Comics
Review: Undertow #3
Steve Orlando shifts into a steadier pacing current this month as the land mission makes a huge development, and the crew aboard The Deliverer become even more uneasy. The machinations of a political thriller with the makings of an action book, told through the eyes of an impressionable and idealistic youth make for another must have chapter of “Undertow.”
WRITTEN BY: Steve Orlando
ART BY: Artyom Trakhanov
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: April 23rd 2014
Steve Orlando has crafted a story around larger than life characters. Redum has opened up Ukinnu’s world and he’s out being intrepid on the surface. He has a rosy idealism that we start to see chip away. He’s in over his head. So enter The Amphibian.
The Amphibian is a unique beast. He is vile and assertive. He has taken control and keeps rule with an iron fist of insanity. It’s hard to tell what his ultimate role in the story will be. His introduction took me by complete surprise, as I didn’t expect him to be such an unruly figure. He’s a creature who thrives on death and destruction. Not exactly the best fit for the team right now.
In any event, he’s now part of the story, and will only make the predicament on The Deliverer more complicated. There is a lot of talk about whether or not Redum is fit to lead the excursion anymore, but this is a lot of idealistic bullshit that doesn’t understand the true perils of standing up to Atlantis. The new leadership will fall to error, and it will be as quickly as its risen here.
Artyom Trakhanov has something about his style that comics really haven’t seen before. It’s so beautifully unique and expressive. The pastel colors evoke a sense of otherworldly warmth that is contrasted with a murky sea of death on the ground. Which, is honestly some of the best work this comic has ever produced. There is something brutally appealing about these Atlantians ripping through humans. Trakhanov even reminds us how fragile our warriors are in a single panel. The sharp stone clinking against the glass dome helmet actually sent shivers down my spine. Way to close to total destruction…
There is a panel near the end of The Amphibian’s introduction that labels him as “The God of Death.” It’s a roundabout way of telling us we’ve entered a whole new world here. The surface is relatively under control, but the new ally might be too volatile to control. Orlando and Trakhanov deal with many complicated themes in “Undertow.” They spend this month slowly developing them through their characters and the book becomes all the better for it. This is another stellar chapter of the best new series of the year.
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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