AICN COMICS: Ambush Bug announces his new comic book miniseries, THE JUNGLE BOOK from Zenescope Entertainment!

Hey comic book fans, it’s your old pal Ambush Bug here with an exciting announcement. Ever since I was a kid, I was a fan of Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK. I remember listening to the soundtrack of the Disney cartoon until the record wore out. When I grew older, I came to appreciate Kipling’s original tales about a young boy raised in the jungle. I’ve been chomping at the bit to announce this series and with the below press release, I finally can. Though my take is a bit different than the original, Zenescope Entertainment and I have worked damn hard to bring a different kind of THE JUNGLE BOOK to comics. I think fans of the original stories and of jungle adventure are going to want to check it out. Here’s the press release:

Zenescope Entertainment has announced plans to release a brand-new miniseries under its Grimm Fairy Tales label entitled “The Jungle Book.” Just as Zenescope has cleverly and effectively reimagined stories inspired by literary classics such as Wonderland, Sinbad, and Neverland, this new miniseries will use Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories as a springboard to tell tales exploring the adventure, the wonder, and the horror of the jungle and the beasts that inhabit it.

The new five-issue miniseries will follow Mowglii, a young girl raised by wolves who finds herself in the middle of what the animals call The Great Animal Battle. Mowglii must learn her place in the jungle and fight for survival against many exotic beasts. But she is not the only human in this jungle island. Three other children have been raised by different animal tribes: Bomani grows up in the tiger tribe that is led by the conniving Shere Khan, Akili learned the ways of the jungle from the mischievous Tavi mongoose tribe, and Dewan comes of age within the unpredictable Monkeys of Bandar Log, which is led by the insane King Bandar Louis. Mowglii and the rest of the human cubs play key roles in the ongoing Great Animal Battle of Kipling Isle as they approach adulthood.

“I’ve always thought an animal civil war was a fun idea full of potential,” says writer Mark L. Miller, an editor for Ain’t It Cool News who also authored “Nanny & Hank” (just opted for film in 2013) and, more recently, “Luna: Order of the Werewolf” for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. “Once I started thinking of it in the context of Kipling’s famous stories, it all fell into place. I treated the different animal species as warring armies, each with their own leaders and soldiers, each with a purpose they are fighting for. There will be huge scenes of animal battles like you’ve never seen before. There will also be scenes of adventure, horror and discovery as the human characters (Mowglii, Bomani, Akili and Dewan) give you a chance to learn about the sometimes perilous, sometimes beautiful, sometimes terrifying ways of the jungle through fresh eyes. Plus, I get to play around with all of these characters I grew up reading about and loving as a child. It’s a dream come true.”

“Grimm Fairy Tales Presents The Jungle Book #1” will hit shelves in March of 2012, and feature four connecting covers by artist Ale Garza and a retailer incentive cover by Mike DeBalfo. It currently is available for order through Diamond Previews for $2.99 and in full color. For more information, visit Zenescope’s website or its Facebook page!