You can see our conversation below.
JB. How did this comic come about? Can you walk us through how it all came together?
JV. I had the opportunity to work with Brent Friedman, known for his work on Halo and Call of Duty, on the Unioverse video game franchise. He was impressed with the series of comics I created for that project and knew I was a big fan of Soul Reaver. Being friends with some folks at Crystal Dynamics, he recommended me for the project.
JB. What was your mindset going into this project? Were you at all intimidated given the hardcore fanbase the series has?
JV. Working on any established IP can be intimidating, but it’s important not to let that overshadow the main objective: creating a compelling experience for fans, newcomers, and yourself. As a fan of the series, I’m really happy with what we’re developing, and I believe that enthusiasm will resonate with others. Crystal Dynamics has been super collaborative, which has been very helpful.
JB. The Legacy of Kain series has been described by many as the best video game adaptation of the Elric Saga due to how it pays tribute to those books and its themes. Did you plan to continue the influence from Michael Moorcock’s books?
JV. In my opinion, the best way to approach an existing IP is to dive deep into its own lore. I’ve been completely absorbed in the Legacy of Kain universe since I started working on this project, and my decades as a fan of the games have been invaluable. While I haven’t revisited Moorcock’s series (one of my favorite reads is his novel Behold the Man), the themes from those works are evident enough that we can focus on a fresh direction and new influences. That said, we’re definitely emphasizing existentialism in our approach.
JB. While you cannot give spoilers obviously, was there any desire to use some of Amy Hennig’s plot points for the series that went unused?
JV. As much as I’d love to discuss plot points, there’s not much I can reveal right now. What I can say is that we’ve respected the lore and aimed to shed light on elements of the existing plot without compromising any surprises. I think fans will like what we’ve done.
JB. Who are characters that you particularly enjoyed working on in the story?
JV. There are so many characters in this universe to love. Raziel is probably my favorite (I mean, I have him inked on my forearm), but Kain is a very close second. I could easily see myself crossing over into Team Kain territory. It’s a tough call. We had a lot of fun developing new characters and exploring how they interact with the existing cast.
JB. How will you be using the story to build on the established lore of the series so far?
JV. Without getting into spoilers, our new characters are intertwined with Raziel and Kain’s destinies in ways that will surprise fans, I think. We delve into aspects of the existing history that fans have heard about but never seen. We’re adding details and explanations to important events that open up new storytelling opportunities.
JB. What did the Legacy of Kain series mean to you and where do you hope to see happen with the franchise in the future?
JV. I’ve been a fan since the first Soul Reaver, and I love everything about this world: its characters, plot, themes, art style, and more. It’s a huge part of who I am, and there’s so much potential to explore this universe through various platforms and new storytelling possibilities. Legacy of Kain deserves this resurrection, and I’m honored to be part of that.
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Those interested in the project can check out the Kickstarter for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise here
