Ascending comic

Ascending is a seven-page comic about an elderly man living in solitude in a house by a river. Each day, rain, snow, or shine, he walks to the river’s edge and stares into the water, lost in thought. At the bottom of the river lies a dress caught on a submerged tree branch, an object that continually draws his gaze and serves as a quiet reminder of his wife, who has passed on.

As the story unfolds, otherworldly creatures begin to appear, sensing that the end of his journey is near. They arrive to guide him onward to the next world. On one final day, as he walks back from the river toward his home, he is gently carried on.

This piece is intentionally moody and atmospheric, allowing me to focus on expressive line work and a restrained black-and-white palette to support the emotional weight of the narrative.