"Fans of the bestselling Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver video game series will be able to discover the franchise’s untold backstory in an all-new, original graphic novel titled Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise, now live on Kickstarter."
With the campaign live today, I'm excited to share my Q&A with Joshua Viola, co-writer on the new graphic novels, who talks about the origins of the project, his love of the video game, and much more!
I can't believe it's been nearly 25 years since the release of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver! Can you talk about your experience playing the game and why it made a lasting impression on you?
JOSHUA: When Soul Reaver was released, I had just gotten a pre-owned computer. It came with a Soul Reaver demo, and I played it repeatedly. It wasn't until Soul Reaver was released on Dreamcast that I got to play the full game. I was immediately hooked, and so was one of my best friends. He had a PlayStation, and we'd play through Blood Omen at his place after work. Both games captivated me with their storytelling and atmosphere. Like many original Soul Reaver fans, it was the opening cinematic that sold me. I watched it over and over—the visuals, music, and dialogue were groundbreaking for their time and still hold up today. The gameplay and world-building were second to none. I really miss those strong, single-player, story-driven campaigns.
It's the first new "Soul Reaver" story in quite some time. How were you able to make this graphic novel project happen?
Joshua Viola: My Raziel tattoo played a role, believe it or not. It all started when I was working with Brent Friedman on the Unioverse video game franchise for Random Games. Brent saw the work I did on the comics for that IP and he knew I had a Raziel tattoo on my sleeve. Being friends with some folks at Crystal Dynamics, he mentioned me to them and the rest is history.
When developing the story, can you talk about the involvement of Crystal Dynamics and any cool insights or historical assets that informed the new story?
Joshua Viola: Crystal Dynamics has been involved every step of the way. Everyone there is truly passionate about the franchise and what we're doing. It's great to work with people who genuinely care about the story. I've worked on a lot of IPs, and this has been the best experience to date. The LoK franchise is pretty complex, so I was amazed at the amount of work that went into breaking down the timelines with graphs and documents to ensure everything Angie Hodapp and I were doing aligned with the established lore. We've been very careful to introduce something new without diminishing what came before it. That was important to Crystal Dynamics (and me) from the beginning.
For our younger readers that may not have a connection to the original games, can you give a tease of the story behind the graphic novel and why it may interest fans old and new?
Joshua Viola:For those unfamiliar with the franchise, the Legacy of Kain series follows two protagonists, Kain and Raziel, on their intertwined quests through the lands of Nosgoth to alter their destinies. Often foes but sometimes allies, Kain and Raziel tread different yet parallel paths. In the first game, Blood Omen, Kain is a nobleman turned vampire who seeks revenge and power. In Soul Reaver, Raziel, a former vampire lieutenant of Kain's resurrected as a wraith, embarks on a journey to confront Kain and unravel the secrets of his own resurrection. The Dead Shall Rise takes place after the events of Blood Omen and leads up to Soul Reaver, revealing secrets about Raziel and a new character with ties to both Kain and Raziel, shedding light on the events that forged their relationship. I think our story will captivate old and new fans alike by delving deeper into the lore of Nosgoth with fresh perspectives.
A Kickstarter will be launched in support of the graphic novel. What are some of the cool items and rewards you've assembled for the campaign? Anything you're particularly excited for fans to get their hands on, aside from the graphic novel?
Joshua Viola: I'm incredibly pleased with our story and the amazing art, but there's so much more to this project. We have a phenomenal soundtrack by Celldweller featuring Matt Heafy of Trivium, latex masks of Raziel and Kain and a 3ft Reaver replica. There's also a wide range of apparel, maps, never-before-seen concept art from Crystal Dynamics available as prints, clan flags, and more. This project is truly special and packed with amazing offerings for the fans. We may not have seen much from this franchise in over two decades, but we're definitely making up for it now!
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"Fans can support the graphic novel today on Kickstarter. For more information on Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise graphic novel, sign up at bitbotmedia.com for the Bit Bot newsletter and follow the company’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. "
"The project is being helmed by writers Joshua Viola (True Believers, It Came From the Multiplex) and Angie Hodapp (Unioverse, Shadow Atlas), with interior art by Juan Samu (Star Wars, Godzilla), colors by Zac Atkinson (Teen Titans), letters by Jeremiah Lambert (Masters of the Universe, Transformers), a main cover by Dave Rapoza (Destiny, Magic: The Gathering), variant covers by Aaron Lovett (Monster Train, Inkbound and film poster and cover artist Matthew Therrien (R. L. Stine’s Zombie Town, The Wrath of Becky), with additional art by Jonny Bush (Rob Zombie, Ghost) and Ninja Jo (Star Wars, Stranger Things). Brent Friedman (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Call of Duty) is providing narrative guidance alongside creative direction and input from Crystal Dynamics, including never-before-seen ideas and elements from unreleased Soul Reaver lore. The all-new graphic novel also features concept art by Daniel Cabuco, who provided concept art for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2, and was the Art Director for Legacy of Kain: Defiance.
Arriving in time for the 25th Anniversary of the release of the original Soul Reaver game, the publication of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise will mark the first official new Soul Reaver narrative in two decades, since 2003’s Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise delves into Raziel’s past as a human Sarafan warrior and his transformation into a vampire lieutenant under Kain. The story introduces new characters, including a mysterious vampire with deep connections to Raziel and Kain. This compelling tale explores and expands the existing canon while answering long-standing questions."
Dave Rapoza Cover:
Matthew Therrien Cover:
Aaron Lovett Cover:
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