The Ascendants: Acknowledgements and Dedications
Writing Credits, Dedications, and Discretion
The story that will follow this post has been a collaborative effort with my friends since our senior year of high school. What originally started as an idea for a web comic has blossomed into its own story after years of personal growth, current events, and dozens of group meetings. The final version of this story has been changed from a comic format into a narrative one, which makes it easier to publish when a new chapter is ready, as opposed to having to wait for an artist to draw the panels in order to publish the story. There will be no set schedule for new chapters; chapters will be published when ready. There will be themes of general abuse in this story; reader discretion is advised.
The universe this story takes place in was created by K.P., J.S., A.J., K.S.P., N.C., I.S., H.B.K., K.R.R., and myself. Special thanks to H.B.K. for providing the first draft for the character of Andrew Brennan, and K.R.R. for providing the first draft of the character of Jamie Starborne. I also want to thank J.W. for his assistance with information on how criminal organizations operate.
Due to this story being a result of a group effort, all rights are reserved to myself and the co-authors named in the paragraph above. However, should the main group continue in building our universe and publish their story, their version of the story that takes place in our universe will also be considered as canon that is equivalent to mine.
In addition to current events, I have been influenced by shows such as The Wire, The Sopranos, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, She-ra: The Princess of Power, The Boondocks, and Arcane. I’ve been influenced by comic book publishers such as D.C. and Marvel and comics such as Sin City and The Umbrella Academy. I’ve been influenced by manga such as Soul Eater and Black Jack, and anime such as Tokyo Mew Mew, Naruto and Neon Genesis Evangelion. I’ve also been influenced by video games such as Overwatch, The Witcher, Undertale, Yakuza, and Persona 5. Not all influences share the same weight, but what inspires me the most is the storytelling in all of them. I am also an electrical engineer by trade, and I’m sure that influence will also present itself at certain points within the story.
Lastly, this story is dedicated to the people who have helped build the universe in which this story resides, as well as to people who feel as if their struggles are finally represented in story form. If you, the reader, find yourself relating to the struggles of any particular character at any given point in the story, then I have done my job well.
The following story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy.