24: Underground #5 Review

Does this finale hold enough weight to please devoted 24 fans? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

“Underground” comes to a fiery conclusion! With both the CIA and the Russian mafia hot on his heels, Jack Bauer must find a way to escape them and rescue his new “family” at the same time!

Like any good volume this last issue knows what it needs to do in order to wrap up its narrative while leaving the door open for more fun down the road. As a property that’s survived nine years on Fox, a video game, a hiatus and an attempted movie deal there’s no doubt that’s there’s life in this action bound odyssey. And this creative team succeeds in capturing that spark just before the dust settles in this international affair.

Hats off to Ed Brisson, who penned a quickly paced but fitting script. He made use of the core elements of Jack Bauer while the beleaguered former agent was forced to face his problems head on. What followed was a story that called up the kind of overreaction that’s largely been enjoyed by 24 in years past, but don’t worry the author made room to add a few nuggets to the mix. And just before our hero did something he’s done all too often we got some closure for this relatively brief period in his life.

The illustrations by Michael Gaydos continue to be one of the strongest factors in an already sturdy package. From the first page to the final panel the talent effortlessly builds a detailed world that’s a bit stylized but manages to capture the essence of the lasting franchise. Add in the colors by Josh Burcham and the whole of the display made something that’s worth paying attention to even if discerning fanboys and fangirls are unsure about this particular time period.

24: Underground #5 is an immensely solid outing that succeeds more than it stumbles. And even though I wish Jack‘s relationship with Sofiya could have gotten a bit more build up the whole of this did enough to earn a recommendation.