Welcome to Culture Craze, a column segment in which I go into the latest geekest grooves, discuss my latest letterbox rating, one of my random fandom hyper fixations of the month, the tumblr drama, music, magic and more. 

To kick things off let’s dive right in to talk about the newest big in the tv industry, the elusive “Percy Jackson and The Olympians”, the hit novel series will be premiering Disney + later this month. I knew this one was gonna be coming from the get-go. It’s a beloved series that was due for a much needed refresher and a comfort to all ages alike. 

For me personally, it was a book that provided representation in instances where it was difficult to find it in other main-stream protagonists in the middle school library. If you’re new, Percy Jackson is a 12 year old kid living in Manhattan that adventures with his new found demigod heritage. A toxic step-dad, ADHD, dyslexia, and “trouble-some” behavior records at school, he doesn’t know why or where he quite fits in the world. 

So here introduces Camp Half Blood, a haven for demigod children; home to kids coming from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, and expressions. Something so grasping about when I read the series as a kid was the idea of a hero being an “underdog” and or supposedly disadvantaged. 

My personal experiences relate to Percy as do many. Rick Riordian, the author of the novel, shifted the way that those “underdog” traits were seen. Now “ADHD” could be explained through Percy being quick on his feet, adaptable, and other noble battle traits of a hero. This novel has been such a positive impact to its readers around the world, and expanding it to the screen is going to make even more of an impact. It’s clear with the current trailers this series is sprinkled with passion and love. The designs, CGI, narrative, and casting has all been wonderfully executed. It’s as if they ripped the page and slapped it right on the screen. 

Something unique about the show’s premiere on December 20th is that it will be a two-episode premiere, rarely seen on the Disney + platform. Each of the series episodes will be reflected on each of the chapters of the first book Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief. As a huge fan this is amazing to know each episode’s content will be jammed packed with care and attention to detail. 

It’s a raging debate, but it’s comforting to know that the next big three of the Percy Jackson series is getting some attention as opposed to the infamous Harry Potter big three as the Potter franchise momentum slows down. It’s finally time to allow the newest kids on the block to take its well deserved prize!