MattBrady
02-28-2005, 08:05 AM
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/UL1152X864.jpg" width="300" height="225" align="right"><i>by Ryan McLelland</i>
The concept is pure epic sci-fi, the artwork is McFarlanesque, and the packaging makes it look like every other Image Comics title out there. The funny thing about <b>Underlords</b> is the comic isn’t produced by Image Comics but by creator Greg Robinson’s upstart Eidolon Studios company.
The concept of <b>Underlords</b> is one of pure science fiction delight. A deceased Demigod, called an Eidolon, chooses to bond with another host body to ‘live’ again. The chosen person performs a vigil near the armor and, if the vigil is successful, an Underlord is born from the resulting union. This new Underlord wears the armor and takes the Demigod’s name. The chosen person personality dominates to make the character relatable but the motivations are generally a mixture of the two creatures.
The series is the brainchild of Robinson who, along with the Abdul Rashid providing pencils and scripter Rick Beckley, brings this unique series to life. As one reads the first issue of the series they quickly learn the two thousand year old history of the Underlords thanks to a newbie learning the history himself via a spaceship computer. The book quickly moves forward when the Underlord team on the spaceship receives another distress call from an Underlord that seems to be held prisoner on a remote planet. Upon arriving the Underlords quickly free the prisoner only to learn it is Shaden, one of their most feared enemies.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss1_cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss1_cover_t.jpg" width="165" height="249" border="0" align="left"></a>Of course a big fight ensues as Shaden successfully eludes recapture and the Underlords are forced into a deadly chase to try and re-obtain their deadly foe. For Robinson, bringing this initial <b>Underlords</b> miniseries to readers has been a dream come true. How <b>Underlords</b> came to be is simply one of those tales that involves sitting down and hammering out the initial ideas. “One day I sat down after a long lay off from drawing, cracked my knuckles and starting sketching simply for the sake of drawing,” said Robinson. “I came up with a pen and ink rendering of the character Trendal. I am a huge Silver Surfer fan so I tossed a metallic sheen on him and BAM there he was. From there I created Magi then Romus and Coda. This was in a three-day span. By the end of the week I had created eleven characters and knew I had a book on my hands. I reversed engineered the concept from there starting with Trendal as the nexus as a demigod. I developed the more human-like Underlords as a cross between humanoids and resurrected demigod souls. This is all set on a kind of space opera backdrop to work in my interest.”
With a basic idea and understanding of his new characters Robinson did what most writers: find an artist. Robinson placed an artist ad at the Digital Webbing classified section only to find himself staring at the amazing artwork of Abdul Rashid. “The luckiest part about getting Abdul on this project is that I got him before he exploded onto the scene on another book. His art is fantastic and it fits the characters so well. We are from the same generation and have a lot of favorite creators in common so it was a natural fit. Not everyone who can draw comics on a high level can draw sci-fi effectively. Abdul has taken the route of using an organic rendering style to further suggest that these characters are wearing a living suit of demigod armor. I hadn’t thought of that visual trick when Abdul came to me with the idea. That’s when I learned to just let him loose and stay clear of the flying ink.”
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/UL1152X864_Romus.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/UL1152X864_Romus_t.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="0" align="right"></a>The combination proved truly unique in regards to how the first two issues look and read. The book nearly never presents itself as an independent comic book, though Robinson himself sees chinks in the professionalism. “I have heard writers always wish they could burn their first book. Now I know why. I’m a perfectionist at heart and the monthly comic format works against a perfectionist approach in the biggest of way. Issue #1 is our growing pains book. I did the inks, and that was mistake number one. The back-story is a bit demanding in scope than probably should have been tackled in one issue. But you do the best you can and brace for the critical impact. Rick Beckley really helped me out a lot with rewrites and the story is much better with his fingerprints on it. Overall it was a thrill to see my ideas published. But that nasty perfectionist voice in my head says we can do better.”
Robinson feels that <b>Underlords</b>’ second issue has moved the series leaps and bounds, “Abdul took over the inking duties and he and colorist Bill Keeter both found their swings. I am really proud of issue #2’s look. The art is beautiful and the story is more fluid. Plus I got to introduce more characters, which is my favorite part.”
More characters indeed, as Robinson has designed over fifty characters to romp around his sci-fi masterpiece. “Some designs are well pretty standard stuff; I don't claim to be the second coming of Kirby. But I have others I am very proud of and really want to get reactions on. Creating characters is my thing and I love it. New team members and villains alike will spring up from the Field of Souls and stir the pot. It should be a lot of fun. One of my favorite things about the story is the origin of characters is pre-engineered into the mythology. This lets me concentrate on other less tedious story telling areas.”
With that many characters able to appear in the book in addition to the plethora of individuals readers have already been introduced to, one might wonder if <b>Underlords</b> will ever feature a main character. “Coda and Magi are central figures within the core team. Coda as team leader and Magi as a vehicle to educate the reader about all the crazy mythology of the Underlords world. As he grows up in this story so will the readers knowledge. Then there is Sirvo to provide the laughs as a pressure valve when the drama just gets to heavy. But, as this has story has evolved beyond the first story arc it became clear that Romus is the most dynamic and visually stimulating character of the bunch.”
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/uliss03pg03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/uliss03pg03_t.jpg" width="165" height="241" border="0" align="left"></a>Robinson continued, “While the story, for the most part, has an ensemble cast, Romus will take the lead in much of the plots. This is a little different than most books because he is cast as the villain in much of the story. A good way to look at it is the X-Men stories that are told from Magneto's perspective. The scripts work along that kind of model but to a larger degree because Romus is the figurehead sitting atop the Underlord hierarchy. Imagine if Professor X had gone bad early on. With Romus's position being what it is, it became necessary to run much of the story through him. I personally like the idea of having a bad guy lead in a comic. Makes the book a bit more unique. And bad guys are generally the driving force in comic books anyway. Why not embrace them. Without them you have firefighters with no fires to fight.”
With the series having received the accolades it has thus far, Robinson hopes to move the series from Eidolon to a major publisher. The fact that the current storyline wraps up nicely as a four issue arc miniseries isn’t lost on the writer, “The advantages of that avenue make it a no-brainer of a direction. I would like to start with a new #1 issue which is already written to continue the story of the first four issue arc or stand alone as a new #1. There is always the possibility of a zero issue but in the self-publishing game cost is usually the determining factor. If there is a demand for more stories, more stories there shall be.”
Fans of Underlords also didn’t have to sit ideally by as they read. A coupon that came with issue one could be sent back to Eidolon Studios along with a script (for a writer) or pencils (for an artist). The coupon was actually an entry into a contest to write a backstory on how Shaden, the feared Underlord villain, was originally captured and held against his will. The winners of this contest will see their six-page mini-story broken up into two parts and released in issues three and four.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss3_cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss3_cover_t.jpg" width="165" height="252" border="0" align="right"></a><b>Underlords</b> is a true standout in the independent comic scene, a label that is quite hard to place on the series since nothing on the book ever feels or looks independent. Perhaps saying that <b>Underlords</b> is a book that can rival most comic series out there today would be a better fit for the title. Robinson himself shows nothing but confidence in regards to the book’s future. “Is it on the level of Image books? That is for the reader to decide. The art is there already and the concept isn’t just another hero book that needs to rely on a top-notch creative team to be readable. The concept has its own flavor with a style of character that readers have not seen before.”
<i><b>Underlords #1</b> and #2 are out now and available from your local retailer or directly from www.milehighcomics.com. Issue #3 will hit stores in March with issue #4, sporting a cover by Randy Green, will be released in April. Visit the Underlords website at www.underlords.com.</i>
The concept is pure epic sci-fi, the artwork is McFarlanesque, and the packaging makes it look like every other Image Comics title out there. The funny thing about <b>Underlords</b> is the comic isn’t produced by Image Comics but by creator Greg Robinson’s upstart Eidolon Studios company.
The concept of <b>Underlords</b> is one of pure science fiction delight. A deceased Demigod, called an Eidolon, chooses to bond with another host body to ‘live’ again. The chosen person performs a vigil near the armor and, if the vigil is successful, an Underlord is born from the resulting union. This new Underlord wears the armor and takes the Demigod’s name. The chosen person personality dominates to make the character relatable but the motivations are generally a mixture of the two creatures.
The series is the brainchild of Robinson who, along with the Abdul Rashid providing pencils and scripter Rick Beckley, brings this unique series to life. As one reads the first issue of the series they quickly learn the two thousand year old history of the Underlords thanks to a newbie learning the history himself via a spaceship computer. The book quickly moves forward when the Underlord team on the spaceship receives another distress call from an Underlord that seems to be held prisoner on a remote planet. Upon arriving the Underlords quickly free the prisoner only to learn it is Shaden, one of their most feared enemies.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss1_cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss1_cover_t.jpg" width="165" height="249" border="0" align="left"></a>Of course a big fight ensues as Shaden successfully eludes recapture and the Underlords are forced into a deadly chase to try and re-obtain their deadly foe. For Robinson, bringing this initial <b>Underlords</b> miniseries to readers has been a dream come true. How <b>Underlords</b> came to be is simply one of those tales that involves sitting down and hammering out the initial ideas. “One day I sat down after a long lay off from drawing, cracked my knuckles and starting sketching simply for the sake of drawing,” said Robinson. “I came up with a pen and ink rendering of the character Trendal. I am a huge Silver Surfer fan so I tossed a metallic sheen on him and BAM there he was. From there I created Magi then Romus and Coda. This was in a three-day span. By the end of the week I had created eleven characters and knew I had a book on my hands. I reversed engineered the concept from there starting with Trendal as the nexus as a demigod. I developed the more human-like Underlords as a cross between humanoids and resurrected demigod souls. This is all set on a kind of space opera backdrop to work in my interest.”
With a basic idea and understanding of his new characters Robinson did what most writers: find an artist. Robinson placed an artist ad at the Digital Webbing classified section only to find himself staring at the amazing artwork of Abdul Rashid. “The luckiest part about getting Abdul on this project is that I got him before he exploded onto the scene on another book. His art is fantastic and it fits the characters so well. We are from the same generation and have a lot of favorite creators in common so it was a natural fit. Not everyone who can draw comics on a high level can draw sci-fi effectively. Abdul has taken the route of using an organic rendering style to further suggest that these characters are wearing a living suit of demigod armor. I hadn’t thought of that visual trick when Abdul came to me with the idea. That’s when I learned to just let him loose and stay clear of the flying ink.”
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/UL1152X864_Romus.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/UL1152X864_Romus_t.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="0" align="right"></a>The combination proved truly unique in regards to how the first two issues look and read. The book nearly never presents itself as an independent comic book, though Robinson himself sees chinks in the professionalism. “I have heard writers always wish they could burn their first book. Now I know why. I’m a perfectionist at heart and the monthly comic format works against a perfectionist approach in the biggest of way. Issue #1 is our growing pains book. I did the inks, and that was mistake number one. The back-story is a bit demanding in scope than probably should have been tackled in one issue. But you do the best you can and brace for the critical impact. Rick Beckley really helped me out a lot with rewrites and the story is much better with his fingerprints on it. Overall it was a thrill to see my ideas published. But that nasty perfectionist voice in my head says we can do better.”
Robinson feels that <b>Underlords</b>’ second issue has moved the series leaps and bounds, “Abdul took over the inking duties and he and colorist Bill Keeter both found their swings. I am really proud of issue #2’s look. The art is beautiful and the story is more fluid. Plus I got to introduce more characters, which is my favorite part.”
More characters indeed, as Robinson has designed over fifty characters to romp around his sci-fi masterpiece. “Some designs are well pretty standard stuff; I don't claim to be the second coming of Kirby. But I have others I am very proud of and really want to get reactions on. Creating characters is my thing and I love it. New team members and villains alike will spring up from the Field of Souls and stir the pot. It should be a lot of fun. One of my favorite things about the story is the origin of characters is pre-engineered into the mythology. This lets me concentrate on other less tedious story telling areas.”
With that many characters able to appear in the book in addition to the plethora of individuals readers have already been introduced to, one might wonder if <b>Underlords</b> will ever feature a main character. “Coda and Magi are central figures within the core team. Coda as team leader and Magi as a vehicle to educate the reader about all the crazy mythology of the Underlords world. As he grows up in this story so will the readers knowledge. Then there is Sirvo to provide the laughs as a pressure valve when the drama just gets to heavy. But, as this has story has evolved beyond the first story arc it became clear that Romus is the most dynamic and visually stimulating character of the bunch.”
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/uliss03pg03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/uliss03pg03_t.jpg" width="165" height="241" border="0" align="left"></a>Robinson continued, “While the story, for the most part, has an ensemble cast, Romus will take the lead in much of the plots. This is a little different than most books because he is cast as the villain in much of the story. A good way to look at it is the X-Men stories that are told from Magneto's perspective. The scripts work along that kind of model but to a larger degree because Romus is the figurehead sitting atop the Underlord hierarchy. Imagine if Professor X had gone bad early on. With Romus's position being what it is, it became necessary to run much of the story through him. I personally like the idea of having a bad guy lead in a comic. Makes the book a bit more unique. And bad guys are generally the driving force in comic books anyway. Why not embrace them. Without them you have firefighters with no fires to fight.”
With the series having received the accolades it has thus far, Robinson hopes to move the series from Eidolon to a major publisher. The fact that the current storyline wraps up nicely as a four issue arc miniseries isn’t lost on the writer, “The advantages of that avenue make it a no-brainer of a direction. I would like to start with a new #1 issue which is already written to continue the story of the first four issue arc or stand alone as a new #1. There is always the possibility of a zero issue but in the self-publishing game cost is usually the determining factor. If there is a demand for more stories, more stories there shall be.”
Fans of Underlords also didn’t have to sit ideally by as they read. A coupon that came with issue one could be sent back to Eidolon Studios along with a script (for a writer) or pencils (for an artist). The coupon was actually an entry into a contest to write a backstory on how Shaden, the feared Underlord villain, was originally captured and held against his will. The winners of this contest will see their six-page mini-story broken up into two parts and released in issues three and four.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss3_cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/MegaCon05/Underlords/Underlords_vol1_iss3_cover_t.jpg" width="165" height="252" border="0" align="right"></a><b>Underlords</b> is a true standout in the independent comic scene, a label that is quite hard to place on the series since nothing on the book ever feels or looks independent. Perhaps saying that <b>Underlords</b> is a book that can rival most comic series out there today would be a better fit for the title. Robinson himself shows nothing but confidence in regards to the book’s future. “Is it on the level of Image books? That is for the reader to decide. The art is there already and the concept isn’t just another hero book that needs to rely on a top-notch creative team to be readable. The concept has its own flavor with a style of character that readers have not seen before.”
<i><b>Underlords #1</b> and #2 are out now and available from your local retailer or directly from www.milehighcomics.com. Issue #3 will hit stores in March with issue #4, sporting a cover by Randy Green, will be released in April. Visit the Underlords website at www.underlords.com.</i>