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The Spire #1-8
The Spire
Visit the strange and fantastic world of The Spire, where an inexplicable murder has turned an impossible tower of a city upside down.
The Spire is a mountain of metal and stone, a vast city that rises out of the middle of the radioactive desert. Filled with twisting tunnels, grinding elevators, and ancient machinery, it is home to over a million human and non-human residents. Sha, the last of the species known as the Medusi, is responsible for keeping the hodgepodge of forgotten technology and new biology safe as Commander of the City Watch. But when a string of grisly murders are committed just as a new Baroness of the Spire is about to be sworn in, Sha will have to find the killer and bring that individual to justice. With the new Baroness housing a deep hatred of non-humans, Sha will have more than one enemy at her back as a mystery buried in the history of the Spire unravels around her.
Written by Simon Spurrier (X-Men: Legacy) and illustrated by Jeff Stokely (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches), the celebrated creative team of Six-Gun Gorilla, The Spire is a sprawling fantasy noir that Vulture called one of the “Ten Best Comic Books of 2015.”
The Spire is a mountain of metal and stone, a vast city that rises out of the middle of the radioactive desert. Filled with twisting tunnels, grinding elevators, and ancient machinery, it is home to over a million human and non-human residents. Sha, the last of the species known as the Medusi, is responsible for keeping the hodgepodge of forgotten technology and new biology safe as Commander of the City Watch. But when a string of grisly murders are committed just as a new Baroness of the Spire is about to be sworn in, Sha will have to find the killer and bring that individual to justice. With the new Baroness housing a deep hatred of non-humans, Sha will have more than one enemy at her back as a mystery buried in the history of the Spire unravels around her.
Written by Simon Spurrier (X-Men: Legacy) and illustrated by Jeff Stokely (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches), the celebrated creative team of Six-Gun Gorilla, The Spire is a sprawling fantasy noir that Vulture called one of the “Ten Best Comic Books of 2015.”
208 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2016
105 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
July 3, 2016
Heavy lore - intense world-building - deep character development.
All things I like. Except I had a really hard time slogging through it. I think this is mostly based on the principle of me just not understanding what the fuck was going on.
I don't know if it's because I have a case of the dumbs (I do) or the story just being too damn convoluted. There would be pages where I was completely engrossed and engaged with what was going on and then, suddenly, I had no fucking clue what was what.
Despite that - I still kept going. Which is a testament to the story, because normally, I would just give up. In fact, I wanna read this one again. See, even though I didn't really know WTF...I really want to.
This comic confuses me and I want to understand it.
I guess that says something...I just don't know what.
All things I like. Except I had a really hard time slogging through it. I think this is mostly based on the principle of me just not understanding what the fuck was going on.
I don't know if it's because I have a case of the dumbs (I do) or the story just being too damn convoluted. There would be pages where I was completely engrossed and engaged with what was going on and then, suddenly, I had no fucking clue what was what.
Despite that - I still kept going. Which is a testament to the story, because normally, I would just give up. In fact, I wanna read this one again. See, even though I didn't really know WTF...I really want to.
This comic confuses me and I want to understand it.
I guess that says something...I just don't know what.
February 22, 2018
By the last page, The Spire had become one of my fave science fiction comics, fave fantasy comics, and fave queer comics all rolled into one. It's part police procedural, part political conspiracy, and has significant commentary on discrimination, so there is possibly no way it could be any better for me. It follows Sha, a queer woman (and the last of her species) who's Commander of the City Watch in The Spire, as she tries to solve a series of murders while a new leader of the city is about to take control. But of course Sha finds so! many! secrets!
I fall more in love with Spurrier's writing every time I read one of his books. Stokely's art is appropriately weird, and Steve Wands did a kick-ass job lettering. (You don't know how much difference lettering can make until you've seen this book, or some of his other work.)
I fall more in love with Spurrier's writing every time I read one of his books. Stokely's art is appropriately weird, and Steve Wands did a kick-ass job lettering. (You don't know how much difference lettering can make until you've seen this book, or some of his other work.)
November 9, 2017
That was one dense story. I'm not going to say there was great world building here, because to be great it would need to be better explained and less obtuse. But it was interesting, I just constantly felt like I skipped a page. A lot didn't quite connect and required a leap in logic.
August 7, 2018
I really wanted to like this more than I did. It was definitely an interesting world with interesting characters, but there was just so much going on that I constantly felt like I was missing something. A lot of the creatures / aspects of the world were not really explained at all the mystery resolution seemed incredibly convoluted to me. The art was nice and I did like parts of it, but it was incredibly dense and I just felt like I struggled a lot to get through it.
April 7, 2018
A metahuman sheriff in an unstable fantasy world must solve a series of political murders before a devastating war breaks out. This is dense with politics, spies, ethnic cleansing, a thirty-year old mystery, looming war, and bona fide heroic flying fart goblins. (I couldn't make that up.)
Stellar. The Spire starts slow but by the end I couldn't put it down. I was up FAR too late last night because I had to watch the conspiracy unravel (or not), the genocidal religious warriors wipe out the innocent minority faction (or be destroyed), the unstoppable assassin complete his mission (or finally be unmasked and killed). A satisfying conclusion.
Stellar. The Spire starts slow but by the end I couldn't put it down. I was up FAR too late last night because I had to watch the conspiracy unravel (or not), the genocidal religious warriors wipe out the innocent minority faction (or be destroyed), the unstoppable assassin complete his mission (or finally be unmasked and killed). A satisfying conclusion.
June 2, 2018
I'm a fan of stories that capture well the conflicts of insiders versus outsiders, and this fantasy/dystopian graphic novel hits all my sweet spots.
In the midst of a radioactive desert, on a mountain of steel and stone, there is a vast city, home to humans and non-humans, and everyone has secrets. Murders, mysteries, political machinations, and secrets. Oh, so many secrets. This is a fun romp of a read that explores interesting themes, and the art is really good as well. I enjoyed the world building and the diversity on the page. I thought this was a completed series but surely not. It seems to me that another installment (or five) would be much appreciated. I'm team Sha all the way.
In the midst of a radioactive desert, on a mountain of steel and stone, there is a vast city, home to humans and non-humans, and everyone has secrets. Murders, mysteries, political machinations, and secrets. Oh, so many secrets. This is a fun romp of a read that explores interesting themes, and the art is really good as well. I enjoyed the world building and the diversity on the page. I thought this was a completed series but surely not. It seems to me that another installment (or five) would be much appreciated. I'm team Sha all the way.
November 10, 2022
This story seemed right up my alley. But for whatever reason I couldn't get into it. I think it had to do with the world building and the plot. I just couldn't get invested. Still it is a fun read.
2022 Edit
I think the problem with this book is that there is too much crammed in for only a handful of issues. This would've been perfect if this story lasted for a few more volumes. Also rereading this made me realize how conflicted I am with the ending. I still think this is a unique comic that should be read sadly the flaws do weigh this down from being an excellent book.
2022 Edit
I think the problem with this book is that there is too much crammed in for only a handful of issues. This would've been perfect if this story lasted for a few more volumes. Also rereading this made me realize how conflicted I am with the ending. I still think this is a unique comic that should be read sadly the flaws do weigh this down from being an excellent book.
December 15, 2021
4.5/5
An excellent (weird) fantasy graphic novel.
You'll enjoy it if you're into:
+ great, head-strong characters
+ weird and seductive world-building (well, you get a fart-propelling messenger. Yes, You've heard right.)
+ conical cities that are a sort of visual analogue for the class system
+ deeply personal stakes
+ great art
Any issues? Well, perhaps some readers would like answers or an idea where all of it is going earlier. That said, I think it's great as it is.
An excellent (weird) fantasy graphic novel.
You'll enjoy it if you're into:
+ great, head-strong characters
+ weird and seductive world-building (well, you get a fart-propelling messenger. Yes, You've heard right.)
+ conical cities that are a sort of visual analogue for the class system
+ deeply personal stakes
+ great art
Any issues? Well, perhaps some readers would like answers or an idea where all of it is going earlier. That said, I think it's great as it is.
June 5, 2017
This was a good "adult" comic, so I feel you may see the 3 star rating and think "Why waste my time?", but the simple truth is that based on what I've read the past few weeks I have to go: Saga, Vol. 6 > Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening > The Spire.
Is it a humblebrag of some kind to state that the fact that this comic features a queer protagonist doesn't really affect my opinion of it one way or the other? I know the comics industry has had its well-documented struggles with diversity pretty much throughout its history, but lately there's been so much great work done to course correct that now it just makes me shrug. Not that Shå's sexuality was gratuitous or mere tokenism, there was a very valid storytelling reason she was written this way that I can't get into because SPOILERS.
Anyway, it was an interesting-enough plot with interesting-enough world-building to definitely keep my attention, so maybe consider this a 3.5? Hope you enjoy!
Is it a humblebrag of some kind to state that the fact that this comic features a queer protagonist doesn't really affect my opinion of it one way or the other? I know the comics industry has had its well-documented struggles with diversity pretty much throughout its history, but lately there's been so much great work done to course correct that now it just makes me shrug. Not that Shå's sexuality was gratuitous or mere tokenism, there was a very valid storytelling reason she was written this way that I can't get into because SPOILERS.
Anyway, it was an interesting-enough plot with interesting-enough world-building to definitely keep my attention, so maybe consider this a 3.5? Hope you enjoy!
April 15, 2017
One of the worse reactions you can have to the reveal of a killer in a murder-mystery is ... "Who?" And I'm afraid to say I had that reaction to The Spire. I probably wouldn't have if I'd read it all in one day, but it was so dense ... Still, with a little page-flipping I managed to figure it out.
Other than that, this is a fine graphic novel. It excels best at its creation of an evocative world that feels like something straight out of Heavy Metal, both because of its post-apocalyptic tropes and its art style. But it also has some great characters: you'll probably fall in love with the lead. And, the story of how those characters interact is strong too.
There is a bit of muddiness here and there in the storytelling, not just in the murderer reveal. I think that's because there's so much packed in here.
But the quantity of stuff that's packed in here is what makes it so intriguing.
Other than that, this is a fine graphic novel. It excels best at its creation of an evocative world that feels like something straight out of Heavy Metal, both because of its post-apocalyptic tropes and its art style. But it also has some great characters: you'll probably fall in love with the lead. And, the story of how those characters interact is strong too.
There is a bit of muddiness here and there in the storytelling, not just in the murderer reveal. I think that's because there's so much packed in here.
But the quantity of stuff that's packed in here is what makes it so intriguing.
February 13, 2017
Like many of my favorite mysteries, The Spire piles multiple layers onto the whodunit, until the identity of the murderer is just one of several questions whose answers I eagerly awaited. Personal and political issues are always closer together than they seem, and everything hurtles at breakneck speed toward the conclusion.
Unfortunately, I disliked the conclusion it reached. The identity of the killer was unsatisfying in both fact and form of revelation; the political intrigue turned into overwrought soap opera in the blink of an eye; and all the major characters ended up .
Four stars for issues 1-7. 2.5 for issue 8.
Unfortunately, I disliked the conclusion it reached. The identity of the killer was unsatisfying in both fact and form of revelation; the political intrigue turned into overwrought soap opera in the blink of an eye; and all the major characters ended up .
Four stars for issues 1-7. 2.5 for issue 8.
April 15, 2022
I wasn't too sure about this at the beginning, felt a little bit too "dropped into the middle of the story" and "whoah, this was written by a man" (the latter sentiment I still stand by). But, the world building picks up eventually (though there could've totally been more) and by then I was fully on board. It follows a lesbian 'sculpted' Head of Police through a very convoluted murder mystery, part of which seems to tie to her own question mark of a past. The artwork was a huge selling point for me, sometimes gruesome but really fitting to the strange, semi-dystopian world.
There's some political commentary here and there, and that plus the artwork is why I rounded up from an even 3. I think the voice and tone really reads as 'what a man thinks women would say' or occasionally 'this is what I would imagine a hot lesbian cop would do'. A little slow to start, but once it picked up I couldn't put it down, definitely a fun read.
There's some political commentary here and there, and that plus the artwork is why I rounded up from an even 3. I think the voice and tone really reads as 'what a man thinks women would say' or occasionally 'this is what I would imagine a hot lesbian cop would do'. A little slow to start, but once it picked up I couldn't put it down, definitely a fun read.
February 6, 2023
Let me just open by saying, WOW!!!
This science fiction comic blew my socks off, and the key reason for this is the way writer Simon Spurrier and artist Jeff Stokely have handled the key task of world building in this work. They have constructed both conceptually and visually a fully functional world that seemingly lives and breathes on its own, yet have also managed to avoid the pitfalls many work focusing on world building fall into, the least of which is not presenting the world created at the expense of the narrative at hand.
The Spire is, first and foremost, a great story. There are strong plot lines that interweave throughout the narrative and slowly reveal the greater narrative threads, giving the central characters room to act in character, and by doing so simultaneously moving the narrative forward.
In an otherworldly and/or postapocalyptic landscape stands the Spire. A vast mountainous city construction, in which humans can live without additional protection (which is required outside of the city). There are also the non-human Sculpted (derogatorily referred to as Skews), which can live outside the city, but also do services within it. Among these Sculpted is Shå, who is Commander of the City Watch and the only member of the species known as the Medusi in the Spire. And then there is a bloody murder, which involves someone of higher class found on a much lower level than one would expect, and wheels start to moving, as Shå tries to solve the mystery.
Spurrier and Stokely's magic is that they appear to have a full grasp on the world they have created without ever succumbing to the need to show it all. Instead, what we see at any given time is both consistent with what we have already seen and suggests vast depths to be seen (perhaps) later on. And this technique draws me in, constantly leaving me wanting more, while simultaneously giving it to me, but only as much as the plot itself requires me to know. Magic.
If you like science fiction (with fantasy-esque undertones), this is a really masterful piece of work and world well worth visiting.
This science fiction comic blew my socks off, and the key reason for this is the way writer Simon Spurrier and artist Jeff Stokely have handled the key task of world building in this work. They have constructed both conceptually and visually a fully functional world that seemingly lives and breathes on its own, yet have also managed to avoid the pitfalls many work focusing on world building fall into, the least of which is not presenting the world created at the expense of the narrative at hand.
The Spire is, first and foremost, a great story. There are strong plot lines that interweave throughout the narrative and slowly reveal the greater narrative threads, giving the central characters room to act in character, and by doing so simultaneously moving the narrative forward.
In an otherworldly and/or postapocalyptic landscape stands the Spire. A vast mountainous city construction, in which humans can live without additional protection (which is required outside of the city). There are also the non-human Sculpted (derogatorily referred to as Skews), which can live outside the city, but also do services within it. Among these Sculpted is Shå, who is Commander of the City Watch and the only member of the species known as the Medusi in the Spire. And then there is a bloody murder, which involves someone of higher class found on a much lower level than one would expect, and wheels start to moving, as Shå tries to solve the mystery.
Spurrier and Stokely's magic is that they appear to have a full grasp on the world they have created without ever succumbing to the need to show it all. Instead, what we see at any given time is both consistent with what we have already seen and suggests vast depths to be seen (perhaps) later on. And this technique draws me in, constantly leaving me wanting more, while simultaneously giving it to me, but only as much as the plot itself requires me to know. Magic.
If you like science fiction (with fantasy-esque undertones), this is a really masterful piece of work and world well worth visiting.
May 8, 2018
I was weary of this story. It had a promising start, and it delivers, for the most part. It holds the title of an intriguing story, until the last issue happened, which left me conflicted on what to make of the entire thing. I am still unsure if I liked the tone it took, or if I thought it too easy.
The magic that originally drew me to it was still there. The power dynamics left as ingrained in society without question, from the way people view Sculpted, to the way the city is constructed with all its levels, to the extremist living in and out of the main setting, all remained an important part of the story. All of the racism, xenophobia, and classicism is still thoroughly explored, either as backdrop or right-in-face. That is what this comic does best, explore interesting topics in a fun manner, involving powers and science, like a less evolved x-man. And it remained quite interesting through my many re-reads, yet the last issue added a new theme, which in many scenarios I deem necessary to be discussed and explored by authors and artists, however in this instance, I was left unsure. Was it a clever form to simply add it and let the reader ponder, or was it added because there was no other resolution to the story?
The art is exceptional as always. It is sharp and simple, with amazing colouring, which matches perfectly with the science-fiction and fantasy vibe. It is not smooth, and it shows a diverse cast of creatures, all quite interesting. I would not mind if the story were continued in other series.
I still recommend everyone to read it. It is fun, quick, filled with vibrant colours, and it brings interesting issues to be discussed. Practically, all I want in a good comic. Plus, it has LGBT+ relationships in, we certainly need more of those in media.
The magic that originally drew me to it was still there. The power dynamics left as ingrained in society without question, from the way people view Sculpted, to the way the city is constructed with all its levels, to the extremist living in and out of the main setting, all remained an important part of the story. All of the racism, xenophobia, and classicism is still thoroughly explored, either as backdrop or right-in-face. That is what this comic does best, explore interesting topics in a fun manner, involving powers and science, like a less evolved x-man. And it remained quite interesting through my many re-reads, yet the last issue added a new theme, which in many scenarios I deem necessary to be discussed and explored by authors and artists, however in this instance, I was left unsure. Was it a clever form to simply add it and let the reader ponder, or was it added because there was no other resolution to the story?
The art is exceptional as always. It is sharp and simple, with amazing colouring, which matches perfectly with the science-fiction and fantasy vibe. It is not smooth, and it shows a diverse cast of creatures, all quite interesting. I would not mind if the story were continued in other series.
I still recommend everyone to read it. It is fun, quick, filled with vibrant colours, and it brings interesting issues to be discussed. Practically, all I want in a good comic. Plus, it has LGBT+ relationships in, we certainly need more of those in media.
June 22, 2022
i really enjoy the plot and the setting. the artwork is inconsistent in quality, which causes me a lot of problems occasionally. if you are familiar with the other works of jeff stokely, you will recognize that this is difficult and not always representative. superb at whatever else is being measured. some of the execution is quite rough, for example, when important elements are omitted. some of the shots resemble sketchy cartoons. this hasn't stopped me from admiring this classic work.
March 4, 2017
This book is fantastic. Wow. I really wasn't expecting such a tight, well paced story. The art is stunning and perfect for the world, and the characters are brought to life incredibly well. This is a great read.
February 25, 2017
This is great, from the story, to the world-building, to the artwork. "Blade Runner meets The Dark Crystal with a dash of Mad Max." That's as good a description as anything else.
December 26, 2021
It was really good and interesting and then the last chapter happened.
September 25, 2017
Interesting story and characters, but I do wish the actual world was fleshed out more.
Read
January 7, 2020Normally I'm a big fan of Spurrier, but this one didn't quite work for me. Part of it is that whereas his other Boom! fantasy series, Coda, takes classic fantasy elements and then massively fucks with them, this one starts out with a slightly more slipstream setting, but then plays it fairly straight. The eponymous Spire is a Heath-Robinson steampunk marvel standing in the middle of a wasteland which is poisonous to humans, but habitable to the Sculpted – or as they're more derogatorily known, 'skews'. There are humans who survive out there somehow, the Zoarim, who burn with hate for the Sculpted; conversely, the humans of the Spire graciously condescend to let the Sculpted live among them, as second-class citizens of course, and expect appropriate gratitude for this (I think a contemporary parallel might be intended here, but I just can't quite put my finger on it). The twist is that we don't then get a conventional fantasy narrative, but a crime story; the protagonist (Sculpted herself, though one of the few who can pass not just for human but attractive so long as she keeps her tentacles hidden) heads the Spire's Watch, and is investigating a series of attacks ranging from the lowest to the most rarefied levels of the city, hampered all the time by the disdain of the Spire's new ruler, and probably not helped by the fact that on the quiet she's in a somewhat conflicted relationship with said ruler's sister. The problem with all of which is, this is not the most novel science-fantasy setting, nor the most original crime plot, and even putting the two of them together is not as unusual as all that. Which would be fine so long as they were the chassis for something else, but while the stuff I normally expect from Spurrier – the inventive lexicon, the vigorous swearing, the lead you can't entirely trust – is present and correct, none of it feels like his best work. Similarly, Stokely's art, though good with the clanking ancient technology or the strangeness of the Sculpted, feels oddly and at times inappropriately cartoonish for this story when it comes to human (or human-ish) faces and movements. Even the big reveal doesn't feel all that shocking once you're keyed in to the notion that this is Spurrier protagonist + James Ellroy stylings in a China Mieville-flavoured world. Still, the fart-propelled messenger cherubs were pleasingly grotesque.
January 9, 2020
I really liked this book. I loved the way that they just threw you into this fantasy/science fiction world, no explanation, you just had to figure out on the run. The characters were interesting and fleshed out enough for the cross genre of noir detective story.
I love the art work. It reminded me a lot of Mobius and really set the pace for the sort of grubby, complicated world that these people lived in. The different designs for the sculpted were really neat, everyone had that sort of ugly but somehow still beautiful thing going on. Really lovely.
There was diversity in the book which was nice. A lot has been said about the LGBT themes that are in here.
I really dug this story after I read and I think it's worth reading but I also think that how that reveal was handled in the last act was lazy and should maybe not have been done that way. Which would have called for the entire story to be rewritten but that would have been for the best. Anyway, I originally gave this five stars but on further reflection, I'm knocking it down to three.
I love the art work. It reminded me a lot of Mobius and really set the pace for the sort of grubby, complicated world that these people lived in. The different designs for the sculpted were really neat, everyone had that sort of ugly but somehow still beautiful thing going on. Really lovely.
There was diversity in the book which was nice. A lot has been said about the LGBT themes that are in here.
I really dug this story after I read and I think it's worth reading but I also think that how that reveal was handled in the last act was lazy and should maybe not have been done that way. Which would have called for the entire story to be rewritten but that would have been for the best. Anyway, I originally gave this five stars but on further reflection, I'm knocking it down to three.
August 23, 2016
A final twist that really comes out of nowhere. That said, even though I didn't anticipate it I really did it was well seeded. It made sense.
An excellent story tbh. Sha is a great lead, with the right balance of quirkiness and seriousness. The world, and it's culture were quite interesting and the creative team did a great job fleshing out the premise.
Be warned, this story is a bit of slow burner. It takes it's time to build up, but it's necessary for the complexity of the world building. The central mystery of the whodunnit is great and, like I've mentioned before, while the climax can turn some readers off, I though it was very well pulled off. Also, the bittersweet nature of the ending was perfect for the tone of the story.
First time I've read Simon Spurrier, and apparently the artist and him are a bit of a team so I'll probably check out Six-Gun Gorilla. The art itself was actually pretty decent, not the style I'm used, but still appropriate for the story.
The Eisner Nomination was justified.
An excellent story tbh. Sha is a great lead, with the right balance of quirkiness and seriousness. The world, and it's culture were quite interesting and the creative team did a great job fleshing out the premise.
Be warned, this story is a bit of slow burner. It takes it's time to build up, but it's necessary for the complexity of the world building. The central mystery of the whodunnit is great and, like I've mentioned before, while the climax can turn some readers off, I though it was very well pulled off. Also, the bittersweet nature of the ending was perfect for the tone of the story.
First time I've read Simon Spurrier, and apparently the artist and him are a bit of a team so I'll probably check out Six-Gun Gorilla. The art itself was actually pretty decent, not the style I'm used, but still appropriate for the story.
The Eisner Nomination was justified.
January 2, 2020
+ good graphics, mimics Hayao Miyazaki, who in turn was influenced by Moebius;
+ diverse character cast, gay relationships (lesbian) and a diverse society (enables exploration of racism and interracial marriages);
+ interesting construction with leading characters women;
+ interesting world-building;
- merely average fantasy story;
- between Miyazaki and Moebius, the graphics do not bring in much novelty;
- in the end, the systemic racism remains entrenched even between the races that are not dominant in the society - pugs get the worst from all sides, etc. This seems realistic, but somewhat incompatible with the expression of desire to achieve fairness by the 'higher-ups'.
+ diverse character cast, gay relationships (lesbian) and a diverse society (enables exploration of racism and interracial marriages);
+ interesting construction with leading characters women;
+ interesting world-building;
- merely average fantasy story;
- between Miyazaki and Moebius, the graphics do not bring in much novelty;
- in the end, the systemic racism remains entrenched even between the races that are not dominant in the society - pugs get the worst from all sides, etc. This seems realistic, but somewhat incompatible with the expression of desire to achieve fairness by the 'higher-ups'.
March 11, 2019
SO GOOD. This is only my second comic by Simon Spurrier, and it manages to be even better than Godshaper (which was already amazing), by virtue of being a post-apocalyptic murder/political mystery with an amazing main character and gorgeous art. The world building is so strong and the world feels so real and so lived in, all fleshed out through beautiful artwork. The plot is a clever, twisting mystery that forces the reader to pay real attention to all the tiny reveals of information. And Shå, oh Shå. I loved her so much and she makes such a compelling protagonist, complete with a mysterious dark past and a terrifying desire to just belong somewhere. Highly recommended! *runs off to find more comics from these creators*
April 17, 2021
3.5/5 Once again, I appreciate that Spurrier does not make compromises in how he introduces us the world he created with Jeff Stokely. They respect the readers' intelligence and do not spoon-feed information by using grating expository dialogue. That said, I feel like many elements of the world they have built are only there to serve this singular plot. Every major plot-point relies on the rules set by the author, which would be admirable if it backed either a grandiose epic or an engaging character drama. They tried to deliver at both fronts - didn't fail, but didn't excel either. Still a well-worth read, which held my full attention for 8 issues / 200 pages.
February 14, 2017
Proud stands the Spire! A fascinating slice of world-building here, even if the plot didn't always work for me. There are some predictable elements, and a completely unnecessary - and also predictable - grab for the emotions at the end. But the artwork is captivating, the characters well depicted, and there are tantalising glimpses of the strange worlds within the Spire and without. It's also funny. Captain Shå has clearly graduated first-class from the Edmund Blackadder School of Sass.
January 25, 2018
It did grew on me, page after page. Good story, that really becomes a wide, significant story, not just a collection of issues. Great palette of colors. And, something I don't think is that usual in fantasy, good metaphoric relevance (sometimes) like good sci-fi. It did remind me of China Mièlle and his own mix of weird sci-fi/fantasy. The overall atmosphere was like steampunk without much steam. Which turned out good.
June 17, 2016
The Spire is a convoluted (but interesting) story of palace intrigue in a post-apocalyptic world that recalls Naussica of the Valley of the Wind and other 80s anime. It's incredibly stylish and has some very well done action scenes. However the story is unnecessarily hard to follow despite being pretty cliched in retrospect.
December 2, 2017
I really enjoyed this. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the air is so polluted that it causes mutations. The Spire is a city in that world which houses both humans and the sculpted, mutated humans of a variety of different races and abilities. The story starts with death of the old Baron, a man who had worked hard to integrate humans and the sculpted. His successor, Tavi, is not so open-minded. The story centers around Sha, the captain of the City Guard, and type of sculpted that can change their own shape. When a string of murders spring up in the city, her investigation leads her to a mystery 30 years in the making.
The first thing that struck me about this comic was the art. I loved the imagining of all the different sculpted, and seeing them reminded me a bit of reading Saga. I also really liked the coloring, which was soft and pretty, despite the harshness of some of the events that it depicted.
I also quickly found myself sympathizing with the main character, Sha. She's a lot of fun to read. Her brashness made me want to root for her, and although she tries to play tough, it's clear that she cares a great deal about the people around her. The humor that she adds to the story was a big draw for me, especially in the beginning, when I was still getting my footing in the world.
The secondary characters are no less engaging. A special shout-out goes to my boy, Pug, the messenger who would be a cop. He ended up being one of my favorite characters in the comic, despite my initial annoyance with him and the way that he talks. Meera also won a special place in my heart, and I wish that the ending of the comic could have been what she wished for, instead of what she got.
I thought that the mystery at the center of the plot was quite well-done. I did not figure it out myself, but that's no surprise. I'm not really good at that sort of thing. However, once it was revealed, I found that everything fit into place perfectly for me. Unlike others, I had no trouble following along, perhaps because this kind of world is very familiar to me. I thought that the ending was both fitting and satisfying.
I enjoyed this enough that I think I will eventually buy a copy of my own. It's one that I'd like to lend out to other people and spread the love.
The first thing that struck me about this comic was the art. I loved the imagining of all the different sculpted, and seeing them reminded me a bit of reading Saga. I also really liked the coloring, which was soft and pretty, despite the harshness of some of the events that it depicted.
I also quickly found myself sympathizing with the main character, Sha. She's a lot of fun to read. Her brashness made me want to root for her, and although she tries to play tough, it's clear that she cares a great deal about the people around her. The humor that she adds to the story was a big draw for me, especially in the beginning, when I was still getting my footing in the world.
The secondary characters are no less engaging. A special shout-out goes to my boy, Pug, the messenger who would be a cop. He ended up being one of my favorite characters in the comic, despite my initial annoyance with him and the way that he talks. Meera also won a special place in my heart, and I wish that the ending of the comic could have been what she wished for, instead of what she got.
I thought that the mystery at the center of the plot was quite well-done. I did not figure it out myself, but that's no surprise. I'm not really good at that sort of thing. However, once it was revealed, I found that everything fit into place perfectly for me. Unlike others, I had no trouble following along, perhaps because this kind of world is very familiar to me. I thought that the ending was both fitting and satisfying.
I enjoyed this enough that I think I will eventually buy a copy of my own. It's one that I'd like to lend out to other people and spread the love.
November 10, 2018
The sarcasm is beautiful and there are plenty of other funny moments, even though the plot is centered on a high-class murder investigation with plenty of intrigue and action to keep anyone interested all the way to the final reveal. The ending is a bit soapy with a nice, healthy sex change, but it fits this weird, complex universe.
The planet isn't very habitable given the prevalence of spores that are deadly to humans, but not to the rival Zoarim or the skews, augumented humans like the main character. The humans live in the many-tiered Spire - the higher you are, the richer you are. This balance of power comes under attack when a string of murders attempts to cover up a secret that can threaten the Barony.
Madam Kean, the baroness's former governess, is killed. Commander Sha of the city watch must find the killer. The murder is one of a series carried out by an unknown party at a time of turmoil when the Baron has died and must be replaced by his daughter Tavi. Their allies are invited to renew their oaths and the Pax with the Zoarim must be renewed as well.
The planet isn't very habitable given the prevalence of spores that are deadly to humans, but not to the rival Zoarim or the skews, augumented humans like the main character. The humans live in the many-tiered Spire - the higher you are, the richer you are. This balance of power comes under attack when a string of murders attempts to cover up a secret that can threaten the Barony.
Madam Kean, the baroness's former governess, is killed. Commander Sha of the city watch must find the killer. The murder is one of a series carried out by an unknown party at a time of turmoil when the Baron has died and must be replaced by his daughter Tavi. Their allies are invited to renew their oaths and the Pax with the Zoarim must be renewed as well.
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