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Thread: The Adept by Immortal Studios

  1. #1
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    The Adept by Immortal Studios

    Please support THE ADEPT Kickstarter

    I’m serving as the ‘Action Choreographer’ for a new graphic novel called The Adept, the first project from Immortal Studios. Our Kickstarter just launched today and we’d be grateful for your support.



    “Man, you come right out of a comic book.”

    THREADS
    The Adept
    Shaolin Comics
    The Next Wave of Kung Fu Comics...
    Immortal Studios
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  2. #2
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    Kickstarter goal met

    We met our $10K goal within 4 hours putting us in the top 3% of Kickstarter fundraisers.

    There are more pics below but you can see them all better on our Kickstarter page.

    ·Entertainment·June 15, 2020·1 min read
    New ‘Wuxia’ Studio Unveils Their First Kung-Fu Comic Series Led By a Chinese American Heroine




    A new entertainment studio that focuses on authentic martial arts culture has unveiled their first comic book series: “The Adept”.
    “The Adept” is an original story from entrepreneur, producer and activist Peter Shiao, written by Tasha Huo and Charlie Stickney with art done by Yishan Li.

    The series, which has seen an exciting reception on their crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, has a 42-page first issue that follows the quest of Amy, a Chinese American who escapes an abusive home to master an ancient and rare martial art, preparing for the day when she returns home to face an unspeakable evil.

    The new comic series is one of the most recent unveils by up-and-coming Immortal Studios which was founded by CEO Shiao. Immortal is gearing to become the premier entertainment studio of an interconnected “wuxia” universe of authentic and cultural martial arts stories. Wuxia is the fantasy genre that comes from Eastern culture and has permeated Western entertainment for decades without being named — blockbuster films like “The Matrix”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Kung Fu Hustle” and “IP Man” are just a few iconic films that belong to this genre.

    Dive deeper into “The Adept” on Kickstarter and prepare for a coming universe of authentic Eastern cultural stories.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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    The Beat's crowdfunding round-up

    Comics Crowdfunding Round-Up: THE ADEPT, GUTTERSPAWN, and 3 more campaigns we love
    Plus, A MORE GRACEFUL SHABOOM.


    By Josh Hilgenberg -06/19/2020 1:00

    Welcome to The Beat’s crowdfunding round-up: a collection of some of our favorite campaigns from the week including one-shots, on-goings, anthologies and everything in-between! This week, we’re checking out the kung fu adventure, The Adept, a kids’ book featuring a non-binary main character, A More Graceful Shaboom, and more.

    Let’s get started!

    The Adept



    Creators: Tasha Huo (writer), Charlie Stickney (writer), Yishan Li (artist), Gabriela Downie (letterer) Gene Ching (Action Choreographer), Conor Hughes (Action Layouts)
    Goal: $10,000
    End date: July 15, 2020
    Goodies: A digital copy runs $5, physical editions are $17, while higher tiers include pins, variants, and unique swag.

    A young woman with a broken past. The Shaolin Master that visits her dreams. A modern story of transformation and kung fu.

    The Adept is the brainchild of Immortal Studios CEO & Founder, Peter Shiao, and adapted by Huo, Stickney, Li, and Downie, with Ching providing his knowledge of Kung Fu, and Hughes adding layout assistance. Over 42 pages, this first issue in what’s planned to be a limited series will introduce Amy, a young Chinese-American who’s lost her purpose and decides to come home – but is quickly swept into a Kung Fu story of the ages when she witnesses a kidnapping and is called to action. It’s an enticing story I can’t do justice – but fourteen preview pages of Li’s art will. Check those out on The Adept official campaign page.

    Become a backer here.
    I'm only copying the lead feature.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  4. #4
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    The Marvel of Kung Fu



    This Asian American Female Superhero Comic Wants to be the Marvel of Kung Fu
    "The Adept" is an impressive start for big-dreaming Immortal Studios
    By ADAN KOHNHORST 1 day ago

    Home > Daily Drip > This Asian American Female Superhero Comic Wants to be the Marvel of Kung Fu
    The Adept is a stunning and heartfelt ode to kung fu lore.

    Starring Amy, a young Chinese-American who runs away from an abusive home, it promises Shaolin mythology, classic comic book action, and a modern setting with real-world themes. On a Kickstarter for The Adept, a 14-page preview chapter gives us a look at the superhuman powers of martial arts that Amy obtains after training with a mysterious master in her dreams.

    The title is the first project from Immortal Studios, and the beginning of an interconnected content universe built around wuxia, the genre of kung fu heroics that inspired films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Artist Yishan Li breathes life into characters and writing by Tasha Huo and Charles Stickney, in an original story from Immortal Studios Founder Peter Shiao.

    From the first peek, The Adept looks very exciting – the preview chapter manages to squeeze in evil conspiracies, sisterhood, and plenty of not-for-kids kung fu ass-kicking.

    One thing that stands out about The Adept is the attention to detail when it comes to Chinese martial arts. Not surprising, as the production enlists the help of Gene Ching, 32nd generation layman disciple of the Shaolin Temple, and the publisher behind the niche (but fondly remembered) Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine. Generic physical combat is swapped out for authentic Shaolin techniques, giving the comic the feel of a kung fu movie, and honestly putting the Iron Fist to shame.

    Maybe most exciting is the idea that the series will blossom out into a full-on Marvel-style interconnected universe of stories from Immortal Studios. But for now, consider backing the project on Kickstarter.
    Our Kickstarter reached its goal in the first 4 hours. But we can do even more with more donations, and we aren't even halfway through the Kickstarter yet.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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    Martial Artist Q&A: Gene Ching

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    Move of the Day: Ding Bu with Gene Ching

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    Our newest web article

    Awaken the Hero. READ Peter Shiao on The Adept from Immortal Comics by Gene Ching

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    20 hours to go on our Kickstarter

    The Adept Kickstarter campaign

    We've already tripled our goal with 1K+ supporters. If you haven't signed up, this is your last chance to get exclusive cool gear.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  10. #10
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    CBR gave me a mention in the subtitle

    No one ever mentions the choreographer. We're usually the 2nd unit.

    EXCLUSIVE: Comic Book Newcomer Immortal Debuts Cover Art for Flagship Title, The Adept
    CBR presents an exclusive reveal of the cover for The Adept #1, by Tasha Huo, Charlie Stickney, Peter Shiao, Yishan Li, Gene Ching and Deron Bennett.

    BY JON ARVEDON
    8 HOURS AGO



    Immortal Studios, a brand-new content studio for contemporary Wuxia entertainment, has provided CBR with an exclusive first look at the cover art for Issue #1 of its debut series, The Adept, by Tasha Huo, Charlie Stickney, Peter Shiao, Yishan Li, Gene Ching and Deron Bennett.

    "I was raised on my father’s stories, drawn from thousands of years of martial arts, hero and fantasy storytelling," co-writer and Immortal founder and CEO Peter Shiao said in a statement. "These stories have not only enthralled Chinese audiences, they have inspired some of Hollywood’s top franchises, from Avengers and Star Wars to Kill Bill and John Wick. Strangely, there is no home for this timeless genre, and we are here to change that with a few new things. First, an interconnected storyverse of characters and stories all set in the modern world but grounded in Wuxia, second, a diverse range of titles that will bring together the various influences of the genre from more grounded, authentic tales all the way to fantastical immortals, all under one roof, and last but not least, an opportunity to authentically represent Asian faces and culture in an empowering way for the world. Our goal is to awaken the hero in everyone."

    The exclusive cover art, as well as some previous pages for The Adept #1, are below:

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    #AwakenYourHeroChallenge

    The #AwakenYourHeroChallenge is happening on Twitter, Facebook & TikTok.

    JOIN US!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    Invest in IMMORTAL

    Tell 'em Gene sent ya.

    Invest in Immortal Studios
    Creating the next Marvel with a martial arts fantasy universe of comics and more

    IMMORTAL-STUDIOS.COMLOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA

    The Martial Arts Fantasy genre (Wuxia) has been around for thousands of years, yet it does not have a dedicated global home. We are here to change that - with a vision to modernize and elevate it - ultimate, to Awaken the Hero in Everyone.
    Peter Shiao Founder & CEO @ Immortal Studios
    FRIENDS INVEST FIRST

    Public Launch Nov 10 @ 8AM EST

    Payment processed on investment. Immortal Studios must raise $150,000 to get funded. Wefunder Portal LLC can refund upon request while funds are in escrow.

    ABOUTUPDATES0REVIEWS44ASK A QUESTION0
    Why you may want to invest in us...
    1 Building a martial arts fantasy universe to become the next Marvel
    2 Exclusive rights to the 60+ IP library of top Wuxia creator Shiao Yi with 30+ films/tv produced
    3 Funded first comic book in 3 hours on Kickstarter with proven product-market fit
    4 Sales of $35K in 1st Kickstarter campaign; additional $40K expected by year end from 2nd campaign
    5 Founding team includes veterans from Marvel, DC, Shaolin Temple and Hollywood studios
    6 Hollywood is hungry for genre IP based offerings with comparable deals with 9-10 digit exits
    7 Proved out comic-first engagement model for safe, cost-effective, and exponential value creation
    8 Focused on large global market that includes US and China
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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    Gene Ching, a Shaolin kung fu master

    'master' is the reporter's term, not mine.

    ‘The Adept’: Rebooting wuxia, China’s ancient literary genre
    Society & Culture
    'The Adept' is the first of what will be five interconnected comic franchises created by Immortal Studios. Together, they reimagine one of China's oldest literary genres for a modern Western audience.
    Zijia Song Published December 3, 2020

    All images courtesy of Immortal Studios

    For many, the “wǔxiá” 武侠 genre will evoke images from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the movie that first introduced a fantastical version of Chinese martial arts to Western audiences. But the full wonder of wuxia — including the concepts of jiānghú 江湖 and wǔlín 武林, the realm where martial arts heroes inhabit and the culture that defines these characters’ actions — is regrettably being taken for granted, even in mainland China and Hong Kong. Peter Shiao is trying to change that.

    The son of renowned Chinese-American wuxia writer Shiao Yi (萧逸 Xiāo Yì), Peter Shiao is trying to reinvigorate and reimagine the wuxia world through graphic novels, which he believes is the best way to bring this ancient genre of literature — with its unique history, legends, and lifestyles — to modern audiences. The visual presentation allows for “poetry and imagination,” and is faster and more economical than shooting a video, Shiao said. “It’s the cheapest, fastest, and most true way to do it.”

    The Adept is the result: the first installment in what will be a comic book series that tells the story of a young Chinese-American woman’s quest to study an ancient martial tradition from a Shaolin master. Meanwhile, she must go through a self-transformation and find redemption in her personal life.



    Setting the story in today’s world and giving the characters contemporary identities is at the heart of what Shiao and his team at Immortal Studios is trying to do. They believe that wuxia should not be a distant concept that triggers only the image of people fighting in ancient costumes. Instead, they believe that the spirit of wuxia lies in striving for self-empowerment and overcoming challenges for the benefit of both the self and others. By setting the stories in the present day, Shiao’s team is trying to modernize wuxia.

    Shiao also wanted to present an authentic image of Shaolin, the birthplace of kung fu. According to him, the true spirit of Shaolin, the state of consciousness, is often “lost in the shuffle” and reduced to shaved heads and physics-defying maneuvers.

    One way to honor the Shaolin culture is to present kung fu movements exactly as Shaolin masters would do them. But illustrating the dynamic martial arts movements in artwork was a huge challenge. So Shiao hired Gene Ching, a Shaolin kung fu master, as a choreographer to identify the physical forms appropriate for the page. “We treated it almost like how they actually would shoot a movie,” Shiao said. Conor Hughes, an action artist, would study the martial arts mechanics and draw out the movements. Finally, artist Yishan Li would add the finishing touch, illustrating the movement’s energy flows and characters’ facial expressions.

    “We’re going to experience many different forms of authentic kung fu fighting in The Adept, and all of them will be real, not just in somebody’s imagination,” Shiao said. “One of our goals is for martial artists to read The Adept and say, ‘Wow, we like this.’”



    The Adept is one of five comic franchises Immortal Studios is working on. Others include adapted stories from Shiao Yi’s literature, Assassin G, Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsman, and Ma Ming Feng Xiao Xiao (马鸣风萧萧 mǎmíng fēngxiāoxiāo), plus an Immortal Studios original, Fa Sheng. Each will be a complete subworld. The five subworlds will make up a storyverse that Shiao and his team envision as an interconnected Marvel-like universe with intertwined characters and timelines. They will eventually join together to face an existential crisis.

    Underlying these ambitions, Shiao wants to remind people what “being Chinese” really means. Wuxia “is the receptacle for all the aspects of Chinese culture that we identify with,” he said: an amalgamation of Chinese ideas of philosophy, morality, human relations, aesthetics, beauty, and cosmology. But Shiao won’t limit his characters to only those with Chinese heritage. By designing a black protagonist for Ma Ming Feng Xiao Xiao, Shiao explores modern narratives and makes the case that regardless of skin color, wuxia conveys a worldview that applies to everyone.

    “I think it’s about the idea of balance,” Shiao said. “This is more needed than ever.”



    Zijia Song was born in Jinan, China, came to the U.S. as a high schooler in 2013, and obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Boston College. She’s now studying journalism and international relations at New York University and pursuing her interest in covering news about China.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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    Wizard World’s Immortal Wuxia: From Concept to Comic panel

    TUNE INTO WIZARD WORLD’S IMMORTAL WUXIA: FROM CONCEPT TO COMIC THIS SATURDAY DEC 26 4PM PST.
    I will be part of the panel alongside some of the rest of our Immortal Team: Peter Shiao, Charles Stickney and Emma Chibulu. This will be live-streamed for free on Wizard World’s Facebook, YouTube and TwitchTV.

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    Gene Ching
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    #AwakenYourHero Challenge

    Follow the link and you'll see my TikTok answer to the #AwakenYourHero Challenge.

    ‘Awaken Your Hero Challenge’ on TikTok Has Everyone Bringing Back Kung Fu Culture
    BY EDITORIAL STAFF
    DECEMBER 29, 2020
    2 MINUTE READ



    “LAST NIGHT I DREAMT OF A KUNG FU MASTER…” booms a voiceover-ready narrator over Kodak Black’s ZEZE. So starts the social meme catching fire across TikTok and Instagram Reels, where martial arts and kung fu has once again been thrown into pop culture.

    The roughly two-minute meme, called #AwakenYourHero Challenge, is made of two shots. In the first, the creator awakens from a sleep state, having presumably dreamt of a kung fu master. With a quick cut, the creator breaks into serious martial arts moves.

    The meme has been picked up by a variety of martial artists showing the diversity of styles and creativity that exists within the form.

    The meme also shows the diversity in martial arts practitioners. Kai’mere Beard, a 10-year-old practitioner from Jade Fortress Shaolin Martial Arts Academy in Illinois, created a take that has been lauded for her authenticity – from her technique to her Feiyues – as a form of genuine cultural appreciation. Kai’mere says, “Shaolin Gongfu has been really fun, intense, and exciting since I first started training three years ago with my godfather, a Shaolin disciple. I really like the Chinese martial arts culture.”

    Originally conceived by Immortal Studios, the meme was created for the October release of its comic book “The Adept” but designed to inspire more. Immortal Studios founder and CEO Peter Shiao says, “We all have a unique persona inside ourselves that we are trying to unleash, and this is a fun way to see that process play out in a Wuxia fashion, like it does for Amy our inaugural comic ‘The Adept’. We’ll be doing more initiatives like this in the future that brings our ideas to fruition through short video.”

    Kevin Kreider, an actor and motivational speaker, found the meme as an opportunity to advance one of his primary advocacies: stereotypes of Asian masculinity. “I wanted to show that you could still be Asian and masculine without knowing martial arts.”

    The Awaken Your Hero Challenge has since evolved as participants put their own stamp on it and display their individuality and creativity.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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