An intense journey for this ‘Epic Quest’ » D&D-like show looks to grow Cheryl Minns Senior Columnist I an age of binge-worthy television and addictive video games, local filmmaker Chelsea Goodman of Water Flower Studios is offering audiences a bit of both in her new fantasy series, Epic Quest. The live-action show follows Alys the wench (played by Nadya Debogorski) and Sevrin the mage (Tim Zhang), two characters in a medieval fantasy video game who are on a quest to rescue Alys' kidnapped sister Thea (Alyssa Hanson- Smith) from the king. The pilot episode is currently available to stream for free on the Fantasy Network at watch.thefantasy. network. “We usually pitch Epic Quest as Monty Python and the Holy Grail meets Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,’ Goodman said to the Other Press in an online interview. Epic Quest launched on September 4 with a live premiere on the Dungeons and Dragons Memes Facebook page. Goodman and the show’s producer, David Pfrimmer, attended the event and interacted with viewers. The video has since received over 14,000 views. Epic Quest has come a long way from its humble beginnings as Goodman's student short film in 2015. To fund the ambitious project, Goodman launched a Kickstarter campaign in January 2015 to raise $1,600. She and her team finished the campaign with over $1,880 donated. The short film worked as a student project, but Goodman aspired to take the project further. “We weren't very happy with the first edit of Epic Quest, so I got it re-edited by a professional editor, a professional digital effects team, a colour corrector, and a sound designer, and it became what it is now,’ she said. In 2019, Epic Quest made its way around the film festival circuit, being screened at festivals around the world. The 12-minute pilot episode has received eight film festival awards, including Best Original Song, Best Webisode, and Best Web Series. In 2020, Epic Quest was accepted into the Gen Con Film Festival, which is part of a popular gaming convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, the in-person festival was moved online and streamed from July 30 to August 2. “Because of Gen Con, we were able to discover the Fantasy Network and they were able to discover us,’ Goodman said. “After the film festival was done, the Fantasy Network personally contacted me and said, ‘Hey, we really like Epic Quest. Would you like to be on our network?” The Fantasy Network is currently streaming the re-edited version of the short film Goodman made in 2015, which is referred to as the show’s pilot episode, “The Wench, The Mage, and The Thief.” Over the years, Epic Quest has gained a following of fans, who are eagerly awaiting more of Alys’ and Sevrin’s story. However, Goodman and Pfrimmer are only in pre-production of Epic Quest’s first season at the moment. “We plan to hopefully shoot in summer 2021. We plan to make six episodes at 25 minutes each for the first season. We've decided that we're going to make it more like an online TV series than a web series,” she said. Goodman said the team and the Fantasy Network plan to launch a crowdfunding campaign to help cover production costs for Epic Quest’s first season. “I don't know if we're going to do Kickstarter again, but if we are, that’s great because I’ve had two successful Kickstarter campaigns,” she said. Last November, Goodman and Pfrimmer went to the American Film Market in Santa Monica, California, to pitch Epic Quest to sales agents. To help sell the show, Goodman created an Epic Quest series bible, which contained drafts of the first six episodes, character profiles, an explanation of the show’s fictional world, and lots of visuals. The team was in negotiations with an interested agent, but A dark knight that lasts beyond. a long comic book run » Dan Jurgens’ first volume of ‘Batman Beyond’ is a refreshing dimension Jonathan Pabico Senior Columnist kek KK Come book lovers will be upset to find out that DC Comics will cancel writer Dan Jurgens’ Batman Beyond graphic novel series. Despite this news, Jurgens’ first volume Batman Beyond: Escaping the Grave offers a refreshing take on its classic ae rn ER Bidet os universe with a satisfying entry featuring well-realized characters. This story takes place in futuristic city Neo-Gotham with anew Batman, Terry McGinnis. While fighting criminal gangs led by young villain Terminal, McGinnis must also deal with the possible return of the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. The comic’s action scenes burst with thrilling—sometimes whimsical—artwork in overlapping panels paired with vividly Photo by Arnaldo Fragozo coloured environments. The staging of characters, layered with the edgy absurdities and close-ups in every frame, boldly immerses the reader in each fight. They’re elevated by Batman’s snide humour that portrays him as an enjoyable youth like Spider-Man. Volume one has an upbeat tone that provides a new spin on its titular lead that makes him better than just a brooding Dark Knight. The comic focuses less on McGinnis’ tragic backstory and more on the positive family dynamic he has with his little brother, Matt. This bond conveys how loved ones remind you that compassion always outweighs the world’s troubles. Batman also struggles to mend his estranged relationship with girlfriend Dana that further grounds his superhero life. Presenting his private life in these ways add emotional textures that really make this vigilante a genuinely believable character. As for Terminal, he has a twisted philosophy and an origin story that gives him some decent layers—although he lacks strong psychological duality with Batman. His motives are cliché yet, as a villain, he’s deceptive and cunning enough to keep readers hooked with his devious agenda. The graphic novel’s central theme is Ki ” AN | Photo of Tim Zhang and Nadya Debogorski in 'Epic Quest’ then COVID-19 hit, and film productions immediately shut down and the deal fell through. But there was a silver lining for Goodman and her team. With film productions being put on hiatus, she and her friends in the film industry found themselves with more free time to work on Epic Quest. “When things got shut down, I took what I wrote in that bible and I wrote the first three episodes. My friends and I had cold reads over Zoom where we—and even a few of my actors—read episodes one, two, and three,” she said. “From there, we were able to brainstorm and develop the story.” Goodman hopes the increasing interest in video game movies and streaming series will work in Epic Quest’s favour. “We've definitely made Epic Quest at the right time,” she said. Check out the pilot episode of Epic Quest at watch.thefantasy.network/tv- show/epic-quest. how unresolved issues from crime and the past can shape an entire city. The comic takes a closer look at its young characters as they try to find closure with their backstories or the legacy of the original Batman, Bruce Wayne, and his endless battles with the Joker. This approach creates a social subtext about what it means for a generation to live their lives as they carry the history of their predecessors. The script, however, has a few references to secondary characters and could have been developed further. The comic loses a bit of its accessibility for readers unfamiliar with Batman Beyond, but that won't impede them in learning about this superhero universe. Overall, the graphic novel excels with a more upbeat Batman that provides an exciting energy for young readers. Dan Jurgens skillfully builds his plot with exciting twists that allow you to eagerly lose yourself in the story’s world. As sad as it is that DC Comics will be discontinuing Jurgens’ series this year, Batman Beyond: Escaping the Grave proves why his comics lasted as long as they did. The 50th and last issue will be released December 22. The first volume is currently available on Hoopla.