Pedrosa, in his own words, shares the process of making the book: Sometimes, as Pedrosa puts it, a story’s journey must go through a labyrinth. Pedrosa provides you with an exquisitely paced narrative able to pause for quiet moments and sustain the delicate rhythms of human interaction. With some luck and a new will to live, Simon may very well find himself no longer the boy in the bubble. While being around family alone won’t solve his problems, and may cause new ones, it does help Simon find some answers. The third act to this graphic novel finds Simon finally turning to family after having remained in his own isolated bubble for so many years. The reason that his Portugal visit enlivened him was that it gave him time to consider his Portuguese roots on his father’s side of the family. It takes Simon a while to put two and two together. In 2006, at age 33, Pedrosa had his own reassessing to do. It also happens to be loosely based upon the author’s own self-journey. This is a compelling story told in words and pictures by a master cartoonist. Not the most inspiring or likable of main characters, right? Ah, but this is the stuff of life. The clock is ticking but nothing is moving forward for Simon.

Claire, his longtime girlfriend, has been beyond patient with him. Of course, Simon must grow up in some sense since he’s miserable. Pedrosa has created a perfect depiction of a Peter Pan syndrome: Simon refuses to grow up.

He must either break free or reassess his current state–do something instead of just vacillate. Simon is at that age when life has taken root from all directions but he is not ready to settle down.

Simon is a man who still feels he is only a boy–or a young man with much to learn. But Simon does not see it that way at all.Ī conflict. This is the story of Simon, a young man struggling to find his place in the world despite the fact it would appear that he has everything in place: a loving mate to share a life with, a promising future in his chosen career, and the potential for lifelong stability. Pedrosa plays with the spaces in between words. Sometimes what is not said is as important as what is said. Before long, a compelling story unfolds like Cyril Pedrosa’s “Portugal,” published by Europe Comics. Evoking a quiet moment is one of the most natural and satisfying things to do as a cartoonist.

Cyril pedrosa autobio