Writer/ Creator:
Jesse Wolfe
Illustrator:
Camilo Zepeda
As Fall is on the horizon, I’ve found myself stumbling upon a lot of new titles that I have spent the past few days diving into. First up is a unique motion comic by indie comic creator, Jesse Wolfe , called The Elemental Conductors, a motion adaptation of his original comic series. If you are interested in finding out more about the traditional series you can check out his website here, and you can also purchase them here. The story follows a band of ordinary people, who after freak accidents, develop super powers based off the disaster they survived. We follow our main character Joshua who develops electrical powers after a terrible accident with his brother. Just as he discovers his abilities, they realize that they must escape quickly from the mysterious organization that tracked them down. I think that overall, the concept for the story is unique and that’s what fans of the series are drawn to. This series may get a bit lost in all the titles lately, but is definitely worth a look. The art and graphics are eye catching, and as someone who has not read the comics, I am excited to see where the stories will throw the characters next.
I think that part of the appeal of a motion comic for me is that for it to work, the traditional artwork already has to be appealing enough to convert into a motion comic. If you are like me and this is your first dive into the world of motion comics, here is a breakdown. If the viewer was reading the story in a traditional sense, then they would need to rely only on the layout, actions of the characters, and the illustration designs to tell the story, but once these elements are put into a digital moving format, then the reader no longer interprets how the story should be read, it is the job of the creator to tell the story to the fullest. For me the art makes or breaks a story no matter the format, and this definitely lived up to my expectations.
For it to work, the story’s illustrations already need to speak for themselves in the traditional format before making it into a MC, since the basic definition of a motion comic is an adaption and/or interpretation of a 2D comic or 2D illustrations put together to bring motion of pre-existing pages. After the motions are done, the music, voices, and added effects are laced over the graphics to bring it to life. In this case, I think that The Elemental Conductors was a great first introduction to MCs for me, and I think if I would have started anyplace else, I may not have been as fascinated as I am. If the illustrations and work from Camilo Zepeda and Jesse Wolfe (support his Patreon here) had been any different, the series would not work in this format, or traditionally for that matter.
Looking at the story as a whole, I think that the concept is unique enough to draw a pretty large crowd appeal, especially those who are interested in origin stories and independent superhero comics. I think that the character dynamic of two brothers works well with the overall vibe that the story gives off. Since I haven’t had a chance to see the next chapters or read the comic series yet, I think that the first episode sets up readers and viewers to continue coming back. I think that this series has the makings of an indie Fantastic Four (in this case more like the Fantastic 5). I would say that this would definitely be a great recommendation for some geeky teens looking for something new.
The first chapter of the saga is on YouTube now, and you can watch the full episode below. If you are looking to watch the next installment in the digital series, you can find that here. If the motion comic world isn’t your scene, but you still like the story concept and the art, you can find out more information and purchase the next installments here. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, but I always have a lot more fun with comics that support independent artists and creators than I do with the bigger brand names that mass produce. This is a great example of a great series that might fly under the radar, but definitely deserves some spotlight.
The idea of a motion comic may have been new to me, but I think that The Elemental Conductors was a great starting point. The story was a fun origin tale of a few people who were thrown into their superpowers. Since the series is already on paperback, those who aren’t into the motion elements can still enjoy the series. Wolfe and Zepeda did a great job of creating a new superhero universe and built some fascinating characters along the way. If you haven’t already you can check out the trailer here, and the first full episode on YouTube here. I am excited where the story takes everyone next!
