In the past decade or two, video games have grown more and more sophisticated, in terms of graphics as well as story. 3D environments can be explored there, and with VR even more immersive experiences can be had. At the moment, comic shops are struggling, and the future of movie theaters is somewhat uncertain.
Comics distribution has obviously changed radically since the ascension of the Internet. This is a positive in most ways I can think of. As far as content, the mechanics are a bit different, clicking or scrolling through stories rather than turning physical pages. Many webcomics have a similar appearance to physical comics, while some use the endless canvas or even more unusual ways to progress through a story. They can have music, multiple story paths to choose from, etc.
In the future things will continue to change and advance in ways we can't fully predict. Will we expand into more immersive environments, like programmed sounds, smells and physical touch through virtual reality technology? This kind of thing exists already.
Imagine comics that read your eye movements and move to the next page automatically, or zoom in to things that are plot-important. Or plots that speed up or slow down after reading your level of boredom or confusion. Or footnotes/explanations that pop up to give relevant background info or reminders about relevant details.
Personally I think there will always be a place for more traditional styles of comics - 2d drawn images experienced (on paper or screen) offers its own kind of easy pleasure. A little distance from fiction can be a more comfortable way to experience it. But I could be completely wrong. Maybe the people of the future will find that unsatisfying and a primitive way to experience stories.
Maybe one day, a full on Holodeck, in the style of Star Trek TNG or the Danger Room from the X-Men comics, will be available to everyone. You'd be able to play out a role in any genre you want, with endlessly modifiable details and levels of challenge or realism.
What do you imagine the comics of the future might be?
What Will Comics Be in the Future?
Banes at 12:00AM, May 6, 2021
7 likes!
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hushicho at 11:33PM, May 6, 2021
Comics will be comics, just like they've always been. You add bells and whistles and you still have comics at the foundation. Just because Flash animation became big and accessible didn't mean that everyone went to that, but it did put a new tool for art into the hands of people who resonated with it. I believe we'll have a broader variety of ways to tell a story visually, but the foundations will probably be the same throughout humanity.
plymayer at 8:49PM, May 6, 2021
When asked about online comics Stan Lee said (paraphasing) that they were fine but just like a woman it's always nice to have a real one in your hand. Kind of struck me as a bit risqué for him but accurate.
Furwerk studio at 8:12PM, May 6, 2021
My honest opinion is comics, while engaging in elements of infinite canvas with things like branching paths, animations, hyperlinks and so on, a vast majority of them is going to be like their printed ancestor because it is kind of like books and movies, they had a lot of technological gimmicks (William Castle's The Tingler and his 13 ghosts for movies, several books that had spring loaded "surprises" and so on) that tend to be less "immersive" as their creators and/or their audience believed and was just a barriers to over come. Upside with printing tech any artists can become their own personal Jeff Smith.
Jason Moon at 7:54AM, May 6, 2021
Physical copy that you can touch and flip through the pages. I'm not as impressed with a digital release that is only viewed on a computer and that you scroll through. It isn't as enjoyable to read for me. I also personally believe there will always be a large outlet for traditional hand made art/comics*
Hapoppo at 6:23AM, May 6, 2021
Look at what's already possible in comics: animations in the panels, randomly-selected panels, choose-your-own path, adding sound or just making it a "motion" comic on YouTube... the only change that really seems to have stuck, at least for now, is the scrolling format. As they are, comics are a fairly streamlined way of telling your own visual stories without having to have a huge budget for things like voice cast, special effects, etc. I do think once VR and AR evolve enough we might see another change, but it'll probably be something small, like being able to pick up a physical representation of your comic and read it in your own custom comic shop -which believe me, I wouldn't complain about, that'd be pretty awesome! MAYBE true 3D panels for anyone who wants to muck around with that sorta thing... it would be kinda fun to have the action sequences for PynkFL literally pop out at the user...
Corruption at 4:38AM, May 6, 2021
There is much potential on the tech side: 3d VR, interactive stries where you are given option for different routes, CYOA and able to createside paths among much more. The porn comics would certainly get a gotof visitors. But despite all this I fear. My fear is of something tech can't destroy, but only empower even as it empowers ourselves. It is horror that already plauges the printed comics, film, TV and printed novel, and music worlds. It is a horror that will seek out the webcomics and destroy what people create out of joy and to have fun. I speak ofthe dreaded . . . . SJWs. I believe that these minions of brainless self-rightousness will seek out all they can object to and destroy all that does not conform to their ideals, and webcomics may be easy pickings without large legal protections. Only the fact that they are not considered mainstream enough has allowed us to avoid their notice so far, but when search makes it easier for them . . . . You get the idea.
kawaiidaigakusei at 1:54AM, May 6, 2021
We are the Comics of the Future. <3
jerrie at 12:30AM, May 6, 2021
for me, I will always enjoy holding a comic book in my hands, and flipping threw the pages
bravo1102 at 12:21AM, May 6, 2021
Bride of Chaotica! ST:Voy. I have a feeling there will always be a "retro" movement that will love the feel of the paper or simple scrolling through pages that don't do anything. They said books would die with film and TV. Yhere was a flutter but it came back.