Heart of the Universe
Client: Pegboard Nerds (Electronic Dance Music Duo)
Medium: Narrative IP Development / Animated Character Expansion
Roles: Creative Director, Writer, Worldbuilder
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Pegboard Nerds — an internationally recognized EDM duo — had already created a set of animated avatar characters to represent their brand. But avatars alone weren’t enough anymore. They wanted these characters to evolve into something bigger: a real story, a universe, and a mythology that reflected their personalities, artistic identity, and creative inspirations.
They needed a narrative foundation that felt fresh yet familiar, cinematic yet true to who they were.
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Morgan collaborated closely with the duo to understand who they were as artists and as people. Drawing inspiration from their favorite films, books, and pop-culture influences, he developed “Heart of the Universe,” a fully realized story world that expanded their avatars into dynamic characters with purpose, personality, and emotional depth.
The result was a narrative universe that felt distinctly Pegboard Nerds — blending sci-fi, fantasy, and cosmic adventure with themes, aesthetics, and character energy true to their brand.
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Worked directly with the duo to extract personal influences and authentic thematic direction.
Expanded their existing avatars into full characters with arcs, motivations, and emotional grounding.
Built the mythology, lore, and world rules for the Heart of the Universe story.
Crafted a narrative tone that balanced originality with genre familiarity.
Directed narrative development to align seamlessly with the group’s music, visuals, and brand identity.
Ensured the story foundation could scale into animation, marketing assets, and future transmedia opportunities.
The Story
Revered by some, envied by others, few have seen the success that Michael and Alex’s adventures have garnered. But when a cataclysmic event breaks the very heart of the universe, tearing the fabric of space and time, their realities are thrown upside down and inside out. The two scavengers must now find a way to restore order to the galaxies and return things to the way they once were.
The Comic Book
“So we find the 27 pieces and put the Heart back together. And save the Universe and all that.”
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Delivered a fully developed narrative universe that elevated Pegboard Nerds’ avatars into a transmedia IP.
Strengthened the group’s brand identity through story-based worldbuilding.
Provided a foundation for future animated content, narrative-driven music releases, and fan engagement across multiple platforms.
Helped reimagine the duo’s characters as part of a cohesive, emotionally grounded universe.
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This project showcases Morgan’s ability to take existing visual concepts and transform them into full-fledged story universes, blending artist personality, genre influences, and brand identity into a powerful, franchise-ready narrative.
