Undertown Volume 1
- PAPERBACK: 208 PAGES
- Language: English
- ISBN: 1-4278-0103-7
- EAN: 978-1-4278-0103-6
- AVAILABLE: NOW
- MSRP: $9.99
MANGA + COMICS
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User Reviews
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PopCultureShock
While visiting his father in the hospital, ten-year-old Sama meets a creepy stranger in the waiting room. The stranger, sensing Sama’s feelings of futility and guilt over his dad’s condition, lets the boy in on a secret: if he can retrieve the Sugar Stone from Undertown, Sama can cure his father. All Sama has to do is crawl under his bed, close his eyes, and count to ten. As one might guess about advice from creepy strangers, retrieving the Sugar Stone proves anything but easy, as Undertown is a hellish place occupied by oversized insects. No one has seen the Sugar Stone in ages—most of Undertown’s denizens believe it to be a mythological object—and the few that are convinced of its existence seek it for their own twisted purposes. A handful of Furmen, anthropomorphic critters that live under the insects’ yoke, agree to aid Sama in the hope that he holds the key to the insects’ defeat.
Tokyopop gives Undertown a 13+ rating, yet so many details struck me as more appropriate for younger readers. Sama’s teddy bear, for example, comes to life when the two arrive in Undertown, morphing from stuffed animal to wise-cracking sidekick and survivor of a teddy bear holocaust. Remembering my cynical, 13-year-old self, I have a hard time imagining too many teenagers warming to a fantasy whose premise sounds dangerously close to The Care Bears Movie. I also found the artwork wanting. Though Myler is a skilled draftsman, the images were too small and too detailed for a manga-sized, black-and-white treatment; Undertown cries out for a larger trim and broader palette to make Myler’s designs pop. This is especially evident in many of the fight scenes, which are hard to parse owing to the large number of eyes, limbs, and mandibles slashing their way across the page. The biggest disappointment, however, is that Undertown isn’t much fun. Yes, there’s considerable evidence of Pascoe and Myler’s talent in the story’s efficient execution and occasional flashes of inspiration, but the book is joyless and sentimental, faring poorly by comparison with other recent coming-of-age tales like Brave Story.
~Katherine Dacey, PopCultureShock
http://www.popcultureshock.com/weekly-recon-81507/42439/
School Library Journal
PASCOE, Jim. Undertown. vol. 1. illus. by Jake Myler. 204p. Tokyopop. 2007. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4278-0782-3. LC number unavailable.
Gr 8 Up-This original English-language manga starts off at a fast clip, introducing Sama, his teddy bear Eddie, and the fantasy world of Un-dertown. Worried that he has caused his father to have a heart attack, the 10-year-old takes the advice of a mysterious man he meets in the hospital and begins a quest to find the Sugar Stone. But Undertown is nothing like the mysterious man promised: instead of finding a peaceful city, Sama finds himself in the middle of a war between the insects and furmen, humanoid animals. Here, Eddie comes to life, filled with strange half-memories of this place and a quest of his own: finding the teddy bear bell. With the help of the rabbit B.W. and porcupine Joey P.P., Eddie and Sama begin their search, threatened at every turn by the evil leader of the insects, the Cloud. At times, the story has trouble keeping up with its action, and when parts of it are told from the Cloud's perspective, the switch between locations can be jarring. But the art is excellent, and the storytelling style feels true to the manga format. It may be hard to find the right niche for this book, as the character is 10 and has a talking teddy bear, but the world of Undertown is violent and dangerous. Manga fans, however, will feel right at home inside the narrative, and Naruto fans may happily make the switch from ninjas to civil war.-Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Bran-ford, CT
Priss2040
Undertown
It’s an Alice in wonderland theme but this time there is no cutesy creatures about, instead there’s insects, magic, deceit and a teddy bear that comes to life.MORE
In the depths of a dark and mysterious land, a young boy searches for a secret that can lead to salvation....and more.
Sama is so sad that tears have literally stained his cheeks. His father has fallen gravely ill...and doctors only give him a month to live. With nowhere to turn, Sama grabs his teddy bear and crawls under his bed...magically entering a portal to a fantastic realm called Undertown! Sama looks for the Sugar Stone: a "secret something" that might be able to heal his dad. But The Cloud--the wicked leader of the Insect Insurgents--hunts for the Stone, as well...
From Jim Pascoe, creator of Emmy-Award winning JETIX Cards Live!, and sensational artist Jake Myler, comes an epic voyage into the heart of a strange and beautiful world.
Sama
Sama is our hero, a pre-teen boy who encounters an enormous problem: his dad has been given only a month to live. He's quick to cry, and when he comes to Undertown, his cheeks are stained with dark streaks of tears.
Eddie the Teddy
Sama's stuffed bear, who in Undertown comes to life!
B.W. (a rabbit)
Without a doubt, B.W. is the cheeriest of the group--but also the most afraid.
Joey P.P. (a porcupine)
The rogue, the bad boy. He knows a lot about the insects ... he may even be a spy for them.
Mighty Chireugi (a brown rat)
A warrior rat who has been captured by the Insect Insurgents. Once a member of the Brotherhood of Rats, Mighty continues his fight against the insects.
The Cloud
The evil leader of the Insect Insurgents.
Jim Pascoe, Writer
At various times in his childhood, writer Jim Pascoe believed he was an alien, a lizard, a psychic, and a king. Soon he realized that he was really a storyteller. He grew up to write many things. He created the Emmy® Award winning interactive card game for Disney's JETIX Cards Live! and has written comics and books featuring well-known characters such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Kim Possible, and Hellboy. UNDERTOWN is his most personal story to date, because in 2005, on the day after Christmas, his father was sent to the hospital for a heart transplant. That his dad is alive to read this manga is one of the happiest developments of his life. Jim Pascoe no longer believes he is an alien; he does believe in miracles.
Jake Myler, Artist
Growing up in the isolation of the redwoods of Northern California, artist Jake Myler loved to read and create comics to ease the pain and fear caused by the many packs of roving wild dogs that would often attack without warning. But comics were forgotten for years, until after graduating with a degree in animation from Woodbury University. Then he realized that creating comics was his true dream all along! Jake has also illustrated issues of Phantom Rock Entertainment's Dark Butterfly series, issues of Ta-Su's Tasumono series, and created hundreds of The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars collector cards for Topps.
Once upon a time, bearded wizard Jim Pascoe and fresh-faced Jake Myler both lived in Los Angeles. The three of us would get together, scrutinize over Jake's thumbnails, debate Jim's script, and explore the world of Undertown together. These were exciting times. We all felt like we were creating something special. But then tragedy struck--Jake Myler moved to Seattle. It broke my heart, to be honest. He used to bring us cake!
Luckily, Jake Myler is as talented as he is thoughtful. He finished the book while working in rainy Seattle, and his art is absolutely breathtaking. Every page is as delicious as the tasty treats he used to bring to our story sessions. And Jake's character designs are all absolutely brilliant. Without exception. Once you read Undertown, I promise there are images that will stay in your mind long after you put the book down. Thanks for making this project memorable in so many ways, Jake!
And then there's Jim Pascoe. Rock star. Rebel. Guru. In high school, he was probably voted most likely to become a cult leader. But this would be the coolest cult in the world--full of crazy ideas and good vibes. Jim's Undertown script has more layers than any of the cakes that Jake happily fed us. It can certainly be read as a dark fantasy story in the tradition of Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz...but it you look closely, you can see many parallels to the complex, strife-filled world in which we currently live. Take sugar, for instance. Sure, it's the reason Jake's cakes were so yummy...but in the world of Undertown, sugar can be read as a metaphor for oil.
Okay, enough words! It's time to feast on Undertown! Satiate your sweet tooth on Jake's scrumptious art...and fill your belly (and head) with Jim's rich, flavorful narrative.
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Only registered members can post comments
I have to agree with everyone else... This has to be the best book series I've read in a long, long, long, long... time!
SISY1995
06.18.2009 12:00 AM
Is it under Journals?
SISY1995
06.09.2009 12:00 AM
Thanks, SISY1995! Please check out the official Undertown clan: the UNDERTOWN EXPLORERS for all the details about Book 2!
JIMPASCOE
06.01.2009 12:00 AM
I LOVE this book! It's different from others I've read. Can someone please, PLEASE tell me when book 2 coming out?! Is there a preview of book 2 yet?! TELL ME...! Please...?
SISY1995
05.25.2009 12:00 AM
this comic is perfect man!!!nice...=)100% cool!fantasy!FK YEAH!!!! DeathHunterz
DEATHHUNTERZ
04.28.2009 12:00 AM
Man undetown book 2 is out,Great! Ashotn loves undertown, it reminds him of his real dad.And sama is so cute,his stains remind me of one oof his scars, it's not that bad, but itmust have hurt from the looks.Wait that does make it sound bad doesn't it.
PETITELILRITSUKA
04.11.2009 12:00 AM
please sign up for a FREE notification about UNDERTOWN BOOK 2: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1427807655
JIMPASCOE
03.31.2009 12:00 AM
thanks, tragicdream!
JIMPASCOE
03.22.2009 12:00 AM
it's pretty good
TRAGICDREAM
03.14.2009 12:00 AM
check out the wikipedia article on Undertown: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undertown_(comic)
JIMPASCOE
03.14.2009 12:00 AM
i love the book i will have to buy one or two..
ISIS
03.14.2009 12:00 AM
good))
ALEXSILENT
03.07.2009 12:00 AM
wow this was a LOT better than i thought it would be! awesome!
FMALLIG33
02.04.2009 12:00 AM
Very steki manga.
RAKKAPOTTER
01.21.2009 12:00 AM
57 days left,Undertown vol.2 coming soon!
CATWAS8
09.11.2008 12:00 AM
I love this storyline and artist. I like these picture details, and I am really enjoy reading your comic. You guys did a great job and I am truthly looking forward on vol. 2. Keep it up, guys! (click on POP)
83KUPO
09.10.2008 12:00 AM
i love this story u should put vol. 2 on here
SALAZAR123
09.10.2008 12:00 AM
thanks for your comments, LOVEROFPIGGIES. Yes, we are definitely putting chapter title page breaks in vol 2. From what I've seen so far, it makes a HUGE difference. Book 2 is almost done ... but we are waiting a little longer until we announce release plans. We want it to be big and special. And I hope everyone will give Undertown another look, because this second book is so much better than vol 1 (though I really love the first book!).
JIMPASCOE
08.28.2008 12:00 AM
Okay, thats just a dumb thing to say. Everything is authentic in its own right. You know manga doesnt just come from Japan. It comes from Korea. China, a bunch of different places. Or does the artist just have to be asian? What if it was an asian living in america drawing it? Would that somehow fit to be 'authentic' in your mind? Now to the people I actually WANT to comment. This is a very good book. I havent looked at it in a while cuz it was on the bottom of the shelf. But I remembered it and picked it up. I'm excited for the second volume. :3! But you guys should probally consider drawing up chapter covers. Just because the comic is so detailed and every chapter is so interweaved you cant tell when the chapter changes. That actually kind of was too 'visually stimulating' and an opening chapter pic for every chapter would be a nice break in the highly detailed comic. :3 Just a little suggestion. Overall, your comic is amazing. I hope you get more then just three volumes guys. You deserve it. I heard bookstores ordered alot more of Undertown a while back so I'm hoping TP lets you do more! Its so hard to get into stories that only last three volumes. D:
LOVEROFPIGGIES
08.24.2008 12:00 AM
when does 2 come out? my little bro. won't stop bugging me. it's annoying 'cause i don't like the series. i don't like it 'cause it's not authentic manga, and the pics are a little wierd...and creepy. nyway, does anyone know 2 comes out?
ANIMANGIAC01
08.18.2008 12:00 AM
I hope this comic is available in Taiwan.... I love it! and I want to buy it,lol OKBON
CATWAS8
08.15.2008 12:00 AM
this is great. love the characters.
ANGELIQUE323
07.06.2008 12:00 AM
COOL! *pop*
DEVILLADYBLACK
06.21.2008 12:00 AM
SWEET! i'm writing a 5 star review on this for the school paper!
MEWMEWCHOCOLATE3
05.05.2008 12:00 AM
My Library has this one. I LOVE IT!
ANIMINE
05.03.2008 12:00 AM
I can't say I like how the manga pages are displayed in the comics section of the LA Times. You can't do justice to any manga in that format, in my opinion.
MANGAKAWA
04.15.2008 12:00 AM
Wonderful art work and story
KAMOURIANKING
04.11.2008 12:00 AM
What a wonderful story!! I am so eager to read more of it!!
PUGSLEY
03.31.2008 12:00 AM
It GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAJORS
03.18.2008 12:00 AM
i really like it *runs down to the bookstore and picks it up*
DARTHPWNU
02.23.2008 12:00 AM
oh wonderful
OMAJANG
02.21.2008 12:00 AM
sweet bought it today from book fair and dang read it in 1 day!!! best best tokyopop book i ever read or something and i just finished it!!! cant wait till vol. 2 !!!!
DADIROSCA2
01.17.2008 12:00 AM
Awesome piece! I loved the fact that I picked up a manga with anthromorphic animals in it! They are practically all I draw! Sent you a letter recently o_o I hope it gets to you and you enjoy the pic inside!
OHAKO
01.11.2008 12:00 AM
This one of the best comics written and I even know the writer JIM PASCOE!!!!!! Can't wait for volume II
ECTONOMICS
01.10.2008 12:00 AM
that was really good. i love the teddy bear!!!!!!
AMBER314
01.03.2008 12:00 AM
me too i just bought it yesterday
FIRESTARTER75
12.31.2007 12:00 AM
undertown rocks!!
JONNY13
12.27.2007 12:00 AM
i just got done reading it! its absolutely awesome! one of the best series' i've started. i'll be sure to keep reading the volumes as they come out.
KETROJAK
12.22.2007 12:00 AM
just finished it, and it was fantastic. love the story, and art was phenomenal. Great job guys, cant wait for Vol 2.~
SUPERGAMEFRK
12.16.2007 12:00 AM
AGH!! I cant read on or'll I'll frickin spoil it!! TT__TT ^^;
INVADERDEZ77
12.13.2007 12:00 AM
YOU ROCK!!! I LOVE THE TEDDY BEAR!!!!! ^_^
AMBER314
12.10.2007 12:00 AM
sounds really kool...DYING to start reading it. ^^
INVADERDEZ77
12.10.2007 12:00 AM
it seems like an interesting story.
ANAFREAK91
12.08.2007 12:00 AM
Darn! I'm hooked! Very awesome read!!!
DEATHCHRONX
12.03.2007 12:00 AM
wow, it's fantastic! there isn't much more to say
WHATSAMANGA
11.30.2007 12:00 AM
Hey Jim Pascoe!! EXCELLENT story, if anything, this is what will commence my reading of Manga style books :P The story was very captivating, and a lot more interesting the usual Naruto style stuff. Jake has drawn art for me before, so I'm accustomed to his brilliance :D This book is definitely some of his finest work! PROPS TO BOTH OF YOU!! To Jake: This is oolude56 ;)
DEADLY4U
11.25.2007 12:00 AM
Undertown needs to be a MOVIE!! a MOVIE!! Or at least an anime. There is so much in it that it took me like a week to read! GREAT manga. Great.
CHIBIMAN
11.20.2007 12:00 AM
Aaaaaaahhhhhh! I love it. I wants more. Must have it, my precious!! Ha, seriously though, it's great. the artwork, the storeyline. It gets you hooked straight up. Keep up the good work and would love to see more. I agree with MADAMENONCHALANT though!! I wonder if you can get it in Australia yet? Hmmm, many things to ponder (sips tea)
CHEEZOID
11.14.2007 12:00 AM
this looks interesting can't wait to read more.
ELJAY
11.12.2007 12:00 AM
Hmm...I should see if I can get this from the library. It's rather intriguing. (^_^)
CALAMARI
11.11.2007 12:00 AM