By Antisia King
Photos By Kathy Ruzan & Don Kunts

On November 6th, Hero’s Journey: The Series, an animated transmedia production from Folktellers Studios, premiered, bringing together storytelling, art, history, and music. The creative team includes notable talents such as art director and Marvel comic artist Patrick McEvoy, who helped bring the series to life with a unique blend of visual and narrative elements.

Stephen Sadler, the writer and creator behind Folktellers Studios, has an impressive background in design, engineering, and tech media. Driven by his passion for immersive storytelling, Sadler set out to create a transmedia platform that would deliver powerful stories through animation and music.

Sadler’s inspiration for the series began when he shared some of his legendary stories with friends, many of whom had fascinating stories of their own. They noticed a common theme: many iconic music legends live like superheroes, and many died young. This realization inspired Sadler to celebrate figures such as Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, Richard Pryor, Buddy Miles, and others through a storytelling approach that highlights culture and history.

In a lead-up to the premiere, Award winning indie artist Christian Vegh, singer, songwriter producer & guitarist, appeared on CBS Detroit News to discuss the event. Vegh showcased his signature guitar, the "Christian Vegh Windsor CV," a custom design crafted with input from Master Luthier Jeff Figley, adding excitement to the upcoming event and performance by Mark Kassa’s band, Slight Return.

Mark Kassa- Founder & Producer “Slight Return“
https://slightreturn.com/

The event, held at the Royal Oak Emagine Theatre, ran from 7 to 10 PM featured a book signing, meet-and-greet, and a live performance by the award-winning band Slight Return. The experience has been described as “Comicon meets Woodstock” or “from comic page to live concert stage.” The atmosphere was electric, leaving attendees with a sense of awe and anticipation for a possible tour.

During the event, I had the chance to speak with Stephen Sadler about the experience he hoped audiences would take away. “I wanted to give people not just Comicon and music, but also an experience that stimulates the mind through both teaching and entertainment—what I call ‘edutainment’—with a star quality,” he shared.

With its captivating blend of culture, music, and storytelling, Hero’s Journey: The Series has set the stage for a groundbreaking experience, leaving fans excited for what’s to come and eager to follow this unforgettable journey.


More upcoming Events: https://www.sweetwaterentertainment.com/event-details/slight-return-original-guitar-driven-hard-hitting-funky-rock-and-roll-from-detroit