Comics+&+Storytelling

[[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/lBJRMLijyE7MqWJivzxrKQ36907/GW500H155 width="500" height="155" align="right" link="@http://www.pikikids.com"]]PikiKids

 * Registration required (free & email not verified)
 * Photos can be uploaded or you can use the embedded Flickr search
 * Several types of effects that can be applied to pictures
 * Many different layouts
 * Final result is a static image that can be downloaded or hosted on their server

==Make Beliefs Comics== This comic generator is a little more limited in its options. It allows up to four panels of comics. Users choose characters, select their moods, and add thought and spoken bubbles as needed. The resulting product is simply a static image that can be printed or emailed using the sites own email form.

While the image is stored on the server, there is no image link given to use to embed into other applications. I had to grab a screenshot of this comic, otherwise I could use the link to the entire page. Once again, there is no link to the image itself given, making it impossible to post into a blog or such.

==Comic Creator (Read-Write-Think)== Like the Make Beliefs comics above, this site uses pre-drawn characters, props, and callouts (bubbles) to allow students to create a comic strip with 1, 2, 3, or 6 panels. This does not allow you to preview or save the image. The only option is to print the finished comic. I printed this example to PDF and then took a screenshot to get it here. You can do the same, but it's just another hoop you have to jump through!

[[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/_Nc2OYOTm-x7B6KCkmX1WA216528 width="405" height="265" align="right" link="@http://www.superlame.com"]]Super Lame
Upload a picture, add bubbles and text then download. Simple as that! Could very well have placed this in the photo effects section as well. No registration is required!

Pixton
Pixton is yet another comic strip maker. Pixton has a decent set of clip art to use in comics but what makes Pixton unique is the added flexibility of the provided art. Characters can be repositioned like a rag-doll, making comics much more expressive. Content can be easily rated, shared, and remixed. You can even purchase merchandise with your finished product on it.

StoryTop
This is a webpage that allows a user to create a simple digital story with clip-art (limited selection) and speech/thought bubbles. The multi-page stories created on site are saved and can be revisited later with the creation of an account; The interface could use a little polish, but it works as a quick online story-telling tool.

Kerpoof Studio
Kerpoof is a Disney-owned website. The movie creation 'studio' in particular is quite impressive for a web app and comes with loads of high-quality sprites and animations. Students using the site would be able to create expressive media while learning some basic principles of video and image editing. Teachers get free accounts that can manage student contributions and create collaborative pairings. The site even has a section discussing ideas for lesson plans.

==Xtranormal== This is an interesting site that allows you to make videos by typing in the script and manipulating elements like sound effects, background music, scenery, 'actor' appearances, 'actor' voices, animations, expressions, and camera angles. The typed scripts are automatically converted to speech according to the 'actor' voices chosen. I did find that the Spanish voices were a bit difficult to understand while the English voices were decent. Videos can then be saved and shared with others.

WARNING: This one is on the verge of being moved to the Web 2.0 Graveyard because it is not exactly free anymore. When a new account is registered, it is given enough credits to build a basic movie with limited characters and sets. But once that movie is rendered, there are no more credits- you would have to purchase more. So it's good as a one shot project!

To Do List: Capture screenshots for the above four websites!