Comics Review: Steven Universe #17

Is this story worth the escapism?

 

Overview (Possible Spoilers Below)

Taking place after the events of Raising the Barn, Peridot with her Pumpkin Pet sulk to themselves in Steven’s bathroom about their falling out with Lapis, only for Steven to check on her with a new videogame to try out called “Golf Quest” which at first seems fine, but when Peridot starts getting a little too-focused on the game to the point that Steven and the Gems express actual concern for her mental state after discovering that Peridot devoted an entire day without taking so much as a break or putting the damn controller down…

Our Take

Once again, we’re graced with the joint-efforts of writer Grace Kraft and recurring artist Rii Abrego who consistently knows how to keep things familiar & fun with the proceedings by effectively utilizing fresh stories that have “lost episode” potential each time I read an issue, and that’s a good thing.

The inner-turmoil Peridot is currently experiencing after the events of “Raising the Barn” seems relatable enough when you compare her emotional state to the various forms of escapism we often use to keep ourselves distracted from the messed up moments in our lives. Some people call it being “In the Zone” but others see it as a coping mechanism to the point that we can easily get lost or fixated through heavy amounts of binge-watching a tv show, music, video games, etc.

If there’s anything I can take from this story the most, is that it helps to take a break once in a while to experience the outside world with people in your circle who’ll go the extra mile to be there for you when you reach your lowest. There’s nothing inherently wrong with various forms of entertainment for escapism. But at the end of the day, it’s better to have it in small doses.

Score
8.5/10