Immigrant Family Chases Unattainable Dreams on Dystopian Martian Space Station

In the dystopian future of "Ancient China of Mars," a Chinese family, the Lees, are forced to flee a climate change-stricken Earth and seek refuge on a Martian space station. Leaving behind a socioeconomic caste system that offers them no opportunity to thrive, the family blasts off with hopes of carving out a better life on the Red Planet.

However, their dreams of a fresh start quickly turn to disillusionment as they find themselves stuck in purgatory on the space station, which serves as a holding pen for stateless immigrants. Undeterred, the Lees open a Chinese restaurant, believing it will be the first step towards building a middle-class existence for their children.

But as creator Andrew Leung explains, "nothing comes easy for migrants in a foreign land" - especially on what he describes as the "terraformed fascist paradise of Mars." Leung, a product of the Snarky Elephant Incubator, draws on his own experiences as a child of Chinese immigrants to craft a universal story about the elusive nature of the American dream in an increasingly dystopian present.

Through the lens of the Lees' struggle, "Ancient China of Mars" explores how the tech-driven utopia envisioned by "bro" entrepreneurs has instead become a dystopian nightmare for those unable to fully participate in its spoils. As the family fights to carve out a life on the Martian outpost, their story serves as a cautionary tale about the widening divide between society's haves and have-nots.