Reimagining or redefining the comic book can be a tough thing. Going from paper to digital was already such a huge step for the medium, one would think that was its final frontier. Turns out, there is still room for innovation in the comic book space, and Visionbooks has done this with Motion Comics. I recently got a chance to check out and learn a little more about Visionbooks and their new iPhone app, which will deliver new motion comics monthly.
At this time, Visionbooks has signed on multiple publishers that will be releasing a steady stream of comics, such as Asylum Press, Arcana, Real Interface Studios, Vanquish Interactive, and Cavalletto. For example, Arcana's Kade: The Original Sun and Steam Engines of Oz are available in paperback, but are also reworked into the Visionbooks app, complete with motion graphics.
How these motion comics work is that each panel in the comic will have some slight movement or motion, really adding a sort of kinetic feel to each scene. It's certainly not fully animated, that's what TV shows are for after all, but now you you'll get a better sense of the action, like when a hero flys up into the air, or someone slices off the head of a zombie.
This picture won't do these panels justice, until you see them in motion
It's a little tough to explain in words, and you won't really get a good sense of how it looks until you see it for yourself. The best way to experience it is to just download the app and go through some of the comics available. However, if you have an Android device, you'll have to wait just a bit longer, as right now it's only available on iOS devices. In that case, check out this video, which shows off Asylum Press' Zombie Terrors #1.
Of course, the best part of Visionbooks at the moment is its cost of entry, which is completely free. Not only is the app completely free to download, the comics that are available won't cost you a thing. I've been told that this is currently the case in order to help establish Visionbooks' name, and help spread the word about motion comics. What better way to let everyone get a glimpse at the future of comics than by letting them do it completely free.
I even made it easy for you and included the link to the iTunes app right here. Go check it out, seriously, it's awesome.
