THOUGHT BUBBLE MONTH 2025! Spanish artist Ramón Perales Cano is a first time exhibitor at TB under the moniker of “Ramonkey Perales”. He may best be remembered for editing and contributing to the ambitious Book of Fuligin (2024) a tribute to science fiction author Gene Wolfe, published by Strangers Publishing. His solo book, Litanies to the Stars and Other Stories (2020), can be found on Tapas. He has numerous anthology credits including: Eden Zine, Neodimo and Tales From Afar.
Perales brings with him Down North, Where No One Goes #1, according to him the first of at least four parts of a longer saga. This first issue is well structured, introducing a complex fantasy in a short space. Perales is quite good at pacing his narrative to suit his stories needs, the slow worldbuilding of the first pages where large blocks of text punctuated with ornamental illustrations draw the reader inside a situation that appears ancient, but maybe not.
The leisurely introduction of the villagers contrasts sharply with the Captain and the mercenaries of Justiciatica of Free Cities’ violent destruction of the village soon thereafter. Here Perales and Aickman show their talent as writers as the Captain’s life is upended by a show of mercy, and after a shocking twist the Captain is forced on a journey to a new life.
The art by Perales is striking at first glance. Raw and beautiful at the same time, everything has a texture that gives the art an aged appearance, an otherworldly feel. The characters are depicted in a brutal, almost crude manner, mirroring both their savage and victimized natures. It’s refreshing to see genre stories told in a more personal style, rather than the tired cliches we are used to. Looking forward to more from Perales!
Pick up a copy of Down North, Where No One Goes at Thought Bubble 2025 in the 2000 AD Hall, sharing C14 with Heaven is an Afterparty.
Ramón Perales Cano (W/A), Will Aickman (W), Artyom Trakhanov (CA) • Self-published
Review by Gary Usher
Ramonkey Perales will be at Table C14 in the 2000 AD Hall at Thought Bubble.
Thought Bubble 2025 runs from November 1oth-16th with the convention weekend taking place on the 15th-16th. More details on the Thought Bubble site here.
Read all our Thought Bubble 2025 coverage so far in one place here.
Poster by Ng Yin Shian
