Posted in: Comics | Tagged: caracal, Lion Forge, new york comic con, NYCC, underfoot

Lion Forge Announces New Middle-Grade Series Underfoot at NYCC

Published Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:50:52 -0500

Last updated Thu, 04 Oct 2018 15:47:40 -0500

Lion Forge has announced a new graphic novel series for its cat-themed middle-grade readers imprint, Caracal. Called Underfoot, the series is written by Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten with art by Michelle Nguyen and is planned to last for three volumes, with the first hitting stores next April.

In the press release, Fisher said:

Emily and I have been developing this story for years. It's the most comprehensive world-building and the most diverse cast of characters I've ever helped create. And Michelle has brought all of it to life in breathtaking fashion. We've been waiting for what feels like an eternity to share and explore this universe with readers and are thrilled to finally begin taking this journey with all of you!

And Whitten added:

Ben and I have been having a blast creating the vast, intricate world of The Underfoot, which we've packed full of animal adventures and weird science. We couldn't ask for a better artist than Michelle to bring our visions and our diverse characters to life. After several years of work, we're so excited to finally get to share our world with comics fans, and hope you love it as much as we do!

And Nguyen:

The Underfoot is the first full graphic novel I have completed, and it has been an absolutely incredible journey and a fantastic growth experience. Since the beginning, I have fallen in love with all of the characters and their individual traits and quirks. I cannot wait to show everyone the incredible story that Emily, Ben, and I have built!

And finally, here's what the book is about:

It has been untold years since the Giants-That-Were disappeared, leaving behind their relics and strange science . . . and the animals forever changed by both. But it will fall to the smallest of these creatures to forge an unlikely alliance among the survivors when a new, terrible threat arises.

In The Underfoot Volume 1: The Mighty Deep, the valiant Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries must soon set sail on a journey to save their badger allies from dangerous flooding; but first they'll need new recruits. Only the best of the best can join the ranks of H.A.M., and the colony's most ambitious young hamster pups compete for their chance at glory and prestige. Those who succeed, however, soon discover that life outside their burrow is not the grand adventure they imagined, but instead find a world of deadly threats and conflicting stories about their species' origins.

Combining heroic battles, dark mysteries, and heartfelt friendships, The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep is the beginning of an epic sci-fi saga chronicling the animal kingdoms left to rise and fall in the absence of the Giants-That-Were. When the hamsters learn the truth about their past, will they find the strength to overcome the forces aligning against them, or will their tiny horde be wiped from the earth?

Look for the first volume of The Underfoot in Diamond's February-dated PREVIEWS catalog, highlighting items in comic shops in April of 2019, and look for details on future volumes in the coming months!