New York’s destiny is written in its depths… Alison Walker is a promising young painter in Manhattan. But she has a secret. She’s also a witch. She and her family belong to the world of Under York, a mysterious, underground New York where five powerful clans of witches have reigned for centuries. This is the universe in which Alison Walker grew up. The universe she fled and doesn’t want to hear about anymore. Until fate catches up with her… Under York #1 is an interesting concept with some questionable choices as far as the story.

The concept of a world underneath a world isn’t anything new. The underneath world being a side of a major city you don’t know about isn’t really new either. Mixing that, with a little bit of mob mentality of families, is something a bit different, but again, something we’ve seen before. Still, Silvain Runberg‘s Under York #1 sets up an intriguing world and concept. There’s just some narrative choices that are a bit perplexing.

Alison Walker as a character is interesting. She’s an artist and works a food truck. There’s anxiety about her big art gallery opening which helps show off her personality a bit as she bites the heads off of customers. There’s Alison’s friend and also a fixation on a good looking guy running for Mayor of the city. It feels like a distraction as it’s presented but is surely an important aspect of the story to come… at least I hope it is.

What we’re thrown into, and find out eventually, is Alison’s family history as she’s pulled back into what she tried to get out of. It’s the classic mobster getting out from the family and being dragged back story. But, how she’s dragged back is utterly perplexing and just makes no sense. Instead of being contacted, told of the situation, we get an elaborate battle where she’s dragged back. There’s no setup, it’s just… attack. Since it, and what follows, takes up a large chunk of the comic, it’s a bit of a headscratcher and feels needlessly antagonistic. It’s a fight for fight’s sake.

The art too is a bit… odd. Done by Mirka Andolfo with ink by Carmelo Zagaria and color by Piky Hamilton, it looks like Andolfo’s work only slightly. It feels like 90s Image where people tried to copy other styles and it’s slightly off. The character’s aren’t consistent in their look and the action sequences not all that exciting either. Overall, it’s fine to look at but I’d have not guessed this was Mirka Andolfo.

Under York #1 isn’t a bad debut but also there’s a lot of choices for the story that just feel odd. Add in art that’s not consistent and you get a read that’s ok but doesn’t hook you to want to come back and see what’s next.

Story: Sylvain Runberg Art: Mirka Andolfo
Ink: Carmelo Zagaria Color: Piky Hamilton
Letterer: Fabio Amelia Localization: Steve Orlando
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle