If you are part of that group that think that good comics only exist in print, and “Adult” automatically means porn, then it is time you discovered DarkBrain, and online comicbook publisher that is the home for several online comics that bring webcomics to the next level, fully incorporating (limited) motion and audio into the comic transforming it from just flat art that has been digitized and thrown up on the web, into a brand new form of entertainment. More than just another comicbook but something just shy of an animated short, DarkBrain set itself up to publish professional-quality comics across various genres that appeal to adult sensibilities.
To be fair to Darkbrain and its very talented creators, all of their comics carry a mature reader warning as they all contain violence, language and (yes, of course), nudity. Needless to say, the sensibilities of their more sensitive readers are very important to DarkBrain, and not only are there are PG-13 versions of all of their comics for casual readers who just “happen by,” but there are degrees of settings for readers who have logged in and registered for the site (a fee is required to achieve the more graphic settings). Settings include the ability to choose levels of gore, sex, and cursing.
Needless to say, DarkBrain content in not for children. Still it is not simply porn, they offer character-driven stories with a foundation in a moral or philosophically-driven dilemma that requires not only the character, but sometimes the reader, a choice in their own actions. (Several of the DarkBrain stories offer a “chose your own” adventure-type of subplot where the reader can determine how part of the story will turn out. Once played, readers still have the chance to go back and choose one of the other options.)
The stories themselves — which range from classic horror to sci-fi, to period pieces involving Roman soldiers, to noir-style detective, to corporate intrigue, and demonic possession — play out as would standard motion comics, panels dissolve in and out of view, word balloons appear in the order in which they are meant to be read, and characters sometimes move within the panels themselves. Readers can advance the pages at their own pace, replay a page, or go back to a specific page. Readers also have the choice of either reading the comics in silent mode or turning on the sound which not only plays background “mood” music, but gives voice to the characters themselves who audibly speak their lines.
As for the folks behind Darkbrain themselves; it is comprised of a large consortium of writers and artists who are dedicated to digitally publishing the most amazing webcomics up on the ‘net. As a business model, DarkBrain not only pays its creators up front, but 50% of all proceeds from each comic also go to the various creators. In addition to the online comics, DarkBrain has also developed downloadable movies, PDF comics, and posters, as well as made its contents deliverable for mobile devices (iPhone/iTouch/iPad, Android, etc.).
As for the “mature” content in the stories, think of it as the difference between watching Sopranos on HBO or DVD, and what has been rebroadcast on A&E. Again, unlike strictly “Adult” films and comics, where the nudity or gore drives the production forward, with DarkBrain, the story itself is the thing, and the nudity, violence and language are there to help move the story forward and not the point of the story. So if you are in the mood for comics with a little bit more of an adult edge to them, then you really owe it to yourself to check out what DarkBrain has to offer.
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