'Bearskin' by Zidrou with art by Oriol tells the story of a young man who cares for an older man, and learns some things the old man did when he was young.

On a beautiful island in modern Italy, a young man rides his bike up a hill. His daily appointment is to read that day's horoscope to aging Don Palermo. Along with the horoscope, Don Palermo tells of his younger days in America as a bear trainer and the right-hand man for a mafia boss named Don Pomodoro. Pomodoro is named that for his tomato colored complexion. We find out about the things he did for the mafia, and the things he did for love.

The art style seemed a bit like caricature. I can see why it was used, but it wasn't my favorite style as the features on all the characters are overexaggerated. It's a pretty violent story at times, but I liked this story of an old man remembering long gone days.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I am not much a graphic novel reader, but I enjoyed Bearskin immensely. I will be recommending it to any of my customers that also enjoy graphic novels--and those who do not!

It was an amazing graphic novel. I really enjoyed reading it. Drawings are amazing. It is definitely worth to read.

A cool and gritty graphic novel about a retired mob associate. Cool artwork and a fun storyline throughout.

How long can someone wait for true love? How long can someone wait for revenge? The questions are answered as an old blind man tells the story of his life to a young man he's hired to come read to him every day - from his humble beginnings as a circus performer to his rise as the most trusted friend of a brutal mafia don, to the story of the beginning and end of his one true love.

In sunny climes, an old codger relates his youth as a worker for a Mafia don, while employing a lad as audience and to read him his horoscope in case a private message turns up from the past – for he is blind. The Mediterranean colours, and the romance of it all, are not what we expect as standard of Mafia stories, but they don't exactly push this over the hill – this is still cycling uphill with only one gear to choose from, and isn't that great a ride. The artwork has some of the world's most exaggerated noses in amongst its pleasant colour schemes. Two and a half stars.

A perfect medium for this story. Where comic is too light and child-friendly, because this is a graphic novel with an adult audience in mind. The violence is graphic as is the sex and language used.
This not a gratuitous story to titillate and to sell numerous copies from the top shelf or adult only section of booksellers. Simply it is the serious content of the story within the story told by Don Palermo to Amadeo about his first love and his involvement with a psychopathic Mafia Godfather named Don Pomodoro.
Set in Italy, Amadeo cycles and encounters a young girl, as he peddles uphill to read to the oldman his daily horoscope. He seems to be waiting for something special, to find something that will set his life aright, or signal that he can now die in peace.
The girl he meets on the way to discharge his reading to the old fellow is called Silvana and something of her manner and open sexuality is the catalyst for Don Palermo to recount his own life story.
Excellent illustrations and brilliant dialogue, one liners and memorable quotes this is two stories in one but if Don Palermo recognises his own innocence and naivety in the young man. His own account is far darker and troubling to tell, seemingly filled with sorrow and regret, a cautionary tale of a life that ended many years earlier, not a life to aspire to for Amadeo.
However, the beauty of the overall novel is that the two stories have many common threads and with this in mind Amadeo feels that Don Palermo has seen right into his heart.
So much so that he rushes to see him at the novels conclusion not to hear the stories end but to prevent his own life repeating the old man's mistakes and betrayal.
Quite brilliant, a salient truth, dark and humorous, full of wisdom and memorable characters.

BEARSKIN is a graphic novel with art by Oriol and script by Zidrou that takes place in Italy, and begins with a young man named Amadeo making his daily run on bicycle to read the horoscope from the local paper to his elder uncle Don Palermo, but is approached by a girl named Silvana who attempts to have her way with him; yet he refuses her for the umpteenth time, and makes his way to his uncle’s home.

Don Palermo tells Amadeo his life story, that begins in the wake of his father’s death who was a magician, and mother’s new relationship with the sword swallowing fakir also from the traveling circus that his family was part of. Roosevelt, the trained bear from the circus is Palermo’s best friend who meets with a tragic end that strangely results in Palermo’s life as the trusted aid to a ruthless Mafia boss named Don Pomodoro, and the story continues with the events of his life that take place from there.

I’ve only recently returned to reading comics and graphic novels, and hadn’t read any since my youth, although I’ve found a renewed interest in them, and found this one different than others I’ve read and enjoyed the story contained, with the artwork well done and the only point I’d make is that there are some adult only graphics and themes, so readers should be forewarned that violence and sex make up much of what takes place in this one. Still, I can recommend it to those who are fans of adult comics.

4 stars.