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The 120 Days Of Simon by Simon Gardenfors
The 120 Days of Simon began in the spring of 2006, when Swedish cartoonist/rapper Simon Gardenfors left his home to spend four months on the road. The rules were During the 120 days he wasn't allowed to return to his home, or to spend more than two nights at the same place. The result was a wild trip through Sweden as Simon slept on strangers' couches, ate mescaline, practiced free love, received a death threat, was beaten up, got adopted by a motorcycle gang, drank obscene amounts of alcohol, and sacrificed his underpants to the Nordic god Brage. And that's just for starters!
Paperback
First published April 23, 2008
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About the author
Simon Gärdenfors
12 books8 followersSimon Gärdenfors is a Swedish cartoonist, rapper, television presenter, and radio host.
His comics are drawn in a round icon-like cartoony style, although their content is often realistic or autobiographical.
Alongside his childhood friend Calle Thörn, he is also a member of the underground hip-hop duo "Las Palmas" that received a lot of airtime on Swedish radio in the fall of 2004, primarily with the song "Spökskrivare" ("Ghostwriter"), claiming that it actually was Simon who had written all famous hip-hop songs. He is also part of an additional hip-hop project, Far och Son (Father and Son), featuring Frej Larsson of Slagsmålsklubben.
His graphic novel The 120 Days of Simon (Simons 120 dagar) was published in English translation by Top Shelf Productions in 2010.
(From Wikipedia)
His comics are drawn in a round icon-like cartoony style, although their content is often realistic or autobiographical.
Alongside his childhood friend Calle Thörn, he is also a member of the underground hip-hop duo "Las Palmas" that received a lot of airtime on Swedish radio in the fall of 2004, primarily with the song "Spökskrivare" ("Ghostwriter"), claiming that it actually was Simon who had written all famous hip-hop songs. He is also part of an additional hip-hop project, Far och Son (Father and Son), featuring Frej Larsson of Slagsmålsklubben.
His graphic novel The 120 Days of Simon (Simons 120 dagar) was published in English translation by Top Shelf Productions in 2010.
(From Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 29, 2024
On the road with Simon - adult situations...unique travelogue. Not really into this particular type of music - but found this book very interesting. As Simon travels he stays with his fans: and he takes full advantage of what the are willing to give him. Will look up some of his other works.
March 4, 2017
Swedish cartoonist Simon Gardenfors comes up with the kind of gimmicky book concept Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace used to do back in the day: he sets up a website where strangers can sign up to offer him food and shelter for a night. He’ll travel around Sweden for 120 days staying with different people every night. The 120 Days of Simon is his account of the experiment - and it’s an ok comic.
The visual style is the book’s most striking feature: two black and white panels per page with a very cartoonish, almost childishly so, design aesthetic amusingly contrasted with the adult material. I didn’t love the art but it’s pleasantly unusual.
The thing is: Simon is an unlikeable dirtbag and he annoyed me a lot. He’s a member of a band called Las Palmas (never heard of them but apparently they’re big-ish in Sweden) and a number of female fans signed up so they could have a celebrity stay with them. Simon does drugs with some of them and then fucks them. Some of the girls are still in high school and their parents are in the same house!
It’s difficult to root for someone who’s just taking advantage like this, especially when he includes scenes embarrassing for some people who specifically ask him not to include them. So when there’s an “emotional” passage where his contrived lost love tells him she doesn’t love him and he lies in bed weeping, I felt no sympathy for him. She dodged a bullet, you creep!
While the first half of the book is repetitive with Simon doing drugs and sleeping around, the second half becomes more interesting. The brother of one of the girls he screws sends him death threats, a TV news crew films him during one of his stays and his cartoonist buddies pretend they’re pagans who don’t know him, and he gets assaulted by some drugged-up teens. The best was when a horny and homely middle-aged mom aggressively flirts with him and makes him nervous – very funny!
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the concept and I got a mixed bag. Some of it is mundane and boring to read and some of it is amusing and compelling. I guess if you’re an indie comics fan it might be worth a look if you come across it but The 120 Days of Simon is nothing really special.
The visual style is the book’s most striking feature: two black and white panels per page with a very cartoonish, almost childishly so, design aesthetic amusingly contrasted with the adult material. I didn’t love the art but it’s pleasantly unusual.
The thing is: Simon is an unlikeable dirtbag and he annoyed me a lot. He’s a member of a band called Las Palmas (never heard of them but apparently they’re big-ish in Sweden) and a number of female fans signed up so they could have a celebrity stay with them. Simon does drugs with some of them and then fucks them. Some of the girls are still in high school and their parents are in the same house!
It’s difficult to root for someone who’s just taking advantage like this, especially when he includes scenes embarrassing for some people who specifically ask him not to include them. So when there’s an “emotional” passage where his contrived lost love tells him she doesn’t love him and he lies in bed weeping, I felt no sympathy for him. She dodged a bullet, you creep!
While the first half of the book is repetitive with Simon doing drugs and sleeping around, the second half becomes more interesting. The brother of one of the girls he screws sends him death threats, a TV news crew films him during one of his stays and his cartoonist buddies pretend they’re pagans who don’t know him, and he gets assaulted by some drugged-up teens. The best was when a horny and homely middle-aged mom aggressively flirts with him and makes him nervous – very funny!
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the concept and I got a mixed bag. Some of it is mundane and boring to read and some of it is amusing and compelling. I guess if you’re an indie comics fan it might be worth a look if you come across it but The 120 Days of Simon is nothing really special.
August 14, 2010
O.M.G. This book was awful. Premise? Sorta interesting- guy decides to travel around Sweden, staying with anyone who volunteers to put him up and feed him. Staying with no one for more than two days. Comic book. Except... it's all an elaborate attempt to get laid, do drugs, and party. Which he does. And it's gross- sleeping around without protection, telling people he'll leave things out of the book and then putting it in anyway, and making a big deal about things that are lame. He talks at length about a 'death threat' he gets; it's really some guy telling him that since he slept with his sister and disrespected his mom, if he comes to that town he's going to get his ass beat. Which... hello, he is not even worth the time, obviously, and it's just something a guy says. But he freaks out and makes it into a huge thing. Then he gets a cut on his hand and starts talking about how he might never be able to draw again. Eye-roll inducing, the whole thing.
And the drawings themselves? Terrible. I went half-way through the book thinking he had bad acne before I realized it was supposed to be a 5:00 shadow. Soooo not worth reading.
And the drawings themselves? Terrible. I went half-way through the book thinking he had bad acne before I realized it was supposed to be a 5:00 shadow. Soooo not worth reading.
January 25, 2014
Lo leí solo porque fue publicado en EEUU por Top Shelf, una de mis editoriales favoritas. El estilo del dibujo me pareció simpático, así que me dije "¿Por qué no?". A continuación voy a responder porqué no hay que leer este libro:
Primero que todo, me pareció la raja la propuesta de la historia: el tipo decide pasar 120 días fuera de su casa, recorriendo su país, viviendo de la bondad de los extraños. Me imaginé un libro con historias de ruta, en el que, como lectora, iba a terminar conociendo Suecia, a su autor, y pensé, solo basada en esa impresión: qué ganas de hacer unas crónicas así en Chile, como Guy Delisle. PERO NO. Todos es muy patudo en este libro y Simon es un gozador de mierda que abusa de su errada condición de artista para aprovecharse de los pobres idiotas que lo quieren "ayudar". Así funciona más o menos la cosa: Simon anuncia en su blog que escribirá un libro sobre su viaje por Suecia de 120 días y que la persona que quiera colaborar con techo y comida, podrá salir como personaje. Y quizás puede sonar bonito, pero fue una estafa. Este es un libro sobre un tipo que consume todas las drogas que le ofrecen (sin reflexiones de ningún tipo), tiene sexo con todas las personas que puede (sin profundizar en las impresiones de sus amantes), duerme en casas ajenas y hace comentarios despectivos sobre sus anfitriones (tal cual), y tiene la patudez de decir, cuando el supuesto amor de su vida -que no estaba de acuerdo con que se fuera durante 120 días a tener sexo con extrañas- le dice que conoció a otra persona: ELEGÍ EL ARTE POR SOBRE EL AMOR. ¿Por la chucha, esto es arte? Eso fue lo que más me molestó, que este libro lleno de aventuras olvidables tenga la pretensión de ser arte. Creo que abusar de la gente no es arte, que consumir drogas con locura no es arte, que tener sexo sin protección no es arte, que narrar una pateadura no es arte, que el desamor no es arte; indudablemente todo lo mencionado es material para hacer arte, muchos artistas recurren a esos motivos y crean sus obras con ellos, pero este trabajo se quedó en la superficialidad de esos temas. El arte, en el caso de Simon Gardenfors es solo una excusa para ser un patudo de mierda. Sabe dibujar un par de círculos con puntos y les saca provecho. Así cualquiera.
En resumen: 416 páginas de dibujos planos, de anécdotas olvidables sin chistes, que sorprendentemente fueron financiadas por el gobierno sueco. Sin lugar a dudas, aprendí más sobre Suecia viendo jugar a Miiko Albornoz que leyendo a Simon G.
Primero que todo, me pareció la raja la propuesta de la historia: el tipo decide pasar 120 días fuera de su casa, recorriendo su país, viviendo de la bondad de los extraños. Me imaginé un libro con historias de ruta, en el que, como lectora, iba a terminar conociendo Suecia, a su autor, y pensé, solo basada en esa impresión: qué ganas de hacer unas crónicas así en Chile, como Guy Delisle. PERO NO. Todos es muy patudo en este libro y Simon es un gozador de mierda que abusa de su errada condición de artista para aprovecharse de los pobres idiotas que lo quieren "ayudar". Así funciona más o menos la cosa: Simon anuncia en su blog que escribirá un libro sobre su viaje por Suecia de 120 días y que la persona que quiera colaborar con techo y comida, podrá salir como personaje. Y quizás puede sonar bonito, pero fue una estafa. Este es un libro sobre un tipo que consume todas las drogas que le ofrecen (sin reflexiones de ningún tipo), tiene sexo con todas las personas que puede (sin profundizar en las impresiones de sus amantes), duerme en casas ajenas y hace comentarios despectivos sobre sus anfitriones (tal cual), y tiene la patudez de decir, cuando el supuesto amor de su vida -que no estaba de acuerdo con que se fuera durante 120 días a tener sexo con extrañas- le dice que conoció a otra persona: ELEGÍ EL ARTE POR SOBRE EL AMOR. ¿Por la chucha, esto es arte? Eso fue lo que más me molestó, que este libro lleno de aventuras olvidables tenga la pretensión de ser arte. Creo que abusar de la gente no es arte, que consumir drogas con locura no es arte, que tener sexo sin protección no es arte, que narrar una pateadura no es arte, que el desamor no es arte; indudablemente todo lo mencionado es material para hacer arte, muchos artistas recurren a esos motivos y crean sus obras con ellos, pero este trabajo se quedó en la superficialidad de esos temas. El arte, en el caso de Simon Gardenfors es solo una excusa para ser un patudo de mierda. Sabe dibujar un par de círculos con puntos y les saca provecho. Así cualquiera.
En resumen: 416 páginas de dibujos planos, de anécdotas olvidables sin chistes, que sorprendentemente fueron financiadas por el gobierno sueco. Sin lugar a dudas, aprendí más sobre Suecia viendo jugar a Miiko Albornoz que leyendo a Simon G.
June 20, 2010
In 2009, Swedish comics artist/rapper (yep, Sweden does have a hiphop scene, believe it or not) Gardenfors decided to undertake a radical experiment in modern living -- for 4 months he would travel around Sweden, relying on other people to provide him with food and shelter. The rules were: he could not stay in one place for more than 2 consecutive nights and he couldn't return to his apartment until the 120 days were up.
As the Sade reference implies, Gardenfors engaged in some serious debauchery while on the road (although not anyway near the level of Sade and his compatriots) -- there's a lot of casual sex and recreational drug use, so if you find those things offensive then this is definitely not the book for you. In addition to the sex, drugs, and hiphop, Gardenfors also visits an ostrich farm, receives death threats, has a mystical experience on psychdelic cacti and sacrifices his underwear to the Norse god Barge.
Gardenfors's irreverent humor and 8-bit style should appeal to fans of Scott Pilgrim, Jeffrey Brown, Pete Bagge and others. I did want to punch him in the face sometimes, especially when he says stupid shit like "I always wanted a chocolate baby!" (after having unprotected sex with a black woman). But other times I found myself laughing hysterically at his misadventures. If it wasn't for the white hipster "ironic" racism, I would have probably enjoyed this a lot more.
As the Sade reference implies, Gardenfors engaged in some serious debauchery while on the road (although not anyway near the level of Sade and his compatriots) -- there's a lot of casual sex and recreational drug use, so if you find those things offensive then this is definitely not the book for you. In addition to the sex, drugs, and hiphop, Gardenfors also visits an ostrich farm, receives death threats, has a mystical experience on psychdelic cacti and sacrifices his underwear to the Norse god Barge.
Gardenfors's irreverent humor and 8-bit style should appeal to fans of Scott Pilgrim, Jeffrey Brown, Pete Bagge and others. I did want to punch him in the face sometimes, especially when he says stupid shit like "I always wanted a chocolate baby!" (after having unprotected sex with a black woman). But other times I found myself laughing hysterically at his misadventures. If it wasn't for the white hipster "ironic" racism, I would have probably enjoyed this a lot more.
July 31, 2019
It was okay, if you enjoy reading about a man who's pushing 30 have sex with teenagers and do drugs for over half the book. The last 150 pages are more interesting, but it's a little to late to save the story. I was intrigued by the description of a memoir about a man traveling around Sweden on the kindness of (mostly) strangers, but was hoping for more cultural insight and more information about the uniqueness of the different places he was staying. Most of the time, I didn't even have any idea where he was. The whole book is his interactions with his hosts, which includes the aforementioned having sex with teenagers. There's a great segment where he and a friend fake out a TV station who do a piece on his trip but most of the rest falls flat. At least it's a quick read.
December 2, 2013
The drawing style may indeed be 'cute' and delightfully idiosyncratic but the storyline is really an exercise in narcissism. What a indulgent so and so this Simon Gärdenfors is!
Don't invite him home to met mother.
It's a poor reflection of the many core habits of autobio comic making that wallowing in ego and one's angst is passed off as an excuse for a story. Hang on, I'll rephrase that: wallowing in MALE ego and one's MAN's angst is passed off as an excuse for a story.
If you know the genre then Gärdenfors is just another --albeit Nordic -- version of it.
These guys draw with their pensises. You gotta ask: seious;y, is that all there is?
Don't invite him home to met mother.
It's a poor reflection of the many core habits of autobio comic making that wallowing in ego and one's angst is passed off as an excuse for a story. Hang on, I'll rephrase that: wallowing in MALE ego and one's MAN's angst is passed off as an excuse for a story.
If you know the genre then Gärdenfors is just another --albeit Nordic -- version of it.
These guys draw with their pensises. You gotta ask: seious;y, is that all there is?
November 23, 2016
Som att äta på McDonalds när en är utsvulten. Bra med det: slipper hungern, krusig sallad och sötsur sås. Inte bra med det: allt annat. Simons 120 dagar har ju sina bra sidor men överallt inte mer än ett stort skämt.
July 6, 2025
Masakra. Typ opisuje jakby to było coś normalnego, że w łożku zdejmuje prezerwatywę, bo mu niewygodnie, i nie jest pokazane, czy partnerka o tym wie. Monotonne ćpanie, ruchanie i do tego biadolenie, że laska, w której typ się kocha, ośmiela się szukać szczęścia z kimś innym i nie czekać 120 dni, kiedy on pierdoli polowe szwedzkiej populacji, w tym nieletnie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 5, 2023Riktigt slirig!
July 4, 2019
När jag läser Simon Gärdenfors Simons 120 dagar påminns jag osökt om Mats Jonssons
Hey Princess
, som jag läste 2011 och som i många avseenden representerar allt som jag tycker är fel med den svenska seriescenen.
Gärdenfors visuella estetik här är utan tvekan bättre än Jonssons i Hey Princess (vilket är vad som lyfter betyget en aning), men rent tematiskt är projektet som serien baserar sig på närmast en dålig dokusåpa, och jag fann mig själv gång på gång undra varför svenska vita manliga serietecknare som gör självbiografiska serier om att knulla runt, supa och ta droger gång på gång hyllas på så många håll. Jag kan liksom inte släppa att det hela tycks så banalt, att inte ens de bättre bitarna riktigt håller måttet om man jämför det med självbiografiska verk från serieskapare som Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, Alison Bechdel, Harvey Pekar, Étienne Davodeau, Vera Brosgol, Lucy Knisley, och Frida Ulvegren.
Men kanske ligger den eventuella relevansen i verket i tidsdokumentet, som speglar dokusåpornas och reality-TVns paradigm: att synas och att vara känd för att synas. Detta i kontrast till att som ovan nämnda serieskapare antingen skildra ett intressant liv (och de liv som är sammanlänkade med det) eller fånga en vardaglighet.
Gärdenfors visuella estetik här är utan tvekan bättre än Jonssons i Hey Princess (vilket är vad som lyfter betyget en aning), men rent tematiskt är projektet som serien baserar sig på närmast en dålig dokusåpa, och jag fann mig själv gång på gång undra varför svenska vita manliga serietecknare som gör självbiografiska serier om att knulla runt, supa och ta droger gång på gång hyllas på så många håll. Jag kan liksom inte släppa att det hela tycks så banalt, att inte ens de bättre bitarna riktigt håller måttet om man jämför det med självbiografiska verk från serieskapare som Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, Alison Bechdel, Harvey Pekar, Étienne Davodeau, Vera Brosgol, Lucy Knisley, och Frida Ulvegren.
Men kanske ligger den eventuella relevansen i verket i tidsdokumentet, som speglar dokusåpornas och reality-TVns paradigm: att synas och att vara känd för att synas. Detta i kontrast till att som ovan nämnda serieskapare antingen skildra ett intressant liv (och de liv som är sammanlänkade med det) eller fånga en vardaglighet.
January 26, 2012
It's got everything; European racism, European drugs, European rappers, European sex with teenagers, and worldwide proof that cartoonists really are as shitty as they seem. Or we're supposed to think that; I don't really think it's that bad or anything - what he's doing, etc - touring produces that kind of mentality, but the book is too static, and the 8-bit inspired drawing style is so first second-Bush-term. Still, it is fun to read, and Gardenfors manages to create enough drama in the storyline to keep it interesting. If anything, I'm just glad that Top Shelf took the risk on publishing some lesser-known contemporary European comics in the U.S.A.
July 12, 2013
At one point during a one-night stand, he puts on a condom, loses his stiffy, and then discards it thinking, "Fuck it. I always wanted a chocolate brown baby anyway." The protagonist comes across as an arrogant, disturbingly self-involved megalomaniac, but apparently I find that sort of thing interesting to read about. (Also, I found his cartooning choices interesting.) Three-and-a-half stars.
February 27, 2017
Fuck. This. Guy.
He details questionable encounters with young girls which I tried to write off as a possible cultural difference; however, when he casually mentions his use of the word "nigger" in his song lyrics I had to quit.
The writing was uninspired and the art itself, while visually pleasing, is not so astounding as to make up for the meh stories he has to share.
He details questionable encounters with young girls which I tried to write off as a possible cultural difference; however, when he casually mentions his use of the word "nigger" in his song lyrics I had to quit.
The writing was uninspired and the art itself, while visually pleasing, is not so astounding as to make up for the meh stories he has to share.
January 31, 2015
Simon is a total asshole, but the simplistic art, and matter of fact way he chronicled these days of his life were oddly effective.
May 27, 2019
If I could give this book a lower rating I would. It was god awful.
May 11, 2022
Many of the other reviews seem to be by people lacking a sense of humor. This is a fun story, with many fun little episodes.
However, I suspect a lot of stuff is hard to understand for non-swedish readers. For example, as some earlier reviewer mentioned, the use of "nigger" in some of his lyrics. The swedish version of "nigger" is not nearly as heavily loaded with baggage as if you use it in america. That's probably hard for an american to understand and stuff like that makes Simon look like more of a dirtbag than he is (though he may well be (or have been) a douche).
As a swede, who also listens to a lot of the podcasts Simon G is in, the book was a delight.
However, I suspect a lot of stuff is hard to understand for non-swedish readers. For example, as some earlier reviewer mentioned, the use of "nigger" in some of his lyrics. The swedish version of "nigger" is not nearly as heavily loaded with baggage as if you use it in america. That's probably hard for an american to understand and stuff like that makes Simon look like more of a dirtbag than he is (though he may well be (or have been) a douche).
As a swede, who also listens to a lot of the podcasts Simon G is in, the book was a delight.
June 2, 2020
The author spent 120 days sleeping around Sweden, never spending more than 2 days in one place. He constantly uses the trip to drink, smoke, and fuck everything in sight. The author reminded me of Ray Smuckles from Achewood, stumbling ass backwards into undeserved good luck left and right. It was entertaining enough, but he's a bit of a shitty person. The art is a very unique, stripped down cartoony style, like the IKEA of comics. It's worth mentioning that his depictions of black people are... less than ideal.
April 29, 2021
I'm kind of ambivalent about this one. Drawing style is simplistic and clean. I don't like it but it gets job done.
The title obviously derives from Marquiz de Sade's 120 days of Sodom & Gomorah. Main character, the autor, is a pathetic sex & drugs driven guy that has no shame to admit it and sell it in a bio comic. I see it as an insight into decadence of western societies knee-deep in first world problems.
The title obviously derives from Marquiz de Sade's 120 days of Sodom & Gomorah. Main character, the autor, is a pathetic sex & drugs driven guy that has no shame to admit it and sell it in a bio comic. I see it as an insight into decadence of western societies knee-deep in first world problems.
September 10, 2022
Couldn’t even bring myself to finish it. At one point the main character, 29 year old male, messes around with a junior high student. Couple pages later uses the n word in its full form. The main character is highly flawed and not likable. The art doesn’t make up for the fact that the story and character are going nowhere either. I wish I could give it 0 stars
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August 16, 2025Ehmmmm ja ne, dieser seltsame Mitt2000er Hipster nutzt seine (meist weiblichen und minderjährigen) Fans aus, ist casually racist und overall ein Arschloch und ich soll für ihn rooten? Nein, danke. Dachte ich würde etwas über das Land Schweden lernen, aber nope nada. Auch der Artstyle ist sehr mid, nicht außergewöhnliches aber auch nicht super hässlich.
December 5, 2018
Rapper goes on 120 day trip through Sweden where he gets fans to put him up. Simon hooks up with tons of his fans, having drug fueled adventures.
The romantic subplot is somewhat obvious. I personally relate to his mate, who professes to just fall in love with someone and then not want anyone else.
This is a light easy read, with mature content warning.
The romantic subplot is somewhat obvious. I personally relate to his mate, who professes to just fall in love with someone and then not want anyone else.
This is a light easy read, with mature content warning.
April 29, 2022
I loved this one, I didn't have no motivation to read this one, but after a few pages I was laughing a lot, I love this kind of humour.
I don't understand the bad reviews, maybe there are some people that don't like this kind of humour...
I don't understand the bad reviews, maybe there are some people that don't like this kind of humour...
September 28, 2018
D bag 29 year old cartoonist travels around making out witj high school and junior high girls, lies about stuff, possibly impregnates a few girls, uses the n word in his raps, etc. Can't believe this kind of stuff gets published so frequently in the comics world.
May 11, 2020
ingen aning om vem simon är, och hade aldrig hört talas om den här boken, innan. tyckte premissen lär spännande, vilket den är. synd bara simon verkar vara ett riktigt jävla as.
June 15, 2020
Hated it.
May 13, 2021
Nice Book & way to document a travelogue in comic style. Funny & innovative. I am inspired to travel after this pandemic.
January 26, 2022
Awful.
October 27, 2022
Hans teckningsstil är fattig och blir långtråkig att se i längden. Boken innehåller få träffar och de påminner i mycket om varandra. Han röker på, han knullar med yngre flickor.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews