Ahead of San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Joseph Illidge’s Illuminous has acquired its first client: Centaur Riders – Cataphract Legacy. The 64-page debut comic will soon hit Kickstarter.
Centaur Riders: Cataphract Legacy is a dark fantasy epic created by Danny Potter, written by Charlie Brafman, and illustrated by Marco Turini. The story is set in the fantasy realm Ashvaren and follows Artemis, the last centaur, on a journey to discover his origins and what happened to “a people believed lost to history.”
“Bringing on Centaur Riders as the first project acquisition for Illuminous was perfect because of the intricate worldbuilding and character-building possibilities within the IP,” said Illidge. “The opportunity to acquire a project with artist Marco Turini was the final piece of the puzzle, since we worked together in launching a superhero universe for Lion Forge some years back! Ultimately, the best intellectual properties are founded in compelling stories with long narrative legs, and Centaur Riders is definitely a fantasy saga for fans of large-scale epics.”
“Centaur Riders has been my passion project from the very beginning. I set out to create an epic fantasy world inspired by classical mythology and the stories that shaped my childhood. What started as an idea quickly became an obsession, and over the years it grew into something far bigger than I ever imagined,” said Potter.
“Bringing Ashvaren to life has been an incredible journey, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with readers. Every script from Charlie, every page from Marco, and every conversation with Joe has helped elevate the project beyond what I thought possible,” Potter continued. “Seeing all of those pieces come together into the finished book has been a genuinely rewarding experience, and I couldn’t be more excited for people to discover this world alongside us.”
The upcoming Kickstarter campaign for Centaur Riders: Cataphract Legacy, Vol. 1 marks a major step forward for both the comic itself and for Illuminous, which Illidge launched in 2025 to help creators develop their ideas into enduring IP. Illidge will be at SDCC ’26 to discuss the company, Centaur Riders, and more.
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Stay tuned to The Beat for more news from SDCC ’26.
