I read this book as a Member of ALA's Best Graphic Novels for Adults 2021 Selection Committee. I could not rate or review this title while being on the committee, but I did purchase it for my library and have recommended it to several colleagues and patrons! Really interesting storyline and art!

I didn't personally enjoy this one, I think it was an art style and story that I struggled with. Having said that, I can see an audience for it in the buying habits of customers at our stores and would be happy to stock it for them.

Under Earth was not my favorite graphic novel, and I want to say it’s because of the yellow and black colors that made me cringe each time I looked at the page. I know, I know – this is a rather silly reason to dislike a book. However, the story itself was also weird in a cool-yet-creepy-yet-what-in-the-world-is-happening kind of a way. This is a story about survival in the underground prison system, and the setting is most definitely creepy. Yes, there is fighting and bullying there, a notion that made this graphic more realistic and terrifying, but there is also a semblance of hope towards the end. I’m not sure I can have this graphic novel in my classroom, but I wouldn’t mind recommending this to any high school student who loves dystopian stories.

Thank you NetGalley and Top Shelfs Productions for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Under-Earth is super suffocating and creepy, just perfect! The story takes place in an underground prison system, where you have to work in order to eat. Hierarchy and bullying are the core and everyone is an inmate for reasons unknown. We actually hardly ever get to know about the reasons, which is interesting. There's a hole in the sky and the place is a dumpster basically. There are two story lines with the boxer and a loser who end up as some sort of friends and these two who want to steal and break the unfair system in order to survive. The whole thing is so faceless and hollow. We don't get to know why everything is how it is and somehow there doesn't seem to be any possibility to a change. This is almost like horror actually.

The art is simple and the colors are just black and white with yellow hues and whatnot. Under-Earth feels like a warning sign. This would be an awesome movie. Gooch is a master at creating an odd atmosphere that kicks the air out of you. Reminds me of Osamu Dazai in a way. I'm still baffled. A great comic indeed.

Under-Earth tells different stories about survival in a wasteland for the worst of humanity. It was an excellent read.

The world depicted in Under-Earth is a very bleak one, and there isn't much hope to be found here upon first glance. However, the friendships demonstrated here are the real heart and core of the volume. Although there is a lot of violence and hopelessness in this world, the story is punctuated with wryly funny points and moments of true connection between the characters, suggesting the only way to push back against this system is by finding and cherishing those moments of pleasure and genuine connection. For these reasons, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

There are two interwoven narratives, both set in the underground prison city of Delforge, where criminals are sent as labourers. One of the narratives follows Zoe and Ele, professional thieves. The other mainly follows Malcolm, a tall, quiet man who collects garbage to sell. Zoe and Ele and Malcolm get involved with Mr. Optone, a fellow inmate but one with a lot of power: he seems to control the criminal underbelly of Delforge. Both narratives occasionally intersect but truly come together at the conclusion of the narrative.

What was most interesting to me about the story is the logistics of Delforge; it is a brutal and harsh world. The inmates sleep in dilapidated buildings and box-like cubicles that are difficult to afford, they only have access to food that tastes like sand, and they are subject to violence from the guards but also the other inmates pushed to desperation. I was intrigued by the setting and I wanted to know more about it.

Sometimes, I think the narrative could have been tightened up and the setting integrated into the plot more often. There are some details that are never really explained, but that could have been used to interesting effect. Ultimately, however, the core of the story is in the relationships between Ele and Zoe, Malcolm and his friend Reese. The moments of intimacy are lovely, bright spots in an otherwise dark story, and I think that the creator did a great job developing the characters and their relationships.

The art style suits the topic and themes: the only colours used are black, yellow, and white, with some pops of red. The art is a little rough and simple, but also very kinetic; there are some pages where it feels more like you are watching a film than reading. A particularly excellent sequence in chapter five epitomizes this, as the escalating tension in both narratives leads to violent altercations and the panels jump between the two story lines in a really effective way. In short, dialogue is secondary to capturing the gritty feel and motion of the environment and the subtle reactions of the characters.

Recommended if you like:
Dystopian narratives/themes
Gritty and unique settings and atmosphere
Character- and friendship-driven stories
Simple, high-contrast and eye-catching art

Content warnings: Physical violence/murder - lots of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Top Shelf Productions for an ARC of this volume in exchange for an honest review.

The art, use of color, and world-building in this book is so compelling that on more than one occasion, I realized I zoomed through another 100 pages and was desperate to keep going. The pacing is perfect and the characters are both sympathetic and hardened to fit into their environment. Given the violence and language, it's appropriate for mature readers who are prepared for a darker look at humanity and the importance of connections.

Dark but compelling story about the inhumanity of man in an underground prison in (I think) an alternative Australia. There isn't much redeeming here and while it ends on a lighter note than it begins it is no way a positive tale. I can imagine the book club that will love this work, but it's probably not something I would generally recommend to folks.

This is the first title that I have read by Chris Gooch, but I want to read other works after finishing Under-Earth. This story builds the world of an underground prison and it's social/political structure through thought out illustrations and dialogue. No heavy exposition dumps from an unseen narrator and no long-winded conversations between characters in an attempt to mask said exposition dump. You are thrown into this world with the new blood and learn about it as you follow two plots - those between newbie Reece and long timer Malcolm and the two thieves on their last mission, Ele and Zoe. Lovely read!