Werewolves of Montpellier
Oh, man. This story of a jewel thief in France is once again both funny and sad in the way only Jason can do. He’s just a sad guy, hanging out with a woman he really likes, who he can’t be with, and playing chess with a guy who likes looking at ladies. The conversations are awesome, from a discussion of French actresses to why our hero has trust issues. Oh, and there are werewolves. Oops.
Jason’s work is painful. It grabs me by the guts and twists. I understand his characters. They are me, my fears, my dreams, my moods. I feel like he’s writing my inner monologue. I’m still baffled by how he’s able to express so much in such simple art.
Isle of 100,000 Graves
Good golly. Jason teams up with Fabien Vehlmann for this weirdass pirate story. A young girl goes in search of her father, teaming up with a ship full of pirates. They find much more than they bargained for. If you’ve read Jason’s other work, you should know what to expect. It’s all so surreal, so deadpan, so funny, yet so danged sad.
You’ve got to be down with grim humor, though. I guess that’s not new for Jason, either. But the executioner’s school stuff is pretty messed up, but also pretty danged funny. Strangling finals. A lesson on unacceptable facial expressions for severed heads. The headmaster’s philosophical ramblings about the artistic merit of torture and execution being lost on the modern world. All madness. If there’s something wrong with you and you know it, you should at least give Jason’s books a try.
Werewolves of Montpellier
Author & Artist: Jason
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
ISBN: 978-1-6069-9359-0
Islae of 100,000 Graves
Authors: Jason & Fabien Vehlmann
Artist: Jason
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
ISBN: 978-1-6069-9442-9
-Matt
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