Next Wednesday, there are two comics release parties in Portland:
From 6-8 pm, Floating World Comics is hosting Graham Annable, celebrating the release of his new Grickle book.

Then, jump on the MAX for a short ride to the Hollywood transit station, because from 8-10 pm, Things from Another World will have Jeff Parker and Steve Lieber signing their just-released UNDERGROUND trade paperback. Steve will be doing free sketches in your copy of the book. More importantly, there will also be free beer and free food. Free sketches. Free beer. Free food. Does it GET better than that? No.

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“It’s amazing what an accomplished creative team can accomplish with such a straight-forward story. More survival adventure than crime comic, Underground has been a refreshing read for several reasons.”

Write Club

“this comic is fun, action packed, and highly atmospheric.”
The Outhousers

“Parker has graced this story with a lot of strong character development, and has a feel for how people would react in and to these types of situations. Lieber’s art is fantastic throughout…This is a title that seriously deserves some awards.”
Things I Like

“It’s a testament to Parker and Lieber that they made even the most minor of characters interesting in this series. Here’s hoping the trade sales on this series makes feasible for Parker and Lieber to do more with these folks beyond Stillwater Cave.”
Tim O’Shea Robot 6

“…terrific dialogue showing that this man really seems to know how actual conversations work with suitable pauses and interruptions in Wesley and Seth’s interactions. Lieber finishes the run well using his angles and layouts in a varied and effective manner to wring the best out of the plot and caving action.”
Paradox Comics Group

“Lieber and Parker are functioning as a well-oiled machine in this story. If not for the credit box, interviews, and blogs, I would almost believe that the tale came from one single creator, so tight is the story to art and vice versa.” Doug Zawisza
Comic Book Resources

“It’s amazing how they’re able to keep that feeling of claustrophobia… you’re there with the characters.”
Meltdown Comics Podcast Starts at 39:40.

“No other book gripped me like this one did – and all without a single superhero. I didn’t think that was possible in the world of comic books. Jeff Parker proved me wrong.”

Mr Pasty Ain’t it Cool News

“Jeff Parker’s writing guides this story through some great moments of tension, but Steve Lieber’s art really makes the cave come alive. The background is such a huge part of the issues, and it is next to impossible to ignore the intense shift in color as we go above and below ground. This book proves color can be a key story telling tool when used with great effectiveness.”
Black Thursday

“Parker…has a good old fashioned chase scene brewing at the same time as our heroes are being tracked down by gun wielding thugs with murderous intent.  The result is a story that is able to keep the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.”
Comic Book Revolution

“Jeff Parker is a writing fiend these days, truly a man among men or a writer among writers or something like that…and this 5-issue series is the best thing he’s done since The Interman. He’s also fortunate to have Steve Lieber on art at the top of his game helping out. The best adventure story about Kentucky caves and park rangers that maintain same that I’ve ever read, and seriously, the guys nail the verisimilitude…believe me, I know. ” Johnny Bacardi
Pop Dose

“a fine adventure with sympathetic characters and some really nice artwork. ”
Hipster dad

“If you’ve only read Parker’s Marvel stuff, you might not realize what a good writer he is and how well he creates characters. His “awesome” moments for Marvel might overshadow the fact that he really knows what he’s doing. ”

Greg Burgas Comics Should be Good

“The finale was great, the series is great…my favorite miniseries by far…I love this series.” Fourth Wall Podcast Starts at 34:10.

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How great is Jeff Parker, Steve Lieber and Ron Chan‘s work on Underground? Here’s an even dozen reviewers raving about issue #4.

Ain’t it Cool News | Paradox Comics Group | Comics Waiting Room | Comics Bulletin | Things I Like | Best Shots | Great Caesar’s Post | Blair Butler | Comics Should Be Good | Awesomed By Comics | Comics Nexus | Mondo Magazine

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Hey guys, this is Christianne the newest intern at Periscope updating you on graphic novel-turned movie, Whiteout, set to release on September 11th. The art from the original book was done by Periscopes’ own Steve Lieber. Here are seven new clips from the upcoming movie.

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There’s a great interview with the Underground boys up now at Robot 6:

Lieber: Underground is all about the irrevocable consequences of a few bad decisions. You can do a lot of things in a shared superhero universe, but irrevocable consequences? No such thing. For that, you’ve got to tell your own story.

Parker: In issue one, Wes tries to tell the people of Marion how one wrong move in a cave can destroy a delicate crystal formation that took fifteen-thousand years to develop. She’s right, but their community’s fragile, too, and if they don’t take action to save it, it’s gonna fall apart. There are moments like that in every life, where the wrong choice can send things spiraling out of control, changing things forever. You can’t tell that story in a world where Superman can spin the earth backward, in clear defiance of Marlon Brando’s sternest warnings.

Read the rest here.

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Photo by Terri Nelson

Paul Tobin:
You can always ask Colleen Coover’s (Artists Alley FF 15) and she’ll usually know where I am.

THURSDAY: July 23rd

SUNDAY: July 26th

Steve Lieber: Artists Alley: FF-16

Panels:
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

Colleen Coover: Artists Alley FF15

Friday 2:00-3:00 Prism Queer Press Grant Portfolio Review After the overwhelming success of portfolio review last year, Prism is proud to offer it once again this year with Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex, Countdown), Phil Jimenez, Bob Schreck (Editor at Dark Horse, Oni Press, DC), Georg Brewer (DC Direct), Colleen Coover, and José Villarrubia who will critique the work only of those interested in applying for this year’s Queer Press Grant (established by Prism to encourage new LGBT talent). Before attending the sessions, applicants are required to read QPG guidelines available at prismcomics.org/grant. Very few sessions are available so check at prismcomics.org and the Prism booth to ensure you get your portfolio reviewed by some of the best professionals working in the field. UPDATE: Booth #2146

Saturday 4:30-5:30 Love is in the Air: LGBT Romance Comics— Romance comics, once a staple of the comics industry but now considered campy curiosities, have inspired a new generation that has created their own take on matters of the heart while moving beyond the boy-girl soap operas of yesteryear. Moderator Charles “Zan” Christensen (Mark of Aeacus) and panelists Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Tim Fish (Cavalcade of Boys), Mari Morimoto (manga translator of Naruto), Colleen Coover (X-Men: First Class), Steve MacIsaac (Shirtlifter), and Michelle Nolan (Love on the Racks: A History of American Romance Comics) discuss the new LGBT romance comics. Room 30AB

Sunday 11:00-12:00 Women of Marvel— One of the most talked about panels from last year is back! Forget Storm and She-Hulk, meet the real Ms. Marvels of the comic world! Women from every discipline in the creative process at Marvel will be on hand to talk about what it’s like working as a woman in comics today and how you can join them. Say goodbye to the so-called “Boy’s Club,” these ladies are busting down the four-color ceiling! Guests include New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu (Dark Wolverine), Christina Strain (World War Hulk), Colleen Coover (Marvel Adventures), Sonia Oback (X-Force), Emily Warren (Secret Invasion), and more! Room 7AB

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Steve Lieber writes:

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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Here are some of the illustrations drawn by members of Periscope, that were published in the Emerald City Comic Con’s Monsters and Dames charity artbook!

Behold Colleen Coover and Steve Lieber!

Monster and Dames art by Colleen Coover

Monsters and Dames art by Steve Lieber

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Steve Lieber will be appearing on Erika Moen’s ustream video broadcast tonight at 7:30 pm PST.

Edit: The archive is up!

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Periscope sends its congratulations to the 2008 Oregon Book Award winner, Sara Ryan! Sara won for her second novel The Rules for Hearts. As a comics writer, Sara has worked with a number of Periscope members, Ron Chan on Flytrap, Cat Ellis on Einbahnstrasse Waltz, Jonathan Case on the comics adaptation of Tori Amos’s song “Take to the Sky” for the recent Comic Book Tattoo collection, and on a variety of stories with her husband Steve Lieber. You can visit her blog and congratulate her.!
Photo of Sara having a discussion with a future reader courtesy of Stewart Loving-Gibbard.

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