Mogul Productions, the decentralized film financing (DeFiFi), NFT marketplace and production company, is leveraging its community of film fans and blockchain marketplace to help fund the adaptation of a six-part adult graphic novel into an animated series.
The series, dubbed Reign of the Underdog Featuring Lazarus, is an original graphic novel by Lazarus Guidry featuring words and art by some of the industry’s brightest stars. The series’ arc tells the story of Lazarus, a man who must battle his way through a dark world of crime and corruption in search of answers about his family and his very existence. It’s a brooding tale with danger and deception lurking around every turn, with blood to be spilled along the way.
Lazarus Guidry (né Rawlin Guidry) is the creator and writer of the Reign of the Underdog series, and the inspiration for its titular character. A rapper, producer, and actor, he is known for roles in Straight outta Compton, Unsolved, Hulu’s Runaways and many other roles. He is the brainchild behind Reign of the Underdog featuring Lazarus. Guidry drew on experiences from his own troubled youth in Louisiana in the creation of the graphic novel’s world.
Comic industry veteran Arvell M. Jones is the penciller for the Reign of the Underdog series. His impressive artist resume dates back to Marvel Comics in the 1970s, drawing for titles including Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Luke Cage, the Avengers, Daredevil, and more.
Bob Wiacek, the inker for the project, is another comic veteran with decades of experience, beginning in the 1970s as a member of the “Crusty Bunkers” inking collective. He got his start inking backgrounds over Curt Swan’s pencils on Superman for DC Comics before starting a multi-decade career with Marvel, where he worked on titles including Star Wars, The Uncanny X-Men, Power Pack, Sensational She-Hulk, and many others.
Tom Orzechowski, responsible for letters and copyediting of the project, is an award-winning comic book letterer, primarily known for his work on Uncanny X-Men. Over his career, he has lettered around 6,000 pages of longtime X-Men writer Chris Claremont’s scripts over a 25-year period.
Once released, each new 24-page full-color issue of Reign of the Underdog Featuring Lazarus will be distributed to NFT holders, including a music compilation with the first issue. The 500 piece NFT collection will be used to help finance the upcoming animated series and give fans the opportunity to be part of the journey from script to screen. NFT holders will receive a long list of perks & utility in addition to receiving all 5 issues of the comics!
The six-part mini-series will appeal to a broad spectrum of adult comic fans, featuring a richly detailed imagining of a dystopic 2033 cloaked in futuristic sci-fi imagery.
About Mogul Productions
Mogul Productions is revolutionizing film financing, allowing a global audience of fans to participate in the financing of movies and other forms of entertainment through NFT sales. Mogul’s NFT marketplace serves as a bridge between the NFT arena and the world of entertainment financing. It’s a platform for film fans, by film fans, empowering users to take an active role in the script-to-screen process. Access Pass holders get even more insider benefits and perks, including access to exclusive events held around Mogul-produced film releases.
