December
21
Going Digital
Digital comics are on the mind of the comics biz after announcements from Marvel and Speakeasy.
Marvel announced it will offer current and classic storylines on its website, with the first few titles already up and running. These versions run pretty much the same as the dot-comics the company had been doing the past few years, but the emphasis on those seemed to fade away a bit until now.
Speakeasy has set new minimums for sales on its titles. Creators of books that fail to get minimum orders of 1,750 copies will have the option to cancel the remaining issues altogether or publish them online only. It's hard to say if that strategy would boost sales or discourage readers from trying Speakeasy titles — the argument has been made both ways.
Digital comics have started to make real creative strides. A category was added for webcomics in last year's Eisner Awards and there is some really terrific work being done out there. The question remains of how to make money from online comics. The late CrossGen had an elaborate online comics presence, but that failed to give the company enough of a boost to keep it from going under. There's no doubt that there's a place for comics in the emerging world of mobile entertainment in particular, which is growing by leaps and bounds. Whether anyone in the comics biz will be able to capitalize on that potential is one of the more pressing issues facing the biz.
This is doubly true for independent comics. The best-selling indie comics in the direct market struggle to crack the top 100 titles, which are dominated by the long-running superhero franchises of Marvel and DC. Claypool also has felt the squeeze imposed by Diamond's recent decision to raise its minimum orders for all comics. The outlook for indie publishers is that 2006 will be an especially tough and perhaps even decisive year in determining the future of comics. If digital comics catch on, they could provide the outlet and distribution system for those creative voices that the direct market's financial demands threaten to exclude. That would leave the direct market pretty much solely in the hands of the major publishers who already dominate it, which is good for DC and Marvel but not so good for anyone looking for the sorts of strange, unusual comics that push the envelope of the medium and force it to evolve.
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Speaking of digital comic books, my studio created one to support our printed version of the same tale. Check it out by going to http://www.hyperakt.com/chestnuts
Wilson Alexander Aguilar
MOB Director
http://www.hyperakt.com
Brooklyn USA
Posted by: Wilson Aguilar | December 21, 2005 at 10:44 AM
The Hitpack #1 - from Satellite Soda Studios
This is the best I've seen, no scrolling or zooming.
Here is a link to their wewb site, where you can check out a demo / preview pages:
http://www.thehitpack.com
Created by Enrique Corts & Mar Hernandez
Written by Enrique Corts & Mar Hernandez
Art/ Graphic Design by Enrique Corts
Colors by Mar Hernandez
Letters by Enrique Corts
Cover Colors by Fabian “Monk’ Schlaga
English Translation by Paul Gravett
Concept:
Amy Sanchez is a very shy and strange girl. Bullied by both her school mates and stepfather, until she discovers her ties with Lilith, who gives Amy some incredible powers to get brutal revenge and find Lucifer, the only one who can stand to fight with God himself. Putting aside their old as the universe love, this time it’s evil against good!
Intended for ages 16 & up
30 page - Online Comic
High Resolution Color Images
Unique Format: pages sized to fit your computer screen minimize scrolling & zooming
Bonus Features: Pin-ups, sketches, & pencil pages
Price: $ 1.70
Preview Pages, Info, & Ordering Info Link:
http://www.thehitpack.com
*** The Hitpack: A Digital Comic…..and the Way of the Future? ***
“I’m rather impressed by what the creative team behind the Hitpack have put together…-
…The artwork is exaggerated and dynamic, with a style that reminds me of artists like Damion Scott (Batgirl) or Humberto Ramos, and the outstanding coloring work is appropriate for the kinetic action and cartoonish character designs.”
www.chud.com – Dave Davis
Posted by: Mike Penny | January 07, 2006 at 07:31 PM