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REVIEW: UNDERLAND #1
3.50/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: R
Creative Team:
Writer: Dustin Brunell
Artist: Leairis Cross
Cover: Leairis Cross
Publisher: Ethereal Comics
Ratings:
Story: 3.4 Stars
Artwork: 3.6 Stars
Cover Artwork: 3.4 Stars
Dialogue: 3.5 Stars
Mechanics: 3.6 Stars
Editing: 3.5 Stars
About the Book:
Miles below the Earth’s surface lies the fantasy kingdom of Underland. Like many magical kingdoms, it has its charm. It also has a tyrannical queen with a penchant for making life miserable for her subjects. The Hatters are fighting back; but there are only two of them. One of them is dying from an injury caused by a poison tipped spear. They need a miracle, or a builder.
Reader’s Notes:
No matter the platform, I have always enjoyed twists on the classics. I think it’s because it can change our perspectives. “Wicked”, the book and the musical, is one of my all time favorites. Brunell does a wonderful job of hitting the reset button with Underland.
We still get to see Alice. She still encounters a myriad of interesting individuals. The story is not told from her perspective though. This isn’t the tale of a little girl that was daydreaming. Hatter is dealing with high stakes. Life as she knows it depends on her success.
I liked how this cover makes it clear that this will be a story that features Alice. Small press publishers have their work cut out for them when it comes to garnering attention for their projects. Having a familiar face on the cover helps give prospective buyers more of an idea of what’s in store for them. In Underland’s case it helps. Alice has quite a following. People will clamor for new content.
The artwork on the interior pages does a fabulous job of establishing the setting. I loved the first page. It brings out the magic in Underland. Be advised, there are a couple panels that would not fly with the mouse. This isn’t marketed as a children’s book, so I’m okay with that.
As a geek on a budget I believe it’s time and money well spent to journey to Underland. You get a compelling story, action, some familiar faces, and a chance to make some new friends. Enjoy!
