Gunnerkrigg is a webcomic about a teenage girl who goes to a strange school in an old industrial city called "Gunnerkrigg Court", where the "court" has eshewed nature and myth for cold hard facts and science, despite relying on the mystical unknown.
Annie (Antimony) herself is very intune with the ether, the unknown mystical side of things, easily making friends with ghosts and other creatures, where as her best friend Kat is scarily adept at all things technology, making incredible machines at a young age.
The webcomic follows a long intricate series of events that happens due to Annies actions in the very first chapter, which started in 2005. The comic is still being updated multiple times a week, now over 100 chapters, and still picking up threads that were dropped in very early chapters. The author's dedication and story weaving is astounding.
Not only is the plot intricate and well planned, but each character has their own set of convictions and mistakes, none made out to be "wrong".
Do you like robots who have catholic guilt? Immortal women who wear pencil skirts? Girls who get haircuts? You might like Gunnerkrigg Court!
Okay now on to more "spoilery" things!
⚠ WIP ⚠
The rest of this page is a big work in progress!!! I've been going through the entire comic to collect my examples, and I've still missed things from each category as I do so, thus its gonna take awhile (its 3000+ pages). The rest of this page is basically still a rough draft, word and image vomit (beware many typos). The characters section is especially disorganized and poorly worded. I even have a section after that planned and drafted but I don't hardly have any examples pulled for it, just rambling.
At first Gunnerkrigg seems like it will be more episodic in nature, with Annie and Kat making friends with new monsters every week. But it turns out to be a series dependant on a long chain of events started on the first page.
On the very first page after the title page, we see Annie meeting Shadow. pg 2
Shadow wants to go back to the forest across from the school and the otherside of the bridge, but cannot cross himself. This is on page 6 in the first chapter, hinting at what is in the ravine, a very key element to the story. pg 6
On the same page Annie plans to send Shadow across the bridge, which students are forbidden from crossing. This kickstarts everything. pg 6
On page 9, Robot is introduced, another signifigant character, especially for Kats arc.
Later on in chapter 7 Robot comes back and Annie runs out to meet him, but he is posessed by a malovent creature, causing him to push Annie off the bridge. pg 118
Annie meets the ghost trapped in the ravine, which again, is very significant. pg 141
Chapter 16 (2008), Kat suggests that the ghost Annie met is trapped and needs help. pg 357
Annie and Kat have learned who the ghost is along the way (pg 429), what is keeping her down there (pg 653), and now the gang starts a plan to help Jeanne (Chapter 30 pg 784, 2010)
(Theres gonna be more examples leading up to current events here)
Aside from the main chain of events, there are other long running threads that are hinted at early on, only to be picked up much later.
As Robot crosses the bridge, we see for the first time the "tic toc" birds on page 13. pg 13
In chapter 8 ( pg 124, published 2006) these birds save Annie from dying when she's flung off the bridge, a very signifigant event.
Annie discovers that these birds are mechanical while she's in the ravine in the same chapter. Afterwards these birds only show up intermittently, always shrowded in mystery. pg 127
Kat thinks about how the birds are designed after Annie describes them. pg 157
In Chapter 11 pg 194, Zimmy throws a stick at the bird.
Chapter 14 pg 276 Anja recognizes the mechanical bird Ysengrin brings back.
In Chapter 25 pg 646 (2009) the robots refer to the birds as being made by a mythical being, while they have also been calling Kat an angel.
Its not until Chapter 76 pg 2310 (published 2020) where Kat has recently made the bird.
In chapter 8 while Annies still down in the ravine, she is visited by Muut, someone who she is familiar with and not particularly pleased to see. She also referes to "others".
pg 133
Chapter 16, Kat points out Annie wanted Ketrak to leave quickly and doesn't talk about the guides often
pg 335
In Chapter 21 (2009) Muut reveals he told Mort to give Annie the blinker stone so she could help free the ghost in the ravine, just as she did for the the boy in Chapter 16 (pg 338)
pg 528
We also learn the reason Annie dislikes the guides is that none of them helped escort her mother into the afterlife/ether, leaving it to her as a child. I've got some more to say about that in Surma's section...
pg 530
In Chapter 7 (2006) Kat's parents and Eglamore address the absence of Annie's dad. It's also revealed Annie's mom had given Eglamore a gift (with love).
pg 103 pg 105 pg 109
In Chapter 14, Coyote assumes Eglamore is Annies father, again implying a relationship between Surma and Eglamore.
pg 273
Surma mentions Eglamore being away often for training, wishing he were home with her (Chapter 18). Its pretty obvious now that Annie's mom and Eglamore were in a relationship, but when it ended and Surmas rerlationship with Tony began is still unknown.
pg 437
Jones vaugely says the court has a way of making decisions, Chapter 17 (2008).
pg 372Literally.
Robot comes back with a tree arm in Chapter 7.
pg 114
End of Chapter 9: Robot's tree arm is planted in a decontamination unit like the one Annie and Kat found.
pg 163
In Chapter 12 after Robot is revived, he explains how he got his tree arm, from a seed planted by Ysingrin, who we don't know yet.
pg 223
Ysengrin leaves behind three seeds in Chapter 14, which appears to be the real reason why they visited (the bird being planted by him as revealed by Red in Chapter 15).
pg 286 pg 320
The hand tree was transfered to a park in the court, Chapter 24 (2009)
pg 607
Chapter 14 (2007) is the first time we actually see Ysgrin, before he's introduced yet, and his wood parts are already shown trembling. The school headmaster also asks him what he's done to himself, implying he looked different last time he saw him.
pg 270
Its shortly revealed that Coyote gifted him with the tree body (note how he trembles)
pg 280
Coyotee hints at Ysengrins deteriorating mental state, as does Jones after they leave.
pg 284 pg 286
During Annie's first visit to the forest Coyote mentions trying to give Renard powers, as hes now doing with Ysengrin, Chapter 20 (2008)
pg 493
We see Renard accepts a power, but we don't learn until later that Coyote wasn't entirely truthful...
pg 495
After pointing out how Renards body snatching powers are flawed, Coyote points out how Ysengrin trembles with Coyotes power over the trees. He is very aware of how other creatures struggle with his abilities.
pg 496
Coyote mentions his Great Secret, which puts Ysengrin on edge, Chapter 20 (2008)
pg 498
Anja reveals that Surma lead Renard on to get him caputure by the court, being deemed a threat because Coyote was offering him powers. Annie brings up Ysengrin because Coyote has given him a power yet the court is not trying to capture him, but Anja dismisses this...
pg 793
Coyote gives Annie his tooth sword in Chapter 26 (2010)
pg 686Kat is generally shown to be earnest and open with her emotions, overall kind yet not afraid to stick up for herself or Annie. She clearly has a good heart. Yet lying under this sweet hearted girl is the potential for her to give up her humanity and become something terrifying. She is Deified by the robots and manipulated into progressing them faster, and to advance her work, she advances herself with technology. And thoughout it she ramins the same lovable Kat, even if troubled. This is an arc that is still developing, but began early.
In Chapter 5, at probably around 12 years old Kat makes a gravity feild generator, an early indication of her incredible technological capabilities
pg 70
Zimmy has already been shown to be hostile towards Kat, though not afraid yet, and considering she's not exactly friendly to most people that hasn't been out of the ordinary, but here we see she hates Kat's bird (though we don't yet know she made it)
pg 194
The first time we see Kat called an angel by the robots, Robot himself in this case, is in Chapter 12 (published in 2007)
pg 221
Chapter 17 Kat gets a workshop so she can build a human looking android, after Annie suggests that Jones is a robot
pg 397 pg 402
Chapter 19 where we first see Zimmys inner hellworld, she mentions dying here one day, and in the caption Tom says he wouldn't bet against her. At first this appears to have nothing to do with Kat, but it becomes relevant when Zimmy makes another prediction about her death much later on.
Likely where Kat first gets the idea to build her own computer with a remote connection to herself, Chapter 21 (2009)
pg 517
In chapter 25 (2009) Robot is getting other robots to look at Diegos shrine of Jeanne, meanwhile calling Kat an angel in a very serious manner (here Shadow questions this). More robots come to visit and likewise call Kat an angel.
pg 634
Kat can read the robot script derived from Diegos orginal script, which is supposed to be understable only to robots. She was also thinking about "growing" a robot, while Robot was secretly watching and following her (Chapter 33, 2011)
pg 886
We really see Robot being weird now, diefying Kat further, preaching to the other robots (Chapter 33)
pg 898Hints at how the court uses the former fairy and animal kids, as well as special characters like Zimmy and Gamma.
In chapter 5 we see Zimmy and Gamma still in their school unifmrs at night, while Kat and Annie are in pajamas. It is possible this is just because Zimmy doesn't sleep as revealed later, but maybe more.
pg 78
Chapter 11 we see Zimmy and Gamma in their unoforms again, while Kat and Annie are in casual clothes, it being the weekend according to Tom in the caption. This again presents the question of why these girls are still in their uniforms, but it is not easily answered by Zimmy not sleeping since its the weekend.
pg 184
Chapter 15 (2007) reveals that the former fairy kids don't get weekends or breaks off from school
pg 319
Chapter 19 the kids visit a power station, which draws up energy from the water before it discharges, affecting Zimmy. Jack mentions its an artificial lake a few pages before.
pg 452 pg 448
Hint at what the court aims to do in Chapter 20 (2008)
pg 497
Chapter 27 (2010) we learn that the power station is called an Ether Station, used to collect and purify etheric energy (pg 708), and that this energy is used in experiements unknown to Jones. So far its unknown why the court wants to do this when it does not regard the ether highly at all.
pg 723
Zimmy was brought to the court for "research", revealed in Chapter 27. Its likely other Chester students were brough in for similar reasons.
pg 620
Annie accidentally names Red and Red mentions not having to go to school anymore, getting a job, and owning her own clothes (Chapter 36, 2012)
pg 994This is a short one!
Kat disasterously tries to put on makeup for Aly, but Annie cleans it off of her, telling her she doesn't need it, prompting Kat to ask why Annie wears makeup, but of course Annie avoids the question. This is in Chapter 13 (2007) and isn't mentioned again for a long time.
pg 244Whats up with Surma?
At first Surma appears to be a cliche dead mother figure, pefect, wise, and loving. Idealized. Perhaps this is just a reflection of how Annie feels about her, having lost her at a relatively young age, regardless she is fortunately humanized with personality and flaws over the course of the comic.
Predictably, other characers call Annie her mothers name, despite her much younger appearance.
pg 26 pg 42 pg 119 pg 272
Surma shown in a comforting motherly role at the end of Chapter 16.
pg 359
Surma still shown in long blue flowing dresses, idealized. Here its revealed Renard was in love with her, but its unknown her feelings for him.
pg 494In Chapter 22 we get to see while Annie looks a lot like Surma, Surma is much more expressive and hot headed, while Tony is stoney faced.
Here in Chapter 31 (2010), we see Surma sort of leading Renard on. The next page we learn from Anja that Surma lead him on to draw him into the Court, which deamed him a threat because Coyote was trying to give him powers.
pg 791
Annie's mom didn't explain what the afterlife guides were, Chapter 9.
pg 154
Chapter 16, Surma lets Annie help two afterlife guides, yet still hasn't explained what they do, or that the people they visit have died.
pg 342
Chapter 21 Annie reveals that the guides didn't help her escort her mom into the ether. But considering we later learn Surma had to do the same for her mom and so forth, why didn't she tell Annie she would have to before she died? Why add to the trauma of witnessing her mom die at a young age, by allowing her to wonder and wait for a guide, growing more distressed as none show up? Tony was verbally degrading and emotionally unavailable, but this is just cruel.
pg 530Okay Surma is pretty begnin, but what the hell is up with Jack (we don't know yet).
Jacks been shown to be acting a little disturbed lately since his visit into Zimmy's hellworld (which was in Chapter 19), but I beleive this is the first time we see the spider on his head, which is signifigant, Chapter 24 (2009)
Under the influence of the spider, Jack brutally bashes in the head of a robot, showing what he is cabable of. In the same chapter he also cruely traps Renard, Chapter 27 (2010)
pg 704
The next time Annie and Jack enter Zimmy's hellscape, there are multiple spide controlled Jacks trying to recruit an unaffected Jack. We also see Gamma is afraid of the "Spider's Nest", where all the spider Jacks are (Chapter 28)
Zimmy removes the mind control spider from Jack and tells Annie theyre always trying to escape her mind (Chapter 28)
We learn that the spiders love Zimmy to an obsessive degree (Chapter 34, 2011)
pg 928Oh Tony. Whats your fucking problem?
Easily one of the most hated characters. Abandons Annie right after her mothers death without a single word, and when he returns years later he is harsh and unsympathetic to Annie, publicly humiluating her infront of her class and offering zero emotional support. To cope, Annie severs her emotions from herself using the ether, reducing herself to dull shell, drawing parallels with dissociation as a result of trauma. She's constantly seeking his approval and affection.
Seeing Annie, a head strong girl unconcerned with authority, reduced to this state is gut wrenching.
The latter part of Chapter 5 will always be dear to me. Kat showing Annie the beautiful sunfilled room with the cherry tree, where Annie is shown having fun for the first time and being vulnerable infront of someone else. It solidifies their close friendship and I'm a sucker for deep meaniful friendships
It starts on page 87
From my limited view of other fan opinions (its very limited) it seems like this is also a favorite chapter for similar reasons.
Misrosat 5 is probably my top favorite chapter for the entirety of it. I don't think this is a common opinion, but I love it. The fisrt page is already a killer.
The last panel alone drive me insane over how good it is. It's not complex or beautiful, but lord the composition and the huge crack intersecting with Annie's classic stoic face is so striking.
In this chapter it isn't Kat who comforts Annie (who is very desprate to deny how she feels), but Kat's Dad who offers insight into Annie's Dad, allowing Annie to learn more about her father, and the reader to see the parallels between them.
Here Donnie (Kat's dad) offers Annie some water and brings to her attention that shes been clenching her hands so hard she has nail cuts in them
pg 1004
She starts to cry just as she begins drinking the water and of course chokes on the water, to which Donnie pretends not to notice. She then pulls herself together.
pg 1005 pg 1006
I particularly like how Annie was depicted crying here, choking on the water and then looking upwards to try and clear her tears. It reads very realistic and relatable to me. I've definately looked up (and crossed my eyes) in attempt to prevent tears from falling while around others. Its also nice that she isn't directly coaxed into spilling out her feelings and tears infront of somone as one might expect in a story, rather the other character tries to give her some privacy and dignanty by pretending not to notice, giving Annie some more agency.
They embark on a mission together, and Donnie tells Annie a story about her dad, which is shown in the comic as a flashback.
We are shortly greated by the image of a young Tony, with a familiar stoic look on his face
pg 1011
Tony frets over what to do about a girl liking him, gradually withdrawling away, and we get this great image of Tony digging into his own hands just as we saw Annie do a few pages before.
1014I'm not sure why I like the parallels drawn between Annie and her father so much, but I do
