Underground, By Jeff Parker and Steve Lieber, is a prime example of how much value color can add to a book. Underground is a lot like the Cliffhanger or Broken Arrow of comics. Not just in the sense that they all take place in national parks and travel deep inside caves, but in the progression of the story. The way the action unfolds, the kinds of tension used and the dialogue.

If you were a fan of either of those two movies, I would call this series just as fun and remind you that a comic is all in how you look at it. Parker’s not trying to tell you a story that goes to the farthest reaches of the galaxy (that’s what Hulk is for). “This is a fast, tough story about people who have been pushed into tight corners — both ethical and literal,” Parker said. “None of them knew they were about to be caught up in a life or death struggle, it’s a situation that has spiraled out of control.”

All in all, I really enjoyed the series for what it was, an adventure.

Wesley and Seth are two Park Rangers that get trapped deep inside a cave after chasing some vagrants out. Through a series of misunderstandings (and underhanded business) the two federal officers end up in a fight for their lives through a claustrophobic, dark and dangerous cavern.

The storytelling as a whole is highly effective. We get that cinematic transition as we travel above and below ground. The dark purples and blacks of the cave contrast perfectly against the sky blues and deep greens of Steve Lieber’s above ground world. Lieber’s spreads give us beautiful, often panoramic views of the wildlife surrounding this world. If you can dig the art on the cover, this book is something you will want to check out.

We have some great characters too, the hot shot small town general store owner with tons of cash, the old Park Ranger (one might compare him to Frank if looking at Cliffhanger) and the strong female lead. I love a strong female lead, not just because they can be incredibly hot, but because it’s usually done as a twist. Jeff does a good job of using her experience as a climber to establish her character, and Seth often relies on her in a way that sets up the relationship the two have as the story progresses.

Steve Lieber’s side is where things really come alive. Without his illustrations, we would have little more than a neat short story. Jeff said this book was a labor of love for both of them, and that is incredibly clear in the work of Steve Lieber. You can almost see the photo reference in his panels, and the dark colors are remarkably vibrant.

I would have liked to see something more out of it. Image comics usually strike me as unique in the sense of characters or story quirks, something that sets the book apart. I would say that Image and Avatar are almost infamous for the type of comic that they put out. Somehow this book doesn’t fit with the label, and that’s kind of a turn off. This is a fairly straightforward story that flows really well, has great moments of tension, but doesn’t rock the foundations of my world.

I think that as a whole, the series will be super effective as a trade. All of the issues have been released, so if you are a die hard Jeff Parker fan, you can proceed in scouring your comic shops AKA EBay for the wayward issues.

Yippie Kay Yay comic readers!

-Richard Bashara
Rich@Comicimpact.com