Kickstarter Spotlight: Knight’s Legacy: Awakening of the Pen Ddraig

A soulless man in search of his identity in the world of man and a selfish man in search of the place where he comes from in the world of magic must find their missing senses of justice and virtue if they are to stop an ancient Druid order from conquering the modern Kingdoms of Camelot.

Knight’s Legacy: Awakening of the Pen Ddraig from Heroic Tendencies Studios is the story of the modern heirs to the legacy of the British legend of the Pendragon. Knight’s Legacy Book One is the 48-page first issue of a three-issue miniseries created and written by Michael Sacal (with Pascal Salzmann and Adam Ferenz), penciled by J. Andrey Portilla, inked by Kevin Leverett, colored by Roberto Torres and lettered by E.T. Dollman, with a cover by Art Gutierrez.

Laurence Grey is the Chief Executive Officer of Carmarthen International, a global research and development corporation located in Waterford City, Ireland. He is a soulless man whose total lack of self makes him completely indifferent to the pain and suffering that his tyranny causes the people of the European Union. Ethan McBride is the manager of the Tower Mill Entertainment Centre, a place where the people of Hawick, Scotland reinforce their ties. He is a selfish man whose determination to find out where he comes from drives him to only act expecting a reward for his efforts.

The emergence of Avalon — the fabled resting place of King Arthur Pendragon — propels Ethan on a journey that takes him from the world of man to the world of magic to learn where he comes from, and sends Laurence on a journey from the world of magic to the world of man to find out who he is. Throughout his journey, Ethan faces the trials of chivalry, a series of tests that teach that virtue overcomes avarice, while during his quest, Laurence encounters the knightly virtues, seven traits that teach that only might applied to a just cause makes right. Should either fail to embrace their birthright and regain his missing sense of virtue and justice, it would bring about the birth of a Druid Mecca built atop the ruins of the member states of the European Union – the modern-day Kingdoms of Camelot.

Knight’s Legacy: Awakening of The Pen Ddraig is a sweeping Arthurian saga that gives previously-accepted facts about Arthurian lore a fresh interpretation, which allows it to stand on its own merits alongside other tales inspired by the same source material. Knight’s Legacy is the flagship title of the Majestic Universe, a shared science fiction/fantasy universe that tells a vastly-ambitious yet consistent saga told across seven interconnected series that tell a unique story with a beginning, middle, and an end. Their approach begins with introducing realism into what are two inherently unrealistic genres, which makes The Majestic Universe unlike any other shared universe.

We are told that this universe is a verisimilar world with a rich history that forms a complex tapestry inhabited by average men and women that find themselves in unusual situations that help them to find the heroes within. The universe of this storyline exists in a place of heroic knights and oppressive sorcerers, frail mortality and painful afterlives, captivating tyranny and illuminating freedom, rampant science and fatal phenomena, bloodthirsty revenge and heart-wrenching redemption, vengeful Gods and forgiving mortals, and peace-seeking warriors and warmongering fanatics.

The Majestic Universe has been a passion project of Sacal’s ever since he conceived the original concept in 1998. Since then, he has worked tirelessly in developing the characters, arc, and story until he felt ready to pursue its publication. 

Once this fundraiser reaches its goal, production will begin on the first issue of Knight’s Legacy: Awakening of the Pen Ddraig and all related rewards. At present, the first draft of the script is 100% complete. In the time between the launch and end of the fundraiser, and the time it will take the artists to pencil, ink, color, and letter the pages, Michael will continue to make additional corrections to the script to ensure its quality. At present, Andrey, Kevin, and E.T. have finished six of the 48 interior pages from the first issue. Once they reach their goal, Roberto will color them. Simultaneously, Andrey and Kevin will start the remaining 42 pages.

Andrey estimates he can deliver five pages a week, meaning he should have the finished issue in eight weeks following the 14 days Kickstarter needs to collect and process the pledges made to our campaign. Kevin estimates he can deliver five pages a week. Afterward, the colorist and letterer will do their part.

This project will only be funded if at least $7,000 is pledged by Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Robert J. Sodaro has been reviewing comic books for some 30 years. During that time, his reviews and articles have appeared in numerous print publications, as well as on the web. Subscribe to receive regular comic book articles and reviews.