Bash! Vol.1 (Graphic Novel)

by Rudy Gobert, Vince Serrano (Illustrator)

Overview

BASH — an intergalactic game of basketball played by superstar athletes from across the cosmos.

Young Rudy comes from the poor neighborhood of Nevilia, but dreams of a being a BASH star, and his talent might just make it happen: but can he make it while threats come from every corner of the galaxy?

Throughout the universe, there’s one sport that everyone’s a fan of: BASH! A brutal, high-octane version of basketball: its players are rockstars, legends, gods, and for young Rudy, a poor kid from Nevilia, his only dream is to be one of them.

Rudy’s got talent, but talent is nothing without practice and so he sets out to become the best BASH player in the galaxy, always training, always reaching for jut one more dunk.

And while Rudy is starting to get noticed by the teams and the talent scouts, other, more sinister forces have started to creep out from the shadows, jealous of this rising young star.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787739888
Publisher:	Titan
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	10 - 17 Years

About the Author

Rudy Gobert is a four-time All-NBA team member, three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and now first-time comic book writer! Standing 7ft 1in, Rudy Gobert is a towering presence in the international basketball community, playing for Utah Jazz and representing the French national team. BASH! is his first graphic novel.

Vince Serrano is a concept artist and illustrator from the Philippines, who has worked on projects with Adidas, the Sacramento Kings, the rapper Young Nudy and now, Rudy Gobert!

Editorial Reviews

01/30/2023

NBA player Gobert and author Bay team up in this adrenaline-fueled graphic novel, told in the vein of Space Jam and illustrated by Serrano, in which superstar athletes from across the cosmos participate in an intergalactic basketball game. Teenage Rudy, supposedly an ordinary human, lives in Nevilia, “one of thousands of slums” run by Governor Valkyrion on the planet Arcadia. He dreams of playing basketball in the Bash, a highly competitive game where the best ballers across the universe compete on the court under intense environmental conditions to prove their skills. Rudy’s teammates encourage him to pursue this goal, but his mother fears for his safety, citing unknown secrets kept by Rudy’s disappeared father, Atlas, who claimed that his past would endanger Rudy. While watching the Bash, Rudy is approached by a mysterious old man named Ulysses, who reveals he was friends with Atlas and believes that he was a god. Serrano’s highly detailed art boasts stark, noir-style coloring that expertly complements Rudy’s tumultuous family saga. Set against the backdrop of an explosive, high-stakes tournament, the creators craft a fantasy epic teeming with plenty of basketball action and macrocosm politics. Ages 10–17. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"A teenage athlete discovers hidden potential within himself in Bash!, an exciting, entertaining graphic novel." PETER DABBENE, FOREWORD REVIEWS


"An exciting read [...] This futuristic basketball story is elevated by the art and will likely engage science fiction and sports fans." - CARLA RIEMER, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL 

From the Publisher

03/01/2023

Gr 7 Up—In the future, people universe-wide revere "the BASH," a hyperaggressive, basketball-like sport. Armor-clad BASH professionals play on courts that can change mid-game from standard to blazing desert to glacial, often turning the already challenging game deadly. Rudy is an exceptionally talented player in a BASH street league. He hopes to get noticed by recruiters and become a professional, escaping his life of poverty. This angers Rudy's mother, who blames the game for his father Atlas's disappearance 12 years earlier. During a pickup game, Rudy meets someone from Atlas's past. Rudy learns about Atlas's pro career and the surprising source of his talent—but Rudy has no idea what that is going to mean for him. This science-fiction sports story is written by NBA star Gobert and reflects his basketball knowledge, especially the role sports play in the lives of people with limited opportunities. The narrative is interesting, though somewhat choppy, and the characters are underdeveloped. The story has more set up than action, but it's still an exciting read. The art is the strongest element of the book. It excels at showing the dynamic BASH games, the physicality and emotion of the characters, as well as Rudy's depressed surroundings. Rudy has brown skin; other characters have a range of skin tones but no specific ethnicity. VERDICT Despite being somewhat bumpy, this futuristic basketball story is elevated by the art and will likely engage science fiction and sports fans.—Carla Riemer

School Library Journal