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Steven Universe: Harmony
When an ancient Diamond Authority artifact accidentally gets activated, Steven, Sadie, and the Crystal Gems must work together to deactivate the Harmony Core before it destroys earth.
Steven and the Crystal Gems embark on an epic musical journey after the Harmony Core, an ancient Diamond Authority artifact, accidentally activates on Earth, capturing the people of Beach City. As Steven becomes responsible for bubbling each Harmony Core, he’ll learn that the only way to stop it is through the power of song.
Join musician and writer S.M. Vidaurri (Adventure Time™, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller) and artist Mollie Rose (Weeds) as Steven and the Crystal Gems put on the show of their lives to save everyone in Beach City and the entire Earth!
Steven and the Crystal Gems embark on an epic musical journey after the Harmony Core, an ancient Diamond Authority artifact, accidentally activates on Earth, capturing the people of Beach City. As Steven becomes responsible for bubbling each Harmony Core, he’ll learn that the only way to stop it is through the power of song.
Join musician and writer S.M. Vidaurri (Adventure Time™, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller) and artist Mollie Rose (Weeds) as Steven and the Crystal Gems put on the show of their lives to save everyone in Beach City and the entire Earth!
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2019
3 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Vidaurri
28 books17 followersMy apartment is filled with many animals. I like romance novels, superhero movies, rooms filled with plants and peach iced tea.
My first graphic novel Iron: Or The War After was published in 2012 and was nominated for the Graphic Album category in the Pépites 2013 Salon de Montreuil.
I read a lot, but for the purposes of my reviews on here, I'll only be writing about the books I absolutely loved, in the hope to support the authors I admire.
My first graphic novel Iron: Or The War After was published in 2012 and was nominated for the Graphic Album category in the Pépites 2013 Salon de Montreuil.
I read a lot, but for the purposes of my reviews on here, I'll only be writing about the books I absolutely loved, in the hope to support the authors I admire.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 9, 2020
Some of the character moments were pretty good and make reading the book worthwhile, but the plot is a flimsy relic quest to stop a doomsday device and the attempt to make a musical in comic book form just doesn't succeed for me with the odd lyrics and no sense of the tune to which they are set.
December 8, 2019
Fun! Having all the crystal gem fusions at different points felt a little fan service-y, but other than that this really felt like an episode.
September 25, 2019
Steven Universe: Harmony is out as a trade paperback book. You can get this book to enjoy the story if you missed the paper issues!
The interior art has some color-altered images from the story.
HARMONY begins when the Topazes accidentally knock an ancient Gem artifact off the shelf and activate it. Unbeknownst to them (or our Gems), this heart-shaped object is the Harmony Core, and the activation of one Core “wakes up” all the others of its kind. Guess what planet happens to have a few lost Cores?
Meanwhile, Sadie’s missing Lars and stays busy with her band (which includes Steven in this reality). Steven gets pulled away to go on a mission to capture an activated Harmony Core on Earth. They find out that it’s dangerous to touch, but Steven’s bubble can temporarily contain it. Dang! Steven can’t go to band practice! Guess who attends in his place?
[Hint: Yes, it's Peridot.]
[Hint: No, it doesn’t go well.]
Unfortunately, when the Harmony Core erupts with a golden light and a humming noise, random nearby humans are immobilized and stricken with the same glowing and humming.
When Part Two starts, we find that affected humans are in a weird limbo place where they can interact with each other but can’t leave. Steven’s dealing with it by holding the Core himself and re-bubbling it every time it goes off. He soon realizes that he can use his powers to communicate with the trapped humans. Amethyst subs for Steven and Sour Cream at band practice next, while he stays behind trying to connect with the Core and uncover its mysteries. The rest of the Gems go off to search for information about the Core where they found it, leaving Connie to guard Steven. After a violent battle with robot sentries, they come back and find that Connie has been overwhelmed by attacking sentries and trapped by the Core, and Amethyst has protected Steven by letting herself get trapped by the Core.
In Part Three, they search for humans who have been affected so they can get them to safety. Steven realized while in the Core space that there are tons of other Cores. Pearl and Peridot go on a mission to find them while Garnet tries to keep Steven from worrying himself sick so he can be prepared for what’s coming. Pearl and Peridot find another Core, but Peridot makes a mistake and gets sucked into it. Pearl brings her inert Gem back, searches for Steven (he’s visiting comatose humans at the hospital), and connects with Sadie’s band…which leads her to an epiphany. Pearl brings the Cores together and fuses them, teaches Steven a melody to remember, and then allows herself to get absorbed. Then, through music, they hope to solve the problem with harmonics.
In Part Four, the Harmony Core begins to emit music that allows Steven to harmonize with it. Music must be how the Core is controlled! They can make a harmony that will neutralize the Cores on Earth, but Amethyst points out that there could be many others stuck inside Cores wherever they were used out in space. She wants to help them. The plan works to let the humans reawaken. Meanwhile, Garnet and Lion battle robots to get the last Core.
Finally, Steven and his friends are planning to amplify their harmony to release prisoners in space. Pearl makes a self-sacrificial decision and stays inside the Core to control it, but when they amplify the signal, it activates a security robot.
Finally, in Part Five, the Gems fight the robot, and Sadie’s band distracts it with music. Pearl on the inside and everyone else on the outside makes a harmony that brings Pearl back out, and they use all their weapons and a guitar to beat the robot. The Harmony Core gets sucked up into space and almost takes Sadie with it! But the Gems save her and shoot the escaping core with an arrow. Some of the experiences fighting to save the world inspire Sadie in her songwriting.
We get some little epilogues of Lars thinking of Sadie in space and Blue Diamond acknowledging the destruction of the Harmony Core (and how much it doesn’t matter because they don’t use them to subdue organics anymore).
The end pages have all the covers! Marguerite Sauvage’s main covers are first, and then Savanna Ganucheau’s cool connecting subscription covers. And at the end are the three extra variants for issue 1 by Veronica Fish, Brittney Williams, and Sara Talmadge.
There is no other bonus content in the book. Just a nice story if you enjoyed or wanted to read HARMONY! It’s a little square volume and the colors are brilliant, the art is consistent and original, and though I personally found the story kind of convoluted, it’s worth reading for all the lovely moments with the characters we know and love.
The interior art has some color-altered images from the story.
HARMONY begins when the Topazes accidentally knock an ancient Gem artifact off the shelf and activate it. Unbeknownst to them (or our Gems), this heart-shaped object is the Harmony Core, and the activation of one Core “wakes up” all the others of its kind. Guess what planet happens to have a few lost Cores?
Meanwhile, Sadie’s missing Lars and stays busy with her band (which includes Steven in this reality). Steven gets pulled away to go on a mission to capture an activated Harmony Core on Earth. They find out that it’s dangerous to touch, but Steven’s bubble can temporarily contain it. Dang! Steven can’t go to band practice! Guess who attends in his place?
[Hint: Yes, it's Peridot.]
[Hint: No, it doesn’t go well.]
Unfortunately, when the Harmony Core erupts with a golden light and a humming noise, random nearby humans are immobilized and stricken with the same glowing and humming.
When Part Two starts, we find that affected humans are in a weird limbo place where they can interact with each other but can’t leave. Steven’s dealing with it by holding the Core himself and re-bubbling it every time it goes off. He soon realizes that he can use his powers to communicate with the trapped humans. Amethyst subs for Steven and Sour Cream at band practice next, while he stays behind trying to connect with the Core and uncover its mysteries. The rest of the Gems go off to search for information about the Core where they found it, leaving Connie to guard Steven. After a violent battle with robot sentries, they come back and find that Connie has been overwhelmed by attacking sentries and trapped by the Core, and Amethyst has protected Steven by letting herself get trapped by the Core.
In Part Three, they search for humans who have been affected so they can get them to safety. Steven realized while in the Core space that there are tons of other Cores. Pearl and Peridot go on a mission to find them while Garnet tries to keep Steven from worrying himself sick so he can be prepared for what’s coming. Pearl and Peridot find another Core, but Peridot makes a mistake and gets sucked into it. Pearl brings her inert Gem back, searches for Steven (he’s visiting comatose humans at the hospital), and connects with Sadie’s band…which leads her to an epiphany. Pearl brings the Cores together and fuses them, teaches Steven a melody to remember, and then allows herself to get absorbed. Then, through music, they hope to solve the problem with harmonics.
In Part Four, the Harmony Core begins to emit music that allows Steven to harmonize with it. Music must be how the Core is controlled! They can make a harmony that will neutralize the Cores on Earth, but Amethyst points out that there could be many others stuck inside Cores wherever they were used out in space. She wants to help them. The plan works to let the humans reawaken. Meanwhile, Garnet and Lion battle robots to get the last Core.
Finally, Steven and his friends are planning to amplify their harmony to release prisoners in space. Pearl makes a self-sacrificial decision and stays inside the Core to control it, but when they amplify the signal, it activates a security robot.
Finally, in Part Five, the Gems fight the robot, and Sadie’s band distracts it with music. Pearl on the inside and everyone else on the outside makes a harmony that brings Pearl back out, and they use all their weapons and a guitar to beat the robot. The Harmony Core gets sucked up into space and almost takes Sadie with it! But the Gems save her and shoot the escaping core with an arrow. Some of the experiences fighting to save the world inspire Sadie in her songwriting.
We get some little epilogues of Lars thinking of Sadie in space and Blue Diamond acknowledging the destruction of the Harmony Core (and how much it doesn’t matter because they don’t use them to subdue organics anymore).
The end pages have all the covers! Marguerite Sauvage’s main covers are first, and then Savanna Ganucheau’s cool connecting subscription covers. And at the end are the three extra variants for issue 1 by Veronica Fish, Brittney Williams, and Sara Talmadge.
There is no other bonus content in the book. Just a nice story if you enjoyed or wanted to read HARMONY! It’s a little square volume and the colors are brilliant, the art is consistent and original, and though I personally found the story kind of convoluted, it’s worth reading for all the lovely moments with the characters we know and love.
August 20, 2021
My favourite of the Steven Universe Comics by FAR.
The voices were on point, the art was beautiful, and the story felt like it could've been another movie. I loved all the songs and I wished like hell this actually was a movie so I could hear the cast singing them. So many sweet moments, pulling at heart strings moments, and so. Many. Fusions. That was such a treat let me tell you. We saw everyone but Stevonnie and Smokey Quartz (I think), and it was wonderful to see those faces and personalities again.
I loved the prominence of Sadie and the Cool Kids as well; Buck in particular had top tier dialogue every time he opened his mouth. Poor Sadie is still struggling with "losing" Lars and her old life, and she's a strong woman, but goddamn it she wants her boyfriend (?) back. It was good watching her work through that like we saw in the show. The fantastic Connie was featured heavily here too, so there's some instant bonus points. Steven Universe really great their side characters well, and I'll always enjoy watching their time in the spotlight.
The story was well written; full and told in chapters like an actual entire episode instead of the shallow dives we usually see in these comics. I ate up this format. I'm not sure if there are other like it, but I'll be looking into it for sure.
What kept getting me was how true the voices sounded. When Amethyst spoke it was in her exact voice in my head because of course Amethyst would talk in that tone with those words. Steven talked like Steven, Greg worried like Greg, Peridot even laughed the exact right way! That contributed so much to the immersion into the world. Everyone had their own problems to deal with (Amethyst's self doubt and sensitivity about being different, Pearl losing Rose and gaining Steven, Peri just not getting Earth/humans), but they all worked together for this goal, and it felt very natural.
Massive recommend for any SU fan (presuming you're into Season 5, 'cause there are a fair few legit spoilers).
Read for the 2021 1000 Doors Readathon!
The voices were on point, the art was beautiful, and the story felt like it could've been another movie. I loved all the songs and I wished like hell this actually was a movie so I could hear the cast singing them. So many sweet moments, pulling at heart strings moments, and so. Many. Fusions. That was such a treat let me tell you. We saw everyone but Stevonnie and Smokey Quartz (I think), and it was wonderful to see those faces and personalities again.
I loved the prominence of Sadie and the Cool Kids as well; Buck in particular had top tier dialogue every time he opened his mouth. Poor Sadie is still struggling with "losing" Lars and her old life, and she's a strong woman, but goddamn it she wants her boyfriend (?) back. It was good watching her work through that like we saw in the show. The fantastic Connie was featured heavily here too, so there's some instant bonus points. Steven Universe really great their side characters well, and I'll always enjoy watching their time in the spotlight.
The story was well written; full and told in chapters like an actual entire episode instead of the shallow dives we usually see in these comics. I ate up this format. I'm not sure if there are other like it, but I'll be looking into it for sure.
What kept getting me was how true the voices sounded. When Amethyst spoke it was in her exact voice in my head because of course Amethyst would talk in that tone with those words. Steven talked like Steven, Greg worried like Greg, Peridot even laughed the exact right way! That contributed so much to the immersion into the world. Everyone had their own problems to deal with (Amethyst's self doubt and sensitivity about being different, Pearl losing Rose and gaining Steven, Peri just not getting Earth/humans), but they all worked together for this goal, and it felt very natural.
Massive recommend for any SU fan (presuming you're into Season 5, 'cause there are a fair few legit spoilers).
Read for the 2021 1000 Doors Readathon!
October 10, 2019
I'm a little bummed that such a music-heavy story-line ended up getting done as a comic and not an episode! It was a good read though. I love Sadie. Bummer that she was left off the cover!
September 25, 2019
This is the compilation of the five-issue Harmony comics that came out in 2018. The different art style was really interesting to peruse; I enjoyed the artist's interpretation of the characters, considering it's so different from the original but completely recognizable nonetheless. Slightly less cartoony and three-dimensional. I was also really impressed by how well the author knew the characters--many of the lines channeled the energy of specific scenes and lines from the show, and all of their motivations and interactions felt right (especially Steven's self-sacrificial helpfulness, to which Garnet is a healthy balance). I also really liked seeing some interactions you don't often see, like Pearl and Peridot going on a mission together, Connie and Garnet pairing up for fighting, and Peridot, Amethyst, and Pearl all taking a turn to play music with Sadie's band. And who doesn't love the treat of seeing all those Fusions? We got Sugilite, Opal, Alexandrite, Sardonyx . . . the gang's (almost) all here!
I have to admit getting a little lost on the plot though. The logic of the Harmony Core felt very weird, and I'm not sure how I felt about all those random temples on Earth (whose are they??), and if I'm not mistaken the final motivation to amplify their song to bring Harmony Cores to Earth (under the assumption that they could be holding trapped Gems) did not work and they just dropped the idea? Finding a way to have every main character participate in music as a vital element to solving the conflict also sometimes felt like it was trying too hard. I liked a lot of the scenes but I didn't really enjoy the overall story that much.
I have to admit getting a little lost on the plot though. The logic of the Harmony Core felt very weird, and I'm not sure how I felt about all those random temples on Earth (whose are they??), and if I'm not mistaken the final motivation to amplify their song to bring Harmony Cores to Earth (under the assumption that they could be holding trapped Gems) did not work and they just dropped the idea? Finding a way to have every main character participate in music as a vital element to solving the conflict also sometimes felt like it was trying too hard. I liked a lot of the scenes but I didn't really enjoy the overall story that much.
January 8, 2020
This graphic novel of Steven Universe truly felt like an extension of the TV shows, as though it could easily have been the subject of an arc. Across the galaxy, a gem is accidentally activated. The repercussions are felt all the way on Earth, where a mysterious gem begins to glow, and has adverse effects on the human population, as well as on some of the gems. How can it be solved? And will Steven still make it to rehearsal?
Overall just a really lovely book, I greatly enjoyed reading it.
Overall just a really lovely book, I greatly enjoyed reading it.
November 12, 2020
I liked this Steven Universe book a lot! It felt like a special or movie I would've watched on Cartoon Network. I really enjoyed the art style, too. I only wish the songs had had some notes I could have sung along to, because I had to make up the melodies in my head.
September 17, 2025
4.75
It was so wonderful to revisit Beach City with a new story. I've missed these characters. The characterization is spot on in this one. Beautiful art. Now I want to read all the other parts of this series. So nostalgic💕
It was so wonderful to revisit Beach City with a new story. I've missed these characters. The characterization is spot on in this one. Beautiful art. Now I want to read all the other parts of this series. So nostalgic💕
October 6, 2019
The new take on the character designs was interesting but a big part of the plot seems to either be dropped (or resolved in a way that wasn't clear).
December 18, 2019
Definitely felt like a lost arc of the series.
February 4, 2020
This has such great artwork . It is an easy read but just make sure you check out the art.
June 29, 2020
these are great books
December 31, 2021
Low quality plot. Felt like they were pushing it.
December 19, 2022
I always love that Steven Universe very thoughtfully shows kids a good way to be and that being yourself, with passion and kindness, is the best way to be.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews