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We’ve started seeing great reviews of the first four issues of Underground. (Preview copies of issue four, which hits stores December 16th, went out to critics a few weeks ago.)

“This is storytelling that 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 it one of the year’s best offerings.”

Ain’t it Cool News

“Boy do Parker and Lieber deliver – it’s one of the most gripping pieces of action that I can recall recently, mostly in the way that they really make you feel the tightening of the cave around the characters – as their air gets tighter, you almost feel YOUR air getting tighter – there’s rarely a better compliment than noting that a comic book made you practically share the experience of the characters in the book, but that’s exactly the reaction I had in #4, which I found to be the strongest issue of the series yet.”

Comics Should Be Good.

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I’m going to be a guest at Baltimore Comicon this weekend! Look for me in Artists’ Alley. I’ll be sitting near Jeff Parker, sketching and signing and dodging perfectly reasonable questions about recent movie releases. Catch me at an unguarded moment and as time permits, I’ll be happy to doodle you a free quick sketch of Wes or Seth from UNDERGROUND.

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Jeff Parker and I are getting up crazy early tomorrow to catch a plane to Salt Lake City. if you’re in the area, head over to Dr. Volt’s where we’ll be signing and sketching like crazy.
And here’s the cover to Underground #4!

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Bridge City Comics is proud to announce a special release party for Underground #1 on Wednesday, September 23 from 6pm – 8pm!

Underground #1 is written by Jeff Parker (Agents of Atlas, Interman), drawn by Steve Lieber (artist and co-creator of Whiteout, now a major motion picture adapted from the graphic novel) and colored by Ron Chan (Guy Ritchie’s Gamekeeper). All three are Portland locals and will be signing copies of Underground #1 (available for sale at Bridge City Comics) during this event!

In addition, original artwork from Underground #1 will be on display!

This event is open to the public and free to attend. Please come down and support our local comics talent!

Bridge City Comics is located at 3725 N. Mississippi Ave in North Portland. Please call 503-282-5484 or e-mail info@bridgecitycomics.com for more information.

About Underground
Park Ranger and avid caver Wesley Fischer is on a one-woman mission to stop Stillwater Cave from being turned into a tourist trap, but public opinion is not on her side. When locals begin blasting in the cave, Wes and a fellow ranger investigate – and a confrontation spirals into a deadly chase deep under the Kentucky mountains! http://www.undergroundthecomic.com

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Time to put the weirdness behind me.

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Last-minute news! I’m doing a sneak-attack, guerrilla signing at EARTH-2 COMICS in Sherman Oaks!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 4-7PM.

I’ll be drawing sketches, and signing copies of WHITEOUT and MELT. And we’ll be giving away ASHCAN EDITIONS of the first issue of UNDERGROUND and WHITEOUT movie posters.

It’s all happening at EARTH-2 COMICS
15017 VENTURA BLVD
SHERMAN OAKS 818.386.9590

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Comic Geek Speak spoke with Jeff Parker and me about our collaboration on Underground. You can download the podcast or listen here.

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Jeff Parker and I talk Underground, moral ambiguity, trusting your reader, and limestone water eating away at your face. There’s a new interview up at Comic Book Resources.

And here are some of the reviews for the first issue. Underground arrives in stores September 23, but it looks like the buzz is getting started early. Thanks everyone!
The Comic Addiction | Hypergeek | Comic by Comic | Central Comic Zone | Phoning it in | Cin City 2000 | Comic Overload | Comic Book Revolution | Steven Grant | Inside Joke Theater | Augie De Blieck | Comic Related | Comixtreme | Scoop | Pop Culture Zoo | The Johnny Bacardi Show | Comics Worth Reading | Trusty Plinko Stick | Stumptown Trade Review | Comics Waiting Room | About.com

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The new poster for the Whiteout movie.

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Artists Alley: FF-16, between Colleen Coover and Ron Randall. Come by and see if I’ve sold out of the Underground #1 ashcans yet.

Let’s face it, I’ll be pushing UNDERGROUND like a crazy man all week. No one will escape my mighty hype. The Elite Security steroid guy who screams at me every night at 7:00pm to get out now? He’s gonna go home thinking “A comic set in a cave? Sounds kinda cool.”

Just two panels this year:
Thu, July 23, 2pm – 3pm
A Darker Shade of Ink: Crime and Noir in Comics— Crime comics are back with a bang! Darwyn Cooke (Parker: The Hunter), Greg Rucka (Gotham Central), and Steve Lieber (Whiteout) join moderator/noted mystery and comics writer Max Allan Collins (The Road to Perdition) to talk about the new incarnations of crime and noir in comics. Room 5AB

Friday the 24th:
11:30-12:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #6: Can College Prepare Creators for Comics Careers?— Hope Larson (Chiggers), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Nick Langley (Rocket Llama), Jaque Nodell (Super Human Resources), Marko Head (Marko’s Corner), and Steve Lieber (Whiteout, Underground) discuss whether college education can really help people pursuing comics careers. Room 30AB

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Now here’s a fine way to start the day: not one, but two great reviews of Jeff parker’s and my new comic from Image, Underground:

Great writing, strong character development, good art, and a story worth reading is always something that I am in the mood to check out and Underground delivers. For those that were on the fence or might have missed this one I suggest you give it a second thought and check this book out – it is worth your time and money.

Michael Smith, The Comic Addiction

It’s a good action story, the characters are either likable, interesting, or both, and the dialogue is real…The art is not only technically very, very good, it is well-suited to this setting and story. It’s easy to relate to the characters Lieber and Parker have created. I’m guessing that if you read the black and white preview you’ll want to buy the comic. And, once you buy issue #1 you’ll buy #2 — to find out what happens next.

Sigrid Ellis, Fantastic Fangirls

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I threw a little tantrum on IMDB. Is there anything more ill-advised? Probably not, but there’s an ongoing theme in discussion of the Whiteout movie that’s been driving me insane. So far, the reaction to my outburst has actually been really nice. Who knows, maybe this wasn’t a mistake.

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TF: Can you describe your working relationship a little so people can better understand your “creative process”?

SL: We just yell at each other all the goddamn time.

Chris Ullrich interviews me and Jeff Parker at The Flickcast

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“…a slow burn early on that leads to an explosive finish that has the reader begging for the next issue. Underground strikes a delicate balance between plot and character development and immerses the reader into the town of Marion.”
Stumptown Trade Review

“Parker has managed to find time in his busy schedule of revamping the EXILES book (which I am loving, by the way) to come up with this grounded and interesting story. Lieber’s art is more than decent; gritty and real without being too dark or jaded, synonymous with the script, and as stated before, the opening sequence hit a very haunting note. If you are interested in nature, be it human or earth related, UNDERGROUND is worth checking out.”
Avril Brown, Comics Waiting Room

“Parker’s writing is great here. He does a good job in Underground with the many different aspects of the story. Parker’s control of the romantic dialogue, witty banter, and mysterious foreshadowing does the comic well. Lieber is no slouch either as his artwork really brings Wesley and the cast alive with the excellent detail in both facial features and background work.”
Aaron Albert, About.com

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Over at Robot 6 on CBR, Matt Maxwell has posted a nifty set of process sketches showing how I drew the cover to the first issue of his horror-western series Strangeways.

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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 on Underground 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 specific post on the Underground site, or just tell them that Parker and I have a new book coming out from Image. Your RTs and facebook posts will make a big difference.

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“While fans might know him from his adept handling of diverse superhero characters, they still might be surprise by the subtlety and suspense Underground #1 provides.Neither Lieber’s facility with “normal” humans nor his status as a superb storytelling craftsman are anything new, but he seems to be exceptionally matched with Parker for this project. The characters seem real, the pace subtly ensnares you, and the project is filled with potential.”
J. C. Vaughn ,Scoop.

“This is the way comic books should always be done; sharp dialogue, crisp art and dynamic colors all mixed in equal, complimentary parts. In case I’m not getting my point across, this is a five-star, two thumbs up kind of book that you really don’t want to miss. Underground #1 is my favorite single issue so far this year and I’m confident it’ll be yours. “
Joseph Dilworth, Pop Culture Zoo

“I find the whole story setup very interesting. It highlights a very topical conflict when it comes to caves, that is the age-old commerce vs. conservation argument, and does so unobtrusively within the context of the story. Characterization is strong, as is to be expected from Parker.”
Johnny Bacardi, The Johnny Bacardi Show

“I had the chance to read a preview copy, and I was impressed by how quickly I got to know and care about the characters, as well as the (literal) cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read more!”
Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading

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Oh god, busy day! In addition to the news about UNDERGROUND, the Whiteout movie trailer’s gone live, too. EDIT: Now it’s gone from there. Don’t ask me folks. I find out about this stuff on Twitter like everyone else. If it pops up somewhere else, let me know.

If you reblog this info, you can let people know they can read the entire first issue right here.

Alas, one thing in the article with the trailer is wrong. Greg’s had some scheduling conflicts, so there is no Whiteout sequel on the horizon. But, um, there is UNDERGROUND.

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AT Newsarama Zack Smith interviews me and Jeff Parker about our new Image Comics miniseries UNDERGROUND.

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If you are a retailer, or you blog about comics or write about them for a print publication, Write me at steve (at) stevelieber(dot)com. Jeff Parker and I would like to send you a URL. We’re not going to spam anyone or fill your inbox with giant attachments. We just have this new comic we’re working on that we’d like to show off.