After extensive development behind closed doors, Envision Entertainment are heading to MCM London Comic Con this weekend for the soft-launch of their new digital comics platform, Fable.
Digital comics have been gaining an audience over several years now, but with rising paper and other costs impacting the cover price of print comics, publishers tell downthetubes they are discovering a surge of interest in their digital alternative – so the launch is well timed.
Designed to utilise the intuitive vertical-scrolling nature of smartphones, Fable has been developed from the ground up to provide a smooth reading experience for comic books while connecting creators with wider media opportunities and contacts.
“Fable is the result of extensive research and coordination with creators at various levels to create a satisfying smartphone reading experience,” says Envision CEO and Founder, Michael Nakan, who founded London-based Envision Entertainment in 2021.
The company’s current TV and film catalogue also includes Emily, fictionalised version of the scandalous events that inspired Emily Bronte to write Wuthering Heights and The Legend of Tarzan.
Nakan co-created and produced the successful crime drama, Connected: The Homebound Detective with Japan’s Nippon TV; the format has now been optioned by Tomorrow Studies for the US market. He’s also worked for HBO, mrketing shows such as Game of Thrones, and Veep.
“We aim to lean into our Britishness and showcase the amazing talent we have in the UK, before expanding our offering into Europe, the US, Japan and beyond, Nakan continues. “We passionately believe that comics are the purest form of visual storytelling, and that we have some of the world’s greatest storytellers right here in Britain. Our ambition is to help these creators reach a global audience.”
The team will be showcasing the latest version of the app for early adopters to try out and enjoy free comics from various creators, as well as presenting the concept in a special panel discussion in the Industry Room at MCM London Comic Con on Friday 24th May from 3.00 to 3.40pm.
The panel will be hosted by comics industry veteran, Chris Thompson (Fable, Pop Culture Hound), who will be chatting with CEO and founder Michael Nakan, producer David Barron (Harry Potter, The Legend of Tarzan), writer/director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola (Iwaju, Kugali Media), creator/screenwriter Simon Lewis (Bad Traffic, Flesh & Blood), and Titan Comics editor Phoebe Hedges (Doctor Who, Life Is Strange) about the potential of the platform and the future of comics.
“There’s a natural cynicism towards digital comics, which is one I honestly share,” adds Thompson, who joined the Fable team recently, “but there’s no denying the growing audience of readers on smartphones who have been trained to consume media in that way. If we can reach those people and show them the power of comics to delight and entertain then it can only be a good thing. And for those, like me, who are still wading through a never-ending to-be-read pile, we now have a way to play catch up and make the most of our time on the go.”
Aside from its intuitive vertical-scrolling reading experience, Fable sets itself apart through the use of individual “playlists” where creators – and soon enough fans – can showcase their favourite titles and creators, in order to give them a signal boost. That signal will be further enhanced through Envision Entertainment’s contacts in wider media – giving creators a chance to meet and engage with professionals from other forms of media for crossover and collaboration opportunities. These will happen on a bespoke basis, as well as being facilitated through special networking events the team will host later this year.
“We’re a small and proud British company, and we believe the UK has some of the best creatives and fans in the world,” adds Nakan passionately. “While comics have undoubtedly gripped the world through film, television and video games, that passion and audience hasn’t always flowed back to the comics themselves. We’re trying o change that: if we work together, we can create a global pop culture revolution with comics at its heart.”
Fans, creators and industry professionals are encouraged to visit the Fable booth at MCM London Comic Con (N2059) where they can get hands-on with the app for the first time. They can then sign up as early adopters on the platform, and enjoy the first wave of free comics, as well as other rewards.
One of the creators who features on the app, Ram V (Black Mumba, Rare Flavours) will be signing limited edition art cards at the booth after the panel on Friday afternoon. More titles and chapters will be added each week to encourage regular visits – and the team will be unveiling prizes for referrals to the app and its waiting list, as well as launching a Discord server where fans, creators and the team can engage directly.
• Find out more about Fable at tellmefables.com
Download the app for Apple devices here and Android device here, and use the limited-time access code MCM2024 to join Envision and have your say in developing the world’s greatest storytelling platform – plus you’ll have a chance to win some epic prizes and more
Test Drive Fable for a Limited Time!
“We know you’ve seen comics apps before, but Fable is different,” say Envision Entertainment. “Not just because we have custom-built tech to make comics easier to read on your smartphone – or that we’re teaming up with outstanding creators – but because we’re on a mission to connect creators with passionate fans, and bring bold new storytelling into wider popular culture.
How are Envision doing this?
1. By converting comics to vertical-scrolling “Fables” that can be accessed wherever you are.
2. Empowering users to build and share “playlists” which highlight their favourite titles and creators.
3. Hosting networking events to connect creators with wider media professionals and opportunities.
Download the app for Apple devices here and Android device here, and use the limited-time access code MCM2024 to join Envision and have your say in developing the world’s greatest storytelling platform – plus you’ll have a chance to win some epic prizes and more
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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