"WILDRZ: Turtle Trouble," a Multimedia Graphic Novel+, Puts Children Into the Story via iPad App

MARBLEHEAD, MA--(Marketwire - Nov 21, 2011) - Taking a step forward in multimedia storytelling, "WILDRZ: Turtle Trouble" is a Graphic Novel+ app in development for the iPad. Aimed at children ages 7 to 12, "WILDRZ: Turtle Trouble" (http://www.wildrz.com) weaves comics of three fictional siblings with a real-life biologist to protect a turtle breeding ground that also happens to be a suburban soccer field.

Paul Michaels, a former software producer for Hasbro Interactive's Tonka line of computer and console game software, an app developer and award-winning photographer, is using Kickstarter (http://kck.st/WILDRZ), a funding platform for artists, designers, and filmmakers, to raise the $100,000 needed to finish development of the WILDRZ app.

"Until now, graphic novels -- what my parents called comic books -- really haven't taken advantage of multimedia technology, even those available on the iPad," said Michaels, a father of three who developed the successful photo sim game, Photo Shootout (www.photoshootoutapp.com). "Built for the iPad, WILDRZ tells a fun, rich, interactive and compelling story about real-life animals in jeopardy and the three fictional siblings who help save those animals. We're developing an app that kids will enjoy playing and parents will feel good purchasing because the WILDRZ Graphic Novel+ app lets kids experience the adventure of saving wildlife from the safety of their iPads."

The iPad WILDRZ app combines 60 pages of comics, 10 mini-games, 20 minutes of video featuring a turtle biologist, access to the biologist's blog, and additional content -- and several ways to bring children into the action, including 230 speech balloons in the comics that readers can record using their own voices.

"We have already started work with real-life UMass Amherst-trained turtle biologist, Mark Grgurovic, who is working on a turtle study that inspired the WILDRZ story, and with Dirk Tiede, an experienced comic artist," Michaels added.

The Kickstarter project ends Sunday, Dec. 25th.

By supporting WILDRZ on Kickstarter at various levels, backers can purchase great holiday gifts like:

• The "WILDRZ: Turtle Trouble" app
• WILDRZ "skinz": a plastic wrap that goes on the front and back of your iPad, sporting the "Turtle Trouble" cover artwork.
• "Adopt a Momma Turtle": in which backers donate a specialized Radio unit that Grgurovic will use to improve his ability to track and find the female turtles' nests and improve the survival rate of baby turtles. Backers can name the turtle and get periodic updates on her from the field.
• Get transported into the WILDRZ universe with your likeliness or that of a loved one drawn as a character into the WILDRZ story line.
• An eco-adventure weekend for four to help biologist Mark Grgurovic on the very turtle study that inspired the WILDRZ app.

About Man Mountain Productions
Man Mountain Productions, Inc. has been delivering compelling, award-winning story-telling through photography, video and mobile applications, since 2002.