Breathtaking Fantasy: ‘Step By Bloody Step’ Advance Review
by Tito W. James
Summary
Sensual art and a gripping emotional mystery Step by Bloody Step delivers a saga that’s louder than words.
Overall
9/10
Step by Bloody Step is a wordless fantasy adventure comic written by Si Spurrir, drawn by Matias Bergara, and colored by Matheus Lopes. Readers are thrust into the midst of a wild and mysterious world following the journey of a young girl and her giant armored guardian. It’s a visceral and emotional quest as if The Iron Giant had to survive in the world Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal.
Step by Bloody Step has already received a tremendous amount of praise by comic professionals, so going into the story I thought it would be hard to separate the comic’s merits from its hype. Fortunately this is one of the rare occurrences where the buzz is well founded and the reading experience did not disappoint. Therefore instead of reiterating the praise given by other creators I will instead highlight what I believe Step by Bloody Step does exceptionally well in hopes that comic creators old and new will be inspired to follow suit.
Too many fantasy series fall into two categories: boiler-plate fantasy with the predictable slew of elves, dwarves, and dragons– or an “everything and the kitchen sink” approach where everything is weird and nothing is memorable. Step by Bloody Step stands apart in its ability to introduce a unique fantasy world thats both creative and cohesive. Nothing within the comic looks or feels like it belongs in another comic.
Bergara and Lopes’s painterly art has all the charm a classically drawn animated film, the sensuality of a European comic, and the meditative silence a Manga. This combination of diverse aesthetics is something that’s only possible in creator-owned comics. Step by Bloody Step‘s art and storytelling approach is accessible to a youth audience but never sanitizes its art or themes. Like the best fairytales and mythology it uses grotesque imagery to communicate emotion and create drama. Step by Bloody Step proves with every page that you don’t need to say a word to convey a lot and leave the reader speechless.
Be sure to pick up a copy at your local comic shop February 23.
