Review: Bearskin

STORY

When it comes to comics superheroes have been my bread and butter, with horror and sci-fi lagging close behind. So its a bit rare for me to find myself drawn into a drama, even a crime drama but Bearskin sucked me in from the start to the finish. Reading Bearskin you will undoubtedly find yourself thinking about The Godfather novels and films and you would not be wrong to do so, but it is so much more than that. Better still as you are winding your way through the story seeing familiar tropes of a period mafia crime drama, you delightfully find that the story takes many unexpected and welcome twists and turns. I was pleasantly surprised to find my expectations subverted in the best of all possible ways.

The story, like The Godfather, splits its time between the present and the past. I’m certain that this as well as other elements such as certain tropes of the genre and expectations that arise from such were all cleverly designed by the author. This is done to draw us into a familiar story of violence, murder, betrayal and revenge, leading down familiar paths only to twist things about in a surprisingly realistic and satisfying way. On the island of Lipari off the coast of Italy a teenage boy named Amadeo daily visits and old mafioso named Don Palermo who asks for the lad to read him his horoscope each day. The Don is waiting for a special mysterious horoscope and recounts his life in crime in America in the 30’s. Its a gripping tale and I would be doing a disservice to both the creators and the readers by spoiling anything. Just know that the story is layered and complex and deeply moving. The Polermo’s time in the mafia under the dreaded crime boss Pomodoro is fraught with horror and unending tension as well as a quest for vengeance. As a villain Pomodoro is irredeemably evil in a way that borders on caricature and yet the writer still injects enough humanity to make him a believable character. All of the main actors from the protagonists to the antagonists and even a few side characters are far from one dimensional, being well thought out with quirks, dreams, ambitions and character arcs.

Its a comic that reads like a novel but that’s hardly surprising given both the influence and the surprising inclusion of Steinbeck within the context of the story. If you’ve read The Grapes of Wrath you will find it to be significant to the overarching story but even if you haven’t, it isn’t necessary to enjoy this comic. The dialogue is fantastic and some of the most naturalistic I’ve ever read, it reads like people speaking in an effortless way. I can’t say enough good things about this book without giving anything away. Just go find it, get a copy and read it now.

ART

The art style is very stylized but also quite gritty in a way that reminds me of legendary animator Billy Plimpton. Plimpton is likely best known for his animated bits on MTV from way back in the day as well as his animated films like Mutant Aliens (I recommend checking out all of his work). The similar style of artwork here is an interesting choice, its not something I would have chosen for a story filled with tragedy, romance and violence and yet it works. The illustrations have a real heart to them, the characters an extremely emotive and the absurdity of some of the art makes the sex and violence palatable without without watering it down. Its a real masterclass in storytelling as well, and I can see with these two creators collaborated, it’s a perfect match between story and art.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you like crime drama, mafia movies, tragedies and romance, hell if you just like good stories don’t pass this book up!

SCORE: 5 out of 5

CREATORS:Â Zidrou and Oriol
Publisher: Europe Comics