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WORK TITLE: Portugal
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 11/22/1972
WEBSITE: http://cyrilpedrosa.blogspot.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY: French
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born November 22, 1972, in Poitiers, France.
EDUCATION:Studied at Gobelins.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Comic book writer and artist. Walt Disney Studios, Montreuil, France, illustrator and animator, 1990s. Professeur Cyclope, cofounder.
AWARDS:Essentials award, Angoulême International Comics Festival, 2008; Prix Tournesol, 2009; Comic Book Award, National Cartoonists Society, 2009; Prix Tournesol, 2009, for environmental and social awareness; Prix Le Point de la BD, 2011, Prix Bédélys Monde, 2011, and Prix des Libraires de Bande Dessinée, 2012, all for Portugal; Eisner award nomination.
WRITINGS
Author of a blog; also the author of Ring Circus, Les Aventures spatio-temporelles de Shaolin Moussaka, Les Cœurs solitaires, Trois ombres, Paroles sans papiers, Brigade fantôme, Premières fois, and Autobio.
SIDELIGHTS
Cyril Pedrosa is a French comic book writer and artist. Born in Poitiers, France, in 1972, he studied animation in Paris at Gobelins. In the 1990s he worked as an illustrator for Walt Disney studios in Montreuil and also worked as an animator on the films Hercules and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Pedrosa began working with writer David Chauvel in the early 2000s. In 2009 he won a Comic Book Award from the National Cartoonists Society and a Prix Tournesol for environmental and social awareness. A contributor profiling Pedrosa in the Europe Comics Website observed that he “has a very free drawing style; he uses his drawings like a form of writing, favoring long, virtually silent, narrative sequences.”
Three Shadows
In 2008 Pedrosa published Three Shadows. The account centers on quiet country life of a family of three and the three hooded “shadows” who watch over them. Farmer Louis, his wife, Lise, and their son, Joachim, flee after a witch tells Lise that the “shadows” are going to take Joachim from her. Louis is reminded to treasure every moment with his son as they journey across the countryside with the shadows in constant pursuit.
A Publishers Weekly contributor noticed that “Pedrosa’s background as a Disney animator is clearest in his exaggerated movements and facial expressions.” However, the reviewer called the story “a glorious and revelatory fable.” Booklist contributor Tina Coleman observed that “the high-contrast shading effectively underscores the tension and emotion of the narrative.” Writing in the SF Signal Website, John DeNardo noted that “there are moments where characters communicate via expressions alone and the images capture that perfectly.” DeNardo called Three Shadows a “dramatic, engrossing story” that “accentuates the importance of family.”
Equinoxes
Pedrosa published the graphic novel Equinoxes in 2016. The varied characters in the graphic novel are all in search of balance in their lives. Characters range from cave painters and children in the wilderness to tourists and an old man with his dogs, with vignettes that center on each one.
A Publishers Weekly contributor lauded: “At its best—and it is frequently at its best—Pedrosa’s work borders on magic.” In a review in Xpress Reviews, E.W. Genovese insisted that “fans of modern European graphic novels will love this insightful book.” Genovese additionally took note of the “fluid style and quiet compositions.” A contributor reviewing Equinoxes in Comics Grinder remarked that “Pedrosa is living and breathing what he’s setting down on paper at a delicious level. He has an extensive background in animation, which certainly helps, but he takes it even further.” The same reviewer called Pedrosa “an ideal cartoonist.”
Portugal
Montana Kane’s translation of Pedrosa’s graphic novel Portugal, which won France’s Le Point Graphic Novel Prize, Quebec’s Prix Bédélys Monde, a Booksellers Comics Award, and the FNAC Graphic Novel Prize, was published in 2017. French cartoonist Simon Muchat is depressed with his life, stuck with writer’s block, and ends a relationship with his girlfriend after she pushes for a greater level of commitment from him. While at a cousin’s wedding, he listens to the story of his grandfather Abel’s migration from Portugal to France. Simon is intrigued by the history of his family and their mobility and begins to retrace their steps and fill in the blanks. Simon is swept away by the culture of Portugal and begins to sketch the very book of which he is the protagonist.
A Publishers Weekly contributor observed that many have “a lot to say in this graphic novel whose gorgeous art is as full as its story.” In a review in School Library Journal, Anna Murphy suggested that some “teens may grow impatient with the slow pace, but the dreamy drawings and hopeful narrative of family and creativity will resonate with many.” A contributor to Internet Bookwatch claimed that Portugal is “an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover.” The same reviewer shared that it “is an especially recommended addition to personal and community” graphic novel collections.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2008, Tina Coleman, review of Three Shadows, p. 67.
Publishers Weekly, April 21, 2008, review of Three Shadows, p. 42; September 19, 2016, review of Equinoxes, p. 56; January 1, 2018, review of Portugal, p. 46.
School Library Journal, March 1, 2018, Anna Murphy, review of Portugal, p. 131.
Xpress Reviews, September 2, 2016, E.W. Genovese, review of Equinoxes.
ONLINE
Comics Grinder, https://comicsgrinder.com/ (September 12, 2016), review of Equinoxes.
Europe Comics, http://www.europecomics.com/ (June 2, 2018), author profile.
Internet Bookwatch, http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ (December 1, 2017), review of Portugal.
SF Signal, https://www.sfsignal.com/ (January 21, 2008), John DeNardo, review of Three Shadows.
Cyril Pedrosa has worked on Disney animated feature films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules before meeting writer David Chauvel, who inspired him to turn to comics. His work is a product of his animation background combined with his literary influences of Borges, Marquez, and Tolkien.
Cyril Pedrosa
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Cyril Pedrosa, 2015
Cyril Pedrosa (born November 22, 1972), is a French comic book artist, colorist and writer.
Contents [hide]
1
Biography
1.1
Career
2
Awards
3
Bibliography
4
Notes and references
5
See also
Biography[edit]
Born on 22 November 1972 in Poitiers, Cyril Pedrosa decided to become a drawing artist since his was an adolescent. He studied animation at Gobelins school, then made his way into Disney's animation studios in France, working as inbetweener and assistant animator. He worked notably in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules.[1]
Career[edit]
After meeting with David Chauvel, Pedrosa debuted into comics in 1998 with Ring Circus, for which he did art and colors. A second title followed, Les Aventures spatio-temporelles de Shaolin Moussaka.[2] In 2006, Cyril Pedrosa created alone an one-shot, Les Cœurs solitaires and a second one in 2007, Trois ombres (Three Shadows). He collaborated with the Le Goinfre fanzine and participated with Cassinelli et Holbé of a free webcomic site (2004-2007).[3] Since 2008, Pedrosa draws for Fluide Glacial a fictionalized autobiography: Autobio.
He is alongside Gwen de Bonneval, Brüno and Fabien Vehlmann, one of the founders of Professeur Cyclope digital comics magazine.
Pedrosa is of Portuguese descent; his grandfather immigrated to France in the 1930s.[4] In the 2012 semi-biographical graphic novel Portugal, the author explores about this background.
Awards[edit]
2008 : Angoulême International Comics Festival Essentials award, for Trois Ombres
2009 : Prix Tournesol for Autobio, t. 1
National Cartoonists Society Division Awards forTrois Ombres
2011 : Prix Le Point de la BD,[5] for Portugal (Dupuis).
Prix Sheriff d'or de la librairie Esprit BD for Portugal
Prix Bédélys Monde for Portugal
2012 : Prix des Libraires de Bande Dessinée pour Portugal
Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize Awarded by the Audience for Portugal[6]
Bibliography[edit]
Ring Circus
Les Aventures spatio-temporelles de Shaolin Moussaka
Les Cœurs solitaires
Trois ombres
Paroles sans papiers
Brigade fantôme
Premières fois
Autobio
Portugal
Les équinoxes
Cyril Pedrosa
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Artist & Scriptwriter
Born in 1972 in Poitiers, Cyril Pedrosa was a huge comic book fan during his childhood and adolescence. At the time he was leaning towards studying science. However after some trial and error that led him to follow a preparatory class at one of the major schools and winning a competition at the School of Applied Arts (Olivier-De-Serres), he ended up taking an animation course at Gobelins, a Parisian establishment dedicated to mastering images. At the same time he worked at The Goinfre fanzine. From 1996 to 1998 he was working two jobs. He was in charge of providing intermediate illustrations for Walt Disney studios in Montreuil (Seine St Denis), as well as working on the sketches for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Afterwards, as an assistant animator he worked on the feature animation Hercules. There he acquired a speed of execution and a sense of movement that would serve him well in the future.His meeting with writer David Chauvel changed everything, ultimately bringing about his conversion to comics. The two of them created Ring Circus (Delcourt, tetralogy completed in 2004). Between 2004 and 2006 they created space-time adventures of Shaolin Moussaka. Meanwhile between 2004 and 2007, alongside Cassinelli and Holbe, he ran Cadavex.free.fr, a free comic website. He also participated in various collaborative works published by Delcourt (La Fontaine aux Fables, Volume 1, Francis Cabrel Les Beaux-Dessins, Paroles Sans-papiers, Premières fois). In 2006 and 2007 his own work Cœurs solitaires was included in the Expresso collection by Dupuis, and Trois ombres in the Shampooing collection by Delcourt. Pedrosa has a very free drawing style; he uses his drawings like a form of writing, favoring long, virtually silent, narrative sequences. Also in 2007, he once again went into collaboration with Chauvel, with whom he turned his attention towards a younger audience with the series Brigade Fantôme for the Punaise collection at Dupuis. At around the same time, he started drawing mischievious caricatures of certain 'eco' behaviours in Auto bio, in the monthly Fluide glacial magazine. He then produced Portugal (Europe Comics 2015, NBM 2017) and Les Equinoxes (Equinoxes, NBM 2016, Eisner-nominated), two stunning graphic novels released by Dupuis in 2011 and 2015, respectively.
Country of origin: France
Europe Comics Publisher: (Belgium)
Awards
Angouleme Essentials, Angouleme Int’l Comics Festival, Trois ombres, 2008
Comic Book Award, National Cartoonists Society (USA), Trois ombres, 2009
Prix Tournesol for environmental and social awareness, Angouleme, Auto bio, 2009
Le Point Graphic Novel Prize (France), Portugal, 2011
Prix Bédélys Monde (Quebec), Portugal, 2011
Booksellers Comics Award, Portugal, 2012
FNAC Graphic Novel Prize, Portugal, 2012
In French
Portugal
Publishers Weekly. 265.1 (Jan. 1, 2018): p46.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Portugal
Cyril Pedrosa, trans, from the French by Montana Kane. NBM, $39.99 (264p) ISBN 9781-68112-147-5
A note for all blocked artists: when in doubt, uncover your roots in a foreign country. That's the magic formula followed by Simon Muchat, the cartoonist beset by midlife ennui in this tour de force from Pedrosa (Equinoxes). A bestseller in his native France, Pedrosas semiautobiographical graphic novel unpacks a layered story of memory and identity, following Simon's creative reawakening through the discovery of his family's past. Things start accidentally for Simon: in a career slump, he attends a comics convention in Portugal. The country of his parents' origins, only vaguely remembered from childhood visits, reignites his curiosity and drive. Back home, he discovers shards of family history at a raucous wedding party, enticing him to return to Portugal and extract more lore from distant cousins. The emotionally affecting journey hinges on the unique local characters, who immediately call Simon one of their own. Pedrosas loose, expansive writing style is perfectly complemented by his lush, lightly lined drawings, in which people and their stories overlap each other with discursive enthusiasm. Everybody has a lot to say in this graphic novel whose gorgeous art is as full as its story. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Portugal." Publishers Weekly, 1 Jan. 2018, p. 46. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A522124998/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c0940c00. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A522124998
Equinoxes
Publishers Weekly. 263.38 (Sept. 19, 2016): p56.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Equinoxes
Cyril Pedrosa. NBM, $44.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-68112-080-5
A child explores the wilderness. A woman clutches a camera to her belly, like a misplaced third eye. An old man feeds his dog things he shouldn't. Pedrosa's (Three Shadows) oversize ode to the quotidian is less a thrill ride than a quiet country stroll, but what beauty there is to be found along the way. Each and every page of this pageant is worth lingering over: pencil smears and streaks down the hollows of elderly faces; electric cyan denotes alienation and fear; a cave glows brilliantly scarlet by the light of a single torch. This is a luxurious garden in full bloom, the work of an artist at the height of his powers. Its subdued approach to its material may not engage some readers who prefer a more active story line. But as solely an art book, it is a lavish tribute to the power of sequential art. At its best--and it is frequently at its best--Pedrosa's work borders on magic. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Equinoxes." Publishers Weekly, 19 Sept. 2016, p. 56. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A464352748/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=44e4f96b. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A464352748
Three Shadows
Publishers Weekly. 255.16 (Apr. 21, 2008): p42.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Three Shadows Cyril Pedrosa. Roaring Brook/First Second, $15.95 paper (272p)ISBN 978-1-59643-239-0
Rarely has the succulent appeal of quiet country life been portrayed with such sensual skill as it is in Pedrosa's limpid graphic novel about a boy, his parents and the trio of hooded riders who watch them. Pedrosa adeptly establishes the mood of timeless bucolic idyll immediately, with his swirling, sometimes harshly etched, black-and-white renderings of the land cultivated by hulking farmer Louis; his wife, Lise; and their scampering boy, Joachim. The family's playful antics are overshadowed first by ruminative narration, then by three riders, who watch the family with unnerving patience from the foggy distance. A local witch tells Use that the "shadows" have come for Joachim, after which Louis impetuously makes a run for it with his son, warned that he must treasure every moment with the boy. The resulting story is more Appointment in Samarra-style dream than chase, with Louis and Joachim floundering from one mysterious episode to the next, the implacable shadows following, as in a nightmare. French artist Pedrosa's background as a Disney animator is clearest in his exaggerated movements and facial expressions, but the story (inspired by the death of a close friend's young child) is a glorious and revelatory fable, beautiful in its grief. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Three Shadows." Publishers Weekly, 21 Apr. 2008, p. 42. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A178410894/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e620926a. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A178410894
Three Shadows
Tina Coleman
Booklist. 104.14 (Mar. 15, 2008): p67.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Three Shadows.
By Cyril Pedrosa. Illus. by the author.
Apr. 2008. 272p. Roaring Brook/First Second, paper, $15.95 (9781596432390). 741.5. Gr. 9-12.
Country life is simple and sweet for young Joachim and his parents, Louis and Lise--filled with cozy winter nights, lazy summer days, and, always, the chores associated with running the orchards. One day three Shadows appear on the horizon, and everything changes. Louis and Lise know that these shadowy fates have come for Joachim. Determined to save the boy, Louis flees with Joachim, desperate to stay one step ahead of the deathly Shadows. Pedrosa's intriguing, poignant fable unfolds beautifully in both words and pictures. The fluidity of the art reflects Pedrosa's roots in animation, and the high-contrast shading effectively underscores the tension and emotion of the narrative. One brief instance of nonsexualized nudity should be noted, but that detracts not at all from this dark, well-crafted tale.--Tina Coleman
Coleman, Tina
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Coleman, Tina. "Three Shadows." Booklist, 15 Mar. 2008, p. 67. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A177634876/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4188fd36. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A177634876
PEDROSA, Cyril. Portugal
Anna Murphy
School Library Journal. 64.3 (Mar. 2018): p131+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
PEDROSA, Cyril. Portugal. tr. from French by Montana Kane, illus. by Cyril Pedrosa. 264p. NBM. Dec. 2017. Tr $39.99. ISBN 9781681121475.
French cartoonist Simon is depressed. He's muddling his way through writer's block by teaching art to children. Faced with the prospect of buying a house with his girlfriend, he can't commit, and they break up. When wine and family secrets flow at a cousin's wedding, Simon's relatives relate tales of his grandfather Abel's arrival in France from Portugal. He came with his brother, but only Abel stayed. Why did Simon's great-uncle return? Why did Abel remain? To answer these questions, Simon travels to Portugal to connect with distant relatives. As he pieces together the story of his family, he reignites his artistic passion and starts to create, ostensibly, this very book. Pedrosa's dynamic illustrations deftly convey Simon's emotional state. A drab stillness underscores his stagnant depression. When he arrives in Portugal, the artwork becomes effervescent, swinging and glowing with the music of the city. The drawings are architectural and sketchy, like a glimpse into a cartoonist's sketchbook. In dynamic, busy city scenes, characters and backgrounds overlap. Readers won't be surprised to discover that, as the back matter notes, Pedrosa began his career in animation. Much of the Portuguese text remains untranslated, and readers will empathize with Simon's bewilderment. Younger teens may grow impatient with the slow pace, but the dreamy drawings and hopeful narrative of family and creativity will resonate with many. VERDICT For Europhile teen readers with an artistic streak.--Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Murphy, Anna. "PEDROSA, Cyril. Portugal." School Library Journal, Mar. 2018, p. 131+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529863684/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=606091f0. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529863684
Portugal
Internet Bookwatch. (Dec. 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Portugal
Cyril Pedrosa
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681121475, $39.99, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Comics artist Simon Muchat is stuck. Suffering writer's block, uninspired, vegetating as a school art teacher, he is losing direction and his taste for life, until one day he is invited to appear at a comics convention in Portugal, the country his family came from and which he hadn't seen since his childhood. Even though he is a foreigner there, so many elements of the country are familiar to him. Meeting its lively citizens and recounting early memories brought by back his distant yet welcoming family all prove reinvigorating--the breath of fresh air he so badly needed. "Portugal" is a deftly crafted graphic novel that is based on author/artist Cyril Pedrosa's own personal experience. Using a graphic novel approach, Pedrosa deftly narrates his return to his roots in a deeply compelling and warmly human way. Winner of the Best Graphic Novel at the Angouleme Festival and FNAC Best GN, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Portugal" is an especially recommended addition to personal and community library Graphic Novel collections.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Portugal." Internet Bookwatch, Dec. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A523689067/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=937df6f3. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A523689067
Pedrosa, Cyril. Equinoxes
E.W. Genovese
Xpress Reviews. (Sept. 2, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Full Text:
Pedrosa, Cyril. Equinoxes. NBM. Sept. 2016. 330p. ISBN 9781681120805. $44.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
French creator Pedrosa has an impressive resume as an animator, but his graphic novel Portugal brought him fame as a best-selling author. His follow-up is sure to cement his status. This ambitious volume follows the intertwining lives of diverse figures as they search, often unwittingly, for a sense of balance--just as day and night reach equilibrium during an equinox. Using a series of thematic devices, the author takes readers deeper into his characters' thinking and the underlying meaning of their actions. From the story of a cave painter to season-based chapters to photographic moments, it would be easy for such an affected novel to get mired in its own pretension; however, the engaging vignettes are at once accessible and transcendent. Pedrosa's fluid style and quiet compositions allow the color and ink washes to do the heavy lifting, but it is the mise-en-scene that makes this exceptional work one that allows us to empathize with the protagonists.
Verdict Fans of modern European graphic novels will love this insightful book.
E.W. Genovese, Andrew Bayne Memorial Lib., Pittsburgh
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Genovese, E.W. "Pedrosa, Cyril. Equinoxes." Xpress Reviews, 2 Sept. 2016. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A463756030/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=82aca940. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A463756030
REVIEW: Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa
Posted on January 21, 2008 by John DeNardo in Book Review // 0 Comments
REVIEW SUMMARY: An engrossing story about life, love and family.
MY RATING:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A family tries to outrun three harbingers of death.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Quick moving, emotional storyline; suitably dark pencil drawings match the tone of the story.
CONS: Some awkward moments where images focused away from people who were talking.
BOTTOM LINE: A dramatic, engrossing story.
Cyril Pedrosa’s graphic novel, Three Shadows, is the touching and suspenseful story of how two parents (Louis and Luis) attempt to protect their young son (Joachim) from three shadowy figures. The family lives an idyllic and peaceful life until the shadows appear, then fear drives them to take action. The events that follow take the family to faraway lands where they encounter mystics, slave traders, and other dangers, but, as might be expected, this does not stop the shadows from their endless pursuit.
Despite the “chased by the shadows of death” storyline, this is not the run-of-the-mill, action-laden story one might expect. Instead, the story wisely hangs the drama on themes of parental love and protection. This is implemented surprisingly well with relatively little dialogue. With just a few panels and brush strokes, Pedrosa creates characters you care about who are able to successfully convey feelings of fear, protectiveness, bravery, love, or whatever emotion the story calls for. Perhaps that’s no surpise…Pedrosa’s credits include Disney’s Hunchback of the Notre Damemovie and Hercules television series and the comics Ring Circus, Shaolin Moussaka, and Les Coeurs Solitaires.
Pedrosa’s moody, black-and-white artwork consists of pencil drawings which perfectly suit the dark tone of the story. There are moments where characters communicate via expressions alone and the images capture that perfectly. There were a few awkward moments when images focused away from speakers of dialogue, for no apparent reason (“Was there supposed to be something notable in that scene?”) but they take little away from this dramatic, engrossing story which accentuates the importance of family.
September 12, 2016 · 10:00 am
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Review: EQUINOXES by Cyril Pedrosa
Marion lost in art.
Cyril Pedrosa is an ideal cartoonist: very observant, with a compulsive need to comment on what he observes, along with a compulsive need to collect and process everything he may need to depict and comment upon in his work. Pedrosa must take it all in. He has a true cartoonist’s need to absorb, like a sponge, like an overstimulated genius infant still fresh and new. Ah, this is just the way to come at such an ambitious work as “Equinoxes,” published by NBM Graphic Novels. With this graphic novel, the master cartoonist lays it all bare.
A true cartoonist’s need to collect and process everything around him.
Pedrosa is living and breathing what he’s setting down on paper at a delicious level. He has an extensive background in animation, which certainly helps, but he takes it even further. He knows how to speed up work. He knows when he can ease up on the details and when to add an extra coat of polish. And to do that well with both his artwork and his writing is definitely remarkable.
We all need a good recurring motif.
This book is comparable in America to, for example, “Asterios Polyp,” by David Mazzucchelli. Other examples of this type of commentary in comics are the work of Gabrielle Bell and Tom Hart, both of who will take part in panels during Pedrosa’s North American tour. For the Europeans, there’s more of a tradition for expansive work like this exploring the meaning of life and such things. Even within that milieu, Pedrosa rises to the top, among the best. Something unique that Pedrosa is doing here is to so effortlessly depict a world according to the author in all its glorious detail. A pretty tall order any way you look at it.
“Equinoxes” by Cyril Pedrosa
Divided into the four seasons, we follow the lives of various characters, all searching for answers, crossing each other’s paths in odd and random ways. The question arises as to whether or not there is any order or purpose for any of them. Perhaps everyone is just making it up as they go.