Dan Burns | Come Out Wherever You Are | GeekFest/Comic Crusaders Special 2026

WEPAAAA, Crusaders! Comic Crusaders is joining forces with GeekFest FilmFest once again, and this time Al Mega sits down with author, screenwriter and producer Dan Burns to explore the long creative road behind his acclaimed independent short film Come Out, Wherever You Are.

Directed by Caitlin Presberg, the film centers on Vernon Parrish, a retired mayor who moves to Livingston, Montana seeking peace and anonymity. When events from his past force him even deeper into isolation, Verne retreats to a cabin hoping to escape the media storm surrounding him. While he’s away, another kind of storm changes the world around him, leaving him both a victim and beneficiary of circumstances far beyond his control.

The project carries an especially personal connection for Burns because it didn’t begin as a screenplay. Come Out, Wherever You Are originally appeared as a short story in his award-winning collection No Turning Back: Stories before Burns adapted his own material for the screen. His broader career has crossed just about every storytelling lane imaginable, with seven published books spanning nonfiction, novels, short fiction and poetry, along with work written for film and stage.

Production brought the story to Livingston, Montana, where the film was shot using an all-Montana cast and crew. Presberg directed, Anh Vo served as cinematographer, Blake De Pastino stars as Verne, and the supporting cast includes Marilyn Bass, Douglas “Hurricane” Hall and Amber Rose Mason.

During this Comic Crusaders x GeekFest conversation, Al and Dan get into far more than the standard festival-tour talking points. They dig into the uncomfortable art of adapting your own writing, the battle between Writer Dan and Producer Dan, surrendering control to a director and actors, why Montana continues to find its way into Burns’ stories, how public judgment influences Verne’s isolation, and what independent filmmaking taught Burns about ego, collaboration and trusting other artists with something deeply personal.

The festival journey isn’t over either. Come Out, Wherever You Are is currently scheduled to continue through GeekFest FilmFest with screenings at Long Beach Comic Con on September 6, Rose City Comic Con on September 12 and L.A. Comic Con on November 1, 2026.

So fire up the episode, meet the storyteller behind the film, and discover how one short story escaped the page, found its way into the Montana wilderness and ultimately reached film festival audiences around the world.

🎬 Watch the official trailer
🌐 Come Out, Wherever You Are official site
✍️ Dan Burns official website
📸 Dan Burns on Instagram

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https://comiccrusaders.com/

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/ @comiccrusadersworld

THE CRUSADE NEVER ENDS!