

About Us


Company
The folks around here are like soot-covered coal miners digging down in the dirt to unearth that rare gem of a game or story. We hope our creations will unlock your imagination and help you escape any toil or drudgery that ensnares you.
With any luck, you'll fling your cage door open, flutter towards the heavens, and start singing like a song bird.


Our mission
We endeavor to author fantastical, offbeat—sometimes odd—stories and help them
take flight as tabletop games, card games, digital apps, novellas, comics, animated film, or any other genre that strikes your fancy—even plush toys. (Gasp!)
You see, just like canaries, good stories refuse to be confined. So, we’re setting them free.
Meet the team!

Mark Swanson
THE ARCH DESIGNER
Mark Swanson is a retired professor and owner of Odd Bird Games who lives in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. As a kid, he was drawn to science fiction and fantasy authors Piers Anthony, David Eddings and J.R.R. Tolkien, so, it’s no surprise that the story-rich themes found in Eurostyle games struck his fancy too.
Game authors like Reiner Knizia, Klaus Teuber, Martin Wallace and Andreas Seyfarth inspired Mark to create his first title, Feudum in 2017 — earning worldwide accolades including Most Innovative Game and Game of the Year.
Game authors like Reiner Knizia, Klaus Teuber, Martin Wallace and Andreas Seyfarth inspired Mark to create his first title, Feudum in 2017 — earning worldwide accolades including Most Innovative Game and Game of the Year.
Jake Morrison
ARTIST & NOVELIST
Jake is a California-based artist residing in the sunny city of Palm Springs. There is nothing he loves more than making art and telling stories. Jake attended art school for a stint, until he starting getting steady art gigs from a number of studios and entertainment companies including Cartoon Network.
After the stellar Kickstarter success of a 2-volume set of graphic novels called Dani and Ramen: A Nomad’s Tale, Jake is focused on expanding his work into a larger universe that integrates novellas, video games and an upcoming collectible card game.
After the stellar Kickstarter success of a 2-volume set of graphic novels called Dani and Ramen: A Nomad’s Tale, Jake is focused on expanding his work into a larger universe that integrates novellas, video games and an upcoming collectible card game.


Justin Schultz
ARTIST
As he likes to put it, Justin Schultz is an "earthling living in Charlotte, North Carolina.” Justin studied graphic design at Mississippi State University and worked for a number of advertising agencies before focusing on concert posters, album covers, package design and board game art!
His distinctive style of populating his art with monsters, reptiles and robots conjures up memories of children's picture books, albeit slightly skewed. Justin explains that he likes to lure viewers in with "superficially charming images," but then reveal something more "heartbreaking" or "daunting" upon closer inspection.
His distinctive style of populating his art with monsters, reptiles and robots conjures up memories of children's picture books, albeit slightly skewed. Justin explains that he likes to lure viewers in with "superficially charming images," but then reveal something more "heartbreaking" or "daunting" upon closer inspection.
Klemens Franz
ARTIST
Klemens Franz is a renowned board game artist known for his work on tabletop board games such as Agricola, Caverna, Le Havre and Boonlake. Franz was born in Graz, Austria and studied Information Managment at the University of Applied Sciences and Digital Game Research and Design at the University of Tampere, Finland.
Franz began illustrating and desinging games in 2007. Since then, he has worked on more than 300 games.
Franz began illustrating and desinging games in 2007. Since then, he has worked on more than 300 games.


Matt Emmons
ARTIST
Matt is a driven and enthusiastic comics and management professional that puts strategy, collaboration, and reliability in the forefront. He thrives in fast-paced, high-intensity environments while working closely with his team, clients, and customers.
Matt is the Owner of Second at Best Press, a freelance Illustrator and Cartoonist, Co-Host of Comics, Inebriated Podcast, and works as the Office Manager and Graphic Designer at Ben Franklin Print Co.
Matt is the Owner of Second at Best Press, a freelance Illustrator and Cartoonist, Co-Host of Comics, Inebriated Podcast, and works as the Office Manager and Graphic Designer at Ben Franklin Print Co.
Stephen Noce
MOTION DESIGNER
Stephen is an easygoing Art Director living in Australia with a wide range of sills including motion design, graphic design, photography, videography, animation, video editing, illustration, web design and social media.
When he’s not designing, Stephen is big into board games and hiking! Once he hiked up a mountain with glaciers and managed to escape from an attacking goat.
When he’s not designing, Stephen is big into board games and hiking! Once he hiked up a mountain with glaciers and managed to escape from an attacking goat.


Albert Bochnert
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Albert Bochnert is a freelance graphic designer living and working near Budapest, Hungary. He has a rich background and experience in branding, editorial design, webdesign, as well as typographic and photo manipulation work.
In recent years, his focus has shifted entirely toward the board game industry, and his work now centers on the graphic design of board games and also crowdfunding pages.
In recent years, his focus has shifted entirely toward the board game industry, and his work now centers on the graphic design of board games and also crowdfunding pages.
Selected reviews
Video reviews
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Text reviews
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Awards

Board Game Spotlight Award 2018

Top 10 Most Innovative Games

Game of the Year 2018

Best Overall Game 2018

Game of the Year 2018

SXSW Gamer's Voice Award Nominee 2019

Best 50 Games We've Ever Reviewed

Game of the Year, Reader's Choice 2018
We're not shy.