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Mirror #6-10
Mirror: The Nest
Rejected by the paradise they sought to create, the survivors of the Irzah colony return to the utopian system they left, the Synchronia - but this is no joyous homecoming for them, nor for the sentient animals they have created. Finding this exiled crew a new home becomes a dangerous task for former admiral Elena Hagia.
EMMA RÍOS (I.D., PRETTY DEADLY) and HWEI LIM (LALAGE, HERO) conclude the tale of this unlikely alliance of people, sentient animals, and supernatural entities, a handful of disparate souls seeking a small corner of the universe to call their own.
Collects issues 6 through 10.
EMMA RÍOS (I.D., PRETTY DEADLY) and HWEI LIM (LALAGE, HERO) conclude the tale of this unlikely alliance of people, sentient animals, and supernatural entities, a handful of disparate souls seeking a small corner of the universe to call their own.
Collects issues 6 through 10.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2019
3 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Emma Ríos
137 books101 followersEmma Ríos Maneiro is a Spanish cartoonist and illustrator.
Rios was born in Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain in 1976 and early in her life developed an interest in drawing. She graduated in Architecture from the University of A Coruña.
Ríos worked as an architect for some years, while being active in the Spanish independent comics and fanzine scene. In particular, she self-publishing her comic book APB (A Prueba de Balas) (meaning: 'bulletproof') through the collective Polaqia.
In 2007 Ríos left her job as an architect to become a full-time comic book artist. Since then she has worked for various mainstream American publishers, such as Boom! Studios, Marvel, DC and Image Comics. At Image she co-created the series Mirror with Hwei Lim and Pretty Deadly with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. The latter comic book earned her an Eisner award for Best cover in 2020.
Rios was born in Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain in 1976 and early in her life developed an interest in drawing. She graduated in Architecture from the University of A Coruña.
Ríos worked as an architect for some years, while being active in the Spanish independent comics and fanzine scene. In particular, she self-publishing her comic book APB (A Prueba de Balas) (meaning: 'bulletproof') through the collective Polaqia.
In 2007 Ríos left her job as an architect to become a full-time comic book artist. Since then she has worked for various mainstream American publishers, such as Boom! Studios, Marvel, DC and Image Comics. At Image she co-created the series Mirror with Hwei Lim and Pretty Deadly with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. The latter comic book earned her an Eisner award for Best cover in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
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June 16, 2019A gorgeous, dreamlike thing, in which generals and elders and dead planets rub shoulders with gentle scenes of a sculptor reluctantly taking a young apprentice. There is much sense of import, but little tension, which may sound like a criticism but really isn't; my favourite Ghibli films are the ones lightest on plot and jeopardy, and there's some of the same restfulness to reading Mirror. True, my lack of grasp of what's going on may be because Edelweiss gave no indication it was a volume 2, and I haven't read volume 1. But in a sense it doesn't matter – I was intrigued rather than baffled by all the backstory I didn't know. In that sense, and in its classical reference points, this feels like the odd times I'd read a little out-of-context Trigan Empire as a kid, except done with an art style closer to Descender. And an art style which is a pleasant surprise, at that – when I saw Emma Rios was only writing, I was vexed, because who could possibly make an Emma Rios script look as mesmerisingly beautiful as Emma Rios does? Well, turns out Hwei Lim can, and does.
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
November 25, 2020
Cuando un lector español de cómic bucea entre los títulos independientes más importantes y aclamados de los últimos años, no dudo de que uno de ellos sea Mirror. No solo por sus preciosas portadas, si no por encontrar un nombre como el de la gallega Emma Ríos encabezando la portada junto a una desconocida Hwei Lim. Allá por 2016 se publicada el primer número de Mirror, una serie de Image Comics compilada actualmente en dos volúmenes cerrados que en España pueden leerse gracias a la excelente editorial Astiberri.
Mirror nació como una historia destinada a formar parte de 8House, una colección de historias formada por varias miniseries de temática fantástica y ciencia ficción, que planteaba arcos autoconclusivos retroalimentados entre sí. Sin embargo, la idea original de Emma Ríos y Hwei Lim llamó la atención de Image, proponiendo su publicación como serie independiente. Nacen así estos 10 números de Mirror que podemos leer actualmente, divididos en dos arcos argumentales titulados El reflejo de la montaña y El nido, que nos transportan hasta la Sincronía, un sistema planetario repleto de magia, seres divinos y alquimia.
Artículo de ambos volúmenes: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
Mirror nació como una historia destinada a formar parte de 8House, una colección de historias formada por varias miniseries de temática fantástica y ciencia ficción, que planteaba arcos autoconclusivos retroalimentados entre sí. Sin embargo, la idea original de Emma Ríos y Hwei Lim llamó la atención de Image, proponiendo su publicación como serie independiente. Nacen así estos 10 números de Mirror que podemos leer actualmente, divididos en dos arcos argumentales titulados El reflejo de la montaña y El nido, que nos transportan hasta la Sincronía, un sistema planetario repleto de magia, seres divinos y alquimia.
Artículo de ambos volúmenes: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
December 15, 2019
No podría tener mejor desenlace. Mirror: el nido mantiene la belleza y la perfección que tenía el anterior tomo. Me ha parecido una historia preciosa de principio a fin, a todos los niveles narrativos de los que dispone el medio.
September 29, 2021
Ahora que “Dune” vuelve a estar de moda, sería muy fácil encontrar influencias claras en cómics como “Mirror”. Creo que la primera parte está mejor resuelta y es más consistente, sobre todo visualmente. Sin embargo, para la segunda parte necesité dos lecturas para darme cuenta de las elecciones de estilo, visual y narrativo, el uso de flashbacks, cuándo dibuja una autora y cuándo otra…
Creo que el final está cerrado con prisa, pecando de mucha elipsis en la historia que luego se “soluciona” en los extras, casi como un Deus ex machina que no haría falta con un par de capítulos más. Especulando un poco, será cosa del formato de publicación original norteamericano, o el cierre temprano en función de las ventas de los números sueltos.
Sea como sea, hay cosas dignas de aplaudir: la introducción de personajes de género neutro y el lenguaje inclusivo (lo pasé por alto en la primera lectura); un dibujo limpio, una estructura de página estudiadamente compleja, que no pretende subestimar al lector; y un worldbuilding muy atractivo para los que no somos tan seguidores de la ciencia ficción espacial. Merece una tercera y una cuarta visita.
Creo que el final está cerrado con prisa, pecando de mucha elipsis en la historia que luego se “soluciona” en los extras, casi como un Deus ex machina que no haría falta con un par de capítulos más. Especulando un poco, será cosa del formato de publicación original norteamericano, o el cierre temprano en función de las ventas de los números sueltos.
Sea como sea, hay cosas dignas de aplaudir: la introducción de personajes de género neutro y el lenguaje inclusivo (lo pasé por alto en la primera lectura); un dibujo limpio, una estructura de página estudiadamente compleja, que no pretende subestimar al lector; y un worldbuilding muy atractivo para los que no somos tan seguidores de la ciencia ficción espacial. Merece una tercera y una cuarta visita.
September 19, 2020
La historia me ha resultado algo confusa, y el arte de Hwei Lim, si bien es bellísimo, no ha ayudado mucho a seguir la narración. Quizá tenga que volver a leer los 2 volúmenes para entender bien este desenlace.
June 5, 2019
Under the publication of Image Comics, artist Emma Ríos has been successful, from collaborating with Kelly Sue DeConnick on Pretty Deadly to co-editing alongside Brandon Graham on the monthly comics anthology Island. However, taking on writing duties whilst collaborating with Malaysian artist Hwei Lim on the science-fantasy comic Mirror, the first volume became a shallow experience with great art, but a confusing story. With this second volume, which concludes said confusing story, history seems to repeat itself.
Please click here for my full review.
Please click here for my full review.
August 29, 2019
This graphic novel tells a very interesting tale with a mixture of gods, refugees, and politics. I loved the characters and the story. I had a difficult time viewing certain boards. To pinpoint the exact boards, it was whenever they stepped into the god realms. It looked like an elaborate watercolor. I think I was 80% of the way through until I understood what was happening in those frames. It was not easy to discern anything when that artwork was used. I preferred the clean cut artwork where you can make out the scene and the characters. The watercolor pages were just a blob of a mess. I really think this graphic novel is a great story. I just was not too keen on some of the artwork, because I could not make out anything.
[I received an eARC of this publication through Edelweiss.]
[I received an eARC of this publication through Edelweiss.]
March 6, 2024
This was slightly better than the previous volume. The art was more structured and it helped guide the reader more. Still, the story is very rushed and confusing. Better exposition and pacing than the first volume, but still terrible to actually engage with.
November 10, 2019
I think I need to reread both volumes of this series back to back at some point and see if it changes my experience, but I found what was going on abit hard to follow at times during this volume. The art and world building are both beautifully crafted though!
October 8, 2022
I don't quite know what to do with this - 3, maybe 2 1/2 stars?
Visually stunning but narratively obscure, this TPB is quite the dilemma. I picked it up on the strength of the artwork and only after I started reading found out it was a #6. There was no obvious warning on the cover and though it said charter six inside the cover I was not sure if that was a writing tactic or real because timelines are fuzzy in this book. We jump around ALL over the place throughout, I never did become clear about any sort of timeline; 'Two years later' shows the same age child as the previous pages. Past/present/future blend and so do the characters. Only when I was about 2/3 through could I even start to figure out what the plot was.
The artwork however is beautiful! Watercolour style is used, I think, for 'past' narration and in the (possible) past it is classic watercolour art without heavy outlining. This is perfect for the ornamental backgrounds, denoting mood and movement and even for character emotions. It is less good for figuring out which character is which. I usually had no idea, at least in the first half of the book, who was who in these segments. Could not always even track the character by the colour of their garments - I tired!
The segments that MAY be 'present' (or a different past, or, IDK, future?) are also watercolour style, but here using outlining and consistent use of colour so that I could generally follow a single character from panel to panel with confidence that it was the same character. I still rarely had any idea what they were doing or why, but, well, still pretty.
The plot as far as I can tell: There is a character that is a little girl (past?) who lost her finger somehow to a big bad terrible thing that wants to infiltrate and eat the universe. She is green for some reason, except when she isn't. Then she is also an old woman trapped in some non-oxygen other dimension. Except when she isn't.
In a effort to stop the big bad from eating the universe, a military space ship convoy was sent somewhere to do something. Unclear on what. Having done the something (probably, as the universe does not end), the captain? admiral? commander? of the mission disappeared? abdicated? with followers to an asteroid to build intelligent animal human melds. Think 'furry culture' here.
The big bad thing is also on that asteroid, except it is neither big nor bad anymore. Then, many years later the asteroid... something bad for some reason.... the exiles try to return to return home with a captain who is probably the same one, though another guy with a different name is still on the asteroid, possibly dead....
You get the picture. Regularly, I had to flip back pages to try and make sense of what I was reading. It did not always do much good. It was all rather like trying to read classic Russian literature while dead drunk, though I promise I was entirely sober here.
At the end (I think it was a happily ever after, though I am unclear as to the means of it or the location), I found a diagram of The Synchronia (the, like, space federation or whatever) which would have been really useful at the beginning. Then I found a - beautifully drawn - cast of characters which taught me that some of the things I had thought were names, actually were titles, (explaining why people who seemed identical were being called different things; confusing me no end) and that some of the things I thought were people, were not and vice versa.
There was also a - again beautifully drawn - list of all the animals (sentient animals) and their titles, which might be more relevant in chapters 1 - 6 as most of these characters barely appear here, and some not at all...
Look! It was beautiful and I don't want to be nasty, it feels like a true work of love - unlike many TPCs these days who have all the soul of a plastic spoon. Maybe, if one had read the first one the story would be as lovely as the art, a warning on the cover might cut down confusion?
Visually stunning but narratively obscure, this TPB is quite the dilemma. I picked it up on the strength of the artwork and only after I started reading found out it was a #6. There was no obvious warning on the cover and though it said charter six inside the cover I was not sure if that was a writing tactic or real because timelines are fuzzy in this book. We jump around ALL over the place throughout, I never did become clear about any sort of timeline; 'Two years later' shows the same age child as the previous pages. Past/present/future blend and so do the characters. Only when I was about 2/3 through could I even start to figure out what the plot was.
The artwork however is beautiful! Watercolour style is used, I think, for 'past' narration and in the (possible) past it is classic watercolour art without heavy outlining. This is perfect for the ornamental backgrounds, denoting mood and movement and even for character emotions. It is less good for figuring out which character is which. I usually had no idea, at least in the first half of the book, who was who in these segments. Could not always even track the character by the colour of their garments - I tired!
The segments that MAY be 'present' (or a different past, or, IDK, future?) are also watercolour style, but here using outlining and consistent use of colour so that I could generally follow a single character from panel to panel with confidence that it was the same character. I still rarely had any idea what they were doing or why, but, well, still pretty.
The plot as far as I can tell: There is a character that is a little girl (past?) who lost her finger somehow to a big bad terrible thing that wants to infiltrate and eat the universe. She is green for some reason, except when she isn't. Then she is also an old woman trapped in some non-oxygen other dimension. Except when she isn't.
In a effort to stop the big bad from eating the universe, a military space ship convoy was sent somewhere to do something. Unclear on what. Having done the something (probably, as the universe does not end), the captain? admiral? commander? of the mission disappeared? abdicated? with followers to an asteroid to build intelligent animal human melds. Think 'furry culture' here.
The big bad thing is also on that asteroid, except it is neither big nor bad anymore. Then, many years later the asteroid... something bad for some reason.... the exiles try to return to return home with a captain who is probably the same one, though another guy with a different name is still on the asteroid, possibly dead....
You get the picture. Regularly, I had to flip back pages to try and make sense of what I was reading. It did not always do much good. It was all rather like trying to read classic Russian literature while dead drunk, though I promise I was entirely sober here.
At the end (I think it was a happily ever after, though I am unclear as to the means of it or the location), I found a diagram of The Synchronia (the, like, space federation or whatever) which would have been really useful at the beginning. Then I found a - beautifully drawn - cast of characters which taught me that some of the things I had thought were names, actually were titles, (explaining why people who seemed identical were being called different things; confusing me no end) and that some of the things I thought were people, were not and vice versa.
There was also a - again beautifully drawn - list of all the animals (sentient animals) and their titles, which might be more relevant in chapters 1 - 6 as most of these characters barely appear here, and some not at all...
Look! It was beautiful and I don't want to be nasty, it feels like a true work of love - unlike many TPCs these days who have all the soul of a plastic spoon. Maybe, if one had read the first one the story would be as lovely as the art, a warning on the cover might cut down confusion?
March 28, 2021
Tengo una sensación ambivalente con el desenlace de Mirror. Por una parte me ha maravillado el arte de la obra y unos personajes que representan distintos sentimientos que las personas podemos reconocer y que en Mirror desgarran y conmueven por sus principios y capacidad de ir más allá de lo que se espera de ellos.
Ahora bien, la trama es deliberadamente críptica, fragmentaria, ambigüa en su simbología y con una profusión de personajes que, sinceramente, no hacía falta. Esto no implica que la trama sea hermética para ocultar sus carencias, esta es compleja. Pero, la verdad, es posible armar el puzle sin llevar al lector a callejones sin salida que obligan a la relectura. En este aspecto la tijera habría venido bien. A pesar de esto, la trama de Mirror es suficientemente sugerente para conmover por hablar de miedos y esperanzas que todo humano ha sentido alguna vez.
Ahora bien, la trama es deliberadamente críptica, fragmentaria, ambigüa en su simbología y con una profusión de personajes que, sinceramente, no hacía falta. Esto no implica que la trama sea hermética para ocultar sus carencias, esta es compleja. Pero, la verdad, es posible armar el puzle sin llevar al lector a callejones sin salida que obligan a la relectura. En este aspecto la tijera habría venido bien. A pesar de esto, la trama de Mirror es suficientemente sugerente para conmover por hablar de miedos y esperanzas que todo humano ha sentido alguna vez.
August 7, 2022
The art in this book is beautiful, but its storytelling is incoherent. It doesn't help that the plot jumps all over the timeline so you're never sure where in the story something is actually happening.
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December 31, 2020Me reservo la nota de este para la relectura, que le han metido fuerte al acelerador y me he enterado de lo justo.
September 3, 2020
The story may seem scattered and not as tight as the first volume but everything comes together beautifully at the end. The journey through the gorgeous pages is a poignant meditation on identity and sacrifice that I think I will never be able to forget. I know there are people who reviewed that the constant switch between past events and present events is confusing and fails to draw them in but I have grown up on media that taught what was sown in the past will affect the present, and The Mirror is of the same message, so I was not as dissuaded. In fact, this has caused me to love it even more.
Definitely the most beautiful comic series I've read and I'm always in awe of and in love with Hwei's art, especially here where she uses watercolour elements that helped to draw out the themes (the flow of past to present, the greying of boundaries between human and animals / the Other) even more than the first volume. Here, the message is in the art as the past and the present, human and animal / the Other are painted together on the same page, like a mirror reflection.
Definitely the most beautiful comic series I've read and I'm always in awe of and in love with Hwei's art, especially here where she uses watercolour elements that helped to draw out the themes (the flow of past to present, the greying of boundaries between human and animals / the Other) even more than the first volume. Here, the message is in the art as the past and the present, human and animal / the Other are painted together on the same page, like a mirror reflection.
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August 5, 2019Appreciate what Ríos and Lim are trying to do with this comic. Telling a very personal story in a complex universe without resorting to any tedious world-building. However, in the absence of such world-building, it becomes difficult to parse out the narrative we're following. And though I can be ok with a lack of narrative in a comic, this one lacked much of any emotional payoff as I didn't understand the stakes or the characters' feelings at any time. Lim's art is really moving in her watercolor portrayals of a magic-infused multi-world story with warped humans and unexplained mages. In a universe of immortality and beings that exist out if time, it makes sense that it would be difficult to peg down something that we should care about. Maybe I'll return to this universe if Lim and Ríos keep at it. Perhaps with the former colonizers now settled into a home they'll once again be able to develop an interiority deserving of the experimental, but mostly confusing, visuals.
May 7, 2021
I did not care for this graphic novel or its prequel, Mirror: The Mountain. I found the story just a little too weird to follow, and the artwork a little too loose and sloppy. (though the watercolors did improve immensely in this volume). And yet, I could see what the creators were doing here, and I imagine, for those who are on their wavelength, Mirror will provide a fascinating and rewarding reading experience. It didn't do that for me, but this is one book that I am powerless to knock for that.
June 15, 2019
Yes, the art drew me to this. I love this almost watercolor style. Though the art may be too muted for this story; if the story is a dystopia. The story is very loose and boring. Why did paradise reject them? Who’s the main character? Whose story am I supposed to be following? It lost me at the 40% mark. The art is stunning but ignore the story or lack thereof.
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2022
A beautiful read, greatly expands and concludss plot from previous volume. I wouldn't mind it being longer to show more characters interactions, but I have learned that graphic novels are unfortunately often quite limited with their length, especially considering that such beautiful and dream like art like in The Mirror definitely takes a lot of time and effort.
September 30, 2022
It was hard to follow and jumped around so much I had to go back nearly every few pages to make sure I didn’t miss something. It was a good story and the art is beautiful, so I’d love a written version.
November 26, 2019
great conclusion that clears up a LOT of confusion with the last book, but can still be pretty difficult to follow at times, specifically on the watercolor pages.
December 10, 2019
most amazing layouts ever!!!!
July 13, 2020
I could not finish this book. I thought story was incoherent in vol 1... well, well, well.... this is even worse. I gave up after two issues. I just could not.
August 30, 2020
loved the illustrations and many of the ideas but found the storyline hard to follow perhaps because this is not the first book in the series
December 31, 2023
1.5 stars
April 28, 2024
Una historia fantástica, en todos los sentidos. El dibujo espectacular.
May 13, 2024
Es muy lindo pero demasiado enredado de leer. Lo terminé porque es visualmente atractivo y porque lo había comprado en un viaje especial, si no hubiera sido así, lo habría dejado de lado.
October 29, 2024
This is still the most beautifully illustrated graphic novel series I've ever read. This time around, I was still invested in the characters and impressed by Rios' world building in volume 2, but I felt that these issues didn't really stand alone plot-wise. Instead, they mostly functioned as short prequel- and sequel-extensions of volume 1.
August 11, 2019
Relectura 09/08/2019 4.5/5
Me iba a poner a explicar por qué en relectura ha ganado muchísimo y por qué deberíais leer este cómic que parece que (por desgracia) está pasando un poco desapercibido, pero parece que significa demasiado para mí como para poder dejar aquí algo coherente. Cuando llevaba cerca de mil palabras de comentario me di cuenta de que necesito hablar de este cómic (de los dos volúmenes) con calma y que este no es el formato que mejor me viene para ello. Pronto reseña en el podcast.
3.5/5
Voy a necesitar darle una relectura para valorarlo mejor, la trama es muy compleja y se me ha hecho complicado de seguir. El dibujo es incluso mejor que en el primer tomo, combinando dos estilos marcadamente distintos para diferenciar entre el presente narrativo y los flashbacks (este último grupo me da la sensación de que está dibujado por Ríos, pero no estoy seguro). El guión se me ha hecho más flojillo que en el primer tomo: no se cual es el contexto de publicación de esta serie (quizá tenían pensado contarla en más números?) pero lo cierto es que en este segundo tomo quieren contar tantas cosas que al final se pierde gran parte del desarrollo de personajes que en el primero eran completamente centrales, y la caracterización de los que ahora toman más protagonismo también queda desdibujada en algunos casos.
Como digo, voy a necesitar una relectura para valorarlo como merece, pero sea como sea lo cierto es que «Mirror» como historia completa es una fantasía; un cómic precioso que me ha vuelto a sacar un lagrimita con el final. Lo he disfrutado mucho.
Me iba a poner a explicar por qué en relectura ha ganado muchísimo y por qué deberíais leer este cómic que parece que (por desgracia) está pasando un poco desapercibido, pero parece que significa demasiado para mí como para poder dejar aquí algo coherente. Cuando llevaba cerca de mil palabras de comentario me di cuenta de que necesito hablar de este cómic (de los dos volúmenes) con calma y que este no es el formato que mejor me viene para ello. Pronto reseña en el podcast.
3.5/5
Voy a necesitar darle una relectura para valorarlo mejor, la trama es muy compleja y se me ha hecho complicado de seguir. El dibujo es incluso mejor que en el primer tomo, combinando dos estilos marcadamente distintos para diferenciar entre el presente narrativo y los flashbacks (este último grupo me da la sensación de que está dibujado por Ríos, pero no estoy seguro). El guión se me ha hecho más flojillo que en el primer tomo: no se cual es el contexto de publicación de esta serie (quizá tenían pensado contarla en más números?) pero lo cierto es que en este segundo tomo quieren contar tantas cosas que al final se pierde gran parte del desarrollo de personajes que en el primero eran completamente centrales, y la caracterización de los que ahora toman más protagonismo también queda desdibujada en algunos casos.
Como digo, voy a necesitar una relectura para valorarlo como merece, pero sea como sea lo cierto es que «Mirror» como historia completa es una fantasía; un cómic precioso que me ha vuelto a sacar un lagrimita con el final. Lo he disfrutado mucho.
October 16, 2019
Hay que leerse el primero para refrescar la memoria. Por lo demás sigue estando fetén. Las ilustraciones son increíbles.
November 20, 2019
Compleja historia llena de dilemas morales y culpa arrastrada
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