New Muppet Motion Comics Preview

[beaker]

Usually "motion comics" seem rather lackluster(ie: DC's efforts on dvd) and not very animated.

But correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the new Muppet Motion Comics seem closer to actual animated cartoons than merely being on a "Reading Rainbow" level of book "animation"?

Check out the preview here:
http://www.amazon.com/b?node=2441066011

I loved the Muppet animated segments in Little Muppet Monsters, and always dreamed of the day we would see modern Muppet cartoons

 

[Drtooth]

Mmmmm.... not sure how I feel about motion comics. Even though these look good enough, I dunno...

Somehow if Roger worked out new comic shorts for them, exclusive ones, there would be more reason for me to wanna get into these. I don't really think it adds all that much more to reading the comics myself.

Though I DO love how we're getting the Muppeteers to do the voices.

As for an actual animated Muppet series... I'd actually dig that if they did it in a traditional digital sense. I'm sick of seeing the flat internet style animation using various products like After effects with character stock poses that never vary, making them in cases look emotionless. I want to see these internet animating tools give us the shortcuts that make fuller more real animation easier than cel animation, but not motion tweening everything, giving them a stiff quality. I've seen some beautiful internet cartoons where the characters actually MOVE with a more fluid animation style.

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

Stylistically, I don't think "motion comics" are really for me. But whatever. More Muppet presence is always a good thing, especially leading up the movie.

 

[Erine81981]

I thought at first it was going to be like voice overs but no motion to the comics but when i saw it i really enjoyed it. I would love to see a Tv series of the Muppet Show done in old style animation but this'll do till then. Can't wait!

 

[beaker]

Mmmmm.... not sure how I feel about motion comics. Even though these look good enough, I dunno...

Somehow if Roger worked out new comic shorts for them, exclusive ones, there would be more reason for me to wanna get into these. I don't really think it adds all that much more to reading the comics myself.

Though I DO love how we're getting the Muppeteers to do the voices.

As for an actual animated Muppet series... I'd actually dig that if they did it in a traditional digital sense. I'm sick of seeing the flat internet style animation using various products like After effects with character stock poses that never vary, making them in cases look emotionless. I want to see these internet animating tools give us the shortcuts that make fuller more real animation easier than cel animation, but not motion tweening everything, giving them a stiff quality. I've seen some beautiful internet cartoons where the characters actually MOVE with a more fluid animation style.

Yeah sadly the bone rigging super cheap "flash" look of modern cartoons has become quite ubiquitous on tv; and I long for the days of 80's and 90's cartoons(as much as they may now look a bit dated) I just meant, I was surprised to see these things actually animated than most motion comics.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah sadly the bone rigging super cheap "flash" look of modern cartoons has become quite ubiquitous on tv; and I long for the days of 80's and 90's cartoons(as much as they may now look a bit dated) I just meant, I was surprised to see these things actually animated than most motion comics.

That stuff should be a TOOL to animate easier. Not a way to have stock poses and stock expressions and motion tween things instead of giving them more realistic movement. I dug when Mucha Lucha came out and it was the only one (also managed to do it RIGHT), but now everyone does it, everything looks like that, and everything looks flat.

Why, oh why can't more of these computer generated 2-D shows take cues from Foster's Home and The Mr. Men Show? They do absolutely beautiful things with it. Heck, even Martha Speaks and Spliced manage to still look fully animated at some points. But how come internet cartoons keep getting more and more complex and fluid, and TV cartoons using the same technology keep looking so dodgey?

 

[matleo]

Recently I saw the motion comic that Marvel did of the first arc for Ast. X-men and really enjoyed it. then again, that was the comic book that got me reading comics again. As a fun thing to find and watch on the interent it was kinda cool, but I couldn't imagine buyin an actual DVD of it and watching it.

I'd need to see an entire episode of this to really judge it but I am glad they are using Steve, Dave, et al. It'll be interesting to see who they find for various 'ghosts of Muppets past" (Hilda, Mildred, Fleet Scribbler, etc. ) which we know Langridge likes to use.

just the same. I would really like to see this done with puppets rather than animated. I have always felt that the animated Fraggle Rock was one of the worst things jim ever produced and (while I know this isn't the popular opinion) have always felt Muppet babies was kind of a cancer on the muppet franchise. Albeit, a well produced and mildly entertaining cancer, but a cancer nonetheless.

 

[beaker]

Recently I saw the motion comic that Marvel did of the first arc for Ast. X-men and really enjoyed it. then again, that was the comic book that got me reading comics again. As a fun thing to find and watch on the interent it was kinda cool, but I couldn't imagine buyin an actual DVD of it and watching it.

I'd need to see an entire episode of this to really judge it but I am glad they are using Steve, Dave, et al. It'll be interesting to see who they find for various 'ghosts of Muppets past" (Hilda, Mildred, Fleet Scribbler, etc. ) which we know Langridge likes to use.

just the same. I would really like to see this done with puppets rather than animated. I have always felt that the animated Fraggle Rock was one of the worst things jim ever produced and (while I know this isn't the popular opinion) have always felt Muppet babies was kind of a cancer on the muppet franchise. Albeit, a well produced and mildly entertaining cancer, but a cancer nonetheless.

What do you feel about the idea of cgi animated Muppets?
We first saw it with Waldo of course, and now used extensively on Henson projects with digital puppetry. And while I absolutely *love* Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock animated Im sure we both could agree cgi muppets wouldn't be very good. At one point, a Muppet Babies cgi show was planned...and I think there's a Doozer cgi kid's show in the works.

 

[frogboy4]

Recently I saw the motion comic that Marvel did of the first arc for Ast. X-men and really enjoyed it. then again, that was the comic book that got me reading comics again. As a fun thing to find and watch on the interent it was kinda cool, but I couldn't imagine buyin an actual DVD of it and watching it.

I'd need to see an entire episode of this to really judge it but I am glad they are using Steve, Dave, et al. It'll be interesting to see who they find for various 'ghosts of Muppets past" (Hilda, Mildred, Fleet Scribbler, etc. ) which we know Langridge likes to use.

just the same. I would really like to see this done with puppets rather than animated. I have always felt that the animated Fraggle Rock was one of the worst things jim ever produced and (while I know this isn't the popular opinion) have always felt Muppet babies was kind of a cancer on the muppet franchise. Albeit, a well produced and mildly entertaining cancer, but a cancer nonetheless.

I agree with you about the Babies, but always get flamed for it. When I talk about the Muppets to anyone 25 or younger they think of the Babies first and some start humming the themesong. It makes me sad. The animation and character performances don't have the grace and nuance of the Muppet puppets - the very reason that I love them. The Fraggle Rock is a lot more interesting now having watched the series on DVD, but there were so many lost opportunities in quality.

What I like about the motion comics is that they appear to be web-based. At least I hope so. It's a different animal altogether and they've gotten the original Muppet artists to lend their voices! I support this idea as an inexpensive way to advertise the comics and the other wonderful real Muppety things to come soon!

By the way...Disney people...please don't make this an itunes/apple only exclusive.

 

[dwayne1115]

I think this has a lot of good things to come from it. If they do the Muppet Show Family Reuion Comics we may get a voice for an adult Skeeter.