Harbourmaster: By Wayward

Read if you like

• Meandering small town sci-fi
• A queer future
• Excellent writing

In many ways my favorite webcomics are the meandering ones, slowly working their way through subtly complex plots with a likable cast who help fill in the gaps between revelations. And in this quasi-genre of gently paced character studies, Harbourmaster from Wayward Martian Graphics reigns supreme by my estimate. A sci-fi comic about a small port city on a small colony world and the unlikely pair running it, Harbourmaster tells a story of what it means to be a good person as its complicated and oftentimes flawed cast meander their way through an increasingly unexpected series of events and revelations.

The Good

Harbourmaster is at its best when it comes to the setting and characters. Set in and around the small town of Port Tethys on the planet of Tethys, the comic focuses predominantly on two main characters. Bretnon Falstoph Perius Tallifens Monteblanc LVII, better known as Tal to just about everyone, is the heir of an aristocratic family who flees the oppressive culture of his homeworld with his younger sister in hopes of giving her a better life. Hired to act as harbourmaster for Port Tethys, he struggles to adapt to the very open and relaxed culture of the colony all the while facing the knowledge he will have to return to the world of his birth one day as head of the family, becoming part of the very system he hates.

On the other side is Thalassa Gilou, one of the human-like alien aquaans, who returns to Port Tethys after her birth parent’s death leaves Tal as the colony’s governor. Burdened with secrets and struggling with an awkward but growing friendship with her human co-worker, she finds herself reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances while at the same time struggling with a difficult decision that will affect the existence of three different sapient species. Faced with either pursuing a plan that drove her birth parent to commit suicide in protest or trying to chart a new path for herself, Gilou has no shortage of challenges awaiting her.

While all of this sounds pressing and dark, in truth the comic balances these personal storylines with an ambiance of peaceful day-to-day life. Many of the stories are not focused on pressing matters, but instead meander between interesting side characters and events that sometimes do not even involve the main duo. Some chapters are long and thought-provoking while others are nothing more than brief one- or two-page snippets into another character’s life. But regardless of length, they always add something to the comic.

This balance of grim circumstances versus gentle small-town life permeates the comic on almost all levels. Dark storylines concerning sexual abuse, murder, and trauma never become overwhelming because of this solid core of peace, while even the most light-hearted of chapters never becomes pointless fluff. A brief glance into a quiet movie night between the police chief Jendolyn and her girlfriend helps cap off the events of a murder investigation, showing how their relationship handles the dangers of Jendolyn’s position. A heart-wrenching story about an abused child has bright moments here and there as the boy discovers family he didn’t know he had, and good people fight to see justice done. The world of Harbourmaster has its dark moments and the horrific capacity of humanity for cruelty often underlies many of the storylines, but the everyday kindness and good nature of the port’s inhabitants keeps the series from ever swerving into grimdark.

It also helps that the setting is a deeply fascinating one. Set in a future where humanity has spread out across the stars, Harbourmaster takes place in the aftermath of a brutal war for survival against an invading species of alien shapeshifters called the Yogzarthu. In the wake of this conflict is a slowly healing society still trying to make sense of all that has happened.

Key to the story is the small colony planet of Tethys. Accidently colonized despite there being a sentient race already there, Tethys serves as a backdrop for the strong anti-colonial themes of the comic. A big part of this theme is expressed by the local sapients themselves, a dragonfly-like eusocial species known as entomorphs. Intelligent and generally good-natured, many of their storylines focus on the difficult nature of the power imbalances between them and their planet’s colonizers.

Part of what makes them, and these storylines, so compelling is that Wayward has taken the time to really flesh out the entomorphs. While distinctly a part of life in Port Tethys, they still have their own secrets and perspectives, never just becoming part of the background but instead a moving piece of the settlement’s complicated past and present. Nor are they uniform, as while they share a well developed culture (complete with some fascinating linguistics quirks), Wayward has taken care to make them all individuals. Some entomorphs like humans and aquaans, while others can’t stand them. Some embrace the technological advances they’ve received, while others resent them. All entomorph have their own perspective and all of them make sense in the context of their history and nature.

Another positive element to note is the queer-friendly nature of the comic. Harbourmaster is full of queer characters of all descriptions who live in a setting that has for the most part accepted them as normal. That isn’t to say that the universe has shed all of its intolerance. There are several plot lines that emphasize the fact that not all worlds have left our present faults behind, but most people in the comic view being queer as being entirely natural. It’s also worth noting that unlike many queer comics, the queer aspect is not the central all-encompassing intent of the story, which is not a bad thing in my opinion. Keep in mind that that’s not a criticism of queer comics as a whole. They tend to be pretty good in my opinion, but more of an observation that sometimes a message can become a bit too loud and drown out other important elements like world-building and plot. A bit of balance does a story good, and for its part Harbourmaster does an excellent job of balancing its themes of family and tolerance with its story and characters so that one never comes at the detriment of another.

Finally the art is good. I wouldn’t call it spectacular per se, but that’s less a critique of the art than it is an acknowledgement of the amazing examples out there it has to compete with. But even if the art isn’t in my top ten, I really have nothing to complain about. The comic is well-drawn and detailed with a coherent art style from start to finish. This isn’t one of those comics that goes from amateurish to impressive over its run–it’s pretty solid right off the bat. All in all, I can’t ask for much more than that.

Put it all together and I have to say that a wander through Harbourmaster’s wonderfully well-made setting is a treat. But as much as I enjoy the comic, I have to admit there are a few flaws here and there.

The Bad

As great as Harbourmaster is, there are some things to consider before hopping in. For one, this is very much a mature webcomic. It’s not a gore fest or anything like that, but the comic does cover serious topics like abuse, war, and other darker themes. As I noted before, Wayward is able to balance these elements quite well against a much happier backdrop, but they are still there and they can come out of left field with very little warning. I also have some minor gripes with the early chapters, as while I enjoyed them, they do tend to be a bit abrupt bouncing quickly through events to reach the start of the plot proper.

These are minor things, but if you have issues with the opening’s tendency to hop through space and time, keep in mind that you’ll see more of that going forward. The comic as a whole isn’t non-linear. There is a clear sequence to the chapters that drive the comic forward, but it can take a detour into past events or secondary characters with very little warning. If you want a nice predictable timeline of events, this might not be the comic for you. It’s also a bit meandering, which I personally enjoy but it might not appeal to everyone.

Finally, character design isn’t super distinctive. While it’s not like everyone is a carbon copy of their neighbor, there are common clothing styles and skin tones that a lot of the characters share. It’s not a major issue by any standard. Important and semi-important characters have their own distinguishing traits and there is a glossary of characters you can consult, but if you struggle to keep track of characters based on visual design, you might have issues. I wouldn’t normally bring it up, but at least one person I suggested it to had this problem, so it feels proper to at least mention it.

Conclusion

Harbourmaster is an amazing comic that deserves a read by pretty much anyone. While not everyone might love the meandering pace and slightly erratic story, there’s a whole lot more good here that deserves your attention than its few flaws. Four and a half out of five stars for an old favorite of mine that deserves your time.