Martian Blueberry to Premiere Satirical Sci-Fi Horror ‘Intellectual Power’ at Dream Con

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Award-winning, Black-owned animation studio Martian Blueberry is bringing a provocative new vision to Dream Con. The studio—co-founded by animation veteran Carl Jones (The Boondocks, Black Dynamite) and Love Jones—has officially debuted its new satirical sci-fi horror short film, Intellectual Power, serving as a high-octane proof-of-concept teaser for an upcoming animated series.

Blending sharp social commentary with visceral creature horror, Intellectual Power drops viewers into a hyper-surreal vision of South Central, Los Angeles—one where a slip of the tongue carries immediate, deadly consequences.

Mind Your Language: A Lethal Government Experiment

The short’s premise takes the sound-hunting monster mechanics of A Quiet Place and turns them into an explosive, satirical deep-state conspiracy.

In the film, the government has secretly unleashed bioengineered, flesh-eating shadow creatures into the community with very specific programming: to instantly liquidate anyone who utters the N-word. Whether spoken with a “hard R,” used colloquially as a “soft A,” or simply sung along to a rap track on the radio, the second the word leaves a person’s mouth, the creatures drop in for an instant fatality.

The narrative centers on Rizza (voiced by activist and author Rizza Islam, who also executive produces). Dressed in a sharp suit and signature bow tie, the intellectually brilliant protagonist notices his neighborhood is mysteriously vanishing block by block. His investigation uncovers that “the projects” were engineered as a massive containment test to dismantle the community. Surrounded by shape-shifting government agents, weaponized drones, and nightmarish shadow beasts, Rizza is pushed to his physical limits, unlocking god-like powers that make him South Central’s last line of defense.

Heavyweight Voice Cast

To match the disruptive tone of the project, Martian Blueberry assembled an impressive voice roster bridging animation royalty and sharp comedic talent:

  • Carl Jones (The Boondocks, Black Dynamite)

  • John DiMaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time)

  • Affion Crockett (Pixels, Wild ‘N Out)

  • Slink Johnson (Black Jesus)

  • Corey Holcomb (Black Jesus, The Cleveland Show)

  • Jade Novah (The Simpsons)

  • Ace Vane (New Jack Fury)

Martian Blueberry Takes Over Dream Con

Beyond the screening of Intellectual Power, Martian Blueberry established a massive footprint across Dream Con weekend, leading multiple panels—including “From Boondocks to Martian Blueberry” and “Building Worlds Through Art & Animation”—where Carl Jones emphasized the necessity of independent studios in modern Hollywood.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to push boundaries and speak to our people in a very nuanced and authentic way,” Jones shared during the convention. “It’s just really difficult because we’re up against a Hollywood that is only betting on large IPs and huge stars… Which is why we launched Martian Blueberry as an answer to that.”

Additionally, in partnership with Dream Con, the studio held a live, open Voice Actor Search. Hosted by JD Witherspoon and Tony Weaver Jr., aspiring performers auditioned on stage in front of a judging panel featuring Carl Jones, Cree Summer, and Phil LaMarr, with the winner earning an official voice role in an upcoming Martian Blueberry production.

About John Schwarz

John is the Chief Editor and Founder of Bubbleblabber.com. While at first a part-time project, Bubbleblabber quickly grew into a full-fledged operation and officially became a company in 2014. When John isn't running a business full-time, he likes to go to concerts with your mother.