NEWS WATCH: Cartoonist Álvaro Ortiz Releases His First English OGN, ASHES, From Top Shelf Productions This February

By Chad Burdette

on January 22, 2023

Hitting shelves on February 7th from Top Shelf Productions, ASHES, is the captivating first graphic novel from internationally renowned cartoonist Álvaro Ortiz, which follows three old friends as they reunite for the mother of all road trips… and nothing is what it seems in this elegantly unpredictable gem.

ASHES is the story of Polly, Moho, and Piter haven’t seen each other in years. Now they’ve piled into a car for a loooong journey to a mysterious cross marked on a map. All their old personality quirks and conflicts are resurrected with new wrinkles as this surreal reunion gets underway. Up ahead are car chases, alcohol, roadside motels, banjo-playing thugs, a ship graveyard, violence, sensual tension, and, of course, a monkey!

While ASHES is his first book in English, cartoonist Álvaro Ortiz studied graphic design at the Escuela Superior de Diseño de Aragón and illustration at the Escola Massana in Barcelona. After winning several comic competitions, including the 2003 Injuve Comic Award, he has become one of Spain’s most acclaimed cartoonists.

Following his youth graphic novel series Julia and the Norwegian-themed comic book Fjorden, Ortiz released his debut graphic novel for adults, Cenizas (Ashes), which was created with an Alhóndiga Bilbao grant at the Maison des Auteurs in Angoulême, France.

His subsequent works include Murderabilia (2014), Rituales (2015), and Viajes (Astiberri, 2016), as well as a collaboration with the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum and a pair of webcomics created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ASHES