Niko and the Sword of Light digital/animated comic book.

fredzilla

The other day I was looking through the iTunes app store and saw this app for Niko and the Sword of Light. It said it was an animated comic book and the first three chapters came free with the initial download. You could purchase the rest of the book for $3.99. I downloaded it and forgot about it until this afternoon when my son comes up to me and says, "Dad, you need to buy the rest of this. I read it and I want to find out the end." As much as I want this kid to pick up reading, he just doesn't; there's too much Minecraft to be played. Anyway, I was ecstatic and purchased it right there. I haven't gotten a chance to actually "read" it yet, but if my 8 year-old non-reader picks it up, it's probably good. Plus, I like the whole concept around it. I don't think this will "change the face of comics as we know it," but it's a great use of technology as it pertains to the electronic devices we use. A twist on comiXology's Guided View books. Here's a trailer:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/74818297

Apparently it started as a Kickstarter project. I'd love to see more of these. What do you think? It's available for iOS and Google Play (Windows and Kindle coming soon!)

Here's a couple more videos that show what the actual experience is like:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/73878725

nweathington

Just going by the samples here, it seems “cartoon with subtitles” is a more accurate description than “animated comic book.” It looks like the caption boxes are the only part of the story you actually need to read. All the dialogue is spoken, making the word balloon text unnecessary, and a lot of the toad’s dialogue didn't have any accompanying text at all.

I'm glad your son likes it, and it does look cool—great monster designs. Something is better than nothing for sure, but I hope the app requires a bit more reading interaction than this small selection of clips indicates. Let us know when you have a chance to watch/read it yourself. And I'd be interested to know if this leads your son to read other things.

John_Steed

It's way more passive than actually reading a comic. Doesn't take much brain power. Perfect for lazy consumers.

fredzilla

You guys forgot, "...and get off my lawn!" ;)

John_Steed

:D

nweathington

fredzilla said:

You guys forgot, "...and get off my lawn!" ;)

I get that you're joking here, but my comments have nothing to do with age or nostalgia. And I don’t necessarily think this type of storytelling is for “lazy consumers.” It’s more passive, yes, but I think a lot depends on how engaged the viewer is with the story. It’s all in how you approach it.

No, my concern is echoing your own concern that your son has no interest in reading. I believe reading at a young age is critical in developing good communication skills as an adult. Good communication skills have always been important in building a successful career, but as globalization becomes more and more prevalent in our lives, communication becomes more and more important. So I'm applauding your efforts, and I'm hopeful your son takes to this story and perhaps becomes interested in something a little more text-centric down the road.

Maybe this will be a stepping stone, but my sense is that it’s more likely that it won't be. That’s all I’m trying to say. That’s why I asked for an update once you’ve both had the chance to take in the whole story.