Ahead of cartoonist Emma Rios’ new graphic novel Ansuero being released by Image Comics this week, The Beat can publish an exclusive preview with comments from the creator.
Ansuelo is a dystopian story about three children after the ocean rebels and absorbs and changes everything on Earth. They are lost like everyone else, but they band together to overcome the unique adversity of surviving at sea and do not want to harm any living beings. It’s a hopeful take on post-apocalyptic media, born of Rios’ desire to “write the ocean beneath my skin.”
In the following excerpt, Rios tells The Beat: “I wanted to lean into Nubero’s anxiety after his disappearance. The colors represent emotion, and the birds and floating silhouettes represent a more physical sense of the process he is going through. I thought that by illustrating the characters’ thoughts, I could bring a more fantastical feel to the story, while at the same time leaving room for me to personally build on those thoughts rather than just reading about them. I did.
“The caption tells the story in a nostalgic past tense to provide context and suggest that more is going on from there,” she continues. “To be honest, I don’t like caption boxes and usually avoid them at all costs. However, using them in unsuelos calms things down to prevent creepiness from growing into mystery boxes.” It was interesting because it helps. I think that in order to aim for a dense atmosphere, the secret must remain unsolved. Therefore, it is safer to put all the cards on the table.
“This moment also introduces Lucio as a character who naturally develops a sensitivity to the scary and strange,” Rios added.
“Fish and birds have a large presence throughout the book,” Rios explains. “I think in this story the birds are portrayed as almost invulnerable. They represent some ideas, but are always out of our reach. Instead, the fish are It reflects the weakness of humans in the ocean, but seen from the other side of the mirror.
“I love this quote by director Mamoru Oshii.It means: “We cry for the blood of birds, but not for the blood of fish.”Those who have a voice I am blessed.”
Anzuelo’s hardcover will be available at local comic shops on November 6th, and everywhere books are sold and digitally on November 19th.
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