The Winter Family has begun producing a new drug made from the dead. The drug is called Ash and produces terrifyingly real hallucinations. It also allows the person ingesting it to see the memories of the deceased it was made from. The Winter family begin to be pressured to turn over the production to a bigger drug cartel.

The story definitely has potential and I'm intrigued to see where it goes from here. Disappointed with how short it was as I feel that it made it hard to get much of a back story or connect to any of the characters. Not much is explained in this issue regarding Ash other than it causes hallucinations so I'm interested to learn more as more issues come out.

Bone Parish follows a family that thrives in crime together. The Winters family managed to create a new designer hallucinogenic drug, one taking the streets of New Orleans by storm. This is no normal drug either. Paralleling the use of mummy and bone dust by our ancestors, this new drug incorporates the ashes of the deceased. Bodies are retrieved from cemeteries, and their clever alchemist in the lab, Brigitte, can make unique 'strains’ depending on what the person was in life, to grant skills and knowledge. As demand grows, bigger crime families make moves to buy or take over the Ash operations. To top it all off, users are beginning to experience terrible side effects. The dead are trying to live again, through the people who've consumed them.

This was quite the unusual graphic novel. Despite following bodysnatchers making drugs from the deceased, I became really invested in the story. This mirrors (not so) ancient practises that used mummy powder as medicine. This was fascinating from an anthropologist's point of view. This was just volume one, and I want more of the story! I want to know what parts, exactly, are being used. How are memories and essence of the dead showing through the drug users? I need to know!!

Here, enjoy this article!
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-gruesome-history-of-eating-corpses-as-medic

The artwork is stunning, perfect for this gritty tale of life, death, and resurrection. I felt the characters were compelling too. I loved Grace, who was mostly decisive and strong, despite being addicted to the Ash. She uses it to interact with her deceased husband. Brigitte was pretty cool too. She's the one who figured out how to make the drug, and manufactures the batches. Demand for very distinct traits and/or experiences has led her to give her resurrectionists lists of specific people to unearth. She seems reluctant and uncertain over these specialised requests, and with the increased demand. She won't share the secret, so the Ash can't be mass produced. She's rightly concerned by the attention all the body-snatching is garnering. And things are starting to go wrong in all the worst ways. The Ash is causing users to go on rages, controlled by the visions of the dead.

Recommended for those who like gritty, dark graphic novels!

***Many thanks to Netgalley/ BOOM! Studios for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Great story and art. I always look forward to new projects that involve Cullen Bunn, he never disappoints.

“The living…they lie and cheat and double-cross. But not the dead.”

This graphic novel was thrilling and filled with corpses! I liked the darkness and how death was a prominent theme throughout. The story itself was intriguing. The drug concept left me with some questions, but I liked it. I also liked the family business aspect, it adds more tension and motivates the characters more. The graphics were dark, brutal, and detailed. And New Orleans was the perfect setting for this eerie read!

My favorite character by far was the mother (she’s a total badass) and I feel like she’s the most developed. Her character arc grew and I’m excited to see what she’ll do next. There were some moments when the story was all over the place. Especially concerning the characters and who they were, but it did not take away from the experience. I enjoyed where the story was going and look forward to reading on!

[I was given a free digital copy through NetGalley]

Bone Parish had me hooked from the start and had me finishing this volume in a night. I loved the artwork of its cover, and I was completely infatuated with the concept of necromancy and drugs and New Orleans. I can't deny that I got a bit of a Hellblazer feel, and I loved it. The story takes us into the heart of a family sitting at the head of a drug ring that is currently selling a new drug made from the dead's ashes, which is about as gross as it sounds--but that's not all, the drug also has an incredible array of side effects that I can't wait to get into more in the following volume. The artwork for this volume was gritty and surreal, and I felt that I was in New Orleans the entire time. I enjoyed the family especially, but I'm really interested in seeing more of their history because we didn't get a lot of what happened to them and how they came to the point that they are at, along with this wonderful, new necromancy drug. If you're looking for a comic that you likely won't put down because of its tension, horror, and art, this is absolutely the one for you.

I finished it in one sitting, so I enjoyed it. It was a new experience for me, as far as comics go. I haven’t read anything like it (or at least finished anything like it), and I'm not new to the graphic novel horror genre. I enjoyed the occasional surprises here and there, like mixing the ashes, and I appreciated that, considering some of the story felt too predictable. It was also dark, but not terrifying, which I didn't mind. It was horror-lite. I think it's building up to something that will make sense to readers when we continue reading the series. The alligator panel was a pretty nice "whoa" scene, and probably worse to imagine what happened than to actually see it, so I’m glad the creator of this comic decided not to show what happened after that panel. I think the horror comes in knowing what happened and letting your mind get carried away with it.

So, right off the bat, I’ll say the art style is not what I’m usually into. It’s very modern and not exactly what I look for in a comic. That being said, it’s well done for that style. The illustrator has some skills. There’s a lot of detail in each panel. I wish more of the comic was in the style of the purple-framed sections. Still, none of it really bothered me as much as I had anticipated first going into it.

As for the story, I immediately liked the idea of a new drug called Ash, one that lets you “experience” another person. Their life. And the effects of an overdose were actually pretty interesting, and unexpected, as was the other form of ash-related torture that we saw near the end of the volume. Nice way to hint at the brand of violence to come in future volumes, and it matched where I wanted the story to go. To dark, dark places.

Lastly, I get the whole family business thing, but the parents look like they’re the same age as their kids. The mom sometimes looks like she could be 18. Kind of threw me off. And there are a few clichés early on in the comic, like the whole “I’d hate for something bad to happen to you” bit. Or the father telling the son, “One day I won’t be here anymore and you’ll need to step up for the family” thing. I think I’m judging this comic so harshly because I don’t normally read things that could have those mafia-esque or macho/daddy issues clichés. My main critique would be these overused phrases and scenes. Other than that, I am definitely interested in checking out the next volume!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy.
I gave this a 3.5/5
I really enjoyed the story and the art work. This was about a family drug operation and out of town people wanting to buy or take that operation. I like how the plot moved and it was fast but I liked it. I haven’t read something like this. I recommend you to pick this up. I can’t wait for the next volume.

It's definitely beginning to feel like Cullen Bunn's conveyor belt of new horror comics has hit the point of diminishing returns. A drug made from the bones of the dead, which gives its users the memories of those they ingest? OK, good concept. Might even explain why Keith Richards finally knocked drugs on the head. But here it's drowned in some deeply overfamiliar machinations between the small-time crime family distributing it and the bigger fish taking an interest, and none of them are solidly characterised enough for that to work in the way eg Fargo's second season did, and unlike previous Bunn projects such as Cold Spots or Harrow County it doesn't even have an especially interesting artist to paper over any frailties in the structure and script and keep the spooky atmosphere going.

(Netgalley ARC)

Cullen Bunn's created another winner. The Winter family is quickly making a name for itself in New Orlean's underworld with a drug called ash that allows you to relive the memories of the corpse it was created from. This draws the attention of both New York and Mexican drug cartels. It's your typical crime noir with a supernatural slant.

At first glance, the art is awesome, black and white with pops of fluorescent colour. And it gets better are more and more colour gets added in. It gets boring without the fluorescent colours that the drug brings in. It jumps around a lot. It’s hard to tell what real, what’s imagined, and what’s backstory.
Is this drug made from what I think it is? Ewwwww, yes. This is quite the crime family, everyone is involved in this morbid drug.
Great idea, but it loses focus pretty fast and is just about family drama.
2.5 stars.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I knew nothing about the author or this series when requesting this from Netgally. I am not regretting that I got to read this arc and make acquaintances with this new world. This first volume already gives us a glimpse into the moral of the story. Drugs are bad and we should never screw with what we do not know.

While I found The Bone Parish creative and original, it's just not my type of story. I liked parts of it,but overall, I couldn't connect with this story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Bone Parish. This twist on drugs and ghosts is highly imaginative and w beautify illustrated
Down in New Orleans a new drugs rules: sniffing the dust of the dead allows you to live the dead's experiences. .But this drug is getting the attention of drugs crews through out the country. Cn this family business stay just family?
I was taken in by the idea. In fact, I am quite sure human kind would love to have such a drug. They could be celebrities and historic figures. They could truly escape by being someone else. This drug would absolutely take over if it were real.
The art is gorgeous. Each scene carefully detailed in full colorful. The dark was richly dark and the light wasn't overly done. I loved the inking of the characters; they looked like real people I would meet on the street.
I really liked this graphic novel and want to follow the story.

A new drug is going around town, and it makes you feel,live, breath in the lives of someone else.

Bone Parish follows the Winter family, the ones making and distributing the drug around New Orleans, as they collide with other factions and criminal factions wanting the new rising business for themselves.

The art work, the coloring it's all amazing through the volume. It's not pretty, but so isn't the story we follow, but it's a amazing tracing and colors that have you transfixed together with the script that has you tied to your chair while reading to know what's coming. How did Brigitte get the secrets for Ash? What's the past of the Winters family? Also, we have some kind of mystery from the father.

All the while while a war commences, the users start to get terrifying visions of the dead coming back to life, through them.

I would like to thank Cullen Bunn, Boom! Studios and Netgalley for the chance of reading this volume in exchange of a honest review. It's as honest as I can after I just finished reading without giving too much of it. I would recommend!

I'm hooked. Really creative plot (dead bodies turned into a drug where users relive the corpse's memories), interesting characters, cool art. Definitely held my attention. Looking forward to the next volume.

Bone Parish was definitely interesting, dark and scary. I really liked the unique story. Character development was great but i wish we could learn a bit more. Some flashback got me confused but i think we can learn that in other volumes. I really enjoyed reading Cullen Bunn's work and couldn't wait volume 2.

What a start to something super insane. The artwork kinda had a The Walking Dead vibe to it so that I enjoyed. It was graphic, action, death, obvious drug usage but definitely not the kinda you’d be thinking it was... I don’t want to give any spoilers just know the concept is super fresh and new, a deep mystery lies underneath for you to seek once the story unfolds, it’s a bit chaotic and leaves a massive punch in the face. Can’t too pick up the sequel and continue to see where this all unfolds.

Definitely a 4.5 star rating simply because I wanted a bit more understanding and story design.

Bone Parish is a gritty comic book series. It’s about drugs and family. You can smell the Crescent City as it wafts from the page. It’s filled with crawfish, alligators, dealers, bad cops, and grave robbing. Highly Recommend.

Not enough groundwork was laid & the plot moved a little too fast but the original idea & superb illustrations have piqued my interest. There is great potential for this series.

Cullen Bunn has created a new dark and dangerous graphic novel series, and this necromantic horror story grabbed me on the first page and never let go.

A quick synopsis: “A new drug is sweeping through the streets of New Orleans—one made from the ashes of the dead. Wars are being fought over who will control the supply, while the demand only rises.”

The Winters family of New Orleans has discovered how to manufacture the ashes of the dead into a powerful hallucinogenic drug that lets the person snorting the drug to experience everything the dead person lived through when they were alive. In charge of this operation are Grace and Andre, with their four adult children. The oldest, Brae, is chomping at the bit ready to take over the enterprise and questioning his mother. Brigitte is the scientist who is the only one who knows how to turn the dead into ash properly and won’t reveal to others how to do so as to keep her position in the family safe. Leon and Wade end up doing much of the grunt work for the family, with both of them questioning the morality of it all.

As the popularity of the drug grows in the Big Easy, other drug cartels realize the scope of the operation and want in on the action. Several contact Grace with offers of buy-outs but she refuses. Not surprisingly they don’t take it well, and put a target on the family’s back. Some dirty cops are also involved, with Brae trying to control that aspect, but double crosses are part of the game.

There are a few twists and turns in the narrative, with a surprising revelation that will make you back track to look for clues. The story has potential for a thought provoking moral debate about drug culture and the sanctity of life and for the body after death. My excitement for this new series rivals what I felt for Briggs Land, another layered crime saga with an intriguing family led by a strong woman.

The art by Jonas Scharf was perfect for the story, and was reminiscent for me of Gabriel Rodriguez who illustrates the Locke and Key series, which is high praise indeed from me. He establishes the Winters family in a distinct manner, showing a welcome diversity within the family, in addition to when he draws other characters and realistic crowd scenes. The colorist Alex Guimarães really sets the tone with the coloring with an earthen palette for the everyday life, and vibrant pinks and purples to signify the hallucinogenic effect.

As much as I loved the story, I have a few criticisms. The big one: how is the drug controlled by the user? How do they tap into the specific memory of the deceased, as they would have a lifetime of memories to choose from? How do memories from the past physically manifest in those who are taking the drug? Will this be explained, or do we just have to have suspension of disbelief and go with the flow? Also, while I love that Grace is portrayed as a powerful and still sexy matriarch of the family, she looks too young to be a mother to her children, especially Brae. I, myself, am a mother to three teens and I still want to be thought of as a hottie, but Grace should be realistically aged just a tiny bit more.

I believe this new series has a lot of potential for growth and I absolutely will be reading future volumes, as I wish to find out what consequences are in store for the Winters family and those who choose to take the drug. Thank you to NetGalley for approving me to read this novel early, as I believe this series could really take off after it’s release in March. (Actual review is 4.5/5, but I rounded up)