Motion Comics. Gimmick or new wave?

[SonOfArathorn]

Thought about making this a poll but I still see far too many around and so decided to just let this be a discussion. Watched all of the Watchmen motion comic stuff and tales of the black freighter and came away supremely impressed top quality work by WB on both.
I for one would love them to do more of these, there are tons of comics I would like to read but just don't really want to sit and read them. Being able to watch them as moving storyboards is a great way to do it.

What do you all think?

Are there more on the way? If so which?

What would you like to see in this format?

[EricJ]

Gimmick:
Yes, Warner Audio, we understood there may have been certain visual-format difficulties in merchandising Alan Moore's "Watchmen" for the audiobook crowd, but that doesn't mean we've suddenly hit on some gold mine and want to replace all our Peanuts specials with Flash animation.
Save the right tool for the right job.

(And don't give us that "Bill Melendez is dead" excuse, either. )

[STARSCREAM]

I think it's cool. On Wanted blu-ray in the special features it has some of the comic in motion form.

[Kryptonic]

I loved the Watchmen motion comic. But that's the only one I've seen although I don't have a problem with doing this in the future if they're as well done as Watchmen.

[JunkBoy]

The 1st one I saw was on the Increduble Hulk BD and I was impressed! If one company should take advantage of this it should be Marvel! I'd probably buy all their motion comics!

[P@t_Mtl]

Gimmick for me. I need a book in my hand in order to enjoy the reading. I do not like audiobooks, I don't like these new digital book players. I will always need a book in my hands.

[iori]

It's cool, the only thing that sucked about the watchmen one was that they used the same guy for every voice.

[jasonicus]

It is a gimmick, for now. But Watchmen was fantastically done, so I wouldn't mind seeing more of them.

[CaptainYoda]

Stan Lee is doing one with Disney called Time Jumper. Although it sounds more like a download than a Blu-ray. But it could eventually be collected to Blu after the series is done.

[Rizor]

I liked the work done on Watchmen aside from the one guy doing all the voices. The coolest thing was seeing the artwork in 1080p.

[EricJ]

So, basically, either
A) nobody's seen any of the others besides Watchmen, or
B) the other ones people have seen have been disk bonus-extras for comic-related movies.

...Are we taking notes, Warner marketing?

(And I know what you mean:
The original SD release of "Krull" included the original 80's Marvel comic adaptation, panned over with dialogue from the original movie.
It was a moment of sheer retro geek-love to benefit the movie, and illustrate the image of a comic we remembered...Do I want to see an entire DISK of it? No.)

[raskal66]

Gimmick as a standalone release. The graphic novel is cheaper, and your imagination will improve by leaps an bounds any cringe inducing voice acting.

Cool as a special feature on the movie disc. It adds to a film's depth and to a fan's experience. In Wanted, it told the original published version of the story . In Southland Tales, it gives the first half of the narrative while the film is the second half.

[paperthrower2000]

I think they are pretty cool.

[SpaceDog]

I like the idea, but I'm much more likely to hold off and get it as part of a set. I sort of expected it'd show up in the Ultimate Watchmen set, so I'm glad I waited.

I do agree that if they want it to be profitable, they need to hire more voice actors.

[kdn1221]

Gimmick:
I think it's a backhanded double-dip. Motion comics should be included as a special feature for the movie. Otherwise, the static comic panels can be shown an insets in the movie so that the fan can see the similarity between to the comic and the finished scene. The can be a feature that is turn on and off just like commentaries if you want to see the comparison while viewing the movie.

This would be good as a feature for the Ultimate Collector's Set of Watchmen.

For movies like Iron Man, Spider-Man, etc. It would be cool to see the iconic comic panels that the signature shots are based on shown (Iron Man ground pound, Spider-Man mid-swing poses, etc.). It a good nod to the fans.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by kdn1221

Gimmick:
I think it's a backhanded double-dip. Motion comics should be included as a special feature for the movie.

Keep in mind, Warner Audiobooks only started the MC because of Watchmen--
And then Warner TV only marketed Watchmen because they'd suddenly developed a new interest in targeted iTunes Store marketing (please, gods, END that "Friends on iTunes" ad on Hulu.com! ), and thought that iPod-serializing a 13-chapter soft-copy series on MP4 Flash-animation download, at iTunes Store and the usual digital suspects, would be one way of getting some movie tie-in money through their TV season-pass downloaders.

In other words, they weren't even THINKING of a disk until it'd become a hit with the download crowd, and then, why pass up the promotional marketing?
(Especially as their Warner Premiere DTV disk label now seems to have devolved into ancillary current-movie pre/simultaneous promotional tie-in, qv. "Bruce & Lloyd Out of Control".)
If people here think they actually intended MC's to be a new disk industry, that's even more off the point than Warner now seeming to think that.

[SonOfArathorn]

I think it's gimmicky, but done right, with special features that are substantial and maybe even commentaries it could be a sweet medium. I'd like to see more for sure.
I didn't know it'd be out in the watchmen ultimate set or I too would have waited, not mad though, glad I have them.

[Penitus]

gimmick

[BRu-LAy]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the old marvel motion comics they used to have on tv.