A review by wardenred
Aerial Magic - Season I by Ari North

hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

You're where you are right now because you reached out. And then you reached out again and again and again. It isn't luck that you found the right teacher; it's because you kept on reaching out and you refused to stop until you found someone who reached back.

I adore slice-of-life fantasy, and this webcomic is a perfect example of it. It's a story about a textblind witch who pursues an apprenticeship at a magic shop instead of going to university, and there's so much magic and warmth here. 

I loved how each character gained more depth every time they showed up on the page. Everyone who surrounds Wisteria, from her new teacher to her father (who mostly shows up in flashback and a long-distance conversation) to her crow familiar felt wonderfully well-developed.

What I loved almost more was the worldbuilding; the magic system based on the objects' memories and all the small details that brought the world to life, including a brief acknowledgment of time zones. And, of course, it was great to spend time in such a queernorm and otherwise inclusive world. I love fantasy settings that deal with disabilities by inventing ways magic can help with accessibility instead of simply providing magical insta-cures.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, and the way panels/pages flow into each other made me feel more like I was watching an animated movie than reading a comic. And there's beautiful music, too! :)