Press Release
Alan Robert, best known for being the bassist and creative force behind the respected hard rock group, Life of Agony, has formed a new film production company, called Wasted Talent Entertainment. The first project in the pipeline is a live-action film adaptation of Robert’s own horror/crime graphic novel, Wire Hangers. Robert created, wrote and illustrated the book last year, which was published by award-winning comics publisher, IDW Publishing (30 Days of Night, Locke and Key, Zombies Vs. Robots). IDW’s CEO, Ted Adams, is on board as the film’s Executive Producer, with Robert and ZAM Entertainment’s Jeff Mazzola (Descent, Under New Management, Kiss Me Again) attached as Producers. Teaser poster art for the film reveals Wire Hangers’ main character, Cypra, in full costume designed by Robert Hall of Almost Human FX (The Crazies, Paranormal Activity 2, Devil). Wasted Talent Entertainment is actively pursuing a short list of choice directors and screenwriters for the film. Visit the official movie website, at wirehangersmovie.com.
In related news, IDW Publishing will release Robert’s new original horror comic mini-series, Crawl to Me, beginning monthly in July 2011. Crawl to Me is created, written and illustrated by Robert and boasts three unique covers per issue. Cover artists include Robert, Silent Hill: Past Life painter, Menton J. Matthews III and UK illustrator, David Lupton. Visit the official website, at crawltomecomic.com.
Crawl to Me takes place in an isolated country town during the frigid winter months. The story centers on a young family as they cope with a series of disturbing events that force them to question their relationship, their faith and their very existence. When husband and wife, Ryan and Jessica, move into their first home together, strange things begin to occur. Half-eaten animals and other remains are found inside the basement’s crawl space. Their family dog disappears within the house. Distant voices are heard from beneath the floorboards. The couple begins to think that an evil entity is living inside their walls. Nothing can prepare them for what they’ll discover, but Ryan and Jessica soon realize that they must set aside all they believe to be true, in order to face their inevitable reality.
“I couldn’t have been happier to do Wire Hangers with Alan,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer, “and to see him stretch in different areas here is even more gratifying. This is a dark, psychologically affecting and surprisingly intimate story that I’m happy to foist on an unsuspecting comic-reading public. Put another way, if you survived Wire Hangers with any part of your psyche intact, Crawl to Me should help finish the job.”
“All my life, I’ve been told that I have a warped and twisted imagination. So, with these horror stories, I’m finally putting my morbid thoughts to good use,” says Robert. “When Wire Hangers was received so well by comic and horror fans last year, it really inspired me to continue creating stories in the medium. With Crawl to Me, I wanted to go even darker, but, don’t be fooled. This is not your typical, run-of-the-mill, haunted house story. It’s more of a thriller, filled with a ton of demented mind-games that will keep you guessing. Think of it like a Twilight Zone episode on steroids.”
About Alan Robert
In 2010, Alan Robert’s debut comic series, Wire Hangers, received the Cover of the Year Award by ComicMonsters.com. The four-issue series was published monthly by IDW and later collected into a trade-paperback book. Robert’s band, Life of Agony, recently celebrated their twenty-year anniversary with a successful tour, where the group performed in front of crowds as large as 500,000 people in Europe. A double-disc set entitled 20 Years Strong: River Runs Red – Live in Brussels (I Scream Records) is in stores worldwide.
Robert is also wrapping up the writing process for his new Spoiler NYC album, titled Banned in 38 States. Robert is the lead vocalist/bassist for the New York based, punk-trio. Banned in 38 States will be the sophomore release for Spoiler NYC, following their 2007 debut, Grease Fire in Hell’s Kitchen (SOS Records/I Scream Records). Two new exclusive tracks, produced by Grammy-Award winning producer, Ken Lewis (Lenny Kravitz, Beastie Boys, Fall Out Boy) can be heard online.
Information about Robert’s bands can be found at LifeOfAgony.com and SpoilerNYC.com. For his latest comic news and downloadable low-res images, visit: WireHangersComic.com and CrawlToMeComic.com. For Wire Hangers movie news and downloadable low-res images, visit WireHangersMovie.com.
About IDW
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renown for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The Transformers and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; the BBC’s Doctor Who; and television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studios; and is the print publisher for ComicMix.
IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.
