TV SERIES DEVELOPMENT

Jazz Legend

In the winter of ‘19, I was contacted by the comedic actor Jermaine Fowler (Coming 2 America, Sorry to Bother You, The Blackening) with a very intriguing offer: uproot my life to Los Angeles to develop my graphic novel, Jazz Legend, as an animated TV series that he would star in (while working with him on additional projects). I was living in Prague, Czech Republic, at the time, so relocation isn’t exactly what I’d call convenient. But when opportunity knocks, in my belief, you answer the call (and like any comic writer, having a TV adaptation of my work was THE dream). So… I packed my things, combed my hair, and headed east.  

Landing in LA in February of ‘20 was, well… less than well-timed. That March, the pandemic hit, but somehow we kept the ball moving with development. First, Sanjay Sharma, CEO of Marginal MediaWorks, signed on to produce, followed by (the now-defunct) Rooster Teeth Studios, with whom I signed on for the series’ actual development.  Over the next few years, we had various music directors attached, including Thundercat, eventually landing on the team at Jazz is Dead. Unfortunately, the constant start-and-stop of the pandemic created too much dead air between the creation and the actual pitching of the series, ultimately resulting in the show never seeing the light of day. But what an experience…

About the story: Jazz Legend follows the reclusive writer Benjamin Way, who has made local Motocity jazz legend Martin Comity the subject of his latest novel. However, Ben’s fascination with Martin goes beyond that of a mere literary muse, as both men have experienced terrifying visions of an alien specter known as the Magus. Attempting to put the specter out of his mind, Martin turns to the excesses of alcohol and a mysterious new street drug, the New Blue. The drug’s effects are unlike any other: an immersive psychedelic dreamscape filled with animalistic abominations and god-like humanoids. Throughout the story, Ben and Martin grapple with their ever-loosening grip on reality, the day-to-day friction of their personal and professional lives, and the eventual crushing realization that beings beyond imagination are in actuality playing puppet master with their very existence.

words: JC Lacek

lead: Jermaine Fowler

producer: Sanjay Sharma

production companies: Marginal MediaWorks, Rooster Teeth Studios

music direction: Jazz is Dead

Read the Jazz Legend pitch deck below