REVIEW: The Spire #2

Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Jeff Stokely
Colorist: Andre May
Letterer: Steve Wands
Editors: Eric Harburn and Cameron Chittock
Designer: Kelsey Dieterich
Publisher: BOOM! Studios

The Spire is set in an apocalyptic wasteland filled with a deadly atmosphere that its namesake city is a refuge from. The people of the Spire are preparing for a meeting with the “sculpted,”“ beings hinted at being artificially created to withstand the outside conditions, during the swearing in of a new baron the following day. However, a rogue assassin infiltrates the city, murdering several and leaving behind a peculiar and gruesome MO. Meanwhile the Zoarim, an archaic and bitter faction of religious zealots, cause trouble outside of the city walls. Everything is falling into chaos and Sha, the heroine of the story, is left to discover who is behind the attacks on the Spire.

The story of this comic is well crafted and layered with lore regarding the origins of the peoples, the structures, and the conflicts without shoving the details into the reader“s face. Simon Spurrier makes relatable characters with believable interactions that help the outlandish setting feel more natural and familiar. The art in The Spire is also very palatable. Jeff Stokely“s linework is simple and impressionistic, helping to aid the fantasy feel of the title. May“s colors are bright without being gaudy, containing just the right amount of shading and texture to drive home the decay of this world. All in all, the Spire is artistically solid, and said art might be one of the better selling points of the comic. The lettering in the issue does initially come off a bit wonky, mostly due to the balloons“ stark contrast to their softer background, but they do not detract from the overall work.

The Spire #2 is a fun read and the world is definitely worth exploring. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy complex fantasy or apocalyptic landscapes as a title to keep up with. It has a promising premise and is solid on all fronts. Besides that, those not familiar with Spurrier“s past works should expect quite a bit of character development and exploration.

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