REVIEW: Where Does STEP BY BLOODY STEP #1 Going To Take Me?
When I saw that STEP BY BLOODY STEP was a Si Spurrier title, I got excited. I know that Spurrier can handle huge, challenging concepts while delivering big action thrills. But I was not expecting what we got.
When I saw that this was a Si Spurrier title, I got excited. I know that Spurrier can handle huge, challenging concepts while delivering big action thrills. But I was not expecting what we got.
First off: Matias Bergara’s artwork is jaw-dropping. Every panel and every page is a wealth of visual engagement and beauty. And his work encourages you not only to read the comic for the story but to go back to it so that you might appreciate the detail in the artwork.
So sure the art is great but what exactly are we reading here?
Pitched on paper, it’s not that great, to be honest. Some kind of child is being protected by this mecca-type thing. And so the entire first issue follows this pair as they are trying to get somewhere. Of course, there are obstacles and enemies in their path that the two must confront.
Super basic right?
Except that in the hands of Spurrier and Bergara, two masters of the medium, the simplicity of the story means that there’s more space for their creativity to fill.
I’m dancing around the developments because I don’t want to spoil anything. But I will say that often a comic like this provides nonstop visual stimulation but limited emotional connection. However, with how Step by Bloody Step #1 is done, you come to understand and care for the characters. Some of it is the great face acting and small character pieces, and some of it is the way that it parcels out information and lets us in on details at just the precise moment that they will have an emotional impact.
The setup is familiar, but after this first issue and how it both delivers and subverts my expectations, I am excited about where these creators are going to take me. I cannot wait for the coming issues.
