make fancy comics!

April 14, 2005 12:49 PM

Plasq, a software collectivewho have been responsible for a great number of free and inexpensive audio tools for OSX (the musolomo realtime software looper being very worthy of note) have created Comic Life, a really smooth application that allows anyone with a camera or some drawing skill to create very high quality comics (I am creating one featuring my kid right now.) This is one of those programs that has to be used to be believed. Humbly submitted as software and developers that are best of the web. (via macintouch.)
posted by n9 (18 comments total)

I need a Powerbook, stat.
posted by crankydoodle at 12:53 PM on April 14, 2005

Sigh.

A friend and I have been working on a project for about a year now... a full-length graphic novel done in a similar visual style. There's not a lot of content out there with this 'look' at the moment, and most of the work we've put into it has been the writing, casting, building of sets and props, and so on.

Kind of disheartening that this app will flood the 'market' with lookalike comics in just a few weeks. Ah, well. Eventually, everything is automated.
posted by verb at 12:57 PM on April 14, 2005

This is very cool! I've often wondered about an app that does this and now I know it can be done! I'm going to have some fun playing with this next week while I'm on vacation.

verb, bummer! At least the next project will be alot faster!
posted by fenriq at 1:00 PM on April 14, 2005

This looks really cool, they got the comic layout style down really well.
posted by mathowie at 1:08 PM on April 14, 2005

a non-member noted that he started a flickr tag for comic life works here.
posted by n9 at 1:10 PM on April 14, 2005

verb:

The world is full of people going "man, I was working on that, and now my idea.... ruined!" Just make a better one, is what I suggest.
posted by jscott at 1:33 PM on April 14, 2005

"everyone with a camera or some drawing skill"...

...and a mac

Yes, I'm jealous.
posted by TuxHeDoh at 1:43 PM on April 14, 2005

I think I'm having chest pains of jealousy. Someone needs to come up with something like this for windows.

Like now.

Either that or someone give me a mac mini or powerbook or something.

Now I need to go breathe into a paper bag.
posted by willmize at 1:53 PM on April 14, 2005

Doesn't run. Does that thing need Panther? I can't find any system requirements anywhere.
posted by furiousthought at 2:23 PM on April 14, 2005

verb:

The cream rises to the top. Custom sets? Props?

I think you have little to worry about. It's kind of like those places that will sell you a logo for $20 - they're not going to be putting Interbrand or Landor out of business...
posted by ImJustRick at 2:45 PM on April 14, 2005

my first attempt this morning was pretty fun. I think I might have to buy the software.

http://zeuscomics.blogspot.com/2005/04/comic-life-mac-software-attempt-number.html
posted by amboy00 at 2:47 PM on April 14, 2005

The cream rises to the top. Custom sets? Props?

I think you have little to worry about. It's kind of like those places that will sell you a logo for $20 - they're not going to be putting Interbrand or Landor out of business...

Yeah -- I'm not to worried about it, since the 'look' of the art that we're doing is only a small component of the stuff we're doing. We put together a twenty-page demo of the art style about a year ago when we had some free time, but we've spent our time since then on the writing and casting.

The momentary, 'Aw, man! Bummer!' reaction to this announcement was short lived. Like desktop publishing software, it will lower the barrier of entry and (hopefully) allow really good WRITERS to get in on the webcomic act. That's what I think the medium is really lacking.
posted by verb at 2:53 PM on April 14, 2005

comment from plasq developer: Yes Panther is required.

The product page has been updated to show this.
posted by n9 at 2:54 PM on April 14, 2005

WHOOO - HOOO ... this is nice.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:10 PM on April 14, 2005

Verb, I like what you're doing a lot. Keep at it.
posted by runkelfinker at 5:15 PM on April 14, 2005

Thanks for the link to Plasq- some of those Apple Audio Units are sweet.
posted by eustacescrubb at 5:45 PM on April 14, 2005

Wow, this has a lot of potential.

My attempt

I need to take more photos at parties
posted by Tlogmer at 8:55 PM on April 14, 2005

Great link.
posted by mrblondemang at 9:06 PM on April 14, 2005