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Monsieur Mardi-Gras Descendres #1
Willkommen
DIE KULTSERIE ERSTMALS KOMPLETT IN FARBE!
Ein fataler Sturz beim Tritt auf das im Badezimmer vergessene Spielzeugauto, und Victor Tourterelle findet sich kurzerhand auf der anderen Seite des Spiegels, in einer Kreidewüste, unter einem Himmel so schwarz wie Tinte wieder. Es herrscht Totenstille, keine Seele lässt sich blicken. Zwar erfreut sich Victor in seiner neuen Gestalt noch seines vollen Bewusstseins, doch von seinem Körper sind nur noch die Knochen geblieben. Mardi Gras Aschermittwoch, so lautet sein Name von nun an, hat keine Ahnung, dass er am Beginn eines der verrücktesten Abenteuer steht, das einem Verstorbenen in der jenseitigen Welt jemals widerfahren ist …
Ein fataler Sturz beim Tritt auf das im Badezimmer vergessene Spielzeugauto, und Victor Tourterelle findet sich kurzerhand auf der anderen Seite des Spiegels, in einer Kreidewüste, unter einem Himmel so schwarz wie Tinte wieder. Es herrscht Totenstille, keine Seele lässt sich blicken. Zwar erfreut sich Victor in seiner neuen Gestalt noch seines vollen Bewusstseins, doch von seinem Körper sind nur noch die Knochen geblieben. Mardi Gras Aschermittwoch, so lautet sein Name von nun an, hat keine Ahnung, dass er am Beginn eines der verrücktesten Abenteuer steht, das einem Verstorbenen in der jenseitigen Welt jemals widerfahren ist …
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
1 person is currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Éric Liberge
68 books6 followersNé en 1965, Éric Liberge déclare avoir toujours dessiné. Depuis 1977, il hantait déjà ses feuilles volantes avec des fresques entières de petits squelettes. En 1996 il se lance dans le projet Monsieur Mardi-Gras Descendres. Ce sont les revues "PLG", "Ogoun" et "Golem" qui, les premières, acceptent de publier quelques courts extraits du Petit monde du Purgatoire. Achevé en 1998, le tome 1, Bienvenue !, est publié par Zone créative. Prix René Goscinny 1999, l'album est réédité chez Pointe Noire. En 2002, après trois albums, il met de côté sa série phare et publie Tonnerre Rampant puis Métal, chez Soleil dans la collection Latitudes. En 2004, les éditions Dupuis rééditent les trois premiers volumes de Monsieur Mardi-Gras Descendres qui sont suivis en 2005 par la sortie du quatrième et dernier volume inédit. Par ailleurs, Éric Liberge démarre en 2003 une collaboration en cinq tomes avec Denis-Pierre Filippi, Les Corsaires d'Alcibiade chez Dupuis dont l'action se situe dans l'Angleterre du XIXe siècle. En 2008, il publie Aux heures Impaires, un album carte-blanche sur le musée du Louvre aux éditions Futuropolis. Son nouveau projet en auteur complet, L'Empire du rêve est un regard sur la violence des hommes en temps de guerre à travers une croisée de destins pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, est prévu chez Dupuis pour le printemps 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 8, 2020
First, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a graphic novel.
The story is unique, even delightful. I have read several books about purgatory and life after death The Great Divorce by C S Lewis, The Divine comedies (Purgatorio) by Dante Alighieri, Jacob Ladders, The Lovely Bones among others). There is a certain insanity display in this story, an insanity that would naturally belong in the abode of the dead.
The graphics are quite good too. Facial expressions conveyed by the skulls, emotions, inane scenes.
This was one of the better graphic novels I have read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it highly.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a graphic novel.
The story is unique, even delightful. I have read several books about purgatory and life after death The Great Divorce by C S Lewis, The Divine comedies (Purgatorio) by Dante Alighieri, Jacob Ladders, The Lovely Bones among others). There is a certain insanity display in this story, an insanity that would naturally belong in the abode of the dead.
The graphics are quite good too. Facial expressions conveyed by the skulls, emotions, inane scenes.
This was one of the better graphic novels I have read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it highly.
February 22, 2020
A work of great imagination and genius.
Questions exist in all cultures about what happens to us humans when we die.
Writer Éric Liberge has a very clear vision of Purgatory and his graphic novel has been translated into English by Europe Comics.
For the author it is a place devoid of your body apart from your skeletal remains, a barren place, a boring place. A place of waiting but for what?
In this first episode “Welcome” Victor Tourterelle must be process and given a new identity - he is reassigned as ‘Mr Ash Tuesday’ but he needs answers he is not a sheep and he is quickly identified as a troublemaker. His attitude of not taking things at face value and struggling for his rights while maintaining scant regard for the status quo places him in prison.
He is sprung from jail by a secret society that has identified him as a potential asset in their attempts to subvert this society.
Unlike some comics where the story just abruptly ends, we have a clear account of Ash’s new reality - I love the humour that he uses when he says he does not want to be called after a religious festival.
So, the series is set up with insight and intrigue you want to read on about this crazy imagining of a church / religious tenet that a Purgatory may exist for some. It is vividly depicted with graphic illustrations and it is a world that comes alive in these drawings.
We want to learn more and to understand why Ash was assigned a place here and how he might achieve an outcome he feels he merits. Great concepts and stimulation through words and pictures. a must read.
Questions exist in all cultures about what happens to us humans when we die.
Writer Éric Liberge has a very clear vision of Purgatory and his graphic novel has been translated into English by Europe Comics.
For the author it is a place devoid of your body apart from your skeletal remains, a barren place, a boring place. A place of waiting but for what?
In this first episode “Welcome” Victor Tourterelle must be process and given a new identity - he is reassigned as ‘Mr Ash Tuesday’ but he needs answers he is not a sheep and he is quickly identified as a troublemaker. His attitude of not taking things at face value and struggling for his rights while maintaining scant regard for the status quo places him in prison.
He is sprung from jail by a secret society that has identified him as a potential asset in their attempts to subvert this society.
Unlike some comics where the story just abruptly ends, we have a clear account of Ash’s new reality - I love the humour that he uses when he says he does not want to be called after a religious festival.
So, the series is set up with insight and intrigue you want to read on about this crazy imagining of a church / religious tenet that a Purgatory may exist for some. It is vividly depicted with graphic illustrations and it is a world that comes alive in these drawings.
We want to learn more and to understand why Ash was assigned a place here and how he might achieve an outcome he feels he merits. Great concepts and stimulation through words and pictures. a must read.
January 18, 2017
Es ist fasznierend, wie Éric Liberge auf die blanken Totenschädel Emotionen zaubert!
February 15, 2020
After a fatal slip on the toy car that his son had left in the bathroom, Victor Tourterelle dies. He finds himself in the world of chalk desert, under a sky as black as ink. He still has all senses which is surprising given he has no flesh, only bones.
It was great. Frankly, it's one of the most original graphic novels I've read in years. It has it all - strong storytelling, great art, and an intriguing plot. I can't wait to put my hands on the second volume of the series!
ARC through NetGalley.
It was great. Frankly, it's one of the most original graphic novels I've read in years. It has it all - strong storytelling, great art, and an intriguing plot. I can't wait to put my hands on the second volume of the series!
ARC through NetGalley.
June 18, 2020
First, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a graphic novel.
The story is unique, even delightful. I have read several books about purgatory and life after death The Great Divorce by C S Lewis, The Divine comedies (Purgatorio) by Dante Alighieri, Jacob Ladders, The Lovely Bones among others). There is a certain insanity display in this story, an insanity that would naturally belong in the abode of the dead.
The graphics are quite good too. Facial expressions conveyed by the skulls, emotions, inane scenes.
This was one of the better graphic novels I have read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it highly.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a graphic novel.
The story is unique, even delightful. I have read several books about purgatory and life after death The Great Divorce by C S Lewis, The Divine comedies (Purgatorio) by Dante Alighieri, Jacob Ladders, The Lovely Bones among others). There is a certain insanity display in this story, an insanity that would naturally belong in the abode of the dead.
The graphics are quite good too. Facial expressions conveyed by the skulls, emotions, inane scenes.
This was one of the better graphic novels I have read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it highly.
February 11, 2020
*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*
This read was such a trip. The artwork was dark and creepy and much of the plot was pure nonsense. I was caught between trying to figure out what was going on and just letting it happen.
Overall the plot is intriguing. I struggled a bit with how messy and dark the artwork was at times, but it gave this read an eerie atmosphere that was really great to get into.
But even with all that, this read was more humorous than it was creepy.
This read was such a trip. The artwork was dark and creepy and much of the plot was pure nonsense. I was caught between trying to figure out what was going on and just letting it happen.
Overall the plot is intriguing. I struggled a bit with how messy and dark the artwork was at times, but it gave this read an eerie atmosphere that was really great to get into.
But even with all that, this read was more humorous than it was creepy.
February 23, 2020
After fatally slipping on his son's toy car, former mapmaker Victor Tourterelle wakes up in an unknown desert that just so happens to be on Pluto (AKA Purgatory). Renamed Ash Tuesday (because bureaucracy) and now a skeleton, Victor grapples with his strange new afterlife, all while struggling with the concept of eternity. Unfortunately, while I loved the super creepy, sometimes whimsical artwork, as well as the dark comic premise, the satirical story wasn't enough to make me want to keep reading.
August 22, 2024
Ich weiß nicht so recht, was ich da gelesen hab :D? Aber offenbar kann man aus Seelen Kaffee machen und Herr Mardi-Gras hinterfragt das Fegefeuer-System... es ist sehr schräg. Mir gefällt der Zeichenstil, aber sooo richtig was abgewinnen kann ich dem jetzt auch nicht.
August 10, 2015
Kurzreview: Knochige Überreste suchen nach dem Sinn des Unlebens. Tolle Schwarzweißgrafiken in hohem Detailgrad zeigen selbst Steigbügel und Hammer, die flappern, wenn sich der unsympathische Hauptprotagonist mal wieder in was reinsteigert.
September 30, 2025
1.5 stars
I didn’t really enjoy this story as most characters were annoying and the plot and story being vague didn’t not help but made it worse. I definitely will not continue the series.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy for an honest review.
I didn’t really enjoy this story as most characters were annoying and the plot and story being vague didn’t not help but made it worse. I definitely will not continue the series.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy for an honest review.
February 16, 2020
After a random, unfortunate accident, Victor Tourterelle passes on to the other side. With no body except for bones, but all memory and consciousness intact, Victor will despair, thinking life as he knows it is over. And it might be. But adventure still awaits.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a very unique and amusing story, with a good deal of caustic humor involved. The illustrations are atmospheric and exceptional, complementing the story perfectly. Recommended for the fans of graphic novels.
Mr. Ash Tuesday is a very unique and amusing story, with a good deal of caustic humor involved. The illustrations are atmospheric and exceptional, complementing the story perfectly. Recommended for the fans of graphic novels.
April 21, 2020
I couldn't understand it. It was weird and I don't think I can write anything about this comic. Extremely sorry but it was very confusing. A really bad read for me.
December 3, 2025
Éric Liberge: Signor Mardi-Gras Delleceneri. 001 edizioni.
“… Costui conduceva ricerche poco ortodosse, mescolando alchimia e teologia, caffè e architettura dei piani celesti…”
Sabbia. Sassi. E un “grosso, pallido melone sospeso nel buio”. Nessuna luce in fondo al tunnel, nessuno in attesa dall’altra parte.
Solo coscienza, “limpida come acqua di fonte”. E ossa. L’essenziale di un corpo, l’essenza di un’anima.
Si chiamava Victor Edouard Georges Tourterelle, nato il 31 agosto 1956 in Francia, cartografo.
Ora, scopre dalla raccomandata che gli viene recapitata da un solerte postino dopo un tempo apparentemente lunghissimo, che il suo nome è cambiato: Mardì-Gras Delleceneri, in quanto spirato nella notte tra l’ultimo giorno di Carnevale e il primo di Quaresima, per la precisione tra l’11 e il 12 febbraio 1997, a mezzanotte in punto.
Dal certificato di morte apprende inoltre che è alla sua 178a reincarnazione terrestre, e che ha ancora “5 nodi di grado 4” di recupero karmico non espiati.
Mardì-Gras Delleceneri ancora non lo sa, ma un cartografo può suscitare molto interesse nell’aldilà. E sta per scoprire il valore di un caffè nell’oltretomba…
«…Se esistesse davvero, a cosa somiglierebbe il purgatorio?
Io non conosco che quello delle ossa. Quello che ho ideato negli ultimi otto anni, nel corso di questi volumi la cui realizzazione mi ha permesso di “incontrare” me stesso, e da questo straordinario punto di vista, mi ha fatto incontrare anche te…», scrive l’autore nelle righe di commiato dalla sua opera.
Éric Liberge, fumettista francese classe 1965, riversa in quest’opera la sua passione per gli scheletri — che disegna sin da bambino — e si immerge nelle profondità dell’interrogativo finale con arguzia, filosofia, una buona dose di spirito d’avventura, qualche circonvoluzione narrativa e, soprattutto, con uno sguardo pieno di poetica malinconia.
C’è una sorta di struggente poesia negli scheletri che usano pezzi di vecchia chincaglieria debordati oltre il mondo terreno, in una sorta di discarica dell’altrove, per restare integri (“le ossa sono un capitale piuttosto fragile… Una volta rotte, non si rigenerano più! E valgono più di tutti i tesori della terra…”).
E chissà se davvero l’unica prospettiva offerta per l’espiazione dei “nodi karmici” è quella del circolo vizioso (come in fondo sotteso da millenarie religioni orientali).
O forse, come urla un eremita apocalittico, “il freddo Tunnel della Morte finisce in un vicolo cieco”? O invece il Purgatorio, in fondo, è “una porcheria vuota modellata da tutte le stupide credenze […] per ammucchiarvi tutte le vergogne dell’umanità”, come sostiene il titolare della bettola Hatya-Patya (ove si serve frappé di mercurio e, in alternativa, dell’ottimo cloruro di ammonio quaternario)?
Una storia che mescola spunti alchemici ad atmosfere da danze macabre medievali e da storie di pirati (vascelli, mappe e… teschi, ovviamente), a reminiscenze dottrinarie cattoliche (più che cristiane: è Papa Gregorio Magno, nel VI secolo, a usare il termine Purgatorio per la prima volta, ed è nel 1274 che la Chiesa, nel Concilio di Lione, ne stabilisce il fondamento).
Un viaggio nell’ultimo e più grande mistero reso, dal punto di vista visuale, attraverso gradazioni di un azzurro che sfuma nel grigio e nel nero, e che si arricchisce di un’analisi profonda delle passioni che legano — e vincolano — più che dei cosiddetti peccati.
Da questo punto di vista il Purgatorio di Liberge è un luogo che talvolta assume i contorni della realtà dello spirito, secondo una visione che era già stata proposta dalla mistica Santa Caterina da Genova (esperienza intima di purificazione dell’anima), più che un regno ultraterreno da contrapporre all’Inferno o al Paradiso.
L’opera — colta, complessa, affascinante, decisamente unica per lo scenario proposto — assume così i caratteri di una profonda riflessione sul desiderio di vita, sul potere generativo dell’immaginazione, sull’umanità e sul suo percorso terreno, tra bellezza e miseria, errori e orrori; sull’equilibrio fragilissimo che chiamiamo vita, sospesa tra le esigenze, le tentazioni, le pulsioni della materia e la sconfinata capacità del pensiero di costruire universi da un’emozione, da un ricordo, da una parola.
Laddove però la narrazione, soprattutto nella parte precedente la conclusione, tende a perdere fluidità, sacrificando il respiro delle tavole a favore di una sequenza più fitta che tradisce la difficoltà dell’autore nel rendere esplicite alcune evoluzioni della sceneggiatura.
Nel 1999 il graphic novel si è aggiudicato il prestigioso premio René Goscinny.
Nel 2016 l’artista è tornato all’oltremondo di Victor Tourterelle dando alle stampe Le Facteur Cratophane, prequel incentrato sulla figura del solerte postino che, come si scoprirà nel corso delle pagine di Signor Mardi-Gras Delleceneri, ha molto da rivelare ai lettori…
“… Costui conduceva ricerche poco ortodosse, mescolando alchimia e teologia, caffè e architettura dei piani celesti…”
Sabbia. Sassi. E un “grosso, pallido melone sospeso nel buio”. Nessuna luce in fondo al tunnel, nessuno in attesa dall’altra parte.
Solo coscienza, “limpida come acqua di fonte”. E ossa. L’essenziale di un corpo, l’essenza di un’anima.
Si chiamava Victor Edouard Georges Tourterelle, nato il 31 agosto 1956 in Francia, cartografo.
Ora, scopre dalla raccomandata che gli viene recapitata da un solerte postino dopo un tempo apparentemente lunghissimo, che il suo nome è cambiato: Mardì-Gras Delleceneri, in quanto spirato nella notte tra l’ultimo giorno di Carnevale e il primo di Quaresima, per la precisione tra l’11 e il 12 febbraio 1997, a mezzanotte in punto.
Dal certificato di morte apprende inoltre che è alla sua 178a reincarnazione terrestre, e che ha ancora “5 nodi di grado 4” di recupero karmico non espiati.
Mardì-Gras Delleceneri ancora non lo sa, ma un cartografo può suscitare molto interesse nell’aldilà. E sta per scoprire il valore di un caffè nell’oltretomba…
«…Se esistesse davvero, a cosa somiglierebbe il purgatorio?
Io non conosco che quello delle ossa. Quello che ho ideato negli ultimi otto anni, nel corso di questi volumi la cui realizzazione mi ha permesso di “incontrare” me stesso, e da questo straordinario punto di vista, mi ha fatto incontrare anche te…», scrive l’autore nelle righe di commiato dalla sua opera.
Éric Liberge, fumettista francese classe 1965, riversa in quest’opera la sua passione per gli scheletri — che disegna sin da bambino — e si immerge nelle profondità dell’interrogativo finale con arguzia, filosofia, una buona dose di spirito d’avventura, qualche circonvoluzione narrativa e, soprattutto, con uno sguardo pieno di poetica malinconia.
C’è una sorta di struggente poesia negli scheletri che usano pezzi di vecchia chincaglieria debordati oltre il mondo terreno, in una sorta di discarica dell’altrove, per restare integri (“le ossa sono un capitale piuttosto fragile… Una volta rotte, non si rigenerano più! E valgono più di tutti i tesori della terra…”).
E chissà se davvero l’unica prospettiva offerta per l’espiazione dei “nodi karmici” è quella del circolo vizioso (come in fondo sotteso da millenarie religioni orientali).
O forse, come urla un eremita apocalittico, “il freddo Tunnel della Morte finisce in un vicolo cieco”? O invece il Purgatorio, in fondo, è “una porcheria vuota modellata da tutte le stupide credenze […] per ammucchiarvi tutte le vergogne dell’umanità”, come sostiene il titolare della bettola Hatya-Patya (ove si serve frappé di mercurio e, in alternativa, dell’ottimo cloruro di ammonio quaternario)?
Una storia che mescola spunti alchemici ad atmosfere da danze macabre medievali e da storie di pirati (vascelli, mappe e… teschi, ovviamente), a reminiscenze dottrinarie cattoliche (più che cristiane: è Papa Gregorio Magno, nel VI secolo, a usare il termine Purgatorio per la prima volta, ed è nel 1274 che la Chiesa, nel Concilio di Lione, ne stabilisce il fondamento).
Un viaggio nell’ultimo e più grande mistero reso, dal punto di vista visuale, attraverso gradazioni di un azzurro che sfuma nel grigio e nel nero, e che si arricchisce di un’analisi profonda delle passioni che legano — e vincolano — più che dei cosiddetti peccati.
Da questo punto di vista il Purgatorio di Liberge è un luogo che talvolta assume i contorni della realtà dello spirito, secondo una visione che era già stata proposta dalla mistica Santa Caterina da Genova (esperienza intima di purificazione dell’anima), più che un regno ultraterreno da contrapporre all’Inferno o al Paradiso.
L’opera — colta, complessa, affascinante, decisamente unica per lo scenario proposto — assume così i caratteri di una profonda riflessione sul desiderio di vita, sul potere generativo dell’immaginazione, sull’umanità e sul suo percorso terreno, tra bellezza e miseria, errori e orrori; sull’equilibrio fragilissimo che chiamiamo vita, sospesa tra le esigenze, le tentazioni, le pulsioni della materia e la sconfinata capacità del pensiero di costruire universi da un’emozione, da un ricordo, da una parola.
Laddove però la narrazione, soprattutto nella parte precedente la conclusione, tende a perdere fluidità, sacrificando il respiro delle tavole a favore di una sequenza più fitta che tradisce la difficoltà dell’autore nel rendere esplicite alcune evoluzioni della sceneggiatura.
Nel 1999 il graphic novel si è aggiudicato il prestigioso premio René Goscinny.
Nel 2016 l’artista è tornato all’oltremondo di Victor Tourterelle dando alle stampe Le Facteur Cratophane, prequel incentrato sulla figura del solerte postino che, come si scoprirà nel corso delle pagine di Signor Mardi-Gras Delleceneri, ha molto da rivelare ai lettori…
April 6, 2020
Because he died on Ash Tuesday, Victor Tourterelle's new name in the afterlife is just that: Mr. Ash Tuesday. After a fatal accident, Victor awakens in a bleak, desert- or moon-like landscape, and he himself has become a skeleton. Intent on discovering where (purgatory?), when (afterlife?) and what he is (a skeleton, really?). Soon, his curiosity leads him into trouble - but there are also others who see great potential in him. The illustrations are brilliant, in bleak black and white but also rich with detail, so you can easily recognize the feelings of the characters, even though they are all skeletons, which shouldn't normally be able to show facial expressions. The plot is very intriguing, a little philosophical but also humorous and even suspenseful, but thankfully not too much of any of it. I would love to accompany Mr. Ash Tuesday on his next adventure.
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
March 25, 2020
'Mr. Ash Tuesday 1. Welcome' with art and story by Eric Liberge is an odd story of the afterlife and the chaos of Purgatory.
When Victor Tourtelle trips on a toy car and dies, he finds himself in the afterlife. He is now a skeleton, as are everyone around him. He is processed and given a new name based on the day he died, Ash Tuesday. Now Victor/Ash is just trying to figure out his new place in this weird world.
I really liked this odd, dark story. The humor is sharp and weird. The illustrations were amazing, and I loved lots of the background details.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
When Victor Tourtelle trips on a toy car and dies, he finds himself in the afterlife. He is now a skeleton, as are everyone around him. He is processed and given a new name based on the day he died, Ash Tuesday. Now Victor/Ash is just trying to figure out his new place in this weird world.
I really liked this odd, dark story. The humor is sharp and weird. The illustrations were amazing, and I loved lots of the background details.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
December 22, 2009
Les dessins de cette bande dessinée sont magnifiques et l'histoire l'est tout autant. De prime abord, j'aurais pensé que les dessins me rebuteraient, moi qui n'aime pas tout ce qui est trop détaillé (je trouve que ça fait parfois "fouillis") et pourtant, ici, on s'y retrouve bien, peut-être grâce au noir et blanc - que j'ai fort apprécié. Le sujet de l'histoire - après sa mort, un homme se retrouve en squelette, habitant sur une planète peuplée d'autres squelettes et il ne va pas admettre sa nouvelle condition - est ponctué de douceur, de poésie, d'humour mais aussi d'une certaine philosophie et de réflexion. C'est vraiment un ouvrage original et unique.
January 27, 2015
This was a gorgeous book about the afterlife. A skeleton wakes up in a desert and tries to figure out what happens and come to terms with being dead. At the end of the book it shows that he is in purgatory. Everyone in the book is a skeleton, for they are all dead. What is interesting is the skeletons who have been there longer are decorating themselves with metal to express their individuality even though initially they all look the same. Even though they are dead everyone still acts very much like people so even though it's a book full of skeletons it's not really very spooky, but more humorous. I shall have to try and find the rest of the series.
August 31, 2024
240×318 ¦ D.L. 12/1998 = eo
-›Zone**Créative + Pointe Noire editions are B&W
Narrative: ***
My score rates my frustration from confusion that could be avoided like constant who's whos and 'what are they talking abouts' forcing me to reread and give-up understanding various things. I'm being sympathetic about it and not bailing on the series because he's digging deep physio-psycho-spiritually for an original afterlife that pokes the preconceived notions of the living.
Visual: *****
I finally understand the artistic buzz about this guy- the details and precision he puts into every nook from front-›finish, presented appropriately in grand format, wowed me tremendously because the line-work involved in rendering one-›many skeletons in every panel while exactly calculating the ever-present blank spaces between bones seems shockingly difficult and time-consuming!
This would fit ideally if Schuiten & Peeters had recruited him for a 'Cites Fantastiques par...' Hors Series due to the architectural character of the art, the map-maker protagonist and singular city to be examin-explored.
-›Zone**Créative + Pointe Noire editions are B&W
Narrative: ***
My score rates my frustration from confusion that could be avoided like constant who's whos and 'what are they talking abouts' forcing me to reread and give-up understanding various things. I'm being sympathetic about it and not bailing on the series because he's digging deep physio-psycho-spiritually for an original afterlife that pokes the preconceived notions of the living.
Visual: *****
I finally understand the artistic buzz about this guy- the details and precision he puts into every nook from front-›finish, presented appropriately in grand format, wowed me tremendously because the line-work involved in rendering one-›many skeletons in every panel while exactly calculating the ever-present blank spaces between bones seems shockingly difficult and time-consuming!
This would fit ideally if Schuiten & Peeters had recruited him for a 'Cites Fantastiques par...' Hors Series due to the architectural character of the art, the map-maker protagonist and singular city to be examin-explored.
March 25, 2020
Mr. Ash Tuesday doesn’t know where he is. He ends up making a chalk city. The postman comes informing him that he is now known as Mr. Ash Tuesday which he promptly says “no, I’m Victor Turtledove.” The postman disagrees and asks him to sign his death certificate. He doesnt understand and wants his questions answered. Will he get them answered? The postman gives him a ride to the city which only ends up making him more confused and angry. Will he survive even if he is just a skeleton?
This is a look at purgatory or at least the author’s idea. It is drawn and colored perfectly for this graphic novel. I enjoyed the story seeing how Mr. Ash Tuesday experiences the place he is in and what he learns or doesn’t learn. I’m quite intrigued to see what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
This is a look at purgatory or at least the author’s idea. It is drawn and colored perfectly for this graphic novel. I enjoyed the story seeing how Mr. Ash Tuesday experiences the place he is in and what he learns or doesn’t learn. I’m quite intrigued to see what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
March 24, 2020
It was creepy, I loved the art and the humor. I laughed a bit at some comments from the characters, and I appreciated the fact that the skeletons grind coffee and can see the memories/the life of those whose bones they grind. It was hilarious for me because I work in a coffee shop, but also original because I think it would be cool being able to peak into people's life through coffee beans.
Unfortunately tho it wasn't the kind of story that worked for me as I found it a bit messy and didn't really understand the dynamics. I still think that it's not a problem of the book itself but more of myself as a reader. I thought to find something in this book and it turned out to be an entire different thing, so my bad.
It's still a valid story for those who are fan of the genre, so I would recommend it and gift it, just... Not to myself, ahah!
Unfortunately tho it wasn't the kind of story that worked for me as I found it a bit messy and didn't really understand the dynamics. I still think that it's not a problem of the book itself but more of myself as a reader. I thought to find something in this book and it turned out to be an entire different thing, so my bad.
It's still a valid story for those who are fan of the genre, so I would recommend it and gift it, just... Not to myself, ahah!
May 10, 2020
Bizarre and then some, this four-parter has on this evidence some wonderfully detailed and inventive art, but it fell a little too 'out there' for me. That's not to say it's not grounded on a recognisable base – our hero ends up dead (due to a specific car accident) and finds wherever it is he ends up firstly a sandy, desolate world of bleakness, and then a riotous bearpit with Kafkaesque bureaucracy. So far, so almost traditional – it's when it has some weird ideas where drinking establishments are concerned, where some heretic types come up and demand a greater ability with action than this artist can muster, and when everyone looks the same, I find awkwardness with it. For the right reader this is such a stand-out book they'd give it many more stars than I can. For me, I admire the individuality on offer here, but wouldn't be returning for three more parts of the same.
June 29, 2025
Intrigué est bien le ressenti que j'ai eu en terminant ce premier album.
L'univers est intéressant et les visuels assez marquant même pour juste des crânes et squelette, les expressions faciales et même certains designs de personnages ( et leurs reconstruction avec des pièces détachées) rend le tout très unique.
Le setup de l'histoire quoi que classiques (je trouve) reste bien exécuté, après avoir été promis le paradis ou l'enfer, ou même la fameuse lumière blanche qui serait le signal du passage à l'au-delà n'importe qui aurait eu la réaction du protagonistes même s'il a un certain caractère aussi mdr.
L'univers est intéressant et les visuels assez marquant même pour juste des crânes et squelette, les expressions faciales et même certains designs de personnages ( et leurs reconstruction avec des pièces détachées) rend le tout très unique.
Le setup de l'histoire quoi que classiques (je trouve) reste bien exécuté, après avoir été promis le paradis ou l'enfer, ou même la fameuse lumière blanche qui serait le signal du passage à l'au-delà n'importe qui aurait eu la réaction du protagonistes même s'il a un certain caractère aussi mdr.
February 9, 2020
Mr ash Tuesday by script and art by Eric Liberge.
A fatal slip on the toy car that his son had left in the bathroom, and Victor Tourterelle is dispatched straight to the other side of the mirror, to the beautiful world of chalk desert, under a sky as black as ink. No noise, not a soul. In his new state, Victor finds that he's still fully conscious, more acutely than on earth, even. But his body is only bones. Little does the dead man know that he's at the dawn of the wildest adventure of all time...
A very good read. I loved the illustrations in the book. Great story. 4*.
A fatal slip on the toy car that his son had left in the bathroom, and Victor Tourterelle is dispatched straight to the other side of the mirror, to the beautiful world of chalk desert, under a sky as black as ink. No noise, not a soul. In his new state, Victor finds that he's still fully conscious, more acutely than on earth, even. But his body is only bones. Little does the dead man know that he's at the dawn of the wildest adventure of all time...
A very good read. I loved the illustrations in the book. Great story. 4*.
December 29, 2018
An interesting start to an interesting series. The art, being entirely black and white and with skeletons literally everywhere, shouldn't work as well as it does. It manages to be detailed and diverse and great to look at. The story was intriguing, the afterlife is a fascinating albeit not very beautiful place. Only the main character got on my nerves a bit, I hate characters who just start yelling instead of listening first.
October 14, 2020
*** DNF (DID NOT FINISH)
I made it halfway through this book, maybe a tiny bit more. I was excited to read this as I'm a huge fan of odd graphic novels and comics. The concept seemed interesting. However I just really didn't enjoy this. The writing, while good, was a bit too flowery or even borderline purple prose to a certain degree. The art was amazing though!
Probably not a series I'll finish. Just wasn't really my cup of tea.
I made it halfway through this book, maybe a tiny bit more. I was excited to read this as I'm a huge fan of odd graphic novels and comics. The concept seemed interesting. However I just really didn't enjoy this. The writing, while good, was a bit too flowery or even borderline purple prose to a certain degree. The art was amazing though!
Probably not a series I'll finish. Just wasn't really my cup of tea.
December 26, 2022
Victor Tourtelle wakes up dead and a skeleton in a moon-like landscape. He eventually discovers everyone there is a skeleton and this may be purgatory. Some behind the scenes skeletons like the questions he raises and the fact he is a mapmaker since the land has never been mapped. The story is very oft-kilter and strange. The shining star being the detailed artwork. Even though all the characters are skeletons, they all have little differences to them and convey emotions well.
February 10, 2020
1.5 stars ⭐
WTF did I just read?! I love books that are complete nonsense but even nonsensical things should make at least a bit of sense and that wasn't the case. The more the author tried to explain the rules of the world the worse it got. The thing with the coffee was so ridiculous lol.
WTF did I just read?! I love books that are complete nonsense but even nonsensical things should make at least a bit of sense and that wasn't the case. The more the author tried to explain the rules of the world the worse it got. The thing with the coffee was so ridiculous lol.
February 15, 2020
This really piqued my curiosity ...interesting concept, cool cover. The art wasn’t as grand as I had hoped and the storyline left me a trifle confused and a bit flat. With that said, I recognize that there will be another audience that is sure to eat this up and clamor for the next installment. Just not my particular cup of tea.
February 15, 2020
This really piqued my curiosity ...interesting concept, cool cover. The art wasn’t as grand as I had hoped and the storyline left me a trifle confused and a bit flat. With that said, I recognize that there will be another audience that is sure to eat this up and clamor for the next installment. Just not my particular cup of tea.
December 31, 2016
Une histoire et un style d'illustrations fort originaux. Sans être incroyable, le tout est très bien et son originalité fait du bien. J'aimerais bien lire la suite si j'arrive à mettre la main dessus!
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