“Mr. Pasty: UNDERGROUND (Image Comics) When Chief Running Site asked me to take a look at a book about small-town rangers fighting to preserve the integrity of some underground caves, I politely smiled and thought “Man this guy must hate my guts.” In fact, I even whipped out issue #1 after climbing into bed, expecting to conk out by page three. Instead, I was up for hours digesting the next two issues and marveling at how a series devoid of “superheroes” could be so friggin’ entertaining. UNDERGROUND grips you and envelops you in a world that is so completely realized and populated with characters so thoroughly fleshed out, it’s not an exaggeration to call this the year’s best miniseries. Hollywood writers who dig through a creative trash can to find anything salvageable for the next big movie or TV show could learn a lot about storytelling from just one issue of UNDERGROUND.”
Lieber and I are getting up early tomorrow to catch the plane to Salt Lake City. So if you’re in the area, head over to Dr. Volt’s, we’ll be there most of the day, signing, sketching, juggling, you name it. -Jeff
And the solicits are out now for UNDERGROUND #4 in December!
UNDERGROUND #4 (of 5)
story JEFF PARKER
art & cover STEVE LIEBER
DECEMBER 16
32 PAGES / FC
Interest above ground explodes when a body is pulled out of Stillwater Cave. Deep inside and searching for a way out, Wesley leads Seth into a section she’s never explored for good reason: It’s almost always underwater!
CraveOnline: Jeff, what do you find to be most appealing about doing creator-owned material as opposed to work for DC or Marvel? Do you find it easier to understand the inner-workings of your own characters?
Parker: First, I don’t have to compete with reader’s preconceptions of how a character should be depicted, I get to start fresh. Also no troublesome or convoluted continuity to have to wrangle before I can get started. And yes, I can build a character on something I know from life, so he or she rings true. Wesley Fischer is not going to suddenly have a different personality because of the return of the Phoenix force.
Steve here: now with crappy news!
My wife and I were just burgled. They stole our laptops, so we have no computers at home anymore, and we’ve got several days ahead of us of running around dealing with police, insurance, checking to make sure backups work, etc. This means that all the time at home I’d planned to spend doing promotion is gone, as are the machines I’d planned to it with.
Lots of folks have asked “what can I do to help?” The answer, if you have a comics audience, is blog or tweet something about the book. Send them to this site, or this specific post, or just tell them that Parker and I have a new Image book coming out. Your RTs and facebook posts can make a big difference.
UNDERGROUND is a five issue color series beginning in September from IMAGE COMICS. Written by Jeff Parker, drawn by Steve Lieber, and colored by Ron Chan, the story follows Park Ranger Wesley Fischer as she tries to save Stillwater Cave-- and then has to save herself.
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