Step By Bloody Step #4
- Writer
- Si Spurrier
- Artist
- Matias Bergara
- Cover Artist
- Matias Bergara, Matheus Lopes
- Publisher
- Image Comics
- Price
- $4.99
- Release Date
- 2022-06-01
- Colorist
- Matheus Lopes
When a child first steps into the world, the onus of protecting and nurturing them falls upon the grown-ups. But guardians come in all different shapes and sizes, even wearing gigantic metal armor with a propensity for being violently overprotective. Step into the hauntingly beautiful world of Step by Bloody Step from Image Comics, as a young child and her guardian embark on an epic journey through feuding hellscapes and rolling grasslands. Written by Si Spurrier with artwork from Matias Bergara and Matheus Lopes and letters by Jim Campbell, who creates an imaginary alphabet, Step by Bloody Step #4 says a lot without using a single word.
Step by Bloody Step #4 gives the young girl her first taste of comfort before taking it all away from her and turning her whole life upside down. The evil King pits the girl's gigantic protector against his orc foes in a diabolical plan to slay two birds with one stone. As the king and his cronies celebrate in their tower, the man whose family was used as bait apologizes to the girl for his role in the conspiracy. He gives her the last intact piece of her guardian, a gauntlet. Heartbroken, she drags it all the way to their intended destination, where a great solitary tree greets her.
There are plenty of stories featuring a silent masked hero protecting a child with mystical powers in pop culture and literature. But Step by Bloody Step #4 subverts the audience's expectations with a series of shocking twists. Spurrier and Bergara, who have previously collaborated on John Constantine: Hellblazer and Coda, provide an emotional final chapter for their fantasy adventure. Gone are the feelings of tender warmth as the fires of rage push the young girl through cold terrains, knowing not what the future entails. She has learned a harsh lesson in the cruelest way possible, but her resolve to complete her guardian's mission speaks volumes about her character. The narrative somehow manages to establish a dramatic tension without a single line of dialogue.
In this day and age, when it can feel like comic books have become more of a writer's medium than an artist's, Step by Bloody Step #4 is like a breath of fresh air that invites the illustrator to dictate the tempo of the narrative. Even amongst the ruin and destruction, Bergara's expansive panels bring out the adventurous nature of the book. He does an exceptional job framing objects out of their natural element to add a mystical element to the proceedings. Without any text crowding the page, Bergara is able to explore each character's emotional range free of any other distractions or influences. Colorist Matheus Lopes goes haywire with a spectacular spread of colors, jumping from one landscape to another like a man possessed. Colors rarely complement the art this well.
With the indomitable spirit of a fighter, Step by Bloody Step #4 throws its characters back into the ring just as things spiral out of control, bringing the story full circle. While the previous issue taught the girl a lesson in trust, her latest trial teaches her to be as tenacious as her guardian. Spurrier and Bergara have, once again, crafted a timeless, emotionally rich classic and a visual treat for the eyes. The art takes the reader into a beautiful world reminiscent of the Studio Ghibli movies while harboring a dark side that adds layers of intrigue and excitement to the story. Step By Bloody Step #4 is an excellent final issue for this inventive and beautiful series.
