Full Breakdown
Stone Kite Launches as a Transmedia World-Building Studio
By Drooid · · How we work
Launch of Stone Kite
On October 1, Los-Angeles-based studio Stone Kite opened its doors. Co-founders Jason Jones, co-creator of *Halo* and *Destiny*, and Margaret Stohl, a New York Times bestselling novelist and former narrative director of *Destiny 2*, introduced their first property, One Zero One, a four-part limited comic about a near-future war between humanity and an AI-driven army.
Background & Context
Stone Kite was created to reflect how audiences now encounter stories across multiple platforms. Both founders have worked in games, books, comics and film, prompting a model that “breaks down old media silos” and builds worlds collaboratively from the outset.
Key Figures & Groups
- Margaret Stohl — CEO, co-founder.
- Jason Jones — Co-founder, former Bungie chief vision officer.
- Stephen Wacker — Founding member, now Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics.
- Lewis Peterson — Founding member, former CEO of 7 Studios.
- Matt Johnson — Founding member, writer-producer (*Truth Be Told*).
- Jeanine Schaefer — Founding member, narrative creative director.
- Investors & Advisors — Griffin Gaming Partners and angel investors; advisors include Jen Oneal (Magic Soup Games) and Coddy Johnson (Goodwater Capital).
Data & Statistics
- Jones’s *Halo* and *Destiny* franchises have generated an estimated $15 billion and reached over 250 million players worldwide.
- Stone Kite’s inaugural project involves over 200 creators across film, television, comics and literature.
- *One Zero One* #1 is an 80-page comic released digitally for free, with print pre-orders available; subsequent issues will remain free online through early 2027.
- Cover art includes work by Björn Barends, Paolo Rivera, Tula Lotay and Peach Momoko, with future covers from Adi Granov, InHyuk Lee and Esad Ribic.
Official Statements & Responses
Both founders framed the launch as a reversal of the traditional licensed-media path, opting to develop a universe across media before any single format dominates.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’ve spent my career creating books, games, comics, film and television, and I’ve seen how often the medium that tells the first story ends up defining everything that comes after it,” — Margaret Stohl.
- “I’ve spent my whole life making games, but I’ve always wanted to write,” — Jason Jones.
- “Stone Kite is about breaking down those old media silos. Instead of starting in one medium and adapting outward, we bring the best global creators from different disciplines into the room from day one to shape the world together.” — Margaret Stohl.
Why It Matters
Stone Kite’s transmedia approach could reshape franchise development, moving from a single-medium launch to a simultaneous, multi-platform rollout. Jones’s track record of billion-dollar gaming franchises suggests the model may influence other creators.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the launch date is consistently reported as October 1, some outlets described the event as occurring “today” without specifying the calendar date. The studio has not announced an immediate video-game component for *One Zero One*, leaving the role of interactive media in the pipeline uncertain.
What’s Next
New issues of *One Zero One* will be released online at no cost through early 2027, with print editions available for pre-order.