What drew you to digital comics?

The ease of production – just put the pages together and send them out to subscribers. No printing, warehousing, distribution, wholesale or retail costs to expend. We go straight from the creators to the buyers at the touch of a button.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

My definition of digital comics encompasses webcomics – don’t see the difference unless you’re referring to those restricted to websites as ours currently are. Other differences can be whether we include or exclude exclusivity to the digital form – many comics that appear on screen initially are previewed for printing several months down the line ; ours aren’t, you only get it by subscribing. And then there are some comics that are portrait in format, and a simulated flipping of pages reveals them page by page, whereas our pages are suitably landscape in format and tailored to the screen ratio of iPad, tablet, laptop and PC. And then some are ‘ motion comics ‘ whereas we’re in the business of just putting fantastic comic art on screen instead of printing it on paper.

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

The means of delivery is it’s greatest strength as far as we’re concerned, though I use digital/computer-created effects in much of my work, and the efficiency and speed involved in using digital colour and lettering is another plus. The use of motion in much digital comic art is something that doesn’t work for me – from an aesthetic and storytelling point-of-view – in any of the examples of it that I’ve seen. But there may well be examples of such comics around in which motion does.

David Lloyd portrait

5.Can digital comics replace print comics?

Yes, they can and they may well do that, in the same way that online newspapers and ebooks may eventually take over from print editions.

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

I’m not sure they should or need to, except that many readers enjoy the experience of reading print comics and find it difficult to transfer, so perhaps if separate, exclusively digital, comics stories featuring print comics characters can be initiated, they’ll act as an encouragement for new digital readers.

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

As I said above – all those digital motion comics that I’ve seen leave me cold and are neither good animation nor good comic art.

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

The ones we produce and publish for Aces Weekly.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

To be the future – and hopefully always in a form where the art of them thrives as much as their ability to entertain.

10.Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

All the great creators we have published already, and those who are lined up for publishing in Aces Weekly, including Kyle Baker, David Hitchcock, John McCrea, Phil Hester, Lew Stringer, Mark Wheatley, Yishan Li, Herb Trimpe, Paul Maybury, Billy Tucci, Bill Sienkiewicz, Marc Hempel, James Hudnall, Carl Critchlow, Kev Hopgood, Steve Bissette, Val Mayerick, Henry Flint, Dan Christensen, Shaky Kane, Dave Hine, Colleen Doran, Dylan Teague… and many more, who are accessible via www.acesweekly.co.uk and can be seen more of at www.facebook.com/acesweekly.

“10 Questions With” is to be a interview session with digital comics creators – there’s a lot of great people I’ve got lined up and I hope you enjoy seeing what the creators are interested in.

 

If you are a digital creator and am interested in participating, please contact me!

10 Questions With Dave Gibbons

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 9, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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Dave Gibbons - Artist, writer

1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

I’m Dave Gibbons, well known comic book artist & writer. I’m currently working on Secret Service with Mark Millar and I’m also working on properties for Madefire. In particular ‘Treatment’ which is a concept which I came up with last year. It appeared as a brief comic book episode – we are now expanding and expanding on the Madefire platform.

2. What drew you to digital comics?

I’ve always been a geek, I’ve always loved technology and I’ve been using computers to produce comic artwork for the last 20 years. It’s been obvious for quite a while that printed media are going digital. Obviously ebooks are huge sellers now and I think that comics initially as a way of accessing printed comics and lately in producing  original work for them are heading in the digital direction.
I am  finding it very exciting, I’ve always been the kind of person who wants the next thing, the next issue or the next wonderful tool to do artwork with and digital comics seem to me very much like an exciting future.

3.  Webcomics or digital comics?

I don’t understand the distinction – I see the way to go the way Madefire are going, which is to make episodes available in the app store. I think that’s the most convenient and easy way to get access to the material. Something about having to sit in front of a computer monitor that doesn’t actually quite feel like a reading experience – while holding a phone or an iPad or some other tablet does feel like that. So if that’s what you mean by digital comics – then yes!

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

The same thing that works with print comics. First you have to have a good story, then I think you have to have artwork that makes the story attractive and tells the story well, but with digital comics particuly those on the iPad and other tablets you have something that you can’t do with paper – you can use the interactive capabilities of the tablet by changing the orientation, by tapping the screen, by swiping, by zooming in. I think it’s all the things that work in regular comics but with a whole layer of enhancement. I think that everything you do must be in service to the story. I don’t think there’s any point in having things move just to have them move. I think you actually have to be imparting some story information and dramatizing the story and not distracting from it.

 

5.Can digital comics replace print comics?

I suppose they can – whether I would like to see it happen or not I don’t know. There’s still a charm about printed material. I think that even if, episodically, comics are presented  digitally, there will always be people who will want to have the thing as a hard copy. It’s almost like the model for regular comic books – nowadays they are publishing a monthly pamphlet and collecting 4 or 6 issues into a trade paperback you can have in your bookshelf.
I think those bookshelf items will always be desirable, but it may well be that people will move away from the now somewhat expensive monthly print episodes and go towards digital. I think even more so  now that digital comics are available on the phone. If you want to look at them on an iPad or another tablet, you have to invest in that hardware. I think nowadays, a lot of people do have smart phones, and I think if you can deliver the material to them on their smartphone that they’re going to be carrying them with them all the time while they’re waiting for a bus or sitting on the train or whatever it may be. I think that’s when the market will really open up.

 

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

I expect I’ve answered that in the last questions. I think they can work side-by-side. I’ll be really sorry if comic shops went out of business. I can see that a lot of them do depend on that regular monthly issue and I would like to think there is a way they can morph into something different – a place where you can buy trade paperbacks and I can see that most are doing so already and transferring to selling memorabilia and collectibles that are related to comics, movies and games

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

I don’t think there’s anything about digital comics per say that I dislike i think that we’re in the position at the moment of it being like the wild west where we know there’s gold out there, but we’re not quite sure where it is!
I think that the Madefire platform is a really good attempt at solving that problem. I think that we’ve got some tremendous people working on it, some tremendous backers. I think that we’ve got a presence and branding that makes us very visible, but it’s going to be interesting at the end of the day  - we’re all breaking new ground, settling new lands to find out how things do shake down. I think we’re in an evolutionary process at the moment – things that I don’t think do work are limited animation – I learnt this from my experience doing the Watchmen motion comic, which although it had some wonderful people working on it, it was ultimately an exercise in what didn’t work as what did work.
I think that the things that I don’t like about digital comics will fall by the wayside as we move forward.

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Obviously I read all the Madefire things. I do like thinks like Bottom of the Ninth, Operation Ajax – I think that’s fantastic. I don’t read a lot of webcomics as such I have looked at the first issue of Aces Weekly, which is the brainchild of David Lloyd and quite liked that. I really haven’t looked at webcomics – my focus is what we are doing with Madefire.

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

That’s kind or hard to predict. If you knew the answer to that, then you’d have it all sown up! I think it’s going to take a while for them to get established in the market. I think that they can only expand and improve and find a wider audience. I think once you’ve got hooked on them, then, in a way, there is no going back.  I find that when I’m on Comixology and sites like that, they re-purpose print comics – I’ll find that I’ll go on there to download an issue that I’ve heard a lot about or if I can’t get to the comic shop I think as people increasingly do that it will be done more and more.
I’m particualy interested, as a collector to get every comic that’s every been published available. I’ve got some comic reading apps on the iPad and I’ve got some old, out of copyright series from the 50′s that  I love and they look great and revitalized on the screen of the iPad. So I think there’s a market for the old stuff as well, but I think that to a degree that it’s unpredictable. I think that if it does take off, it will do so in quite an explosive way, I can see it becoming big quite quickly.

10.Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

I would like to think that all the popular creators will have a presence in digital comics. I remember when we first started using computers to produce digital artwork the problem that we used to talk about was that the people who had the artistic vision didn’t have the technical knowledge, and the people who had the technical knowledge didn’t have the artistic vision. I think that once digital comics become more prevalent and creators can see the possibilities the more of them will be attracted to them, and have stories that they want to tell in this new medium. I suspect that the real superstars of digital comics are unsuspected and may not even be born yet. I certainly think that we’ve got a really interesting time with people like me making the transition from print into digital. We”re beginning to get our feet wet and paddle in the shallows of it all. I think that there are some exciting times ahead. I’m certainly do everything in future with an eye towards digital. I’m really excited to see how the field expands.

10 Questions With…Liam Sharp of Madefire

Posted by :Michael Nimmo On : December 8, 2012
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Category: Digital Comics

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1. Who are you and what are you working on right now? (2 questions in 1, I know!)

I’m Liam Sharp, the founder and CCO of Madefire, which is a digital storytelling platform. I’m an artist with 26 years to my name in the imaginative arts, but I’ve written too – including comics and a novel. Right now I’m writing MONO, and writing and drawing Captain Stone is Missing… for Madefire. I’m also working on a couple of other VERY exciting projects we have coming up featuring a couple of the industry’s legitimate legends! Can’t say more than that!

2. What drew you to digital comics?

Ben Wolstenholme (co-founder of Madefire, and CEO of Moving Brands) and I realized the industry was ready for a new take on storytelling a few years ago, and the advent of the tablet computer sealed the deal. What we were wanting to do was use all the assets a tablet, iPhone and iPod had to offer but keep it a reading experience – not a passive watching experience. We wanted readers invested and participating, and that became the mission.

3. Webcomics or digital comics?

Neither! Madefire motion books are a completely unique experience to either of the other options! :-)

4. What do you think works with digital comics?

Sound, limited motion, interaction, live lettering, Easter eggs… the sky’s the limit! Must be ‘reading’ not ‘watching’! Key!

5. Can digital comics replace print comics?

They shouldn’t ever aim too. We all love, and come from, print. To paraphrase Douglas Adams – you shouldn’t mistake the plate for the food…

6. How can print comics work with digital comics?

Episodic digital first. Print collections to follow…

7. What don’t you like about digital comics?

What’s not to like? In scope it’s limited as a medium only by your imagination. And I love the fact it can also be completely grass-roots…

8. What digital comics/webcomics do you read?

Bottom of the Ninth was amazing!

9. Where do you see digital comics going from here?

Forward!

10. Who do you think we should look out for in digital comics?

I’m biased, but there’s an AMAZING Neil Googe ‘Treatment: Mexico City’ story coming up, and Dave Lupton – who drew Metawhal Alpha – is doing a dark seasonal story for us that is fantastic. Very different takes on digital storytelling, but both wonderful. I love that Dave’s traditional approach to art really works in this new medium – which you might not expect!

 

“10 Questions With” is to be a interview session with digital comics creators – there’s a lot of great people I’ve got lined up and I hope you enjoy seeing what the creators are interested in.

 

If you are a digital creator and am interested in participating, please contact me!