Steven Sykora 4000
Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 02:50 PM
<img src="http://www.projectfanboy.com/images/reviews/underworld_railroad.jpg" align="left" hspace="10">Title: The Underworld Railroad
Publisher: Viper Comics (http://www.vipercomics.com/)
Writer: Jason M. Burns
Art: Paul Tucker
Lettered: Greg Gatlin
$11.95, 96 Pages Color
Safety Content Label: PARENTAL ADVISORY - 15 years and older. Similar to T+ but featuring more mature themes and/or more graphic imagery.
Publishers Blurb:
While many of the stories that surrounded the Underground Railroad are well documented, its origins are not. If history has taught us anything it's that for every great idea, there is a greater source of inspiration. For as long as civilized man has walked the Earth, another form of the railroad has existed. The Underwrold Railroad, although not unlike its sister version in terms of concept, was put into place for a very different reason. When a human being dies, its spirit is either called to Heaven or escorted to Hell based on the sins the person committed while alive. For those spirits forced to enter Hell as the wrongly accused - there is hope. A system of safe houses has been established around the globe, offering refuge for the confused and bewildered spirits who attempt to outrun the devil. This is their story.
Reviewer Comments:
The Underworld Railroad is an interesting concept, and the imagination of Burns seems never ending. In the epic battle between good and evil, souls in a state of limbo attempt to bide their time and escape the clutches of the devil while waiting for entry to heaven. This story is told somewhat from the narrator persepective of the main character, Bruce Boyd. Bruce is a link in what is called the Underworld Railroad, a group of individuals who attempt to help lost souls by harboring them until they can make their way into heaven.
Why are these souls lost you ask? Well the book explains it kind of like someone stealing your identity and running up your charge cards, except in this case they commit crimes or sin if you will in your name and with the number of people entering the afterlife everday, it seems to take a little time for God's admin personnel to get things sorted out.
The lost soul in this story is a lawyer from Chicago who is falsely accused of killing his wife and ends up dying in prison. Now we all know lawyers don't go to heaven in real lilfe, but every story needs a foundation, so maybe that's why Burns saw it fit to write one into fiction who's got a chance to get past those pearly gates.
I can't say that I was really a fan of the artwork Greg Gatlin provided for the story, as it seemed more sketch like than anything else, but it did set the dark an ominous tone that the book seemed to be going for.
All in all though, it was a great storyline, and was well thought out to give the reader a glimpse of the inner workings of what Burns creative mind is capable of. Oh and a few suprises are thrown into the mix... did I mention the devil is a woman who calls herself Lucy?
Publisher: Viper Comics (http://www.vipercomics.com/)
Writer: Jason M. Burns
Art: Paul Tucker
Lettered: Greg Gatlin
$11.95, 96 Pages Color
Safety Content Label: PARENTAL ADVISORY - 15 years and older. Similar to T+ but featuring more mature themes and/or more graphic imagery.
Publishers Blurb:
While many of the stories that surrounded the Underground Railroad are well documented, its origins are not. If history has taught us anything it's that for every great idea, there is a greater source of inspiration. For as long as civilized man has walked the Earth, another form of the railroad has existed. The Underwrold Railroad, although not unlike its sister version in terms of concept, was put into place for a very different reason. When a human being dies, its spirit is either called to Heaven or escorted to Hell based on the sins the person committed while alive. For those spirits forced to enter Hell as the wrongly accused - there is hope. A system of safe houses has been established around the globe, offering refuge for the confused and bewildered spirits who attempt to outrun the devil. This is their story.
Reviewer Comments:
The Underworld Railroad is an interesting concept, and the imagination of Burns seems never ending. In the epic battle between good and evil, souls in a state of limbo attempt to bide their time and escape the clutches of the devil while waiting for entry to heaven. This story is told somewhat from the narrator persepective of the main character, Bruce Boyd. Bruce is a link in what is called the Underworld Railroad, a group of individuals who attempt to help lost souls by harboring them until they can make their way into heaven.
Why are these souls lost you ask? Well the book explains it kind of like someone stealing your identity and running up your charge cards, except in this case they commit crimes or sin if you will in your name and with the number of people entering the afterlife everday, it seems to take a little time for God's admin personnel to get things sorted out.
The lost soul in this story is a lawyer from Chicago who is falsely accused of killing his wife and ends up dying in prison. Now we all know lawyers don't go to heaven in real lilfe, but every story needs a foundation, so maybe that's why Burns saw it fit to write one into fiction who's got a chance to get past those pearly gates.
I can't say that I was really a fan of the artwork Greg Gatlin provided for the story, as it seemed more sketch like than anything else, but it did set the dark an ominous tone that the book seemed to be going for.
All in all though, it was a great storyline, and was well thought out to give the reader a glimpse of the inner workings of what Burns creative mind is capable of. Oh and a few suprises are thrown into the mix... did I mention the devil is a woman who calls herself Lucy?