Mad Cave Studios CEO Mark London has written several titles for the fledgling publisher over the years, including Battlecats, Hunt.Kill.Repeat. and Honor & Curse. Now he’s teaming up with several different artists to launch a new shared universe called “Underworld.”
London will write three new miniseries this fall: Revolution 9, which debuts in September, followed by Hour of the Wolf in October and Exit City in November. Each interconnected, four-issue miniseries will lead into Endless Night, a crossover event set to launch in 2025.
“The Underworld line is an homage to Mad Cave Studios’ humble beginnings,” London said. “Ten years ago, I remember pouring my soul into creating IPs that would kick-start our little publisher—everything from assassins to detectives, hunters to slayers, all going against impossible odds. I’m excited to build toward the Endless Night crossover, a grand design that will push the boundaries of this universe, taking readers on an unforgettable journey through darkness and redemption.”
The first title, Revolution 9, will feature artwork by Carlos Reno, colors by Jao Canola and letters by Dave Sharpe:
After years as an assassin for the Order of Nine—an ancient order dating back almost 3,000 years—Velveteen has turned her back on the very organization that saved her. Tasked with the murder of otherwise innocent hacker Jasper Dean, she sets off to save his life and discover the terrible secret that marked him for death. With the entire Order after them, Velveteen and Jasper must escape their grasp and prevent them from toppling society as we know it.
“As soon as I laid eyes on Mark’s script, what most motivated me to immediately start scribbling the layouts was the idea that everything would play out like a 90s action movie, with a fierce and deep protagonist, something that would easily be in the hands of Luc Besson, John Woo or Antoine Fuqua,” Reno said. “It’s my first time working with Mad Cave, and I’m feeling right at home. I hope everyone can see in the drawings how much fun I’m having!”
Here’s the variant for the first issue, by Raymond Bermudez and Sebastian Cheng:
There’s no word yet on who will work with London on the other two miniseries, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon.
“We’re so proud of the entire team,” said Chris Fernandez, publisher and editor of the Underworld universe. “We knew this was no easy feat, but being able to kick things off on Revolution 9 with Carlos Reno, Jao Canola and Dave Sharpe really sets the tone for the rest of what Underworld will look like. We really can’t thank them enough for their efforts and patience! Underworld is really a new approach for Mad Cave as a company, and yet is something we’ve always had our minds set on. While each standalone book will captivate fans with their own unique storytelling and art styles, there are elements in each that will tie together wonderfully to set up 2025’s Endless Night crossover series. And after Endless Night, well… the sky’s the limit!”
Look for the first issue of Revolution 9 to arrive on Sept. 25.