LINK: Article about the future of comics

[Greg Stephens]

Found here: http://www.ninthart.com/display.php?article=240

Mostly concerned with print-style comics and of the opinion that Crossgen's UI is the way to go for webcomics.

Personally, I think that webcomics will evolve in a way that is separate from print comics, which means the Crossgen-style UI will appear quite quaint.

[Alexander D.]

I agree that the current Crossgen interface will eventually seem quaint, but for the time being, it's actually pretty effective -- especially when you consider that the real goal here was to adapt existing print comics for Web delivery, not to create comics native to the Web. That imposes definite limitations, which they dealt with well enough to create a surprisingly smooth reading experience.

[Bob Stevenson]

A few very small pieces of the Crossgen interface interest me. The growing word baloons seem useful at first glance but comics on the web have lots of solutions for space issues. I'll keep it in my hip pocket but I don't plan to use it too often. It became annoying two pages into the story.

I also think they've sacrificed far too much line and color in their quest for speed and they've wasted far too much K on the interface. In print and on the web, I want to see the artist's line, not mysterious pieces of glowing clutter.

I like their use of the whole screen. Are they doing it with flash? It would be nice to combine the whole screen with scrolling in all directions - almost a blank canvas?

Finally, I disagree with Nick Locking. I'm still looking forward to wandering around the universe and I'm not a big fan of DVD's - Like Crossgen's interface, there's still too much glitter and Hollywood and not enough substance on most of them.

I did like the clickthrough page someone posted a few days ago. That was more my speed.

I guess the beauty and curse of interface issues is that there probably never will be a web-comic standard. Personally, I like that. It's what'll make sure the medium doesn't go the way of the pulp mag - though in some ways I guess web-comics are the 'way of the pulp mag.'

Bob Stevenson
Journeyintohistory.com

[catgarza]

it's just like mainstream comics to use little catchphrases in their promotion like "the future of comics". i'm sorry, but this is all about PRODUCT, ladies and gentlemen. not about telling a good story. and there's really no way anyone can convince me that a story involving ppl in tights can EVER have literary merit. at least not from CROSSGEN. sorry.

my 2 cents.

[catgarza]

now if someone could convince someone like Frank Miller or Alan Moore to do a stooperhero online comic, THEN you might have something cooking! or Neil Gaiman! or or... ah, i'm just not enuff of a fanboy to really have a list. i was sitting next to the guy that did wonder woman at sandy eggo a couple years ago and didn't even know/care. not that he wasn't a nice guy!!

[J. W. Cornelius]

I've been looking for a good online superhero comic (heck , ANY online superhero comic, they're hard to find). But, I would imagine, if comics have a future with the internet, the best vehicles will be the type of comics the average internet geek would pick up at the comic shop. How long till DC or Marvel makes news by putting out a web version of one of their titles? Prob. once it's all been figured out already.

[Alexander D.]

It became annoying two pages into the story.

Funny, I found it to be the exact opposite -- at first I thought it was annoying, but once I was a couple of pages in, and was more accustomed to using it, it didn't bother me.

[Alexander D.]

it's just like mainstream comics to use little catchphrases in their promotion like "the future of comics". i'm sorry, but this is all about PRODUCT, ladies and gentlemen. not about telling a good story. and there's really no way anyone can convince me that a story involving ppl in tights can EVER have literary merit. at least not from CROSSGEN. sorry.

my 2 cents.

I can't disagree with your comments, but I think the point of interest here was supposed to be the technology, not the content. The story (at least the one issue of whichever comic it was that I read) was bland and unoriginal -- there isn't too much question of that. But was the interface itself worthwhile? If Alan Moore released a Web comic, would it be beneficial or detrimental to use the Crossgen style of interface?

Personally, while I thought the interface worked just fine for what I read, and would also work well with most Marvel books, I have a really hard time believing that Watchmen would be complimented by it. On the other hand, it might work for something more like Top Ten.

And just try to picture a Will Eisner book using this interface -- ridiculous!

My point, of course, is that the inteface is a good solution -- for some books, but clearly not all. Then again, I don't think the point is to find a "one size fits all" anyway.

[Greg Stephens]

And just try to picture a Will Eisner book using this interface -- ridiculous!

My point, of course, is that the inteface is a good solution -- for some books, but clearly not all. Then again, I don't think the point is to find a "one size fits all" anyway.

And here I think you've hit the nail squarely on the head.