OK, I posted this over at comiccon.com under one of thier headings about using Macromedia Flash to make webcomics:
Well Ive been reading this thread and I realize there a hell of a lot more people doing Flash comics than I had realized. Merlin's stuff is really great, anything he does is gold really.
But I do have a question. What constitutes as groundbreaking webcomics? I mean I know if ya scan it and post it technically its a webcomic, but if I may go back to Scott McCloud's Book RC it seemed to me that just isn't enough to be considered groundbreaking or perhaps even webcomics in his eyes. Of course this definition does vary with each person I discuss this with, but Scott being a foremost authority on comics in general, might be able to shed more light on this definition.
Now this brings me to my idea of groundbreaking webcomics. I beleive a true webcomic, one that takes full advantage of things only the web can offer, is one that is interactive and makes the reader feel he/she are a partcipating member of the cast/story.
Today we have a technology unlike any before it. The internet allows a level of interactivity in one place you cant find in any other technology. You have text, video, graphics, mail, live chat, sound, animation, graphical story telling as well as textual story telling and much more all in one medium that we as creators can utilize to bring our stories to life. The method in which one "codes" these elements into their comics vary, but one thing is very very clear. Flash is the future of not ony web comics, but web design in general. Just as new technological advances in the television forced many to "upgrade" to bigger and better sets so is the technology of design on the internet and the day will come that broadband is a norm for the world on the web and those of us willing to embrace that fact and the tools that will be common place in creating content for the broadband user will be the ones running ahead of the rest.
Im working on a webcomic right now that I hope will do just that, bring the reader into the story. You can watch the teaser trailer here:
http://members.aol.com/svbtitan/episodeone/info.html
I haven't posted it up on my site at
www.gutterflycomix.com in this version yet so you guys are getting first peeks.
If ya want to read what I have done so far on the comic go here:
http://members.aol.com/svbtitan/greenpa ... comix.html
What you see there is vital to the story I am working on even though no "paneled" work is up yet, but it will be very soon and yes I will be doing it in flash, but it will stay very interactive not just a sit and watch type of story.
Now that I have rambled longer than anyone cared to listen Im sure ill leave you with this. The future of webcomics belongs to us. Right here and now is where we begin to make the outline for the ones who come after us, so make it good and maybe some day some one will thank us for it.
This for the moment, because the more I see and the more people I talk to my opinion on what a webcomic is changes alot, is what I really consider a webcomic. But im sure tomorrow ill change my mind
Thanks guys,