A review by jbeoin
Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Notes: this comic delves into the subject of missing and murdered Indigenous women, grief, loss of a parent, anti-Indigenous racism, mention of residential schools, white social worker with Indigenous family, sick family member

Oh man, where to start for this review. It’s a short comic, so I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling it. It’s definitely a comic about a heavy topic, but I think the creators brought with it a sense of love and care for both the characters and the audience. 

I think the art in particular demonstrated this with the constant presence of protective and loving ancestors throughout the pages. It was clear that these characters, no matter how alone they seemed in the moment, were deeply cared for and loved. I also really appreciated the way the white ancestors were portrayed, too– that, unfortunately, really resonated with me. 

Another thing that really moved me about Natasha Donovan’s art was seeing all the ancestors represented in the environment and how the juxtaposition of them next to the living really highlighted who and what is missing. It was a really powerful way a constant reminder of what has happened to the people here and how it has impacted so many and so much.

I think the story was well crafted and full of depth. I appreciated that Tasha Spillett was able to introduce us to so many relationships and give insight into the lives of these characters beyond the pages we saw them in, giving the world a well-lived-in feeling. I didn’t realize that this was only a 60 page comic before reading, so I was taken aback by the pace of the story at first, but going over it again, it made sense to me. 

Definitely recommend checking this comic out!