If you’re an Oculus user, then you may want to check out Angel Eyes, a recently-launched VR Graphic Novel created by the Head of Sky Immersive, Matt McCartney and produced in partnership with Ideas & Inks and Surround Vision – with episodes now also being released on YouTube.
The project, released on Meta Quest 2 headset via the Meta AppLab Store and the Sidequest Store last month, features the work of a host of top draw British comics talent, with Andy Lanning on board as Creative Director ad providing the script, and Ant Williams on Art Direction and Art, drawing the entire story, lettered by Rob Jones.
The artists who have delivered covers for each episode of this immersive story include Rory Donald, Gary Erskine, Jay Gunn, Dave Kendall, Sonia Leong, Johanna Ost and Anna Readman, colourists Steve Canon and Yel Zamor.
Angel Eyes is a cinematic reading experience, born from the DNA of the Graphic Novel. Told in nine “Episodes’, each running for between five to seven minutes, on offer is a unique spatial reading experience that brings to life traditional comic art with ambisonic sound and panel-based animation for a unique Virtual Reality experience.
Angel Eyes centres on Janus, an assassin with unparalleled skills, who is himself assassinated. While waiting in Purgatory Janus receives an offer from two angels, Sandolphin and Samuel, who request his services in maintaining an eons long balance between the forces of Heaven and Hell.
Finding himself back on Earth and in the service of Heaven, Janus puts his skills to work, but all is not as it seems. A mysterious young woman, Mara, inserts herself into proceedings and the pair find themselves hurtling towards an apocalyptic future.
As agents of Heaven and Hell clash and the Horde rises up, the future of mankind rests in a dead assassin’s trigger finger…
“The primary aim of the production is to explore new storytelling formats unique to the Metaverse as part of a larger Multi-Format content creation ambition,” the team explain. “To delver this project, a unique Game Engine workflow was developed that allowed for digital art and music assets to be imported, animated and rendered out, for consumption across multiple platforms.
“The primary reading experience is focused on VR consumption via the creation of a cinematic, parallax infused 2D art presentation with SFX and ambisonic sound mix.”
Beyond VR, the unique production workflow allows for explorations into AR and the creation of a digital soundtrack, is being released on Spotify and iTunes this month (August 2023), and a 16×9 on demand versions has launched on YouTube. An online digital comic is planned for release later this year.
Ideas & Inks was co-founded by Ant Williams (also known to Marvel UK fans, perhaps, as Anthony Williams) and Andy Lanning.
Ant Williams has worked on a huge range of characters and IP for decades, encompassing Marvel, DC, and multiple other comic-book publishers. Much of this work remains in print today and has featured in exhibitions of comic book art.
He’s the founder of a celebrated content creation house serving entertainment, advertising and licensing clients, working with them to develop their IP, turning ideas into commercially viable products. Ant also developed his own creative IP, which he licenses internationally. You can find more of his comics work at antwilliamsartist.com
Andy Lanning is a writer and artist who’s enjoyed 30 years of creating narratives, characters and story worlds across many platforms: comics, books, magazines, video games, TV and film and, more recently, Augmented and Virtual Reality.
He’s worked on every major comic-book title for both Marvel and DC, with sales totalling well over 15 million; and is perhaps best known for his work writing and reinventing the Guardians of the Galaxy, the source material for the 2014 smash hit movie and its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.
He also wrote Superman, Batman and The Punisher.
Surround Vision is an award-winning, full service creative studio based in London. Their declared mission is to tell ground-breaking stories using a mix of VR, AR, Film, motion graphics, CGI, and immersive film techniques.
• The VR version of Angel Eyes is available now for the Meta Quest 2 headset via the Meta AppLab Store and the Sidequest Store
• Watch episodes of Angel Eyes on YouTube
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, Digital Comics, Digital Media, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds