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What Makes a Wuxia Hero? We sat down and put together a list about what qualities are the most essential to us when it comes to good Wuxia heroes, or heroines. A hero does not have to have all these traits, and they may have many other good qualities besides the ones we picked out. What qualities do you look for in your heroes? 1. Altruism – caring for others even when you must risk yourself to do so; helping someone without reward is morally right, helping someone and refusing any reward is altruistic. 2. Justice – doing what is right even when those you care for are in the wrong; an unassailable sense of fair play. 3. Individualism – not following the conventions of society, but instead making your own path. 4. Loyalty – having faith in those that believe in you; standing by your friends, even when your family tries to tear you apart. 5. Courage – knowing that the dangers involved may be more than you can handle, knowing you may be risking your life, but doing what’s right regardless. 6. Truthfulness – you say what you mean, and mean what you say; you keep your promises, and will not betray someone’s trust. 7. Honor and Fame – you want others to think highly of you; you want to be renowned, but only for your good deeds and character. 8. Generosity – living humbly while giving sacrificially; for your friends, and those in need, “what’s mine is yours.” Essential Wuxia Checklist. We've also put together a list of our favorite essential elements of Wuxia stories! Again, a Wuxia story does not have to do all of these to be a good story, and similarly there are many other elements that are commonly found in Wuxia stories; these are just the parts we felt were essential. Take a look, I bet there’s a lot more Wuxia-inspired stories out there than you'd think: 1. Everyone can be a hero! Male or female, young or old, able-bodied or disabled, everyone can be a Wuxia hero. You don’t have to be a Chosen One, you don’t have to be born with special powers. 2. Empowerment & self-discovery – Our heroes work through internal hardships to overcome mental obstacles and social hardships. They realize their potential to be a hero through the acceptance of their own selves. 3. Hero constantly improves – By overcoming external trials, our heroes work step-by-step towards their goals. Even if they fall, they pick themselves up and keep going. 4. Weapons & martial arts – Whether with a sword, a fan, a chain whip, or your fists and feet, sometimes you need to take a stand for what is right. 5. Chi or life energy – This force is within everyone, and with training it can be used to do incredible things. Wuxia heroes can use it to walk on water, or fly across mountaintops. 6. Cultivation & sorcery – By honing your inner energy, you can reach godhood. Or you can summon demons, whatever floats your boat. 7. Deals with hidden worlds & secret societies – Sometimes you need to withdraw from the world to train, and sometimes you need to defeat a secret group trying to take over the world. In the coming weeks, we are going to be reviewing some popular modern movies and TV series to see how much they overlap with these elements of Wuxia. Please send us your suggestions on which titles we should do, and take a look at the badges below: Sources: James J.Y. Liu. The Chinese Knight-Errant. London, 1967.

Please join us on ZOOM as UCLA celebrates Shiao Yi's Wuxia Collection at the UCLA East Asian Library, Thursday October 14th at 12pm PST (3pm EST). Register on Zoom at https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIucO2gqz4uGNBCpnN7xJ0Q2L7WXJ9DWo6w

Recently, we’ve been hearing this word thrown around a lot, first with Disney’s live action Mulan remake last year and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings this fall. If you’re like me, you may have thought this was a producer, or a new effects company…I was completely clueless that Wuxia is actually a storytelling tradition that is thousands of years old! From oral traditions, to epics, to published short stories in the 9th and 10th centuries, and finally modern novels and hit blockbuster movies, it has captured the imagination of billions of people. Wuxia is generally translated as “martial arts heroes,” who are often ordinary people that devote themselves to training their bodies and minds, and follow a specific code of conduct, much like a knight’s code of honor or the code of bushido. Unlike European knights or Japanese samurai however, these heroes did not owe their allegiance to any lord or political power. (Source:https://neilthekungfuguy.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/pole-shaking-training/ ) The code that these heroes followed was essentially derived from traditional Confucian virtues, including truthfulness, altruism, and justice. They used their abilities to help those they encountered, and punished evildoers. For these reasons, though they were shunned by society at large, they were looked up to by the masses; they were folk heroes like Robin Hood, who could help the poor and needy when normal means failed them. (Source: https://www.truemythmedia.com/true-myth-media/reviews/hero2002 ) Yet their individualism ran counter to Confucian teachings, and in a society that honored scholars, the reliance of Wuxia heroes on violence to solve disputes and punish wrongdoers was frowned upon (it also fostered prolonged revenge cycles, which feature prominently in Wuxia stories). The Wuxia heroes instead found community in the Jiang Hu, or parallel world. It was a separate society which was inhabited by practitioners of martial arts and others on the fringes of normal society. Though it could be considered a secret society, its existence was common knowledge to those in normal society. Within the Jiang Hu, they dedicated themselves to learning from a martial arts master, whose edicts were inviolable to their disciples. These master and student groups were often organized into schools, or clans. This master (if they accepted the wuxia hero) would teach them everything they knew, becoming more important than a parent to them, and in turn the rivalries and the vendettas of their master would become the disciples’ own, thrusting the heroes into conflict beyond their ken. (Source: https://www.thelastthingisee.com/2019/05/shadow-movie-review.html ) Each school would teach a unique style of martial arts. Though we may be familiar with martial arts as fighting with your bare hands and feet, martial arts schools based around different weapon styles seem to be the norm in Wuxia stories. There are 18 common weapons that pop up frequently, and named weapons with a long history can feature prominently, but many authors and directors have certainly added beautiful and deadly new weapons to the mix. That said, anything as ordinary as a fan or a calligraphy brush could be a weapon in the hands of a master of Qi. Like the Force in Star wars, Qi (sometimes translates as chi or ki) is the life energy of all living things but you don’t have to be born with special Force-sensitivity to be able to learn to use Qi; in Wuxia stories anyone can do it with proper training and dedication! Similarly, learning Qinggong techniques would allow for incredible feats of movement by the user, such as flying through the air, floating on the water’s surface, or alighting on a tree without stirring a single leaf. Both of these concepts are based on real techniques in Chinese martial arts, but tend towards the fantastical in Wuxia stories. (Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/shang-chi-actor-simu-liu-marvel-interview-7481682/ ) In fact, most of the martial arts used in Wuxia stories are usually based on real schools and traditions. Though most Wuxia stories were written against historical backdrops in ancient China, modern storytellers have pushed the boundaries of the genre to write new Wuxia stories set in modern, urban life, or even in futuristic settings. While outlawed for 50 years under the Republican Era of the early twentieth-century, the genre was revived to great popular acclaim by Shiao Yi, Jin Yong, and others in the 1950s and 1960s, and has rocked the big screen of Chinese cinema ever since. Wuxia and Wuxia-inspired stories have existed for millennia, and continue to be hugely popular with Asian audiences today. I for one am eager to learn more, and am incredibly excited to see where new authors and directors can take these rich stories in the future. By S. Sifton Immortal Staff Sources: https://www.heroic-cinema.com/eric/xia.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxia https://wuxia.fandom.com/wiki/Wuxia#Themes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jPPpjorWZE

WARNING-SPOILER ALERT! Please watch Shang-Chi before reading this article. By S. Howie Immortal Staff The very first things audiences are introduced to in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are, of course, the titular rings. A narrator relates the legend, giving it an air of mystery. No one knows where they came from. We are told that Wenwu (Tony Leung), the master of the ten rings, found them from somewhere, in a crater or a tomb, and never told anyone how he got them. These rings were very powerful artifacts, strong enough that he could use them to build an army and take over the world. In the comics, they were found in the “Valley of Spirits” in China, where they were used to power the ship of an alien race called the Axonn-Karr, also known as the Makluans. These rings have a myriad of uses in the movie, giving Wenwu everything from everlasting youth to power strong enough to decimate a castle’s walls. Beyond superhuman strength and speed, most of the rings’ power comes from how the user wields them. They link psychically to the user, meaning they can be projected and recalled at will, or linked by some kind of energy to be used as a whip - which at one point Wenwu uses to shield himself from volleys of arrows. The rings are tougher than dragonscale. So great are the ten rings that the Dark Dweller, an ancient beast sealed by a dragon scale barrier and guarded against by the mystical village of Ta Lo, sought to convince Wenwu to use them to break itself free. In a mid-credits scene Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) confirms that, despite being in the hands of Wenwu for over a millennium, they’re quite a lot older than that. The Kamar-Taj discover they’re some sort of beacon after they released a massive pulse of energy in the fight between Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and the Dark Dweller. Now of interest to the Kamar-Taj, Wong (Benedict Wong) warns Shang-Chi that the rings are a completely foreign technology they know nothing about - and that life will never be the same for him again. 10 Rings in Shang-Chi (Source: https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-mandarin-ten-rings-power-video/) The Ten Rings didn’t always look the way they do on the big screen. In the comics they were finger rings. Similarly, they weren’t originally wielded by Wenwu - simply because he didn’t exist. So, a lot was changed in the movie, but just how much? How much was kept the same? In the comics the ten rings belonged to a villain named “The Mandarin”. Though the Mandarin’s backstory has changed over time, generally he was a descendant of Genghis Khan who stumbled upon an alien wreck and discovered a set of ten rings. These rings were worn on the finger and each had their own specific ability: 1. Daimonic - Control over light and energy on the electro-magnextic spectrum. 2. Incandescence - Creates flame 3. Lightning - Creates electricity 4. The Liar - Magnifies psychic energy, allowing the user to control others’ minds 5. Zero - Freezes to as low as absolute zero 6. Nightbringer - Creates “absolute blackness” which absorbs all light 7. Spectral - Destroys objects on a molecular level 8. Spin - Twists the air, making things levitate and allowing for flight 9. Influence - Projects concussive forces, sonic vibrations and magnetic waves 10. Remaker - Rearranges atoms and molecules, and can speed up or slow down their movements (Source: https://www.marvel.com/items/mandarin-s-rings ) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was in development as Marvel began marketing Avengers: Endgame and producer Jonathan Schwartz felt that the rings hit a little too close to home. They needed to really present them as something unique and different - not just another set of infinity stones. They began searching for imagery and ideas that could inspire their designs. Eventually they found themselves looking at a picture of Chiu Chi-ling from his part in Kung Fu Hustle and were struck by the iron rings. Infinity Stones from Avengers: Endgame (Source: https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/thor-ragnarok-tesseract-thanos-avengers-3/ ) Iron Rings from Kung Fu Hustle (Source: https://www.elle.com.sg/2021/04/21/shang-chi-legend-of-the-ten-rings-easter-eggs-and-hidden-details/ ) These iron rings aren’t always iron, they can sometimes be made of brass. Many styles of martial arts incorporate iron rings into their training regimens, but they’re most famously used in Hung Gar Kung Fu. A student would use them as weights, but also to keep their form and to familiarize themselves with impacts to the forearm - like from blocking a blow. The distinct style and the immediate connection iron rings had to martial arts made them a perfect fit for Shang-Chi. Different Sizes of Iron Rings (Source:https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32601686766.html ) Sources https://www.gamesradar.com/mcu-shang-chi-10-rings-comic-book-origins/ https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/why-marvel-made-shang-chi-change-the-ten-rings-no-more-knuckle-jewelry https://practicalhungkyun.com/2014/10/do-you-train-with-hung-ga-iron-or-brass-rings/ https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/real-martial-arts-behind-shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings/ https://www.distractify.com/p/what-are-the-10-rings-in-shang-chi https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2573634/shang-chis-ten-rings-how-they-work-what-they-can-do https://www.marvel.com/items/mandarin-s-rings https://www.ign.com/articles/shang-chi-ten-rings-explained-mandarin-wenwu https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2573634/shang-chis-ten-rings-how-they-work-what-they-can-do https://collider.com/shang-chi-ten-rings-powers-origin-explained/ https://www.gamesradar.com/mcu-shang-chi-10-rings-comic-book-origins/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang-Chi

WARNING-SPOILER ALERT! Please watch Shang-Chi before reading this article. By Samantha Howie Immortal Staff In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Shang-chi finds himself competing against his father to find his mother’s birthplace, the mythical Ta Lo Village. Faced with the might of his father’s entire army, as well as the frightening man himself, and locked in the dungeon’s of his father’s compound, all hope seemed lost. That was, until they heard a strange sound, like the pounding of metal and a monstrous wail. They found, deep in their cell, a man - an acteur - and his little six-legged, four-winged friend. Now, this is the point where, much like our protagonists themselves, the audience might have looked at fuzzy little Morris and wondered, “What? What is that? Where’s its face?” Morris is but the first of many traditional Chinese creatures to grace the Wuxia-influenced film! People unfamiliar with Chinese legends might be asking themselves “What am I looking at?” Well, we have answers, so read on! 1. Dijiang/Morris (Source: https://www.cbr.com/shang-chi-director-real-life-inspiration-behind-morris/ ) (Source: https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/04/10/dijiang/ ) To begin with, Morris the faceless creature, is something known as a “Dijiang”, which were originally described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, an ancient bestiary of Chinese monsters. A dijiang is a six legged creature with four wings and no face. They live in a constant state of confusion, and are often tied with the Hundun, primordial chaos. Dijiang are known to enjoy song and dance, despite not having eyes or ears. 2. Fenghuang/Phoenix (Source: https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Fenghuang) (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang ) Similarly to the dijiang, the fenghuang, often called the “Chinese Phoenix” (despite not really being a phoenix at all) also carries a special appreciation for human music. These birds, aptly described as “I think those birds were on fire” by Trevor in the movie, were the first creatures Shang-chi and the group saw in Ta Lo. Again referenced in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the fenghuang is a symbol of world peace, whose appearance was said to be a symbol of harmony before the enthronement of a new emperor. Unlike its depiction in the movie, the fenghuang is described as being red, blue, yellow, black and white - the five sacred colors. 3. Huli Jing/Nine-tailed Fox (Source: https://nextshark.com/marvel-president-no-pokemon-shang-chi/ ) (Source: Drawn by Shi Lin, https://www.insider.com/audiences-thought-mythical-creature-shang-chi-pokemon-ninetales-2021-9 ) The adorable nine-tailed foxes are also known as Huli Jing in Chinese. These fox spirits have been seen as both sacred symbols of royalty and evil temptresses depending on the dynasty. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas they were said to have the cry of a baby, and that they would trap and eat people. The huli jing were later brought to Japan and Korea as the kitsune and gumiho respectively. 4. Qilin/Kirin (Source: https://nospoiler.it/2021/09/07/shang-chi-e-la-leggenda-dei-dieci-anelli-creature/ ) (Source: https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Qilin?file=Qilin-of-Chinese-mythology.jpg ) Dazzled as they were by the beautiful wildlife of Ta Lo, Katy and the group very nearly drove into what was aptly described as a, “strange horse” (always keep your eyes on the road!). They were stopped by a qilin. Not quite horses, the Encyclopedia Britannica describes them as having “a single horn on its forehead, a yellow belly, a multicolored back, the body of a deer, and the tail of an ox.” Qilin are said to appear at the birth and death of wise rulers or sages. 5. Shishi/Guardian Lions (Source: https://nospoiler.it/2021/09/07/shang-chi-e-la-leggenda-dei-dieci-anelli-creature/ ) (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions ) Upon arrival at the outskirts of Ta Lo, Shang-Chi finds himself in a stand-off against the might of this mystical village. An army of warriors stop them, backed by their large guardian lions called shishi. The shishi are also known as “Lions of Buddha”. Many temples are guarded by a pair of shishi statues, the male lion holding a ball and the female having a cub. 6. Dragon (Source: https://studycli.org/chinese-culture/chinese-dragons/ ) (Source: https://www.quirkybyte.com/blog/2021/06/how-shang-chi-has-changed-the-dragon-from-the-comics/ ) Finally, in his most dire moment, Shang-Chi meets a massive Chinese dragon, the Great Protector of Ta Lo. Called “Long” in Chinese, these dragons are symbols of the Emperor himself and represent great fortune. Chinese dragons are praised for their wisdom and benevolence. While western dragons are based on lizards, Chinese dragons have the body of a snake, head of a camel, eyes of a demon and the paws of a tiger. There are many kinds of dragons, some guard the heavens and others rule the seas. The Great Protector is a “Shenlong”, a Spiritual Dragon. These dragons are the ones responsible for blessing humans with wind and rain. Shenlong have historically been worshipped and respected, inspiring many rain rituals and legends. Resources: https://www.chinabeastsandlegends.com/di-jiang https://www.britannica.com/topic/fenghuang https://chinesemythologypodcast.com/tag/hulijing/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/qilin https://studycli.org/chinese-culture/chinese-dragons/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/long https://www.cbr.com/every-mythological-creature-shang-chi/

One of the biggest and most memorable highlights from last week's Amplifying AAPI Representation in Entertainment 7 Media Summit was the gathering of the entire Immortal Studios creative team to talk about the amazing Immortal Storyverse that they are creating together - The Adept, Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen, AssassinG and Fa Sheng. It was also a wonderful opportunity for colleagues to reconnect and rekindle friendships. Watch the "Building an Interconnected Storyverse of AAPI Heroes" panel What an amazing group of talented creators, artists, illustrators, producers. See their Bios at www.aapisummit.com Peter Shiao Hank Kanalz Pop Mhan Tasha Huo Charlie Stickney Rylend Grant Jen Troy Brian Cunningham Yishan Li

Chloe Bennet had an in-depth conversation with Immortal Studio's Founder/CEO Peter Shiao to wrap up our full day event, Amplifying AAPI Representation in Entertainment & Media Summit, to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Watch their conversation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRwk-7ABHiA&t=21671s

www.aapisummit.com It was an amazing day with incredible conversations, inspiring stories, and in-depth & hard-hitting discussions. It resulted in powerful impact and actionable takeaways for both audience and speakers. REPLAY: The entire Summit is available for you to watch at: YOUTUBE: youtu.be/SRwk-7ABHiA?t=629 FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=340230520778017 The Summit was 6 1/2 hours of live streaming with 36 speakers and 7 sessions. From all the live chats that took place on Youtube and Facebook, and emails that attendees sent us, we hit a grand slam and really made a positive and lasting difference. We are very proud of this and want to give a big thank you to our partners, the Los Angeles Times, NextShark, CAPE and Wizard World for all their active support. We pulled together this entire Summit in less than 6 weeks (yes, not a typo, in 6 weeks). This herculean effort was only possible through the hard work, dedication, non-stop energy of many people and some amazing teamwork. We'd like to recognize and thank Mike Gregorek, Matt Rasamoto, Nathan Mochizuki, Irene Yang, Bill Wong, Bill Imada, Gordon Ho, Wenda Fong, Eric Ma, Hillary Manning, Benny Luo, Michelle Sugihara, Rachel McCallister, Natalie Yallouz, Andre Fonseca, Arthur Chan and Shannon Fonseca. And a shoutout to our own Lee Huang, Immortal's Head of Product, who led the AAPI Summit initiative. Click on the photos below to jump straight to the session on Youtube. ----------------------------------- Summit Opening & Peter Shiao (Immortal CEO/Founder) Opening Remarks Chris Argentieri (President, LA Times) Opening Remarks Fireside Chat: Senator Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Bill Wong Greenlighting More AAPI Faces, Voices & Stories Kelly Hu (Actor, Finding 'Ohana, X-Men 2, The Scorpion King) Christina M. Kim (Creator/Executive Producer, Kung Fu) Andrew Ooi (CEO, Echelon Talent Management) Celine Parreñas Shimizu (Film Scholar & Filmmaker) Emily Song (Asia Business Development Exec, UTA) Lawrence Yee (Deputy Editor, TheWrap) AAPIs in Hollywood Coming Together Jon M. Chu (Director, Crazy Rich Asians & In the Heights) Leo Chu (Showrunner/Exec Producer, Ultra Violet) Eric S. Garcia (Showrunner/Exec Producer, Ultra Violet) Wenda Fong (Producer, CAPE Co-Founder) Covering AAPIs in America: Perspectives from the News Media Sewell Chan (Editorial Page Editor, Los Angeles Times) Anh Do (Metro Reporter, Los Angeles Times) Nicole Dungca (SVP, AAJA & Reporter, The Washington Post) Benny Luo (Founder, NextShark) Snigdha Sur (Founder/CEO, The Juggernaut) Building an Interconnected Storyverse of AAPI Heroes Peter Shiao (Founder/CEO, Immortal Studios) Hank Kanalz (Head of Publishing, Immortal Studios) Brian Cunningham (Comics Editor) Tasha Huo (Writer, Red Sonja, Tomb Raider, The Adept) Charlie Stickney (Contributing Editor) Yishan Li (Comic/Manga Artist) Pop Mhan (Artist) Jen Troy (Writer) Rylend Grant (Creator and Writer) Victor Dandridge (Writer, Publisher) New Partnerships and Innovations Bill Imada (Chairman/Chief Connectivity Officer, IW Group) Sanjay Sharma (Founder/CEO, Marginal Mediaworks) Pat Shah (Head of Content Acquisition&Development, Audible) Michelle K. Sugihara (Executive Director, CAPE) Thomas Vu (Head of Franchise Development, Riot Games) Fireside Chat: Patrick Lee (Co-Founder, Rotten Tomatoes) Fireside Chat: Congressman Ted Lieu (California) and Peter Shiao (CEO/Founder of Immortal Studios) Fireside Chat: Chloe Bennet (Actor, Agents of SHIELD) and Peter Shiao (CEO/Founder of Immortal Studios)

Immortal's Peter Shiao joined Lisa McRee on LA Times Today tv show to share the inspiration for the Amplifying AAPI Representation in Entertainment & Media Summit on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Watch Interview

PRESS RELEASE CROSS SECTION OF MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LEADERS TO PARTICIPATE IN IMMORTAL STUDIOS VIRTUAL SUMMIT -- AMPLIFYING AAPI REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA Senator Mazie Hirono, Congressman Ted Lieu, Jon M. Chu, Christina Kim, Kelly Hu Among Those On Board for May 26 Series of Panels and Fireside Chats LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2021 -- Timed for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Immortal Studios together with media partners Los Angeles Times and NextShark and industry partner CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) today announced Amplifying AAPI Representation in Entertainment & Media (AAREM), a summit series to elevate the dialog around AAPI representation in film, television and pop culture and frame it as a natural extension of the recent focus on ending Anti-Asian violence. The Summit is scheduled for May 26. Slated to speak are a curated mix of Asian and Pacific American leaders, including Senator Mazie Hirono, Congressman Ted Lieu, Rotten Tomatoes Co-Founder Patrick Lee, Echelon Talent Management CEO Andrew Ooi, Marginal Mediaworks Founder/CEO Sanjay Sharma, Audible Head of Content Acquisition and Development Pat Shah, MSNBC’s Richard Lui and IW Group Chairman Bill Imada, Political Advisor Bill Wong. Representing the creative community are Jon M. Chu (director Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) Christina Kim (Creator/Executive Producer, Kung Fu), Film scholar and filmmaker Celine Parreñas Shiizu and Kelly Hu (actor, Finding ‘Ohana, The Scorpion King). Benny Luo, Founder, NextShark; Sewell Chan, editorial page editor Los Angeles Times, CAPE’s Co-Founder Wenda Fong, Executive Director Michelle Sugihara and Immortal Studios’ Peter Shaio will also speak. The AAREM Summit will focus on the need and method for storytelling and depiction on an unprecedented scale to ensure that Asians are no longer trivialized, exoticized, excluded or stereotyped in the fashion that they have been in the past 150 years in global entertainment. The series of panels and fireside chats are all open to the public. The schedule is available at aapisummit.com. “We are in a historically significant time when the predicament of Asians in America is in clear focus from many corners of society, and we now have the opportunity to expand from the current conversation on stopping violence to systemic reform. In a media driven world where stories inform people of reality, it is about time we visited the portrayal and inclusion of AAPI’s in entertainment with a new lens and urgency,” said Peter Shiao, founder and CEO Immortal Studios. “We hope that this will be the start of of a multifaceted effort from all who are part of the process of making, consuming and regulating content to address these very timely issues which has global ramifications with real life consequences.” “The Los Angeles Times is proud to support Immortal’s summit on Asian and Pacific American representation in entertainment and news media,” said Chris Argentieri, President and COO of the Los Angeles Times. “As a media sponsor and participant in the summit, we hope to engage the community at large in these important conversations and promote increased and improved representation of the AAPI community in the various forms of media.” "Media is the quickest and most pervasive way to shape perception, and, in turn, reality," said Michelle K. Sugihara, CAPE Executive Director. "Images matter. The images we see affect our perceptions of others, as well as of ourselves. This can have profound and insidious consequences, making it not just a representation issue, but a social justice issue." Media partners for the AAREM Summit are The Los Angeles Times, NextShark and CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment). About Immortal Studios Immortal Studios is an original content studio dedicated to creating stories in the Chinese martial arts fantasy genre known as Wuxia and bringing Asian faces and culture to the global pop culture stage. Immortal aims to be the global home for Wuxia entertainment by bringing this beloved classic genre into the 21st century and introducing it to the mainstream audience by telling contemporary stories of heroism, fantasy action, kung fu, empowerment, and self-discovery. Immortal is creating an interconnected storyverse of diverse characters based on the award-winning library of Shiao Yi, one of the foremost authors in the Wuxia genre, first through comic books and then expanding into films, tv and games. Immortal’s first two comic books, The Adept and Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen, were successfully crowdfunded and both earned more than 300% of its funding goal. Through its event series and online campaigns, Immortal engages its audience on a variety of topics ranging from meeting content creators and world-class martial artists to learning about AAPI representation. The company was founded to share empowering and transformational stories to define a new hero journey where everyone is the one. Website: www.immortal-studios.com About Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country with more than 45 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online weekly audience of 4.4 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 139 years. Los Angeles Times’ businesses and affiliates also include The Envelope, Hot Property, Times Community News and Los Angeles Times en Español. www.latimes.com About NextShark NextShark is a leading source covering Asian and Asian American News Including business, culture, entertainment, politics, tech and lifestyle. We strive to provide the best and up-to-date coverage for our communities all over the world. Our Work is available online, on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, our podcast, and through events. www.nextshark.com About CAPE CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) champions diversity by educating, connecting, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and leaders in entertainment and media. CAPE advances representation in Hollywood through three main verticals (1) nurturing and engaging creative talent and executive leadership, (2) providing cultural content consulting and talent referrals, and (3) championing projects for critical box office and streaming success. Through the CAPE New Writers Fellowship, CAPE Leaders Fellowship, Storyline Partners, CAPE Database, and Gold Open, CAPE is breaking barriers to representation from the writers’ room to the boardroom to the living room. For more information, please visit: www.capeusa.org/ MEDIA CONTACT: Natalie Yallouz MPRM Communications nyallouz@mprm.com

Press Release Original Content Studio for Wuxia Genre Ramps Up Slate with New 2021 Titles LOS ANGELES -- May 19, 2021 -- Veteran comic book executive Hank Kanalz, who most recently served as DC Comics SVP Publishing Strategy and Support Services is joining Immortal Studios as Head of Publishing, announced Immortal Studios founder and CEO Peter Shiao. Immortal Studios is an original American content studio with a contemporary Wuxia “storyverse” created from exclusive rights to the library of celebrated Wuxia author Shiao Yi, as well as Peter Shiao’s own original content. Charged with scaling Immortal’s publishing operation, Kanalz brings over 30 years of experience in the comics and entertainment industry experience including 25 years at DC and WarnerMedia, specializing in content strategy and development, operations, acquisitions, and business development. He joins Immortal Studios as it is ramping up its comic book slate, having just released the second title in the Immortal Storyverse, Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen. Written by Peter Shiao and adapted from the original Shiao Yi novel, it is a pioneering modern work about a young man’s awakening into an ancient order of spiritual warriors. It will be followed by Assassin G, one of Shiao Yi’s most popular titles, adapted four times for television in Greater China, about a swordswoman trained to avenge all the wrongs committed against her master. The company launched in June 2020 with The Adept, an original comic book about a young woman who is given keys to an entire realm of secret training. Successful Kickstarter campaigns served as the launching pad for both The Adept and Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen. “During this very transformative period – I believe Immortal Studios has not only a vast creative opportunity to bring forth a new vision to fans, but to offer up a multi-window comic service that starts with hardcore fan engagement and culminates in digital distribution on scale and all platform adaptations. As we move forward with Immortal Studios’ mission to create a home for the timeless Wuxia genre with an interconnected storyverse of characters, I am excited to have Hank Kanalz on board to help us execute our strategy, bring together the various influences of the genre, authentically represent Asian faces and culture and awaken the hero in everyone,”, said Peter Shiao “I’m excited to be joining the team at Immortal Studios. The time to bring wuxia concepts to the broader audience has come, even though they’ve been here for years. Comics has a long history in this space, and we plan on Immortal taking its place among some of the best comics told for a modern audience,” said Kanalz. About Immortal Immortal Studios is an original content studio dedicated to creating stories in the Chinese martial arts fantasy genre known as Wuxia and bringing Asian faces and culture to the global pop culture stage. Immortal aims to be the global home for Wuxia entertainment by bringing this classic genre into the 21stcentury and introducing it to the mainstream audience by telling contemporary stories of heroism, fantasy action, kung fu, empowerment, and self-discovery. Immortal is creating an interconnected storyverse of diverse characters based on the award-winning library of Shiao Yi, one of the foremost authors in the Wuxia genre, first through comic books and then expanding into films, tv and games. Immortal’s successful crowdfunding campaign for its first two comic books, The Adept and Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen, both earned more than 300% of its funding goal. Through its event series and online campaigns, Immortal engages its audience on a variety of topics ranging from meeting content creators and artists to learning about martial arts and AAPI representation. The company was founded to share empowering and transformational stories to define a new hero journey where everyone is the one.

Thank you Lawrence Yee and TheWrap for the conversation and spotlight on Immortal's Storyverse, how we are bringing Wuxia storytelling to Western audiences, and what we are doing to meet the challenges/opportunities of this moment. Read Full Article The Immortal Storyverse