The Black Forest

THE BLACK FOREST 2 coming September 2005!

News

FEBRUARY 2005

THE BLACK FOREST has been awarded a Rondo Hatton Classic Horror award for Best Horror Comic! check it out at www.rondoaward.com.

AUGUST 2004

THE WICKED WEST and THE BLACK FOREST co-writer Robert Tinnell interviewed by Bill Baker at "Baker's Dozen". Read the interview at http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/bakersdozen/

INSIGHT OFFERS MORE EYEBALLS

Your Web Site to be Seen by More People! Baltimore - Today Mark Wheatley announced an increased number of free Internet daily comic strips available from Insight Studios. Speaking from his studio office in the suburbs of Baltimore he said, "And the best part is every comic strip is free!" Monday, August 30th will mark the beginning of the countdown strips for FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES. Created by noted film maker Robert Tinnell, author of the popular Image graphic novels THE BLACK FOREST and THE WICKED WEST and drawn by AMERICAN SPLENDOR'S Ed Piskor, the story begins on Monday September 6th and runs into early 2005. FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES will join Mark Wheatley's acclaimed FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER, MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN (currently with an Eagle Award nomination for best web strip), Allan Gross' popular DOCTOR CYBORG, Harry Roland's epic TRYING TIMES and Allan Gross' and Jerry Carr's CRYPTOZOO CREW web daily strips available from the Insight Studios www.SunnyFundays.com.

Currently the Insight Studios web daily strips are read by hundreds of thousands the world over every month, year after year through the use of TOONCASTING, the unique invention of Steve Conley (ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS). With TOONCASTING these top quality comic strips can be added to ANY web page by a simple cut and paste of simple HTML code.

"We get reports of increased traffic to every web site that starts carrying our strips," claimed Wheatley who added, "It is fairly common knowledge that the secret to increased web traffic is daily updated content. And we offer great entertainment for free, five days a week. This is a no-brainer!"

Webmasters wanting to add FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES need to copy the following HTML code and paste it into the HTML body of their own web page. Wherever the code is pasted the comic strip will appear. The magic of TOONCASTING will automatically update the strip EVERY DAY without a need for any maintenance. Also, all the comic strip files will be archived on the Insight Studios Group server - so there is no impact on storage space or bandwidth. TOONCASTING is a simple way to add a very entertaining comic strip to your web page. And if you like FEAST on your page, you can add any or all of the other ISG web strips just the same way. Collect the entire set! The other comic strips codes are available on www.SunnyFundays.com

This is the FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES code:

Insight Studios Group, headed by Mark Wheatley, creates comics for other publishers and also publishes books, comic books, and on-line daily and weekly comic strips under its own imprint. In addition to the recent Image Comics hits FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER, DOCTOR CYBORG "OUTPATIENT", HAMMER OF THE GODS: MORTAL ENEMY and HAMMER OF THE GODS: HAMMER HITS CHINA, Insight has played home to GRAY MORROW VISIONARY, JIMGRIM AND THE DEVIL AT LUDD, TITANIC TALES, and AL WILLIAMSON ADVENTURES. Visit www.insightstudiosgroup.com and www.sunnyfundays.com.

JULY 2004

Check out this sculpture. Don'tcha want one? Keep an eye on this space for details!

JUNE 2004

You just gotta see the trailer for Todd Livingston's "So You've Downloaded A Demon".

JUNE 2004

Classic Monster Fans will Love This! The Black Forest creative team, writers Todd Livingston and Robert Tinnell and artist Neil Vokes have signed a licensing contract with ReelArt Studios to produce two 1/6th scale, prepainted cold cast resin statues bassed on the heroes and villains of their acclaimed graphic novel, The Black Forest. The first statue will be a multiple figure bust featuring the heroes---Jack Shannon, the dashing young aviator; Archie Caldwell, the intrepid stage magician; and the Frankenstein Monster. The paint scheme will follow the black and white wash look of Neil Vokes' distinctive cinematic styled artwork. Master sculptor Shawn Nagle will be basing his dead-on designs on conceptual action sketches provided by the artist. While each statue will work as a stand alone piece, when viewed collectively, they will comprise a rousing battle scene. ReelArt Studios owner, Michael Hudson says, "We are so excited to be working with this mad genius of a creative team and we can't wait to see what they have up their sleeve next. Whatever it is will be great and ReelArt Studios hopes to be a part of it." Release date is expected to be late 2004. For more information and updates, please visit www.reelartstudios.com.

JUNE 2004

"THE BLACK FOREST is sold out! Second printing is happening!"

MAY 2004

SCOOP Interviews Robert Tinnell (Scroll to the MAIN EVENT) -- Click to Read it!

MAY 2004

Todd Livingston's "So You've Downloaded A Demon" will premiere at Cannes on May 13! Also, a documentary is being produced about the experience!

APRIL 2004

The Fourth Rail Reviews The Black Forest -- Click to Read it!

APRIL 2004

Make sure you pick up Entertainment Weekly's Fast Forward for a Black Forest preview!

APRIL 2004

The fellas are interviewed at Interstellar Transmissions -- Click to check it out!

MARCH 2004

The Black Forest Radio Show is now playing! Click here to listen!

MARCH 2004

FANGORIA magazine reviews The Black Forest! It's in the latest issue, kiddies, so run out and pick up your copy quick!

JANUARY 2004

NEIL HAS FINISHED THE ART CHORES! HIS FANS REJOICE! MUCH MEAD WAS CONSUMED BY ALL! NEIL'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY WONDER WHO THIS STRANGE MAN WITH THE STRAGGLY BEARD IS AS HE LEAVES THE STUDIO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS!

THE BLACK FOREST On The Air!

As part of the ongoing promotion for the horror/adventure graphic novel THE BLACK FOREST, the creators, Todd Livingston, Robert Tinnell, and Neil Vokes, will be releasing an original, online radio show. The show, which will run between seven and ten minutes in length and involve characters and situations from the book, will premier at www.theblackforest.net the week prior to the book’s March 31st release.

“We recognize that fans have a lot of options when it comes to spending their money and we want to make them as familiar as possible with just what the book is, and to earn their loyalty,” said TBF co-creator Robert Tinnell. “What’s more, we want to demonstrate to retailers our commitment to continue promoting and supporting the book. And beyond that, to be perfectly honest, it’s just plain fun. Something all three of us have always wanted to do.”

The show, entitled THE BLACK FOREST – EPSIODE ONE: MYSTERY IN THE TRENCHES dramatizes events that occur just prior to those in the book. Thus, listeners will get a unique, stand-alone story that will enhance their enjoyment of the GN itself.

Co-writer Todd Livingston is handling the production duties for the episode in Los Angeles. “The really exciting thing,” said Livingston, “in addition to the thrill of hearing your characters come to life, is the tremendous luck we’ve had in assembling a cast.” The first to sign on was the gracious Yvonne Monlaur, beloved by genre fans for her work opposite Peter Cushing in the Hammer Film classic BRIDES OF DRACULA. More talent followed suit, including veteran actor Dan Roebuck (RIVER’S EDGE, THE FUGITIVE, the AGENT CODY BANKS movies) and Xenia Seeberg, well-known among genre fans for her work on the Sci-Fi series LEXX, as well as a starring role in Livingston’s film SO, YOU’VE DOWNLOADED A DEMON. And Livingston and Tinnell insist there are more surprises to come.

Artist Vokes, who completed the artwork for the book ahead of schedule, is excited about the show but disappointed he isn’t more involved. “I would love to do one of the characters. On my home answering machine I’m always doing crazy voices. But the fan in me can’t wait to listen to it.”

January 2004

Robert and Todd spill their guts to TheComicFanatic.com!!

January 3rd, 2004

Although the solicitation for THE BLACK FOREST lists it as a 96 page book for $9.95, the creators have opted to add an additional 8 pages AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. "I needed 100 pages to do the story justice," said artist Neil Vokes, "and though it's most likely going to cost us money, it seemed cheap compared to the emotional cost of cutting corners on the storytelling." In addition to the sprawling story look for a few visual surprises to fill the few remaining pages - "a little present to those true believers who bought and supported the book," added Vokes.

BLACK THURSDAY

Black Forest Trailer Debuts January 1st
Contact: Eric Stephenson
714.288.0200/ext. 26
eric@imagecomics.com

ORANGE, CA -- 31 December, 2003 -- As part of the media promotion of their March 2004 release of the graphic novel THE BLACK FOREST, Image Comics will debut an online trailer on January 1. THE BLACK FOREST is an epic horror adventure set amongst the turbulence of World War I, replete with classic monsters. Kurt Busiek has called it “bold, powerful, and fun” while FANGORIA editor Tony Timpone labels the book a “rip-snortin’ horror adventure.” Comic veteran Neil Vokes is inking his own pencils in a fabulous visual style that is already drawing raves. Writers Todd Livingston and Robert Tinnell have based the book on their original screenplay.

Livingston and Tinnell, drawing on their experience as working filmmakers, created the trailer, which runs 35 seconds. “As gorgeous as Neil’s artwork is, and as confident and sure as we are of our writing, we recognize that comic fans have limited resources. To attract them – what’s more, to attract retailers to our book – meant we had to build awareness. And the trailer seemed a natural way to do that.”

Tinnell and Livingston scripted the trailer. Then Tinnell teamed up with editor/computer graphics designer Roy Baker to edit the piece. “Our goal for the trailer was three-fold: to squeeze in as much of Neil’s art as possible, to give the essence of the story and to convey the sense of fun the book embodies.”

Once the trailer was edited, Livingston took over in Los Angeles, drafting composer Andy Kubiszewski, who had just created the music for Livingston’s film SO, YOU’VE DOWNLOADED A DEMON. “Not only is Andy a rock star, having played with Stabbing Westward, Crowded House, Nine Inch Nails and The The, but he also sits in with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. You partner up all that experience with his love of darker material and it was obvious THE BLACK FOREST was right up his alley.”

Vokes raised his head from the drawing table long enough to comment, “I’m thrilled with the trailer. To be honest, I had no idea what the guys were going to do. But when I saw it I knew they’d nailed the sensibility of the book. And it’s a hoot to watch”

The promotional efforts on the part of THE BLACK FOREST team will not stop with the trailer. They are currently in post-production on a documentary that chronicles the making of the book.

The trailer will appear at www.imagecomics.com, as well as at the creators’ site, www.theblackforest.net.

THE BLACK FOREST is available for order in the January 2004 issue of Previews and will go on sale in March.

Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become the third largest comics publisher in the United States. There are currently four partners in Image Comics (Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into three major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions and Image Central, which is the home of THE BLACK FOREST). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com for more information.

Eric Stephenson
Director of Marketing
Image Comics
www.imagecomics.com

December 2003

Forest solicited in this month's Previews!

December 2003

Look for coverage on THE BLACK FOREST in the latest issue of the classic horror film mag MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #17. For more info check out www.monstersfromthevault.com. Also, MFTV is scheduled to run a more in-depth article on the book in the next issue.

December 2003

Bill Baker Interviews Vokes for World's Famous In his online column BAKER'S DOZEN, comics journalist Bill Baker recently published a brief but insightful interview with THE BLACK FOREST'S Neil Vokes. You can read the interview in its entirety at http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/bakersdozen/back20031210.shtml

December 2003

THE BLACK FOREST Documentary Nears Completion - Filmmaker Jeremy Carr is near the end of post-production on his "making of" documentary chronicling the creation of the graphic novel THE BLACK FOREST. Carr shot the film over the course of several months at a variety of locations on the East Coast. The film promises to be a brief but informative examination into the nuts and bolts of bringing a comic book to life. Distribution plans are undetermined at this time although Carr plans to enter it into festivals and hopes to have it shown at comic conventions around the country. Running time on the finished film will be approximately twelve minutes.