Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, comixology, digital, John Roberts, NYCC

Creating Comics The ComiXology Way

Published Sat, 19 Oct 2013 18:00:28 -0500

Last updated Sun, 20 Oct 2013 10:08:30 -0500

Alejandra Bodden (@alebodden11) writes from NYCC;

I have to say that I was a non-believer. I was adamant against trying digital anything (even having a kindle, which I had to get as an English Major), but even more so toward digital comics. What can I say? I am an old fashioned girl; I like the smell of paper and the feel of it on my hands and fingers as I pass the pages. Though after sitting through this panel I must say that my view has completely changed and now I want to save up for a tablet to experience this myself.

The panel consisted of the moderator: John D. Roberts (ComiXology co-founder), Reilly Brown (Power Play), Daniel Govar (Grimm Portand Wu), and Chris Sheridan (Motorcycle Samurai).

It started with some announcements like a major sale on The Walking Dead, all 114 issues for $99.99. And another big announcement: ComiXology is now carrying DC Comics graphic novels such as The Killing Joke, Watchman,… You can also, there, find comics and graphic novels from Avatar Press, Ape Entertainment, and The Bunker, the original series. At ComiXology Submit you can find over 330 new series.

John Roberts showed us what ComiXology's Guided View Native is all about. It is an interactive experience of reading comic books. As opposed to seeing all panels in one page, each panel is revealed one after the other as we read. The production is said to be less work for artists since certain panels and images can be reused. The stories can be told in many different ways if the artist play with the effects. You, the artist, will not be limited to just one panel, but the size of it, and you don't have to follow traditional format—which gives more chance to be creative. You can even play with the panels to emphasize motion. So far, Robert says, the only program they use is photoshop; but that there are more programs being developed.

Roberts asked the artists for feedback on the program, to which Sheridan responded that, since he has a film background, he gets to use panels not as such, but as scenes and it gives him different ways to go about it. Brown said that he gets the chance to try new different techniques and styles. Govar said that this new program propels the reader to read more since every comic has a different process and style.

When asked if GVN might change the way a reader views comics, Brown responded that it might to certain extent; "you don't lose that old fashioned type of story-telling, there are just more ways of creating more impact—newer tools."

Roberts showed us many examples and previews and all I have to say is: they have a new reader in me!

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