Demons of Sherwood debuts today
Today, ComicMix takes you back to Sherwood Forest in Demons of Sherwood. It’s twelve years after the end of the Robin Hood story you know, when Robin restores Richard to the throne and regains his castle.
Happily ever after? Not really…
Robin is a drunk. He hasn’t seen Marian since the end of their adventures with his merry men. He hasn’t seen much of them, either. And now comes word that Marian is in trouble, jailed as a witch by the Inquisitor from Rome…
Written by Robert Tinnell (co writer of EZ Street, and writer and director of the upcoming film Feast of the Seven Fishes, based on his comic), Demons is co-written and painted by the legendary Bo Hampton. Bo knows comics. He has worked in comics and related media since 1978 as an artist and occasionally as a writer. He painted Viking Glory for DCComics and Legend of Sleepy Hollow for Image. Last year he co-plotted with writer Tinnell and drew Sight Unseen, a graphic novel for Image. Bo, his wife Teresa, their daughters Caitlin and Callie, and their dog Tickets, currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia. He describes himself as a Southerner who never thought he had an accent until moving to New York to attend Art School whereupon he discovered that he was, after all, a hillbilly. But the kind of hillbilly that says "whereupon".
What is Demons of Sherwood about?
Bob: Demons of Sherwood picks up the story of Robin Hood around more than a decade after his "glory days." The Merry Men have moved on with their lives and Robin is pretty much a falling down drunk. Worse, he hasn’t seen or heard from Marian in the intervening years – until now. There’s a new breed of tyrant in the neighborhood, a self-proclaimed "Witchhunter" – and he’s tried Marian, found her guilty and sentenced her to death by burning. So Robin’s got to get his act together. Unfortunately, for all parties there really are demonic forces at work in Sherwood Forest…
Bo, what’s it like co-writing with Bob?
Bo: It is my first written work in a while and I’m glad to have Bob to lean on but so far it seems to be a consistent "voice" and our strengths seem to play into each other well. I think the theme is mainly redemption done with comedy and horror and adventure. Hey-I forgot romance. No western, tho. Or maybe…no,definitely not a western. Whew–I was afraid it was getting complicated.
Errol Flynn or Kevin Costner? Or anyone else?
Bob: Actually, I think Bo draws Robin much like Sean Bean – who would be perfect in my head. But I dug Errol Flynn.
Bo: Sean Bean, a young Mel Gibson and that guy who plays Sawyer on "Lost". Somewhere between
Bo, is this your first internet work? If so, what’s different about it? If not, forgive me, but what else have you done online?
Bo: I’ve done nothing specifcally for online, Martha. My horror Graphic novel Sight Unseen with Bob Tinnell was showcased on SCOOP- the first 28 pages were shown. So I know how this can look and read and I’m psyched about it.
Do you think there’s a movie here?
Bob: If you like big action/horror flicks, sure. But right now we’re having fun – I mean he’s Robin Hood, for God’s sake, and being as our development is firmly arrested, Bo and I are in heaven. Bo’s art is so spot-on – those colors are just perfect. And his storytelling is really shining here. He knows when to pack the story in tight and when to decompress and allow things to get scary or for the action of a fight sequence to be fully developed. I think he’s going to develop an even bigger fan base with what he’s doing.
Bo: As I mentioned before, I’m leaning on Bob- particularly for his screen-writing acumen [which is INCREDIBLE] so if I’m smart and listen to him when it comes to that aspect of the project we’ll have a shot. There is a recurring interest in Robin Hood for film–a new Russell Crowe version is in the works–and our take is different enough that readers and film viewers should respond well. From my writing and drawing approach I’m trying to make it work as both comics and film-the two most favored mistresses in my creative harem.
What’s next?
Bob: Too much. I’m in pre-pre on the Feast of the Seven Fishes movie I’m directing. Doing EZ Street also for ComicMix with Mark Wheatley – who I also work on Mighty Motor Sapiens with for Rowdy.com. We’re still doing The Chelation Kid – my autism webcomic. Neil Vokes and I are bringing back his Eagle character. I’m working something up with the Fraim Brothers and…like I said, too much.
Bo: I want to do a horror TV series (hopefully with Bob again) called Ghostkiller but it is in a germanating state at this point. Thanks for asking!
Read a new installment of Demons of Sherwood every Monday on ComicMix!
Didn’t recognize the name Robert Tinnell until I saw The Chelation Kid mentioned.
1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism. It is an epidemic in this country and is becoming epidemic in many other countries. The Chelation Kid, in comic strip form, tells of one family’s life with autism and all the trials they have been through.
I am not one to claim that autism can be cured, but I will claim that there is help for many autism families. If you know of any family that has an autistic child, you should sent them to The Chelation Kid.
(Yes, I realize this takes away from the promotion of Demons of Sherwood. Congrats on the new comic, guys!)
Well, there is a way to get better, but it's not very reliable and I wouldn't recommend it. I had Aspergers (according to my neurologist) and then I had a big medication-caused stroke and coma. When my brain rewired, no more autism spectrum.(My brother stuttered in English his entire life until a few years ago when he tripped and hit his head on a stepping stone and got a metal plate in his head. No more stuttering. Not recommended, either.)