Etheres: Anas Abdulhak Talks the Journey Into the Afterlife in Heart-Rending One-Shot Comic

Etheres: Anas Abdulhak Talks the Journey Into the Afterlife in Heart-Rending One-Shot Comic

Source Point Press highlighted Syrian author Anas Abdulhak and new artist/illustrator Dennis Menheere in their new one-shot, Etheres. This poignant tale bodes the question of where do souls go when they belong anywhere else and what comes of it is a mastercraft tale that leaves you at the mercy of your emotions. This beautiful comic is inspired by the threat of death faced by Abdulhak while living in Syria as he spins the tale of a woman who journeys through the dangerous realm of the afterlife as she recalls her past, her trauma, and the meaning of death.

Whether you are a comics and graphic novels fan or simply love all forms of literature. Etheres delivers to every bookworm on a scale of immense proportions that I am not sure anyone who has picked up the issue has been prepared for. We knew the importance behind the story but to have a story reach into your chest and pull you into the beautiful chaos that is bestowed upon Valerie as she navigates Etheres is something that will stick with you forever. This proves that comics carry the same literary impact that novels do and could be a trailblazing issue into what we hope will be a newly-tapped source of content within the rising comic book community.

Abdulhak and Menheere have created something magical that will surely be a memorable moment in their careers as they skyrocket onto the scene alongside Source Point Press. For those who have experienced narratives that find beauty in the dark such as Daytripper, Etheres will take your hand and give you a preview of the void and the light that shines within it. We had the opportunity to ask Abdulhak a few questions about Etheres. Check them out below:

Geek Network: First, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, and congratulations on Etheres! Can you give our readers some insight into your background as a writer?

Thank you for having me! I started writing stories and coming up with fantastical realms from a very young age but I was always very drawn to Arabic poetry. I began writing English poems inspired by the melodic and rhythmic nature of Arabic poetry and I incorporated those poems into my comics Eleutheromania, Objects in the Mirror, and now Etheres. I started making comics in late 2021 and dedicated all my energy into these projects that were all very personal in nature and touched upon questions regarding the human condition and the things that make us who we are.

GN: Etheres has a very particular inspiration tied to an experience in your life. If you are comfortable with sharing, could you tell us more about the experience that brought Etheres to fruition and how that led to creating the story?

Well, coming from Syria and growing up during the unrest there, I’ve sadly had to experience lots of loss and death around me. Whether it be from seeing it on the news, or losing several close friends. So the concept of the after life and death was always at the forefront and something I’ve always wanted to write about. But I really wasn’t able to put it into words until my father passed away. We had a tumultuous relationship and there was so much left unsaid and so much left to process. So I began writing poems about those very feelings and Etheres was born.

GN: It’s no doubt that Etheres is unlike any other story that’s been told. It shines in its own corner of creativity. Can you give fans your elevator pitch for those unfamiliar with the comic?

That’s a big, big compliment coming from you so thank you! I would say Etheres is a story about self-loathing and trauma. It follows a recently deceased woman named Valerie who finds herself in this realm where souls go when they don’t belong anywhere else. And she’s forced to face her demons and her past in order to move forward.

GN: Leading more into the story. Can you share how your experiences led to this particular story in Etheres being told and the creative decisions that led to such a unique way of telling a story in the comic? 

So my previous projects were very abstract in nature. And that was intentional, as the themes I was tackling were heavy and veiled very personal stories behind them. So in a way, I wanted to discuss these elements while distancing myself from them while leaving lots of room for interpretation and personal reflection. With Etheres, I knew that there needed to be a prose element to the story to guide the reader from each poem to the next.

Each poem acted as a milestone in the story where a major emotional breakthrough would take place all leading Valerie to come to terms with her past. While the prose took on the form of her thought process going from one moment to the other.

GN: Dennis Menheere provided the art for the comic. Experiencing the comic firsthand, it seemed as though you both developed a hive mind with the story you crafted for Valerie being so intricate, yet Dennis captured it so perfectly. How did you both wind up collaborating on the project?

Honestly, I’ve rewritten Etheres from the ground up when I started working with Dennis Menheere. We connected creatively in such a beautiful way that I wanted to script the story and change the visuals to complement his work and style. The process was very collaborative, after sending Dennis the script pages I would always say “this is all just a suggestion. If you feel there is a stronger way to convey these feelings with a different visual element, go for it” and Dennis took that to heart.

A lot of times he would present me with different ideas and we’d go back and forth on a daily basis making sure every panel was just right. As for how we met, it was purely coincidental. Just scrolling through a facebook group and seeing the right post at the right time!

GN: What are your feelings regarding the overall reception from fans for Etheres?  

It has been overwhelming. I’ve had so many folks reach out to me and share their personal stories and how Etheres touched them and it’s so, so fulfilling to me just having my work resonate with so many. This was my first time releasing something I didn’t self-publish so there was an added element of anxiety having Etheres find its way into so many hands. So many people who weren’t familiar with my style of storytelling and just not getting what we were aiming for. But at the end of the day, I choose to focus on the people that connected with Etheres and found comfort within its pages.

GN: What can comic fans expect to see from you next or in the future? Any upcoming projects you can share?

I’ve got a lot on the way actually! I’m experimenting more with my storytelling. Trying out new genres and new ways of telling stories. There’s not much I can share right now, but I am working primarily on my first miniseries at the moment! It’s a neo-noir psychological thriller book that features lots of elements from Assyrian mythology and tributes to my culture and heritage. It’s a very fun story with tons of twists and turns and I hope it’ll see the light of day sometime this year or early next year!

Etheres #1 is available at your favorite local comic shop and digitally now. For more about what Anas Abdulhak is up to, follow him on Instagram and Twitter.