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pencils & inks
by Adam Hughes

visitors since October 9, 2000

Vineyard Press is Columbia’s first comic book publishing company. Publisher Eric Woodard founded the company in 1995 as a way for unpublished artists and writers in the Southeast to work in a professional forum and get experience in the highly competitive comics field. 

From the beginning, Eric sought out promising creative teams to produce and develop original concepts that would offer an alternative to the super-hero-dominated market.  That talent produced the first two issues of the black-and-white anthology series A STRANGER'S TALE in 1996 and 1997.

After releasing two highly successful issues, Eric began work on Vineyard’s most ambitious issue.  Issue # 3 of A STRANGER'S TALE would feature new installments of the three continuing series -- "Spork," "G.U.N.S.," and "Avatar," -- and introduce two new stories -- "Santos" and "The Magnificent One."  The project also led the Eric to expand the Vineyard Press talent search and begin production on a number of new issues.

Beginning with issue # 1, Eric wanted the covers of A STRANGER'S TALE to reflect the best professional talent in the industry.  The cover for the debut issue had double appeal, as it was pencilled by Columbia native Steve Epting, who was the regular artist on SUPERMAN at that time.  Issue # 2 followed suit with a cover by GREEN LANTERN and ROBIN artist Cully Hamner, who's based out of Atlanta.

A STRANGER'S TALE # 3 continues the cover art tradition, featuring an amazing piece by DC Comics artist Adam Hughes!  Hughes is a fan favorite and has worked for just about every major comic book publisher in the business.  He is the regular cover artist on WONDER WOMAN and rarely does small-press work due to his hectic schedule.  (One of the reasons for the delayed release of A STRANGER'S TALE # 3.)

During the production of issue # 3, Vineyard commissioned future covers from other top-rated artist like Randy Green of WITCHBLADE, Rick Ketchum of E.V.E. PROTOMECHA and X-MEN, Philip Xavier of HEAVY METAL, Dexter Vines of MERIDIAN, Louis Small Jr. of VAMPIRELLA, and others.

During the hiatus between # 2 and # 3, Vineyard Press took time to cultivate a few other projects that will be released in 2001 as stand-alone one-shot comic books.  This time also gave the creative teams an opportunity to produce a large body of work, meaning that A STRANGER'S TALE can now begin a quarterly publication schedule!

Vineyard Press and Heroes & Dragons proudly presents the re-launch of the company’s flagship title with a premiere party featuring the entire creative team for issue # 3 -- who will be on-hand to autograph copies of the book.  The comic comes with a free limited edition print by "G.U.N.S." artist Chad Culbertson.