When it comes to original ideas, Hollywood isn't what immediately comes to mind.

For example, Disney is now resorting to adapting its animated films into live-action versions (see Cinderella, Beauty & The Beast, and The Jungle Book).

In terms of movies and television series taken from speculative fiction, most remain overwhelmingly based on Western culture, philosophy, and traditions.

The grand result is an uninspired, homogenized cavalcade of narratives many of us have seen in various iterations countless times before. All this in service to Tinseltown's addled fervor to produce the next blockbuster.

It was out of this frustration that led Nigerian-American brothers Obi Ubeh and Onyi Ubeh to found Kolanut Productions, an independent animation, comic, and gaming studio. 

The studio's mandate is to produce media from emerging, untapped markets, including the rich traditions of African mysticism.

Enter the all-ages web comic RED ORIGINS, Kolanut's inaugural project.

RED ORIGINS is about the exploits of three young friends, Obi, Temi, and Jon, who find themselves transported to neo-Africa in the year 2070.

Upon their arrival, the trio is conscripted into a magical peacekeeping force, and each is granted unique powers based on juju magic.

In order to return home, the three friends must navigate a new world where war between Ancestral Africa and Neo-Technological Africa is about to explode.

Watch the RED ORIGINS teaser trailer ...

You can view each installment of the web comic, and listen to its accompanying soundtrack available here.

New installments are scheduled to be released each week, so please make sure to signup for the webcomic's newsletter to stay informed.

The Ubeh Brothers have stated their end goal is to have Red Origins adapted into an animated series. Check out their successful crowdfunding campaign here: Red Origins Kickstarter.

I sincerely hope they succeed, because this engaging story is perfect for animation, and would most definitely infuse the animated world with much needed originality and diversity.

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