It’s New York Comic Con 2017, and tonight our own Andy Lanning and Anthony Williams participated in a panel on the Future of Comics in New Realities. Anthony runs Magic Leap Studios and illustrated for both Marvel and DC in a previous life. You’ve probably seen Andy’s work at Marvel and DC as well, but he is best known as the creator of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise.

On stage this evening, Andy and Ant together announced a partnership with Madefire, the Creator Platform, community and maker of the Motion Book® format, to build a new Mixed Reality experience that will be available exclusively on Magic Leap at launch.

Madefire pioneered a new approach to comics and storytelling that creates dynamic experiences with layered content that has motion, sound, depth and more. When paired with Magic Leap’s Digital Lightfield™ technology, spatial audio and computer vision, comic book lovers will be able to explore completely new ways of enjoying their favorite stories. Story panels float in the air like windows into another world, with perspective and parallax. Readers will look behind characters inside the panel while images and word balloons will appear with sound effects and movement.

“Our goal is to be where the myths of the 21st century are created and we’ve built a creator-first platform to enable anyone to create a Motion Book and tell their story," said Ben Wolstenholme, CEO of Madefire. "Magic Leap is developing the ultimate stage for storytelling – with the same belief in the power of stories and creators. We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring the Madefire approach to Magic Leap and a library of new and exciting stories to Mixed Reality.”

It is important to both of us that we give creators of all kinds (regardless of engineering ability) the tools to transform their stories and art into true Mixed Reality. Together, we’ll use Madefire’s Motion Book® platform to provide creator-friendly publishing tools so that people can draw, write, and create Mixed Reality experiences.

"When we met at NYCC in 2012, it immediately struck me that Madefire was running a parallel path to Magic Leap – both companies were born out of the desire to tell stories," said Andy Lanning, Executive Creative Director, Magic Leap. "Conversations over the last five years have evolved into a true partnership, and a commitment to develop with Madefire to create new Mixed Reality experiences open to everyone.”

We love comics. (That is, after all, where we began.) And we love how Madefire – a home for new and original IP, as well as world-class franchises like Batman, Transformers, Hellboy, Archie, Overwatch and now Marvel icons such as Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk – is using technology to bring incredibly rich worlds into the present. With the partnership we announced tonight at NYCC, we’re going to work together to bring them into the future. Stay tuned. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!