Upamanyu Biswas
‘Blood of Zeus’ season 3 completes the journey of Heron and Seraphim after unleashing a whole host of terrible monsters and Titans into the world. The show delves into an original story based on Hellenic myths while blending action, drama, and high-stakes conflict into the mix. At the story’s center is Heron, an unassuming inhabitant of a Greek Polis in ancient times, whose life is turned upside down when he realizes he is the son of Zeus. Burdened by his legacy, Heron must embark on a massive quest to help save the world from demons, monsters, and Titans as he discovers his strength. While it touches upon some emotional markers throughout, the show’s ending is layered with another sentimental moment as a tribute is offered in memory of Will Ruzicka, a man who contributed immensely to the project during its inaugural season.
Will Ruzicka Was a Storyboard Artist on Blood of Zeus
Born on October 14, 1977, Will Ruzicka was a talented artist who worked as a storyboard artist and director on numerous animated projects. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, and began his career as an intern at Marvel Lionsgate in 2008. After a short stint, he worked as a storyboard revisionist and artist at Hasbro Studios while also serving as a freelance storyboard artist at Marvel Entertainment for an episode of ‘Ultimate Spider-Man.’ His work only expanded further as the years progressed, introducing him to the nuances and intricacies of both 2D and 3D animation styles. Some of his credits include ‘Transformers Prime,’ ‘GI Joe Renegades,’ ‘Ben 10: Omniverse,’ and ‘Transformers: Rescuebots.’ He also served as a storyboard artist on ‘The Legend of Korra.’
From 2015 onwards, the artist began working on several projects for Warner Bros. Animation, including ‘Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem,’ ‘Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts,’ ‘Batman: Bad Blood,’ ‘Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants,’ and ‘Justice League Action.’ 2016 also saw him edge closer to the director’s seat as he stepped up as supervising director on Warner Bros. Animation’s ‘Bunnicula.’ Subsequently, he operated as a storyboard artist on Crunchyroll’s ‘High Guardian Spice’ while also directing its final episode. In 2020, he was brought into the folds of Powerhouse Animation Studios, where he contributed significantly as an assistant director and storyboard artist on ‘Blood of Zeus’ season 1. The artist is noted for his ability to conceptualize story ideas excitingly and memorably, which can be seen in abundance in the Netflix series.
Intriguingly, Ruzicka is credited for directing the final episode of Amazon Prime’s ‘Invincible’ season 1, which garnered positive responses from critics and audiences alike. Since 2020, the artist and director worked at notable animation houses such as Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks Animation, and Nickelodeon Animation. Meanwhile, his last directing credit came in 2023, when he helmed some episodes of Netflix’s ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight.’ Ruzicka’s legacy is crystallized as a talented artist with a creative and imaginative eye that was indispensable to the success of several animation projects.
Will Ruzicka Passed Away in 2023
After playing a hand in visualizing numerous stories, tragedy struck in 2023 when Will Ruzicka passed away due to health complications. As per his colleagues, the artist had been suffering from cold and flu symptoms for around a week. As his condition kept worsening, he underwent a Covid test, which turned out to be negative. When the symptoms did not alleviate, and his breathing got worse, Ruzicka reportedly tried to visit the hospital for treatment. However, on the way to his car, he fell down, where paramedics later found him. Although they tried various resuscitation methods, they were unable to revive him, and he passed away on February 1, 2023. The director and storyboard artist was 45 at the time. His passing brought forth a slew of mournful thoughts and prayers from those close to him.
Shaunt Nigoghossian, the executive producer of ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’ said on a social media post, “It is with the utmost sadness that I share with you, the animation community, that our good friend Will Ruzicka passed away yesterday morning. William was one of the sweetest, kindest, most hardworking people I’ve ever known. We’ve worked on 7 shows together spanning twelve years time. He was a generous and thoughtful leader to his teams, a good friend and a good man.” The outpouring of well-wishes and condolences was also directed at Will’s family, who were said to be shocked by his untimely death. A memorial service was likely held in March.
Creators Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides also shared their thoughts on the artist by expressing their gratitude for his work on ‘Blood of Zeus.’ The former said, “He was not only an exceptional artist but also a truly kind and decent guy.” Thus, to honor his memory, they decided to dedicate a tribute to him, which plays at the end of season 3. It aptly brings a sense of closure to not just the epic storyline across the three seasons but also the life of a crew member who was critical to the flourishing of the project. “We miss him, as does the entire animation community and we wanted to honor his memory at the end of the show,” Charley added.
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