Revisited: Motion Comics

    Every now and then I run into motion comics, an amalgamation of abbreviated animation sequences arranged in separate panels like conventional comic books. It's like reading a comic that has ADHD, kinda. Because of their slightly animated nature they cannot be printed, only watched on television or on a computer. Unless you enjoy the tactile quality of printed paper, this shouldn't be much of a detriment. They are often the choice medium when converting a written story to visual format. Which may account for the myopic nature of the comic, but that still doesn't answer for motion comics that are not based on any prior work.

    A good friend of mine, Craig Smith, and I discussed motion comics as an independent medium worthy of calling itself a comic. I sent him a link to a particular example of motion comics at work entitled: "Halo: The Mona Lisa." About an hour in length, I felt that this was the epitome of what a motion comic aims to be. In our discussion, he mentioned that apart from lip-syncing, it was essentially a fully animated piece. At a glance, that's devastating, because why would you want something that is partially animated? He also mentioned that one of the great things about conventional comics is that you participate in the narrative by visualizing what goes on between panels, thus creating an experience of your own. In motion comics, however, this is done for you thereby eliminating that personal involvement. 

    I agree with everything Craig said. This specific style of storytelling is far too simplistic to create a lasting impression. All it can amount to is being a curious supplement.