Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “The Monster Men”
an All-New Digital WebComic Launch!
The Monster Men – the Launch of an Exciting New Adventure – A Web Comic Strip based on a book by the author of Tarzan – Edgar Rice Burroughs! In English and Spanish! see ERBCOMICS for Adventure!
(August 15, 2014 – Tarzana, CA) University Professor Arthur Maxon has been experimenting with the creation of artificial life—and he is afraid of what he created. If life can be created from lifeless chemicals with no assurance that anything other than mindless monsters could be created, the safest place to pursue this gruesome research is far away from upstate New York. A remote island off the coast of Borneo is the perfect place to continue his experiments. So, Maxon departs for the East Indies – taking his beautiful daughter, Virginia, with him. Adventure awaits that neither could have ever imagined!
Maxon recruits Dr. Carl von Horn to be his fellow scientist and Captain of his yacht, the Ithaca. As the crew prepares for their voyage, a young man, Townsend J. Harper, Jr., becomes smitten by Virginia. Plus, unbeknownst to Maxon and Virginia, Dr. von Horn also hopes to marry Virginia.
On the island, Maxon and von Horn begin their experiments and grow several living creatures in chemical vats. They are humanoid but, mindless and ugly. Maxon hopes Experiment Number Thirteen will result in the perfect human being, and in his fanatic obsession, believes Virginia should wed his ultimate creation. But is this perfectly created human capable of feelings, or is he A Man Without a Soul?
Before that question is answered, Experiment Number One escapes and abducts Virginia. Maxon and von Horn are in pursuit, as is Number Thirteen. During their pursuit, they encounter pirates who believe Maxon has a hidden treasure – a rumor started by the ship’s crew. Evading the pirates temporarily, they stumble upon the now dead Number One, killed by Number Thirteen. And, Virginia begins to look at Number Thirteen, her rescuer, in a different light.
After dealing with pirates, kidnappings, native warriors, and the eleven ungodly horrors of escaped experiments Numbers Two to Twelve, can Maxon be convinced to abandon his obsession with artificial life? Can Virginia be sure of her emotions as she confronts madmen and dubious suitors? Only Sing Lee knows for sure, and he’s not talking…..yet! Read these exciting new comic strips, learn of their fate, and enjoy the adventures that only Edgar Rice Burroughs can create and vividly describe.
As with all the series featured at edgarriceburroughs.com/comics, the first four episodes of “The Monster Men” will be available at no charge. Fans can gain unlimited access to the entire site and all the strips from the beginning for only $1.99 per month or $21.99 per year.
About the Edgar Rice Burroughs Digital Comic Strips Service
Regularly updated and expertly curated, the Edgar Rice Burroughs Digital Comic Strips service offers all new web comic adventures based on the classic characters and stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Current offerings include:
THE MONSTER MEN™ by Tom Simmons, Erik Roman, L Jamal Walton
and Cristian Docolomansky
TARZAN OF THE APES™ by Roy Thomas, Pablo Marcos and Oscar Gonzalez
JOHN CARTER WARLORD OF MARS™ by Roy Thomas, Pegaso, Salvador López,
Carolina Sánchez, Guadalupe Rivera and Olivia Peña
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN™ by Roy Thomas and Tom Grindberg
PELLUCIDAR™ by Chuck Dixion and Gary Kwapisz
THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT™ by Martin Powell, Pablo Marcos and Oscar Gonzalez
KORAK THE KILLER™ by Ron Marz, Rick Leonardi, Neeraj Menon and Troy Peteri
THE MUCKER™ by Ron Marz, Lee Moder, Neeraj Menon and Troy Peteri
CARSON OF VENUS™ by Martin Powell, Thomas Floyd and Diana Leto
THE ETERNAL SAVAGE™ by Martin Powell and Steven E. Gordon
THE WAR CHIEF™ by Martin Powell and Nik Poliwko
THE CAVE GIRL™ by Martin Powell and Diana Leto
About Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Founded in 1923 by Edgar Rice Burroughs himself, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. holds numerous trademarks and the rights to all literary works of the author still protected by copyright. The company has overseen every adaptation of his literary works in publishing, film, television, theatrical stage productions, licensing and merchandising. The company is still a very active enterprise and manages and licenses the vast archive of Mr. Burroughs’ literary works, fictional characters and corresponding artworks that have grown for over a century. The company continues to be owned by the Burroughs’ family and remains headquartered in Tarzana, California, the town named after the Tarzana Ranch Mr. Burroughs purchased there in 1918 which led to the town’s future development. For more information, please visit EdgarRiceBurroughs.com.
James J. Sullos, Jr. | President | Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
PO Box 570277 | Tarzana CA 91357 | 818.344.0181
www.edgarriceburroughs.comThe Monster Men Team
WRITER Tom Simmons
Long-standing Edgar Rice Burroughs fan Tom Simmons wrote for the antiquities market before turning to screenwriting. “I read my first Burroughs novel – Pirates of Venus – at the age of 12 back in the 1960s. I’ve been an avid devotee ever since. I’d always thought it would be great fun to adapt a Burroughs book for the screen or other format. Then, as fate would have it, the opportunity to do The Monster Men strip presented itself. There was never going to be a question about my enthusiasm for the project.”
Tom admits to experiencing “a somewhat eerie feeling” as he adapts the 100-year-old story for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “Apart from the distinct privilege and honor, as far as I’m aware the story itself has never been adapted and published as a comic strip from the original, which was first published in 1913 in All-Story Magazine. There’s an uncanny sense of being a direct link back to Burroughs himself as I adapt the story to fit the illustrated panels and pages of the TMM strip.”
At the top of Tom’s other projects list is Crispus Caesar, a graphic novel set in the Age of Constantine and adapted from his 2009 screenplay, featuring art work by Jake Bilbao and colors by Jamal Walton. The story will be published as an e-book in late 2014. Tom’s list of writing credits includes nominations in five screenwriting categories at the 2010 Action on Film Festival.
ARTIST Erik Roman
Erik Roman is an illustrator and cartoonist living in the wilds of Southwest Michigan with his wife, daughter and three African Water Frogs. Erik discovered comic books on a spinner rack at a grocery store at the ripe young age of 7, and ever since that moment has drawn superheroes, science fiction and fantasy trying to recreate the wonder and feeling of awe when he first opened and read an old issue of Iron Man.
Erik works primarily with traditional media like graphite, charcoal and ink and only uses digital programs like Photoshop for cleaning up images. A primarily self-taught illustrator, Erik’s work has appeared in comic books, role playing game books, websites, magazines and newspapers since 2002. A huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs characters like John Carter and Tarzan, Erik is honored to be included in the stellar lineup of talent who work on some of the coolest adventure properties in the world.
COLOR and LETTERS L Jamal Walton
L Jamal Walton is a web and graphic designer, illustrator, colorist, and letterer currently based in Durham, NC. He has worked on projects big and small: Fist of Justice; Once Upon A Time Machine, Masters of the Universe; and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to name a few.
More recently, Jamal has focused more of his time working on his own comic creations: Warmageddon; Ungoodwise; and Captain Evil & Diabla. He is always looking for opportunities to display his art at art exhibits and conventions, and to share his experience and skills in the craft of making comics via camps and workshops.
INKS Cristian Docolomansky Bio
“Being a small part of the tribute of Edgar Rice Burroughs is a dream come true for a fan of space fiction and a history aficionado. When Erik asked me to be part of the The Monster Men artistic team, I felt honored” Cristian describes. Freelance inker, Cristian Docolomansky has 5 year experiencing comicbook inking and one as a full time inker. “Inking adds life to pencils.”
Born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1977, Moved to Santiago, Chile in 1995. Long time involved on the Chilean Scene, Cristian was the editor of the comic book news website www.doscafesyunamesa.com, and PR manager on Chilean Association of Comic Book artists www.ngi.cl, and producer and co-writer of the upcoming Chilean documetary “La Ruta Del Comiquero” which is “the next step of put the Chilean brand of comic books artists where it belongs.”
Cristian has been published both in Chile (El Viudo: La Cueca del Manco, Dogitía, 2014) and abroad, with books in several publishers as Beyond Reality Media (New Zealand), Bluewater Productions, Emerald Star Comics and ECV Press (USA).
Today he inks the whole day with his assistant, his dog Facundo.
For free sample strips and subscription information, please visit EdgarRiceBurroughs.com/comics.
MAKING COMICS - The Inking and Lettering art of Cristian Docolomansky. 