It's always a bummer when a favorite series fails to measure up to expectations, but it's another emotion altogether when that series spans more than a quarter of a century and 16+ engrossing video game installments like Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda. Tevis Thompson tried to suss out the complex emotions he felt after being let down by what he considered "handholding" in the latest Zelda game, Skyward Sword, but realized he had even more to say after meeting likeminded Braid artist David Hellman - this time in the form of a 50-page original graphic novel called Second Quest, meant to appeal to readers into "...mysterious landscapes, non-princesses, videogame criticism, or general gorgeousity." Of course, they'll need financial backing to bring it to life, which is where their new Kickstarter comes in.

From the Second Quest Kickstarter page:

Second Quest is a comic for those who love videogames but want more compelling worlds and a sense of real discovery. Zelda fans will enjoy familiar motifs turned upside-down, but you don't have to know Zelda to enjoy our story. It's for anyone who's felt the pull of distant landscapes and longed to explore a world full of mystery.

Previously released licensed Zelda comics from Nintendo Power, Valiant, Viz and even Dark Horse's upcoming sequential art-enriched English version of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia (which will contain a Skyward Sword manga story) have helped expand the world of the video games with a mix of canonical/less-than-canonical tales. Like any RPG adaptation, however, there's an inherent challenge in adapting a story starring a silent protagonist that players themselves become to complete an interactive adventure. First-person comics like Brian Ralph's Daybreak have surmounted similar potential disconnects with aplomb, so it should be interesting to see -- provided its crowdfunding goal is met -- how the Second Quest team will defy the problems they had with Skyward Sword while working in the typically more on-rails medium of comics.

As of this writing, Second Quest seems well on its way to meeting its $50,000 goal, with around 650 backers and $32,000 raised with 22 days to spare. The digital version of the comic can be obtained for as low as $10, with an estimated release date of August, 2013. The print version, however, requires a $35 minimum backing pledge and won't be delivered until an estimated year from now.

You can catch Hellman and Thompson's Kickstarter video pitch and peep some early Second Quest art, below.