Undertow #4

By Steve Orlando & Artyom Trakhanov

As we recently discovered in our interview with writer, Steve Orlando, there are some very exciting things that could be on the horizon for Undertow. This has just been a terrific series right from the start and things keep getting bigger and wider-ranging in issue #4. It’s rare to find such a unique story, but Undertow really brings something different. It doesn’t hurt to have such fantastic visuals either!

In the latest installment, Anshargal and the few companions with him on land are dealing with Gelal, who can breathe air. This aspect of issue #4 was not only quite intriguing, but it also added an interesting twist of horror to the book, as Gelal basically treats the prehistoric humans as cattle. The deal that has been struck between these two main characters has some exciting implications for the next issue! It’s also interesting to see the continuing character growth throughout the world of Undertow, with Zikia in particular being quite interesting this month. There was a ton of growing political tension throughout issue #4 which is really enhancing the overall picture of the story. There was definitely a lot that happened in this latest installment, and things are shaping up for a great ending.

As with Steve Orlando’s writing, you can tell that Artyom Trakhanov is passionate about the world he illustrates. The visuals in Undertow are really quite unlike anything else out there, with an incredibly unique and edgy vibe. This goes for both the illustrations and the colors. The characters and environments are creative and very interesting, but the overall style is difficult to describe. There is definitely a raw, gritty sensibility to it, but the subtle detail and creativity make the visuals quite vibrant. The colors, in particular, feel very unique and really help emphasize the overall tone of each scene.

Undertow is a fantastic miniseries and things continue to barrel forward in a truly exciting way with issue #4. There is a lot of power and depth to this story, and the plot is really branching out in some interesting directions. Orlando and Trakhanov have a real hit on their hands, as far as this reviewer is concerned, and as the end approaches, we can only hope that we’ll see more of this world in future additions.