Ascend Into Heaven and the Underworld
By: Steven James |
Sunday June 12, 2005 |
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It has been some time since we have enjoyed the thrill of a good kill, but the wait will soon be over. Image Comics and PCP Productions have answered our prayers and filled our cups. They bring the deserved patient hunter 'Ascend' |
| With the mainstream success (fortunately or unfortunately) of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series and pseudo goth-rockers like Evanscence, there has been an increasing resurgence of interest in the supernatural and the "dark" side. Major comic book publishers and Hollywood film companies immediately jumped on the band wagon, churning out anything that showcased the fight between good and evil, man and "lesser-clad" ethereal being. The long list of wannabe blockbusters is far too long to even begin humoring. The more intellectually inclined aficionado knows that these low brow, well publicized tragedies will not quench their thirst for the real passion they desire. The thrill is always in the hunt. A hunter must be patient and quietly search and wait for the unsuspecting. It has been some time since we have enjoyed the thrill of a good kill, but the wait will soon be over. Image Comics and PCP Productions have answered our prayers and filled our cups. They bring the deserved patient hunter Ascend.
A new battle is emerging. Three sibling Angels - Sebastian, Gideon, and Seraphine are elite soldiers in the ethereal army of Heaven. The most powerful, Gideon, is secretly trying to amass his own army, by diverting souls intended to ascend to heaven. Sebastian and Seraphine concealed Gideon's betrayal, and as a result, all three are banished from Heaven. So begins the lore of Ascend. Look no further than writer/creator Keith Arem to envision such an undertaking. Arem has been one of the leading creators and producers in the field of dialogue production, writing, sound design, and scoring for the game and animation industries since 1992 - most notably serving as the Director of Audio for Virgin Interactive Entertainment. "Ascend originally started as a vision for a motion picture," says Arem. "Teaming with artist Christopher Shy gave us the opportunity to create something more than just storyboards for the film; the characters came alive under his brush and we all knew we had something special on our hands." Having something "special" is a conservative understatement. Visually, Ascend is nothing short of stunning. A colorful array of intense images bleed off of every page. Stylistically branded, Shy has to be considered one of the very best. Not surprisingly, Shy was recently voted "Artist of the Year" at Origins, and spot lighted as "Artist of the Year" for White Wolf Games. Continuing the list of kudos, let us also introduce writer Scott Cuthbertson. Scott has worked for industry leaders such as Disney, AOL, Universal, and Nintendo and has lead creative development of videogames based on such properties as: Lilo & Stitch, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and more.  Such a high profile cast of characters has paid off. It is obvious that a lot of passion and time has been invested into this project. Those involved are not trying to turn a quick profit and be forgotten, only to be littered among the goth mall rat debris. These creators are both predator and prey. Let they not be underestimated, for this only comes around once in a lifetime and you better be ready or you will miss it. Be wary for December 8, because it will be your time to Ascend into heaven and the underworld. |
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