James Tynion IV Has To Option His Own Comic, The Woods, For Animation

19 Dec 2025, 12:58 by https://www.facebook.com/richard.james.johnston · BC

Posted in: Boom, Comics, Movies, TV | Tagged: james tynion iv, Michael Dialynis, the woods

James Tynion IV Has To Option His Own Comic, The Woods, For Animation

Published Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:58:05 -0600
by Rich Johnston
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Article Summary

James Tynion IV's Tiny Onion has optioned his own comic The Woods for adult animation from BOOM! Studios
Creator-owned vs. creator-participant rights means Tynion must license his own work for adaptations
Casey Gonzalez joins Tiny Onion to lead an ambitious slate of adult animated projects in development
Other Tiny Onion adaptations include W0RLDTR33 at Netflix and Something is Killing the Children at Blumhouse

This is the difference between a creator-owned comic book series and a creator-participant one. And what does it mean when it's not obvious? The news is out that James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas' The Woods is to be an adult animated series. And that James Tynion's company, Tiny Onion, has optioned the series from Boom Studios. Which left some going, "hang on., I thought Tynion owned The Woods with Dialynbas, why is he having to option it from Boom?" Well, no, Boom Studios owns half. So if Tynion wants to animate his own comic, he has to buy the rights back from Boom Studios. For a limited period of time. And it will be the same with Something Is Killing The Children, see below. It's notable that Tynion's projects after these have been fully creator-owned…

Led by CEO James Tynion IV, Tiny Onion is kicking off the production house's robust adult animation slate with an adaptation of Tynion's The Woods, based on the award-winning comic book series published by BOOM! Studios. The acclaimed sci-fi horror comics were co-created by Tynion and artist Michael Dialynas (Wynd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). To launch the animation slate, Tiny Onion is bringing aboard esteemed industry professional Casey Gonzalez as Director of Multimedia to oversee development for the company's animated projects. GLAAD Media Award-winning comic book series The Woods tells the story of an ordinary high school in suburban Milwaukee, WI, which is suddenly transported into the midst of an alien forest in an uncharted corner of the universe. With no sign of why they were taken there, or what threats lurk in the dark woods surrounding their school, the story follows a group of students determined to figure out how to survive, and more importantly, how to get home. Tiny Onion has optioned the property from Boom Studios. The animated series will be executive-produced by Tynion and Dialynas for Tiny Onion. Stephen Christy and Mette Norkjaer will executive produce the series for Boom Studios."

Jazzyln Stone of Tiny Onion says "When we launched, James cited aggressive multimedia plans in our announcement. We've been working on those plans (with roughly 14 projects at various stages of development, including the above-mentioned projects) since our launch nearly two years ago. Kicking off the robust adult animation slate is an adaptation of The Woods, based on the award-winning comic book series published by Boom Studios, co-created by James and Michael Dialynas (Wynd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). As the work ramped up, we realised we needed help much sooner than we originally planned. Enter stage left, the incredible Casey Gonzalez, Tiny Onion's new Director of Multimedia – Animation. An animation titan, she spent a decade working alongside industry legend Fred Seibert (Adventure Time, Bee and Puppycat) as his VP of Development at FredFilms, where she developed original cartoons, including the viral short The Summoning, which is being adapted into a three-book series for Oni Press.

When I met Casey for the first time (on a different project we'll announce next year), I remember leaving the meeting wishing she was on the Tiny Onion team. She was so talented, hard-working, organised and yet relaxed. She was so effortlessly cool! I wanted to work with her as often as possible. Life has a funny way of working out sometimes.

James Tynion added, "Next to comics, there is no medium I have more love for than animation. From the launch of Tiny Onion, we've talked about having aggressive plans in this space. What has been announced with the Something is Killing the Children animated series in development with Blumhouse is only the beginning. As we make more steps into the greater world of multimedia, I'm excited to expand the Tiny Onion team, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have Casey joining us to spearhead our moves in this lane. I can't wait for everyone to see what we have in store for you together… The Woods was the horror story that launched my career in creator-owned comics. I think you can see the blueprints in it for almost every story I've written since. I still feel like it may be my best idea, the world and characters Michael and I created still live so clearly in my mind. I can't wait to bring them to life for a new audience. I've spent the last ten years dreaming of being in a place where I could bring it to life in Animation, and I'm thrilled that Tiny Onion has opened the door to that."

"The Woods was my first collaboration with James that threw me into creating long-form creator-owned comics," said series co-creator and lauded artist Michael Dialynas. "The experience and friendships made along the way creating this series will always be a huge part of me; the love I have for the story, characters, and a certain purple space-monkey has stuck with me ever since. So being able to visit the creepy woods again in a whole new format is a journey that I can't wait to see our misfit cast be a part of!"

"Publishing the first issue of The Woods in 2014 kicked off an exciting and fruitful creative adventure with the brilliant team of James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas," said Stephen Christy, President of Development at Boom Studios. "We are thrilled to have this amazing book be the centrepiece of Tiny Onion's new animation slate, and can't wait for a whole new audience to discover the world that James and Michael created."

The Woods will be Gonzalez's first project as Director of Multimedia at Tiny Onion since joining the team in December. Previous to Tiny Onion, she spent a decade working alongside animation industry legend Fred Seibert (Adventure Time, Bee and Puppycat) as his VP of Development at FredFilms, where she developed original cartoons, including the viral short The Summoning, which is being adapted into a three-book series for Oni Press.

"I am honored to be joining the talented team at Tiny Onion. I feel right at home in this group of creative folks who are passionate about original stories," said Gonzalez. "Anyone who has worked in comics can tell you about the huge amount of effort that goes into producing a single page. Tiny Onion brings that spirit of hard work and close collaboration to everything that they do. The result is an undeniably human touch: stories that you can't put down, art that grabs your attention, events that resonate, and fans who feel deeply connected to it all. Led by the wonderful James Tynion IV, Tiny Onion has built an absolute treasure trove of original stories. I can't wait to bring these bold, thrilling, boundary-pushing stories to life in animation."

The Woods is a part of an expanding adult animation slate that also includes an animated adaptation of Tynion's Image Comics horror sci-fi series W0RLDTR33 in development at Netflix. Co-created by Fernando Blanco (Detective Comics) and coloured by the multi-Eisner Award-winning colourist Jordie Bellaire (Exquisite Corpses), W0RLDTR33 tells the story of a dark evil lurking within the internet that may destroy humanity. Tynion and Blanco will serve as Executive Producers on the series, with Ashley Cardiff (Fear The Walking Dead) set as Showrunner and Executive Producer. Sean Buckelew of Green Street Pictures (Common Side Effects, Scavenger's Reign) will also serve as Executive Produce,r and the team has just brought on Guillaume Dousse of Æsten studio (Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, Flee) to lead visual development and art direction for the series.

Additionally, Tiny Onion is developing an adult animated comedy series The Tipsy Dragon with production company Irony Point. The series is being developed by Daniel Powell (Ugly Americans). RJ Fried, Mike Leech, and Zach Smilovitz (Our Cartoon President) are attached to write and help produce. An original concept from Tynion, The Tipsy Dragon is set in a tavern in a world where the age of heroes and legends is long past—and its barkeep and patrons couldn't care less about their supposed role in an ancient battle between good and evil just outside their doorstep.

Tynion and Boom Studios are also teaming up with horror production company Blumhouse for an adult animated television series and a live-action feature film based on Tynion and Werther Dell'Edera's series Something is Killing the Children. Set in a world where children can see monsters, but adults cannot, Something is Killing the Children tells the story of Erica Slaughter, a monster hunter from a mysterious organisation more concerned with keeping the secret of monsters from the world than saving their victims. The animated series will be adapted and executive produced by Tynion, with Dell'Edera serving as Co-Executive Producer and visual development consultant. Stephen Christy will executive produce the series for BOOM! Studios, with Mette Norkjaer and Adam Yoelin serving as Co-Executive Producer.

Tiny Onion is backed by a seed investment from Lyrical Media, the Los Angeles and New York-based company that develops, produces, and finances unique stories across multi-media formats, including film, television, video games, and graphic novels. It was recently announced that Lyrical Media has launched Lyrical Animation to tap into global demand for adult animation, with an emphasis on animated features. Lyrical Animation is headed by seasoned Animation industry veterans Jacob Robinson, Daniel Dominguez, and Brad Graeber, and has many projects in development, including an adaptation of the video game Death Stranding. Tiny Onion will be working closely with Lyrical Animation on its animation slate. Tynion is represented by Jason Richman, David Park, and Charles Ferraro at United Talent Agency, Zac Frognowski and Jared Ceizler at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Caitlin DiMotta at Troygould.

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