The first animated graphic novel | Hacker News Reader

The first animated graphic novel

bottom-of-the-ninth.com

97 pointsitamarb46 comments

If the author knew that it's not the first animated graphic novel he would have perhaps also realize it's rather a bad idea. Photo-comics, animated comics, interactive comics, CGI comics, comics with sounds - all that has been tried already. All these "enhancements" are just gimmicks that don't expand the medium - on the contrary, they narrow it down to a crippled version of something else.

Just because nobody's done it right yet doesn't mean it can't be done. I'm surprised to see such a sentiment in these parts.

It wasn't until I read The Watchmen that I had found a graphic novel that couldn't have been done better as a movie or television series. Some art lives in its medium, some defines it. This may be a defining piece.

It appears that the animations are flavoring, not complete substance. From the trailer video it appears that only key panels are animated, which makes more sense to me in terms of adding value.

Far from a gimmick, it adds to the kinematic aesthetic; instead of motion lines and blurs, he is able to show us the action directly. Graphic novels and movies (or any filmed narrative) are approached in very similar ways; pacing, lighting, composition -- these are all core aspects of both. Will Eisner touches on this, if memory serves correctly, in the "Eisner/Miller" book.

Of course, all of this is speculation until we see the actual product; but if he approaches it in a manner similar to something like Magical Game Time[1], I believe it will be successful. I, for one, will be purchasing this.

[1] http://magicalgametime.com

To constrain a medium is not to cripple it. Why is making photos look retro so popular? Why do ppl write sonnets? What about the moog?

I think that tablets change the game. On my computer? Not interested. On my iPad? Very interested.

Well, that's not actually the first... Electric Sheep Comix did this 10 years ago: http://www.electricsheepcomix.com/

Also the Art of Pho from last year.... pretty similar concept but more interactive http://artofpho.submarinechannel.com/

Very cool - not sure if this is really the first animated graphic novel though. Some different, but similar things have come before. For example: http://www.cognitocomics.com/operationajax/

Operation Ajax is really fantastic - the fact you can explore around the story (browse through CIA files, photos, etc) really makes it a unique experience.

While beautifully executed, I fear that once the novelty wears off, such a mixed medium will be absorbed back into traditional animation. Why split the story into different frames if one frame can show it all?

Maybe I'm a bit cynical, but to me this doesn't even sound as innovative.

To say it better, I don't think this will enhance the reader's experience, so maybe I see it more as eye candy (a well executed one, no doubt) than something really useful.

You could say the same for graphic novels in general. Why have pictures if text can suffice? Also take a look at Andrew Hussie's online graphic novel Homestuck. It features not only animated (in flash), but also interactive segments. These serve to give better representation to the action than simply explaining all the stuff that happens. Then he goes back to posting large blocks of text with only a static image on top, when exposition and clever word-play is in order.

A artistic medium doesn't need to enhance the reader's experience. It just has to deliver the artist's intent. New art forms do not have to be "better" than previous ones to work. They simply have to work. The usefulness of a medium is actually usually related to the logistics involved (how accessible is the medium, how easily can an artist procure and use this medium, etc etc) rather than anything else.

Perhaps not innovative, but certainly a positive addition to the artistic expression of the medium. Similar to the addition to animation that "3D" CGI brought- they're still cartoons but now there's a new depth at the disposal of the artist.

It sounds attractive to me, I like the idea of separate animated panels. I also think the idea of localized animation, to coin a phrase, could lead to some interesting presentation methods in more traditional books.

One designer can pull it off to make a graphic novel all by himself. But you need a team to make an animated movie.

Ahem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_of_a_Distant_Star#Produc...

and

http://www.livingcels.com/

I just watched the trailer and came straight here to gush all over it with everyone else. It's an interesting idea, looks well impemented, has gorgeous artwork and animation. Amazing!

Then I see all the top comments are people pissing all over it. Does no one have a sense of excitement or wonder anymore?

Maybe I'm wrong but I would have thought brokensaints.com was one of the first animated graphic novels.

At first animated graphic novel sounded like an anime to me. But that concept looks interesting. I am not so sure if it will actually be better. After all, is not an important part of reading a novel, or graphic novel to be immersed in the story and let ones creativity and visualisation flow to make the story a living experience in ones mind? If this supports that, it would be very great! On the other hand if an animated graphic novel would distract from the this, it would be very sad.

I very much like the old touch that it's given and it contrasts great with the new technology.

In the end, if this concept can lure some kids, who'd rather watch an anime than read, to read more. That would be quite an achievement!

Graphic novel is actually the "scholarly" term to refer to any kind of comics. You might be thinking of Visual Novels, though, which is a genre mostly prevalent in Japan and thus very similar to Anime and Manga in style.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_novel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_novel

Thanks for clearing that up. I ment to start with animated graphic novel (fixed now). I didn't even know about Visual novels and the exact meaning of the term graphic novel was also new to me.

When I was a kid we used to read Lucky Luke, Asterix and Obelix and Donald Duck. These days it seems that Magas have taken their spot. There's a pretty large bookstore here: Hugendubel, which provided reading corners; similar to a library, except all books are new. You can often find many kids immersed in Mangas.

To me it's like the following: if you animate a manga you end up with an anime. If you animate a comic you end up with animated cartoon.

But the presented product here is still different. It's like a hybrid of both -- or am I mistaken?

Manga/anime are essentially just cultural designations; they are referring to comics and animated cartoons (respectively) endemic to Japan. Note that "cartoon" here can refer to a long-form animated movie, as well. There are some things that make manga (especially) unique in contrast with comics published elsewhere, however they are predominately stylistic in nature with a dash of difference in publishing and consumption culture.

I actually disagree somewhat with slowpoke; many (including myself) would argue that the term "graphic novel" refers not just to the broad class of all comic books, but to a narrower format. Graphic Novels typically are self-contained works, and are not collected in a series (contrast this with "trade paperbacks" or "collections" that combine several issues of a comic book series into a larger volume or volumes, released serially). Libraries and bookstores however seem to ignore these distinctions and lump any long-format comic under the "graphic novel" designation. /pedantry

From what I've seen of the product in question here (the landing page + the youtube trailer), I wouldn't really consider it a hybrid; I would consider it a graphic novel that has key animated panels to help display motion and setting. The animations aren't completely necessary in the storytelling, but are an added artistic "flavor" if you will.

I actually wouldn't disagree with you on making distinctions. I specifically referred to it as "scholarly" because it's the term that's used to sound more serious. "Comic" sort of carries a negative connotation, it's mostly associated with superhero comics (for comics) or action/comedy aimed at young boys (for manga), and some people don't seem to like this association. So they invented a more serious sounding term so they don't have to call it "comics".

It looks really cool. I wish, however, that the overall ecosystem was easier to create these things cross platform rather than per-corporation. I don't really want three or four different devices so that I can read works on iPhones, Androids, Kindles, etc. In fact I don't even want a device, I already have a browser running on a screen.

The current ecosystem has the feel of the 1990s, when corporate web sites were walled off behind the AOL domain, although I admit that today's walled gardens are much shinier than AOL ever could have been.

This is the most beautiful thing I have seen in a long, long time. Exploiting new technology for newer forms of art, and story telling is super exciting! Definitely going to buy this one.

Thank you for sharing this -- I think while some may quibble about the merits of the headline, what excites me is that slowly the next chapter of comic books/sequential art/manga is coming to life. I've been researching "visual novels" which are a genre of games in Japan which aren't animated, but use anime characters and game design that's very much "choose your own adventure".

By the way if anyone is interested in the possibilities one may want to look at the CD-ROM era at two titles: Spaceship Warlock and Just Grandma and Me

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceship_Warlock

video of Just Grandma and Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9uyxPeY3qY

Might be the first - I don't know. But as a lover of graphic novels, to me, this seems to be a great thing.

I wish all the best, good sales and good feedback to the creator. the new media-consuming-devices give us all the ability, to challenge traditional ways of delivering the message. so it really is nice to see new ways of doing things.

when the printing press first arrived, the letters were cut, to look like handwritten letters, just the way, books used to look all the centuries before. with time, the medium book changed, as more people realized, that the medium had changed and delivered new possibilities.

so let's celebrate the people pushing the frontier, trying new things and showing us coherent ways of using the new mediums.

So is the whole idea that each strip would be animated clips, and storyline would move in smaller clips?

The artwork definitely has a unique aesthetic to it. The level of detail is amazing.

Products like these, Numberlys, and other Mononbot studio products is showing us how media is going to evolve as the mode of consumption evolves. In my opinion this how you kill hollywood, by providing any talented team of individuals the ability to publish great products and reach millions.

I think you could at some levels say that "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" was in this medium (if you have not seen, definitely check out - ipad) although it was somewhat of a game hybrid and not paneled.

I honestly think the story looks great and think that a half hour of entertaining reading/art will easily be worth .99c

another take on experimental "storytelling" is "The Mongoliad" http://mongoliad.com by Neil Stephenson (The Diamond Age) and http://subutai.mn

While it may not be the first animated graphic novel, the baseball animations are amazing. Not awkward or unnatural at all. Very fluid and exciting and so well done that it's not obvious how hard that must have been to get the body movements right.

You probably didn't know Byook:

http://www.byook.com/

If you like this and also like games, try out Imaginary Range on iOS and Android by Square Enix. It's half graphic novel (with animations and transitions, although perhaps not quite like the post) and half game.

Readers who viewed this may also like. . .

http://www.brandongenerator.com

http://darkhorse.geekandsundry.com/

The way it should be.

Hope to see many more like these. Reminds me of the Daily Prophet.

No one here has used the product, so how can you judge whether it was done right/wrong? Art is never black/white

Via the trailer: Incredible graphics and an intriguing storyline. Can't wait to try it out

As a long-time fan of bandes dessinés (Franco-Belgian graphic novel format) this is extremely exciting. This might be the future of the digital form of the medium. I'm pumped.

It looks great but I think I'll wait for an Android version.

Seems like this would be more expensive than it's worth, but it will probably be the future, like adding 3D to movies or pictures to books.

Wondering if each panel has to be tapped to animate, how long to read it all, and what size a Retina download will be.

Does not seem to be available on the App Store in Germany. Could you tell me why?

That looks brilliant! Can't wait to read it! Truly inspiring work

Great work! What other work has the artist done?

Ryan Woodward's YouTube page is http://www.youtube.com/user/RyanWoodwardart. He designed the official Martha Graham Google doodle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsbI1GE4DGA.

He has worked on productions like Space Jam, Powerpuff Girls and Spiderman 3. You can read more about him http://ryanwoodwardart.com/about-2/

This smells like a hit Kickstarter project!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com