Courtesy of Panick Entertainment, AIPT can share details for their first comics series, T.A.M.A., a six-issue miniseries out in March 2025. Described as Child’s Play meets Pokemon, the series is about a long-forgotten virtual pet, enhanced by modern AI that returns for revenge in the real world–invisible to the naked eye, but it can be seen using Augmented Reality technology (think Pokemon Go).
PANICK Entertainment is including T.A.M.A. #1 in the company’s pre-launch promotional event on the specialized comic crowdfunding platform ZOOP. It’ll be a unique, limited opportunity to get your hands on PANICK’s launch titles, with exclusive covers and other one-of-a-kind offers. The campaign launched on Friday, the 13th of September! Back it here.
So what’s T.A.M.A. about?
When a neglected boy discovers a defunct virtual pet system, he finds the companionship he desperately seeks. But when mysterious and gruesome tragedies begin to pile up all around him, the boy wonders if his digital furry friend could somehow be the “virtual” common denominator. How far are both the kid and creature willing to go to seek attention, and how many will be hurt by this deadly beast that can somehow interact with the real world?
As part of the prelaunch, check out a trailer and get more information on the series below.
ORIGINS (How did we get to T.A.M.A.?)
Remember those nostalgic virtual pets? They came in the form of watches, dongles or even fuzzy creatures like the Furbies. Everyone had one… but at some point got bored and moved on to the next trendy thing, forgetting about the pet they were supposed to be caring for. Not feeding them. Neglecting them. Imagine how they’d feel and what they might do for revenge if they could affect the real world?
Modernizing Virtual Pets
Neopets was then, but this is now. We use platforms like Pokemon Go, where you can only see your fuzzy friends using VR/AR technology. Many of these interactive creatures & characters seem so real because they’re suped up with modern, adaptive AI. It’s often kind of alarming and uncomfortable how much they know and how real they feel.
*FYI – Doug’s background before tv/comics was in Tech, back to the days of the first commercial internet company. He’s seen a lot, and knows first hand how we’ve let this “information age” totally get away from us.
Who is TAMA?
In our story, we’ve got a virtual pet platform called the COMPANIMALS. As one of many virtual pets from the game, TAMA is an adorable interactive companion that is of course equipped with cutting edge augmented reality technology. The seemingly perfect pet, TAMA’s always ready to play, hang out, and provide unconditional love. TAMA automatically integrates with all your devices. No matter where you are, TAMA’s there…
It will be revealed that making TAMA angry brings out a whole other side to its programming. Glitches and suppressed memories are hiding TAMA’s own deep seated trauma and neglect.
Who is Kit?
Kit is our 14yr old lead who discovers TAMA, and without a second thought, activates it. He’s got a lot working against him; his severe allergies to anything furry, the recent loss of his dad, his struggling single mom trying to keep it all together and his genuine lack of popularity at school. This kid has had a tough time–feeling neglected by his mom and still processing the trauma of his dad’s death. TAMA seems to be exactly what Kit needs. TAMA helps him feel more confident. At the start, Kit keeps TAMA a secret from his only friends, Bobby and Ava. But as Kit grows closer to TAMA, his allergies start to flare up and he realizes TAMA… can enter the real world.
Tama’s eagerness to help Kit starts off with harmless pranks, but quickly escalates into misunderstood violent actions. Kit’s faced with a heart wrenching choice: allow TAMA to keep hurting people he cares about or find a way to “shut down” his newfound friend (e.g. kill TAMA).
Theme
The central theme of T.A.M.A. is overcoming trauma, highlighted by Kit’s relationship with his Mom and with TAMA. Kit and his Mom have both struggled to move on and accept his father’s death. Kit’s Mom has thrown herself into work, refusing to talk about it and ignoring her son. Kit feels absolutely neglected. TAMA has experienced its own trauma that it’s struggling to comprehend and shares Kit’s feelings of neglect.
The story also asks the question about nature vs. nurture. Is TAMA vicious and violent because it was “born” that way or because of its horrid experiences? Can you tame a wild animal?
Tone
A modern take on Gremlins, T.A.M.A. is a horror, adventure story featuring cutting edge A.I. like M3GAN, told through the eyes of kids like Stranger Things and It. For us, seeing horror through the eyes of kids is always scarier!
*FYI – Adam was an executive producer on the Shazam! films and believes that there’s something special about seeing stories through the eyes of kids. It adds another layer of concern, danger, and fun. For them, everything’s the best or worst thing ever and they’re more likely to make unpredictable, terrifying choices.
Contributors
We’re excited to have the ultra talented Daniel HDR doing interior artwork for us. He brings vast experience working on major titles such as Masters of the Universe and X-Men Forever. We’re amazed at every immensely detailed page that’s turned in.
We’re fortunate enough to have the prolific Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics, Batman: Lil’ Gotham, Descender) drawing our first cover! His stunning artwork will set the bar for the entire series.
Vision for the Universe
We don’t see T.A.M.A. as just a one and done mini-series, but as a massive franchise in the making. We already have a trilogy of stories thoroughly planned out. The multiple horror Pokemon-esque creatures from the COMPANIMALS game each have their own individual traumas that can easily spin off into separate stories. Plus we haven’t even talked about the transmedia opportunities. Let’s just say, we plan to be scaring you for years to come!
Why a Comic Book
We want to tell the story of T.A.M.A. in ways unique to the medium.
- Comics let us tell the story exactly as we want. There are no budget or rating constraints–allowing us to include some really fucked up stuff.
- We’re able to highlight how TAMA is invisible to the real world by having panels without TAMA directly next to identical panels highlighting the creature. For instance, Kit is playing with TAMA in one panel and it’s jumping around his bookshelf knocking over a picture frame and in the identical panel beside it, there’s no Tama, but the picture frame is still falling… creepy!
- We lean into the suspense, tension and build up to page turns, often utilizing splash page reveals to blow the reader away… and scare them shitless.
Format/Release for T.A.M.A.
- The first release from PANICK Entertainment
- Six issue mini-series
- In stores wherever comics are sold, March 2025
ZOOP Details
PANICK Entertainment is including T.A.M.A. #1 in the company’s pre-launch promotional event on the specialized comic crowdfunding platform ZOOP. It’ll be a unique, limited opportunity to get your hands on PANICK’s launch titles, with exclusive covers and other one of a kind offers. Have you ever wanted to be drawn into and killed off in a comic? This is your chance to make that happen.
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