• Nipun Alahakoon’s story begins in between worlds.

Boarded from a young age at one of Sri Lanka’s most prestigious hill-country schools, he was given opportunity – but not belonging. That quiet disconnection followed him through life, across continents and through personal lows, refusing to resolve on its own.

Most people carry that feeling. Nipun turned it into something tangible.

What began as absence became intent. Ascension Universe is not an abstract idea of belonging; it is a constructed response to a life spent without it. His parents’ sacrifice taught him more than gratitude; it revealed that resilience is built, not claimed.

He didn’t find a place where he fit. He built one.

Ascension Comics feels rooted in identity and mythology. What personal experiences or gaps in storytelling pushed you to create it?

From a very young age, I was deeply sensitive to the world around me. I could see how cruel life could be, and that weight stayed with me.

When I first moved to Canada, I went through a period of real emotional hardship – losses that I wasn’t prepared for. I found myself in a dark place. But I was determined to find my way out, and that determination led me to books, to meditation, to a completely new way of thinking. 

Slowly, that knowledge reshaped my mind. And what I discovered was that finding my purpose was what ultimately pulled me out of the darkness.

Along the way, I realised something: there were so many people out in the world, lost, just like I had been. And I wanted to reach them – guide them somehow. Storytelling felt like the most powerful vehicle for that, because it always has been throughout human history. Stories carry knowledge, they carry hope, they cross every boundary.

That’s how Ascension Universe was born. Not from a place of ambition, but from a genuine desire to remind people that they weren’t born to simply survive; they were born to thrive.

‘Yaksha’ comics draw from cultural and mythological influences. How do you balance authenticity with making the story globally accessible?

Among all the characters within Ascension Universe, Yaksha was chosen as the flagship for a very specific reason – and it ties directly into something I realised while living in Toronto.

The world knows Sri Lanka. But they know us for what we export – our tea, our cinnamon, our gems. What the world doesn’t know is who we truly are as a people – the depth of our culture, the richness of our history, and the strength of our ancestors and the values they lived by.

‘Yaksha’ is my vehicle to change that. While the character and storyline are completely fictional, the storytelling is woven with real historical folklore, genuine cultural values, and a deep respect for how advanced and remarkable our ancestors truly were. I want the world to understand that Sri Lanka has warriors, philosophers, and stories that rival anything in global mythology.

At the same time, the story is set within a timeline that mirrors today’s world – which is what makes it universally relatable. The themes of identity, power, purpose, and resilience are human themes. Anyone anywhere can connect to them emotionally, regardless of where they’re from.

And through all of this, I’ve been very intentional about one thing – never distorting or disrespecting the true ‘yaka’ folklores of our country. The fiction exists alongside the history, not in place of it.

What does Ascension represent to you beyond just a brand name, philosophically or creatively?

Ascension is more than a brand name; it’s the entire philosophy the universe is built on.

Every character within Ascension Universe begins as an ordinary person – someone like you or me. What awakens them isn’t some rare gift they were born with; it’s love, emotional depth, and the conscious choice to become something greater. Through that awakening, they manifest elemental abilities. But the real power was always internal.

The message is simple but intentional: any of us can ascend. Not through circumstance, but through choice. The choice to grow, to rise, to become a better version of who we are. 

And that ties into the deeper spiritual meaning of the word itself – the process of raising one’s consciousness and energy to a higher level. That’s what I want every reader to walk away feeling. Not just entertained, but reminded that ascension isn’t reserved for fictional heroes. It’s available to all of us.

In building Ascension Comics, what has been the biggest challenge: the creative process, the business side, or audience building?

Like any journey, Ascension Universe has come with its fair share of challenges – the business side, the logistics, building an audience from the ground up. None of it has been easy.

But the most personally challenging part is something most people would never see – the patience required to build with obsessive intentionality. Every detail in this universe is deliberate, planned far beyond what the audience will ever consciously notice. 

Our flagship character’s name, Ashan, is derived from the Sanskrit word Aśāna. Our final legendary Ascension – the 13th – will be named Ash, signifying born from ash. The universe begins and ends with the same root – a detail hidden in plain sight across an entire mythology.

How do you see the role of South Asian (or Sri Lankan) narratives evolving within the global comic and graphic novel space?

The world is starving for something new, especially in comics and animation. And South Asia is sitting on one of the greatest untapped storytelling reservoirs on the planet.

Sri Lanka alone carries over 2,500 years of unbroken written history – civilisations, warriors, spiritual traditions, and folklore that the world has barely scratched the surface of. These stories don’t just entertain; they carry buried knowledge and ancient wisdom that have the power to inspire generations to come.

We are only at the very beginning of the world discovering that.

‘Yaksha’ as a concept carries spiritual and symbolic weight. What themes are you most intentionally trying to explore through it?

Yaksha in our universe is deliberately given the energy and title of a demon – an anti-hero in comic terms. And that was a very intentional creative choice, rooted in respect for the folklore itself.

At its core, ‘Yaksha’ is the story of a human reincarnated with a cursed soul – bound by a duty to protect this land from dark energies. His destiny is already written in darkness. Yet with the will of an Ascension, he fights to do what is right – to be better than the darkness he carries within him.

The themes I’m most intentionally exploring are destiny versus will, darkness versus purpose, and what it truly means to fight for something greater than yourself – even when everything within you pulls you in the opposite direction.

If you had to define the long-term vision of Ascension Comics in one sentence, what would it be, and how close are you to achieving it today?

One day, Ascension Universe will be one of the anchors of this world – a living record of human values, willpower, and greatness that spreads across generations – beginning with comics and collectibles, evolving into animations and films that carry the vision globally.

As for how close we are, we’re in the early stages, intentionally and patiently building a solid foundation. As Jensen Huang once said, “I don’t need to change the world overnight; I’m going to change the world over the next 30 years.” That’s exactly the energy we move with.

For young creators in the region who want to break into comics, what’s the one misconception about the industry you think holds them back the most?

There are two things I always come back to.

The first I learnt from Napoleon Hill: no matter what path you choose, if you are truly determined, no circumstance or situation can stand between you and your destiny. That applies to comics, to art, to anything.

The second is about dreaming bigger. I’ve seen extraordinary talent in Sri Lanka, especially within the comic community. Every year at events like Lanka Comic Con, incredible artists show up with such dedication and passion. But too often, that vision stops there. 

The talent is undeniable. What’s missing is the belief that it belongs on a global stage. Take your work beyond your borders. Use every platform and medium available to you. The world is ready for what Sri Lankan creators have to offer; the question is whether you believe that yourself.

And personally, I’m very much looking forward to collaborating with Sri Lankan talents and giving them the opportunity to be part of Ascension Universe – to take their creativity to the world with us.

Modelling and comic creation sit in very different worlds. How has your experience as a model influenced your visual storytelling or character design?

Honestly, I don’t like to cage myself with labels. I’m a fan of all creative expression.

For me, modelling, fashion, staying healthy – these are just as much a creative art form as writing a comic, designing a character, or directing a scene. Even investing or the art of sales – I treat them all as trades of creativity. Each one requires vision, discipline, and a certain kind of artistry.

When you approach life that way, everything feeds everything else. My eye for aesthetics from modelling flows into character design. My understanding of presence and body language flows into how characters carry themselves on the page. It all connects.

I find that by treating every pursuit as a form of creative expression, I find genuine joy in what I do. And life feels just a little more worth enjoying.

Do you see modelling as a parallel career, or as something that feeds into your larger creative identity and brand?

The lines are more blurred than people might think. As I build Ascension Universe – a fictional world that runs so parallel to reality – parts of me inevitably live within these characters. Many of them are born with qualities that are genuinely my own. And sometimes, whether in modelling or in everyday life, I find myself embodying certain aspects of them without even realising it.

But I do try to keep each area with its own space to breathe. Modelling for me is simply another way of expressing myself creatively – freely and genuinely. I don’t think of myself as a personal brand to be carefully managed. I’d rather just show up as who I truly am and let that speak for itself.

And I think that authenticity – that refusal to perform a version of yourself – is ultimately what people connect with, whether through a comic, a character, or a photograph.