On The Camino

by Jason

Overview

Internationally acclaimed cartoonist Jason’s first full-length graphic memoir is about his experiences walking a 500-mile pilgrimage for his 50th birthday.

Northwestern Spain, observed with the eye of an artist, chronicling both the good (people, conversations) and the bad (blisters, bedbugs) he encountered on his journey. Full of quiet incidents, odd encounters, small triumphs, and the occasional setback, On the Camino is the first implicitly autobiographical long-form work by a master cartoonist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683960218
Publisher:	Fantagraphics Books
Publication date:	05/30/2017
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

About the Author

Jason hails from Oslo, Norway, but currently resides in Montpellier, France. He's won multiple Eisners, a Harvey, and an Inkpot award.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2017
Upon turning 50, esteemed Norwegian cartoonist Jason (I Killed Adolf Hitler) walked the Camino de Santiago (or St. James’s Way), a 500-mile pilgrimage route to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The result is his first graphic memoir, sharing the mundanities (endless hostels, hand-washing socks), fellow travelers (a rainbow of nationalities, maybe a nun, definitely a windmill repairman), and small pleasures (meals, café con leche) encountered on the way. Jason’s internal monologue—by turns self-deprecating and matter-of-fact, shot through with social anxiety, and punctuated by moments of startling gag comedy and pop culture references, but always earnest and relatable—propels the journey. His trademark minimalism—simple black-and-white line work and deadpan anthropomorphic people—convey the essence of his experiences, though not the details. There are no grand epiphanies in the end, but this intimate travelogue of life’s little uncertainties, absurdities, and victories is a revealing addition to the Jason oeuvre. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"On the Camino offers an abundance of satisfying pleasures that add up to something genuinely meaningful. It’s gratifying to see such a talented cartoonist stretch his artistic muscles, especially when the results are so rewarding."

Booklist

"You’re in the company of a seasoned story teller and he knows what he is doing."

Bookmunch

"Jason is a Norwegian talent who has steadily risen in stature over the years. Here’s his most explicitly autobiographical work to date."

Huffington Post

"A journey worth taking, as this master storyteller makes you feel every heartbeat."

Graphic Policy

09/01/2017
In 2015, Norwegian cartoonist Jason (If You Steal) set out on a 500-mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago across Spain to celebrate his 50th birthday. This memoir traces the author's 32-day trek of taking in the sights, sleeping in hostels, and meeting strangers from all around the world. While fans of Jason's previous books, many of which tend toward quirky, melancholy spins on romance and adventure stories, might not immediately embrace this more mundane and self-reflective tale, his distinctive melding of minimalist presentation and restless imagination is still on full display, and results in a strangely intimate portrait of the artist as he struggles with blisters, bed bugs, bad food, and social anxiety while searching for a meaningful and authentic experience. VERDICT This one might have slightly more appeal to Jason's devoted fans than those not yet familiar with his work, but as he's an internationally acclaimed cartoonist with a rabid following, that should not be a problem.—TB

Library Journal