Claudia Christian’s Dark Legacies, a new SF four-issue comic series, makes its retail debut in comic shops in June, published by new independent British publisher Scratch Comics.
Dark Legacies is a science fiction universe created by Chris McAuley and actress Claudia Christian, who will soon return to J.Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5 in a new Babylon 5 animated movie, starring the series original cast.
The likenesses of other cast members from Babylon 5 (and other shows) also feature in the Dark Legacies comic, including Patricia Tallman.
The story is set after Earth emerges from a brutal totalitarian regime and looks towards the stars with a renewed sense of hope. However, the dark legacies of the past remain and threaten to drag humanity back to darker times…
Through a series of novels, comics, games and audio dramas the team behind Dark Legacies will explore the struggles of Major Jessica Steele, played by Claudia Christian, a special ops commander who has a tortured past. Steele must uncover the conspiracies which could destroy the heart of the new government as well as reconcile her own demons.
“Although we look towards the future with hope in our series, part of the dramatic tension comes from the legacies of the past – elements attempting to destabilise the newly elected democratic global government, says “Claudia Christian. “We also explore the legacies which Jessica Steele must contend with, as she attempts to investigate the approaching danger.
“Jessica has a painful past, but she doesn’t wallow in it or let melancholy overwhelm her. She dedicates herself to ensuring that humanity doesn’t step backwards into totalitarianism again.”
The franchise will also encompass stories which show the timeline of the political revolution between the dictatorial Con-Fed government and the democratic United Planetary Alliance.
Claudia Christian’s Dark Legacies #1 was the focus of a very successful Kickstarter, last year, raising over £14,000 in support, backers receiving their copies ahead of the retail release in June.
Expect “Battles in Mech suits, sieges of planetary colonies, betrayal, hope and epic space battles,” says Chris McAuley. “This is a series which should resonate with fans of Babylon 5 and contemporary sci-fi such as The Expanse.”
Scratch Comics is an independent publishing house founded by Shane Chebsey in 2022. Alongside Dark Legacies, the company also publishes Hedrek, pitched as a “paranormal Columbo”, a Kickstarter for Broken Pieces, a One Shot comic, running now.
• You can pre-order the retail edition of Dark Legacies #1 and also download the deluxe digital version on Scratch Comics new website here: www.scratchcomics.co.uk
• More about the Dark Universes project at dark-universes.com/dark-legacies | Follow Dark Universes on Facebook
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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