Step By Bloody Step
Issues 1-4
Writer Si Spurrier
Artist Matias Bergara,
Matheus Lopes Publisher Image Comics
Given that comics are essentially an amalgamation of words and pictures, reading this beguiling series is initially a disorienting experience, as you adjust to the complete absence of captions and dialogue – save for some indecipherable hieroglyphs, intriguingly rendered by letterer Jim Campbell.
It chronicles an amnesiac young girl and her mysterious armoured giant protector’s journey through a vast fantastical world, in a completely straight line. You sometimes have to go back for a re-read to make sense of the unfolding plot, which spans a number of years over the course of the four issues, as the story’s unnamed girl grows from a child to a teenager.
But that’s no great hardship considering the lusciousness of Mateus Bergara’s Moebius-esque art. Adding a few unexpected twists, Si Spurrier is unable to fall back on his usual witty quips and narrative tricks, so much more falls on Bergara’s shoulders, and you have to pay special attention to facial expressions and study his expertly choreographed action sequences. Bergara’s sumptuous work is further enhanced by Matheus Lopes’s vibrant colouring.
While there are, as the title suggests, plenty of visceral, violent scenes, this infectiously charming series is worth many return visits.