Madefire was a digital comics app featuring the uniqueness of motion comics on phones. Until this point, motion comics aren’t in too much utilization. This service arguably does it better than the bigger companies’ attempts. To keep itself going, the app also sells static comics for readers’ enjoyment. At one point, it’s sharing space as one of the better comic reading apps. Everything looks great with deals and profits in the millions. Unfortunately, this all ends when plans to go forward and competition start to eat up the app’s lifespan.
Motion Comics Aren’t Just Cheap Animation!
The field of motion comics is a division to say the least. When Marvel and DC make use of it, it’s little more than voiced still images on a video. To the audiences this looks more like cheaper and less immersive animation. Replacing some scenes with CGI like in Iron Man: Extremis will certainly do that, even if it does fit thematically with that story. So what does Madefire do to make it more like comics and less like a YouTube video?
The Madefire Motion Book Publisher
Madefire distinguishes itself by keeping the animations simple in its Motion Book Publisher. Through its app and partnership with DeviantArt, artists put interactivity first. Instead of animations playing automatically, the UI design allows users’ actions to drive the story forward. If you see an arrow, just one touch can drive the story forward. Also instead of voice acting, there are still word balloons and captions at play. Meaning the reader remains the one in control of the pace instead of a video. So distinct from what comes before, the company CEO Ben Wolstenholme prefers to call this medium Motion Books.
One of the company’s main successes comes from Mono. This series about an ape-man hybrid made in conjunction with Microsoft stands as the pinnacle of this medium’s potential. In just a chapter opening, touch the screen to move around the pillar can fill the reader with suspense. Because while they can control what happens in that moment, they can only imagine what will happen going forward. So notable is this series and experience, it all but pushes Madefire into new territories. But we’ll have to come back to this.
Never Neglect Your Audience
Now, Madefire as a comic publisher and platform has a lot of potential, but potential alone doesn’t make money. So to keep themselves going, Madefire opens its Motion Book Publisher to a few big companies. Aside from DC with providing Injustice comics to the platform, one of the biggest licenses that come their way is Blizzard. Overwatch in particular regularly produces new content on the app, especially for characters that don’t always have room to breathe. A Doomfist comic for example shows off the character’s role as a criminal mastermind. Since this is license material mainly for Blizzard’s advertising, this stuff is free.
Of course mutual advertising isn’t the only thing Madefire has going for it. A number of independent artists make motion books and a few are lucky enough to continuously sell their work on the app. But what if motion isn’t a comic reader’s fancy? No problem, Madefire sells a lot more in static comics by big publishers; DC, Marvel, Archie, IDW, Valiant, it’s got almost all of them. Gotta make some extra cash somehow.
Madefire Is A Success
With all of the money and art, what does this company have to show for it? For one, Madefire wins Apple’s Editor’s Choice for how unique its app is. With how music accompanies the background of its motion books, the next step is to go virtual. Wait… I mean Virtual Reality experience. Some series like Mono and Clive Barker’s Next Testament feature occurrences that thrive in VR. The next step is to go into Mixed Reality with a partnership with leading innovator Magic Leap. But is it fruitful; I’d say it is. Mono gets a special VR Film experience with a nomination for the SXSW 2018 Film Festival VR achievement.
For a while nothing seems to prevent this company and app from getting more successful, except for maybe poor oversight. Madefire gets yet another partnership with social media app, Snapchat, probably because TikTok wasn’t on the market. Disclaimer, I’m not an expert on Gen Z media. Besides Madefire gets so famous they invest in a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe with a Motion Book as advertisement. Guns Akimbo is probably the most exploitive action movie about internet fame. If only it didn’t help cause the company’s downfall.
Limited Liability
And now for the downers… On April 7, 2021 Madefire files for “an assignment of benefit for creditors”. It’s not really bankruptcy as much as it is asset liquidation. The company still exists but its contracts and most of its employees are laid off. While nobody at the time of this post has any reasons why this happened, I have some guesses.
Madefire Strikes Out
First and foremost, its products and the lack of advertising; motion comics/books are a great innovation. But much like the comics they’re tied to, they don’t really get much support from advertising. At best only comic fans and tech heads would be interested in this stuff. Snapchat probably would’ve been a good step up, but it’s very low on the influencing market.
Second, the app’s comic store has stiff competition with Comixology, DC Universe, and Marvel Unlimited. Sure Madefire’s library with major comic publishers like with Dark Horse and Image makes it appealing; but it doesn’t have as much else going for it other than its motion books. Unlike say Comixology which in addition to a guided reading, its Unlimited functions, and sales up the wazoo. DC and Marvel have such diehard fans a monthly subscription to most if not all of their titles is what compels them to choose one over the other. All three of these companies owned by larger conglomerates certainly assist in having longevity unlike Madefire.
Third, that movie Guns Akimbo did not turn out great. Having a popular actor can’t save a film that’s more style than substance; Rotten Tomatoes gives it a low approval rating. With a budget of $15 million and the returns of only a tenth, things were not looking good. Mind you, this is partly because of the Covid pandemic; which goes without saying is another factor of Madefire’s downfall.
Future of Madefire
At this point it’s hard to tell if Madefire can recover. Sure with Windows backing it up and holding onto a lot of its partners, the possibility is always present. If not, maybe the company should at least let go of its patent. Motion comics have a bad name to them and the fact the leader in innovations won’t be able to support it is depressing. The company is the result of forward thinkers who could lead the comic medium into the future. Getting into potential audiences social media feeds like in Snapchat is certainly a step up. No one ever says this stuff is easy.
What do you all think? Is Madefire going to be just a relic of history where innovation fades into the background? Or is there a chance for a turnabout?