Hall, who is majoring in creative writing and advertising/public relations, and his brother Horacio are enabling Zeek on his journey, and recently received an offer of help from Charlotte Hornets basketball player Johnny O’Bryant III.

If this all sounds like fantasy mixed with reality – it is.

The brothers from South Miami Heights are real, but Zeek resides in the new manga comic Stratum 21, soon to be released by O’Bryant’s creative agency, Noir Caesar, which produces creative art, fashion and music.

Hall said a Noir Caesar representative saw images of their characters on Stratum 21’s Instagram and reported back to O’Bryant, owner and founder of the company, who arranged to carry the brothers’ first comic series on the company’s website. O’Bryant has been in the NBA since 2014 and he started his company to intertwine Japanese anime culture with African-American street wear and hip-hop culture.

The first chapter of the story is scheduled to come out Sept. 21. Stratum 21 takes place thousands of years after a cataclysmic event shattered the planet Strata into 20 pieces. The inhabitants have rebuilt society but three factions are fighting for control. Main character Zeek knows little about the world he lives in until he meets a Seeker and learns what life entails. Aspiring to join their ranks, he leaves his swamp home in search of life’s greater purpose while joining forces against the dark side that despises the Seekers.

“Stratum 21 is exactly the title we were looking for to add to the fall lineup. It’s about adventure and discovering yourself in a world that’s fallen off the brink,” said Corey Mikell, production manager for Noir Caesar. “It’s a timeless tale of self-discovery and the pursuit of happiness in an unfavorable situation. It teaches people to keep moving forward, no matter the setback.”

Hall said physical copies of the manga will be released every seven chapters.

“These books are special because they can be read as any other comic would, but if one were to download the app, Stratum21+, which is in the works, and put their phone camera over the images on the page, the panels will begin to animate on the mobile device,” he said.

Branden, 21, is the team’s writer, while Horacio, 24, an illustration/animation graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, is the artist. The brothers enlisted the help of a friend, Grant Price, as editor. They describe the art as similar to the comics Boondocks and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Branden Hall also likes to rap, write children’s and short stories, is working on a movie script and works on The Cypress Dome Society, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s undergraduate literary organization.

Horacio Hall said he started drawing because their other brothers used to draw comics and watch anime.  “I used to practice drawing the characters from those shows,” Horacio said. “I started reading comics in the fifth grade when (anime character) Inyuasha became popular.”

Another brother, rapper Ty, will appear on the animated version of Stratum 21’s title sequence.

Brendan Hall said he credits his writing development to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ English professors Laurie Uttich, Susan Jardeneh, Kevin Meehan, Jocelyn Bartkevicius, Obi Nwakanm and Terry Thaxton.

“I couldn’t even write an interesting paragraph of a story before I came to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝,” he said.

To keep up to date on Zeek’s journey, go to .

Jim Ray Daniels, who has published poetry and fiction about the rust-belt working class, will be on campus Tuesday, Oct. 21. He is the prize-winning author/editor of more than 30 books as well as an indie screenwriter.

His free presentation will be 3-4:15 p.m. in the College of Health & Public Affairs, Room 119. Daniels is the Thomas Stockham Baker University Professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University.

A screening of his latest short film also will be a separate event.

“Mr. Pleasant” follows one day in the life of 1980s college student Red, who finds that “getting out” of working-class Detroit isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The free movie will be shown at 4:30 p.m. in Nicholson School of Communication Room 145. Daniels will be on hand for a Q&A after the 40-minute film.

Author Marya Hornbacher, a Pulitzer Prize winner, will present her program 3-4:15 p.m. Nov. 18 in the College of Health & Public Affairs, Room 119.

Hornbacher will read from her work and discuss the power of memoir. She is the author of one novel and four nonfiction books on themes of mental illness and mental health, including The New York Times bestseller “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia.” She teaches in the graduate creative writing program at Northwestern University.

The programs are hosted by the Cypress Dome Society.