IDW is fielding both its Publishing and Entertainment operations to kick off development of Team Spirit, an original comedy for kids 6-11 created by Tshepo Moche (Mama K’s Team 4, Kizazi Moto), Raffaella Delle Donne (Mama K’s Team 4, Pearl of the Sea graphic novel) and Marc Dey. In partnership, the concept will be produced as both a graphic novel and an animated series.
The trio of Cape Town, South Africa-based writer-producers have gained industry recognition for handling the creative for an array of global animated hits for Disney, eOne, Baobab Studios, Wekids, Snipple Animation, Netflix, Cartoon Network/Boomerang, Cbeebies, Urucu Media, Zodiak Kids, Illuminated Films and Triggerfish Animation Studios.
“Tshepo Moche, Raffaella Delle Donne and Marc Dey are incredibly gifted creative talents with a track record of proven successes that have placed their projects front and center in the global animation community,” said Daniel Kendrick, Senior Director of Kids, Family & Animation. “Team Spirit is a widely offbeat and fun comedy tailor-made for today’s 6-11 year-olds that will impact both the worlds of publishing as a graphic novel series and television as an animated series. We are excited to join with Raffaella, Marc & Tshepo and apply our full resources in both areas of publishing and entertainment to bring their uniquely off-the-wall vision to life.”
Team Spirit follows the comedy adventures of a middle school girl who also happens to be a were-hyena and her best bud — a hulking dancing demon — who form their own cheer squad to show that despite their typical teen angst (and atypical supernatural oddities) they have enough Team Spirit to just about raise the dead.
“Team Spirit is a shout-out to those of us that aren’t natural achievers or super-talented. The truth is, Luna is a little ungainly and will never be the best cheerleader but what’s not to love about a were-hyena who puts the grrrrrrr in grit!,” said Dey. “We are over the moon to be partnering with IDW, who right from the get-go, fell in love with Luna and the Moonbeams and have been champions of our supernatural oddballs ever since.”
Moche, Delle Donne and Dey are currently serving as the creative team behind the Disney+ preschool animated series Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes, a co-production with eOne Entertainment, Triggerfish, Frog Box, Entertainment Media, TeamTO and France Télévisions that was created by Marc Dey and Kelly Dillon.
