Undertown

This fantasy manga presents the right mix of familiar tropes along with new ideas that should capture the imaginations of more than a few readers. Pascoe’s story stars young Sama, a boy whose father is in the hospital following a heart attack. Sama wants to mend his father’s health, but feels powerless in the face of the situation. A strange old man tells him of Undertown, a magical place that holds, among other things, the Sugar Stone, a magical object that could help Sama’s father. After transporting to Undertown, Sama is thrown right into the middle of a land at war. Insects and “Furmen,” such as the anthropomorphic rabbit and hedgehog Sama befriends, vie for control of the Sugar Stone. Undertown ’s real strength lies in how all these concepts are introduced with a breakneck pace and with grand strokes. Myler’s art makes sure that this is a book with plenty of action and characters in dramatic poses. The situations sometimes overwhelm the art but most of the time all the figures and their adventures are rendered in a very readable style. (July)