SVG-Whiz!
Comics Console
I bit the bullet and bought a new domain, SVG-Whiz.com, to host all-SVG comics. In addition to serving as a Web host and community site, I'm making some tools to help people in the creation of SVG comics. I have some really exciting ideas. I'll be in development for a month or two, after which I'll be opening the site to the public.
I came up with some ideas on the tools we would provide. I call it the SVG-Whiz! Comics Console. It would include:
Comics Canvas
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insert any image, including an SVG image, into a background
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upload a raster (bitmap, JPEG, PNG) image to place in the background and trace over it using a freehand pen, a line, a basic shape (circle, ellipse, rectangle, etc.), or a special curve tool for cubic or quadratic Bézier curves
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grab any object and 'transform' it -- move it, rotate it, scale it larger or smaller, or reverse it
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change the stroke of fill color of an object, or apply a gradient pattern, etc., from the Definition Library
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using a grouping rectangle, surround a bunch or objects and group them with a label or fuse them into a single path (if fusing, all basic shapes are converted into paths, and all transformed objects are rewritten on the standard graphing system)
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insert formatted sound-effect text (maybe even link it to a sound file)
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toggle a reference grid (and later, set the line spacing) with x and y tracking
Definition Library
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define shapes, symbols, patterns, textures, filters, gradients, and textpaths to be used in your SVG
Animation Station
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make simple timed animations in regards to size, location, color, opacity, etc.
Storyboard
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lay out frames using basic shapes or polygons
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lay out trails using simple lines or Bézier curves
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insert stick figures into frames, selecting from a library of positions (punching, running, falling, etc.), or using a Stickman model with handles to customize positions)
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scale figures within frames
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select a face for the stick figures (by double-clicking or right clicking) with different expressions (angry, sad, frightened, happy, or custom drawn)
Bubble Factory
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type in text, selecting font, size, color, margins, etc.
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apply qualities to any given letter or group of letters, changing the font, style, position, etc.
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automagically surround text with a text balloon
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select balloon style (normal, thought, whisper, electro, narrative)
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wrap multiple paragraphs in different connected bubbles
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choose anchor and origin point for voice arrow
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Make and use your own SVGFonts by drawing the shapes of letters using the graphics editor
I may be exaggerating, but I think that with these tools --which will make it easier for me to make comics-- could revolutionize Web comics. Now, there's no way of preventing bootlegs of these tools from circulating, so I may ask for donations, or rely on the honesty of the comic creators I'm hosting to help support the site. I figure we could charge around $5-15/month to serve as a host, tool and demo supplier, and community (message boards and all that). That would cover expenses, and give just a bit more to for my trouble. If the site gets enough people, we could even cover a more expensive account.
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