Apple TV+ is diving deep into the world of fandom with its upcoming four-part anthology series Side Quest, a spinoff of the hit workplace comedy Mythic Quest.
Unlike its predecessor, which focuses on the chaotic inner workings of a video game development company, Side Quest will focus on the broader world of Mythic Quest’s cultural impact, particularly the lives of fans, players, and creators who have been touched by the game in unique ways.
Premiering on March 26, the same day as the season four finale of Mythic Quest, all four episodes of Side Quest will be available for streaming. Each episode features a different storyline and cast, giving an intimate look at the human experiences surrounding the fictional game.
Episode 102, Pull List, centers around a Black-owned comic book shop where five superfans squabble over the store’s only copy of the latest Mythic Quest comic book. Starring Shalita Grant, Bria Henderson, Rome Flynn, Ramon Reed and Leonard Robinson, the episode gives a hilarious discussion about the intersection of Black culture and fandom.
In the clip, “nerds” debate the art of cosplay and the characters the Black community has “claimed” as their own. The banter begins with Mike (Flynn) trying to hide his comics fandom from his friends, not wanting to be considered a nerd. But it quickly turns into a lively exchange about what it means to truly appreciate the culture.
The conversation quickly pivots to cosplay, with Janae (Grant) revealing her passion for dressing up as Neera X, a white character from the Mythic Quest universe.
“Wait, that girl is white. It’s not weird for you to dress up as her?” Jared (Robinson) asked.
“She’s also a dimension-hopping mercenary hired by aliens to kill a mutated scientist called Paradox, so you gotta work on your suspension of disbelief, my guy. And it’s not like there’s a lot of Black characters to choose from, so,” Cherry (Henderson) says.
The conversation then turns to the limited number of Black characters available to cosplayers. That’s when the comedic brilliance shines through, with the group listing off non-Black characters that Black fans have humorously and proudly “claimed” as their own.
“Yes, Skeeter from Doug, Piccolo from Dragon Ball Z. Arthur and his whole family. Ziggy Marley sings the theme song. The Teletubbies,” the characters list.
Check out the clip below.
