STEP BY BLOODY STEP #2
Writer: Si Spurrier
Artist: Matias Bergara
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: March 30, 2022
Cover Price: $4.99
Spring turns to summer; the child grows rebellious; the savage walk goes on.
But all roads lead to civilization. And all civilizations lead to war.
Score:
★★★★★ (5/5)
Si Spurrier and Matias Bergara have created something special and difficult to pull off, a text-less comic book in 'Step by Bloody Step' that is captivating and engaging. Issue two continues the journey of a girl and her giant armored guardian trekking through another season in a marvelously constructed mystery world full of beauty and terror.
The first issue introduced us to these two characters and revealed very little about who they are, where they are going, why the giant was so protective of the child, and a number of other questions. Issue two does little to answer those questions but instead raises new ones. One thing is for sure, the giant, who seems to have a human within it will do anything and risk everything to keep the child safe. With every new attack from various dangerous entities that they encounter the giant fiercely fights off predators with reckless abandon. It's a devastating display of violence that appears to be taking a toll on the person inside as we only see his head in the armor but is visibly deteriorating.
They're clearly on the run but we don't know why. A military faction is determined to destroy them and they don't hold back in trying to dispose of the pair. The story is a complicated balance of extreme violence and quieter sun-drenched moments that allow the girl a moment of peace amid the deadly travels. Details begin to emerge through the actions of the pair's adversaries who appear to have a strategic plan in mind. Other revelations include the emergence of the girl's power and a possible destination for the two.
I know a comic like this is a collaborative effort between writer and artist but what Bergara is doing here is extraordinary. The world-building is the best you'll ever see. From lush jungles to vast plains, to calm seas, there isn't a landscape Bergara can't do and colored so warmly and precisely you'd be hard-pressed to find a better depiction. The character designs are wonderful with an expressive range that tells the story in the faces filled with fright or joy or pain. The comic relies heavily on the art, more than others obviously, and it doesn't have to be flawless but it is.
'Step by Bloody Step' #2 continues to enrapture readers with a riveting story told in images only. Spurrier and Bergara create an absorbing tale that sparkles with nary a word but a plethora of panels that consume the eyes and propel the story forward. More is revealed in this chapter making it even more addicting as the series continues.
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