Ashes: Preview the First Great Graphic Novel of 2023

We’re barely a month into 2023, and already there’s a clear contender for the best graphic novel of the year. The book in question is Ashes, which is written and illustrated by Álvaro Ortiz and published by Top Shelf Productions.

Ahead of the February 7 release of Ashes, IGN can exclusively debut several new pages from this graphic novel. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:

What Is Ashes?

Ashes is a sort of hybrid road trip comedy/relationship drama told from the perspective of three friends – Polly, Moho and Piter. Why the trio have embarked on a road trip isn’t immediately clear, but the book makes it obvious the three friends are estranged and haven’t actually seen much of one another in recent years. All is revealed as their journey unfolds and things take one surreal turn after another.

Ashes was originally published as a Spanish-language graphic novel in 2012 called Cenizas. The book has been adapted by Leigh Walton and translated by Eva Ibarzabal for the English language market.

Why Ashes Is Worth Reading

Ashes is a charming little book that packs a surprisingly hefty punch despite its irreverent tone and exterior. There’s no shortage of silliness in these pages, particularly involving the self-centered antics of Moho and his pet monkey, Andres. The book definitely has a Coen Bros.-esque quality to it, with these ordinary people often stumbling across more than they bargain for over the course of their weeklong trip.

But beneath the humor, Ashes paints a very vivid picture of several characters confronting the onset of their 30s and the inevitable creep of mortality. Ortiz expertly balances all three leads and their respective back-stories. The book is split into different chapters for each day of the seven-day trip, but the story frequently takes detours into the past or various informational asides. The plot remains easy to follow (thanks in part to the clean, simple yet expressive art style), but the flashbacks help a lot in fleshing out these characters and their complictaed relationships.

In short, reading Ashes makes it clear why the graphic novel original made such a splash, and it’s a treat to see it finally translated for English-speaking audiences. Don’t be surprised if the book makes a return appearance at the end of the years as IGN breaks down the best comics and graphic nvoels of 2023.

Ashes is available to preorder now for release on Tuesday, February 7.

In other comic book news, the Titans are replacing the Justice League in 2023, and IDW is introducing the next generation of Ninja Turtles.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Author: Jesse Schedeen. [Source Link (*), IGN All]

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