Coming this Fall from Mad Cave Studios is the newest creator-owned fantasy series from Amit Tishler, Edenfrost. Illustrated by Bruno Frenda and lettered by Taylor Esposito, Edenfrost marks the first series created in collaboration with up-and-coming director, animator, and TV writer Amit Tishler.
Mad Cave Studios’ marketing manager, Maya Lopez, sat down with Amit, author of our newest fantasy adventure series, Edenfrost! Read on to find out about Amit’s inspirations, his creative process, the making of Edenfrost, and more!
Q: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Amit! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
A: I was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and I moved to Los Angeles over a decade ago with the goal of breaking into the entertainment industry. What a cliche! I started my career as a TV animator and grew into creative leadership roles in both traditional and new media. So by day I work on interactive entertainment projects for clients like Cartoon Network, Skydance Media and Warner Brothers, and by night I moonlight as a writer for comic books, TV development, and more.
Q: What is your biggest inspiration when it comes to writing comics?
A: I draw my inspiration from a variety of mediums like: comics, video games, animation, and film, but also from history, philosophy and current events. Every story I write is anchored in a theme and molded by my media influences. The stories can be emotional, comical, political or philosophical, but they have to say SOMETHING to be worthwhile.
Q: In Edenfrost, we follow siblings Alex and Yuli as they navigate the icy Ukrainian hills during the Russian Civil War. What was your biggest inspiration in writing this story?
A: Seeing Nazi flags, salutes, and shouts of “Jews will not replace us” on TV was a wake-up call. It wasn’t new to me,given the fact that my grandparents are Holocaust survivors. But living in the 21st century makes it easy to forget what made antisemitism such an effective, malleable, and dangerous weapon and how easily it can regain momentum. I wanted to find a way to discuss it without being preachy, overly sentimental, or redundant, and to do so in an accessible, impactful, and relevant manner. Edenfrost is my weapon of choice and I hope it’s as effective as the reaction that drove me to write it.
Q: Edenfrost is a very personal story to you, with deep roots in Jewish folklore along with your own family history. Can you tell us a little bit more about this, along with any research that may have come up in Edenfrost’s creation?
A: For starters, I deliberately chose to avoid World War 2 and concentrated on events that offer more valuable insights into the current state of the world and the role antisemitism plays in it. When it comes to exploring national identity and ethnic bias through the lens of antisemitism, the Russian Civil War is a perfect, often overlooked, petri dish of despair. And the Golem, which is a mythical monstrosity made to defend Jews against antisemitic pogroms is a natural thematic fit for this tale. But I decided to reinvent this creature by taking bits and pieces from media that inspired me and injecting them into a historical setting that’s uniquely relevant to this story’s message. This version of the creature is unique and I hope its reimagining resonates with readers, regardless of their level of familiarity with the classic tale that inspired it.
Q: What got you into creating comics?
A: Comics is the medium that charted my creative career to begin with! I was that weird guy in school who sat in the back of the classroom and drew comics about my teacher’s emergence from Hell. Like many 2D artists, I started with drawing and consuming comics and later branched out into a variety of related mediums. Now, more than ever, this form of storytelling acts as a breeding ground for a wealth of unique voices, ideas and visual styles to people worldwide, what’s not to like?
Q: Which character in Edenfrost do you personally connect with the most?
A: There’s a little bit of me in every character I write, but Yuli and I definitely surf on the same wavelength. Yuli’s not sentimental, gentle or subtle about what she thinks or how she feels at any given time. She’s loud, direct, in your face and has no patience for “fluff”…but she also knows when to switch off and act playful and goofy. For better or worse, Alex is who I wish I could be like in certain situations while Yuli’s closer to what I’m actually like most of the time.
Q: What do you hope for readers to take away from Edenfrost?
A: Aside from enjoying everything this epic journey has to offer, I hope the statement Edenfrost makes sticks. The story’s message is that identity is an intellectual construct that’s fluid and context-sensitive and that as a product of an intelligent civilization, it can be used to unite, divide, or annihilate any targeted group. Humans prioritize emotion over rational thinking and that vulnerability can be exploited. If we accept identity as a relative, subjective concept, we will be more alert to its potential weaponization. Targeting any perceived identity is never about mortality. It’s always about power and control and staying alert to that is half the battle.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your writing process?
A: I like to prioritize building a strong foundation. After completing the series’ bible and loosely outlining the story arc, I usually write my scripts in waves. The first wave is quick and messy, focusing on breaking down the visual structure, emotional intent of the dialogue, and overall pacing. The second wave involves cleaning up, tweaking, and fleshing out the initial draft. The final pass is dedicated to targeted polishing. Makes sense, right?
Q: Who/what are your biggest influences as a creator?
A: When it comes to emotionally resonant narratives, Anime and manga such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Mob Psycho 100, and Attack on Titan have a profound impact on me. On the other hand, for their style and worldbuilding mechanics, video game series like Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls satisfy my cravings. In terms of writing characters and dialogue, Quentin Tarantino’s skill serves as an inspiration. And when it comes to understanding the art of controlling comics as a medium, James Tynion IV’s work, from “Something’s Killing the Children” to “The Nice House on the Lake,” is nothing short of a masterclass.
Q: What are your favorite stories/artists/genres?
A: In terms of themes, I’m a big fan of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi, but I’m usually open to any story that manages to surprise me, regardless of genre. Despite my juvenile culinary preferences, when it comes to the stories I consume, I’m not a fan of “comfort food”. I enjoy narratives that challenge me and evoke a sense of motivational jealousy. I’m drawn to art that makes me envious and pushes me to recreate the same emotional impact in my own work, so that I can share it with others.
Q: Any upcoming projects we should know about?
A: Next year, three new original titles that I created in collaboration with my writer partner, Elliot Sperl, will be released: two graphic novels with Humanoids Publishing and another epic, issue-based series with you, my dear Mad Cavelings. So, stay tuned! 2024 and 2025 are going to be wild!
Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: If you enjoy EdenFrost and want to learn more about what I do, check out “Mindsplatter,” my monthly zine/newsletter, or follow me on social media. I’m not THAT scary… I promise!
Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, Amit Tishler moved to LA to work as an animator, director, and filmmaker on shows and games for Cartoon Network, HBO, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and more. He then ventured deeper into the world of software development and in 2017 co-founded the investor-backed entertainment technology startup PopBase until its acquisition by Pure Imagination Studios in 2021, where Amit now serves as a creative director, while working as a creator and writer on multiple original series and graphic novels with Humanoids Publishing, Mad Cave Studios, and others.
We’ve got your first look inside the chilly pages of our upcoming fantasy adventure series, Edenfrost. You can check out the action below!
Edenfrost is now available for pre-order on the official website, and will be available at your favorite bookstore, local comic shop, and digital comic reader on November 22nd, 2023!
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