Web Toons You Need to See 2008
Last year AWN published an article chronicling the best animation on the Web. A year later the amount of Web animation has only grown. So instead of doing an arbitrary sampling of the "best" Web toons, we have compiled a list of some of our favorites from 2007 that we feel you need to check out. They represent trends, as well as the growing talent of animators working on the Net. Some were chosen for their aesthetic qualities, others were chosen for their storytelling and some were chosen for their sheer audacity. They represent varying genres and varying styles and techniques. We have shorts from all over the globe... from Argentina to Iran. Sit back, relax and behold this collection of the best that the Internet has to offer animation fans.
Candy Hole: Episode 1 — Candy is Good by Brian Frisk
If the Happy Tree Friends have demented cousins, it's probably the bunny and cat from Brain Frisk's Candy Hole. This twisted cut-out Flash series is a gory spoof of children's entertainment. The characters, with their mouths of yellow, jagged teeth, are frightening... and that's a compliment. With its subversive humor taking pokes at such toons as SpongeBob, this initial episode challenges the sunny disposition and pro-social messages of toons for youngsters. The Net is a breeding ground for off-kilter productions and Candy Hole is a promising new entry in the world of bizarre animation.
Doll Face by Andy Huang
Andy Huang's Doll Face is a bit of a cheat for 2007, having been copyrighted in 2005. Huang created his live-action/CG hybrid while at USC. The short made waves over the Net this past year, winning Sony-owned Crackle.com's first Wet Paint animation contest. As for the film, the dialogue-free short is a masterful convergence between theme and style. With its simple story, it makes powerful statements about the ever-heightening standard of beauty. Huang's integration of live-action elements and CG is impressive, raising the bar for the work being produced by young visual effects artists. Additionally, it shows other aspiring visual effects artists that honing technical skills is clearly valuable, but focusing on storytelling skills will make a much bigger impression.
Eco-Bunnies II: Earth Day Escapade by Jimmy Egeland
Activism and animation have been best buds since the early days of dial-up. With the acceptance of climate change as a problem growing stronger in 2007, we felt that a Webtoon dealing with the issue needed to make the cut. So, coming to save the day are The Eco-Bunnies! Unlike too many activism shorts on the Net, Jimmy Egeland's Web series doesn't neglect the animation or the characters by putting the message first. The use of animation in public service announcements dates back to the near-dawn of the medium and Eco-Bunnies carries on the tradition of using a spoonful of humorous animation to help the medicine go down.
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