This is the thread I will use to announce new comics.

[tymmi]

If it's okay with Greg.
That way I won't have to start a new topic every time I put up a comic.

Like now:

(two confessions)

It's made with the Infinite Canvas program and it's based on a true story.

(requires Flash plug-in to view)

[William G]

That was funny

[tymmi]

Thanks.
Do you mean the English punchline or the German?

[eveil]

I don't know german and it works. Good one.

[tymmi]

Thanks.
I tried to make it work both ways.

The English is the primary joke though. The German is kind of a secondary punchline.

I'm glad you like it.

[Greg Stephens]

Interesting use of the infinite canvas tool. Generally you see it used so that all of the panels remain (at least in theory) viewable - so that zooming out would show you the whole comic- but you've done this so that the final panel replaces the first. To get McCloudian for a moment, it retains the sense of comics through the importance of spatial relativity of the images and words and it falls short of a traditional animation because the user controls the progress (forward or backward) of the story.

[Eric F Myers]

I remember a little Deutsch from high school (very little). From the three words that I got I'm guessing that the people are laughing at him because he doesn't understand their joke.

I also agree with Greg, this was a good and original use of the infinite canvas.

[tymmi]

Thanks, guys.

I'm guessing that the people are laughing at him because he doesn't understand their joke.

That's pretty close, Eric. I don't think they're laughing at <i>him</i>, per se...

it retains the sense of comics through the importance of spatial relativity of the images and words and it falls short of a traditional animation because the user controls the progress (forward or backward) of the story.

I feel that this is an important distinction. Tools like Infinite Canvas (or Flash in general) offer up a different experience than traditional comics but they're still comics (at least I think so).
I tend to think of the animated transitions as sort of a "guided tour" of the comic. This also let's you pull off tricks that are much harder to pull off in print (or traditionally formatted comics) like the left-scroll in the second panel of <i>confessions</i>.
Normally we want to read pictures the same way we read text - left to right. With IC I can force your eye to the left, setting up the German dialogue which in turn guides you back to the beginning. But, as you said, the reader still controls the rate (and direction) of the story.

The transitions between panels are similar to McCloud's idea of closure. When Ryan Estrada released his Z Story, which uses Infinite Canvas, he made a comment about letting the transitions tell the story. He makes a good point.

It may be that these types of stories are really a different monster than traditional comics. But I think enough of the language system persists to still call them comics.

I do.


Not sure how I got on that tangent...

[tymmi]

I put up a new comic.
<a href=http://www.yellowlight.scratchspace.net ... h.html>The Youth</a>
Not much, really. Playing around a bit with animation. I've scripted a number of these shorter ones which I'll release from time to time between more major projects. I hope it brings you some momentary amusement or something.

[Bezman]

I put up a new comic.
<a href=http://www.yellowlight.scratchspace.net ... h.html>The Youth</a>
Not much, really. Playing around a bit with animation. I've scripted a number of these shorter ones which I'll release from time to time between more major projects. I hope it brings you some momentary amusement or something.

I liked it but thought the animation just diverted the eye too much when reading the earlier panels. (I'm specifically talking about the colour-changing bg. Didn't notice the rain until after having read it.)

[tymmi]

I liked it but thought the animation just diverted the eye too much when reading the earlier panels. (I'm specifically talking about the colour-changing bg. Didn't notice the rain until after having read it.)

The "rain" is actually just animated hatching with a slow pulsing effect. I hadn't thought about it as looking like rain but I can see it now that you mention it.

Thanks. I see your point about the animation being distracting. It's meant as a build up to the crazy reaction panel with the animation serving as a reflection of growing tension. Just something I was playing around with. It's interesting. We read comics panel-by-panel but also see them as whole units (pages) at once. The animation can get obtrusive in cases like that. Particularly in a layout like this, where the parts rely so much on the whole. Something to keep in mind for future projects...

I'm glad you liked it, though. I appreciate the feedback.

[tymmi]

It's been a while since I posted anything at my site. I'm trying to ease myself back in to making comics again.

So here's a new one:
SICK

It's a brief semi-autobiographical strip. Originally serialized in slightly different format at my blog.

[tymmi]

I posted another comic yesterday.
(click the banner)
<img src=http://www.yellowlight.scratchspace.net/comics/onenight/onenightbanner.png>

It plays with iconicity and narrative representation a little bit. Other than that it's a pretty straightforward semi-autobio strip. All in vector art.

I hope you like it.

[tymmi]

I have a new comic up as part of Jon Morris' CALAMITY! jam.(Well, actually it's been up for about a week but if you haven't seen it yet it's new to you, right?)

It's called What Happened?

CALAMITY! is a collaborative anthology featuring a bevy (that's right, a whole bevy) of talented cartoonists and their individual takes on the theme of "calamity."

Best yet is that it's an open call and so you can submit something too. Just do a 1 to 3 page comic that somehow fits the theme and email to Jon by July 31st (full submission instruction at the CALAMITY! site).

The more the merrier so work something up, if you have a chance. And enjoy all the great comics up there already.