PRINCE OF UNDERWHERE
by Bruce Hale & illustrated by Shane Hillman
In this mixed-format series opener, straight text switches to comic-strip panels whenever the young narrator and his twin leave their suburban neighborhood to visit an alternate Earth that features zombies, mini–T. Rex’s and a general practice of wearing tighty-whities as overgarments. Sucked through the interdimensional doorway of a mysterious house with his goody-goody twin sister Stephanie and best bud Hector, Zeke meets a band of rebel Undies who greet him as a long lost prince, then later returns home to keep the UnderLord—who has come in the guise of squat, truly clueless rap star “Beefy D” (get it?) to conquer the Earth—from recovering his stolen (porcelain) Throne. This being a setup episode, Hale leaves plot and subplots unresolved, but tucks in enough wacky characters, wisecracking and alimentary humor to satisfy even jaded Captain Underpants fans. Not quite another Chet Gecko (as yet), but still, well, a gas. (Fantasy. 9-11)