Michael Jordan: Bull On Parade

by Wilfred Santiago

This tour-de-force graphic biography explores basketball superstar Michael Jordan's public successes and private struggles, with Santiago's passion for his subject shining through on every full-color page. At the age of 19, Jordan scored the winning jump shot in the final seconds of the 1982 NCAA Championship, earning him the moniker Air. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984, a team with a decade of failure. By 1991, Jordan led the Bulls to their first NBA championship, besting Magic Johnson and the L.A. Lakers. In 1992, Michael Jordan joined the Dream Team, an assembly of 12 legendary NBA players who steamrolled everyone at the Barcelona Olympics and brought the gold back home. Despite taking a season off to try his hand at professional baseball, Jordan still led the Bulls to three consecutive NBA Championships. However, his life is not without controversies or calamities, and no amount of success or money can shield him from it. But everyone wanted to be like Mike, and Santiago comes closer than anyone to putting you on the parquet floor of the Chicago's United Center in your very own pair of Air Jordans.

Genres: Sports, Graphic Novels, Comics, Biography, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels Comics

200 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2014

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thus is probably better than the 3 stars I gave it, just as Santiago's book about Clemente is better than the three stars I gave it. I am just not as much a fan of sports biographies as I was in elementary school. And this I list as YA because i think any adolescent baller or fan would get into it, but it isn't a real introduction to Jordan, and it can be hard to follow, isn't that clear in terms of timelines, and is probably better suited to an adult Jordan/basketball audience, an insider like Chicagoan Santiago who already knows the story. If you wanted one for kids to introduce them to the Greatest Basketball Player of All Time, well there are maybe 400 of them out there, no joke. Every year thousands of book report get written about Jordan from these kid bios deifying him.

This one is expressionistic, splashy, episodic and gives just snippets of information about key events in his life that I as a sports fan happen to know about. I read the sports pages as a good American Male, yup, even though I am less into sports than I was some years ago. Definitely not an NBA fan, though I did go to see The Bad Boys (Pistons, for those of you who are no sports fans who are still reading!) in the playoffs a few times in the late eighties when they were great. I was never a fan of the Bulls, though I have lived here in Chicago for fifteen years now.

Music is one of the central screens through which we see Jordan. You may be old enough to remember that goofy bubblegum pop song, "I want to be like Mike"? This and other songs form the backdrop for Santiago's story of Jordan, who he does finally revere, though he does at least mention some of the potential flaws. It's almost as if Santiago wants to make his story musical, less straightforward, more poetic, more pastiche.

Jordan was the greatest, a freak of nature who overcame getting cut from his high school team to achieve fame, but he is also a jerk, a media creation, as most sports "heroes" truly seem to be. But this is a good one for Jordan fans, not those new to him. It's well done and doesn't look like it is for kids. It aspires to art, though it's not the kind of art I love.

[Elias Stein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Santiago is undeniably a skilled artist, but this graphic novel missed the mark for me. The sullen color palettes and expressive figures create a moody vibe that makes Jordan's story feel dark and grim in a way that is antithetical to his public image. This could be seen as subversive, but for me it misses many of the things that are were great about Jordan and the 90s. The timeline and stories included here are also questionable. There's little to no time dedicated to some of his most important career moments, and even more surprisingly, there's no mention of Nike or Air Jordans. Jordan completionists may still find this to be an interesting read for its uniqueness, but for most, I'd say this doesn't feel like an accurate portrayal.

[Kierston Foutz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always loved Michael Jordan and his story. This art was very unique from anything else I’ve read however the timeline jumped all over the place so it was had for me to follow but overall great read.

[Alain Gutierrez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very good graphic novel. The art was great but a sore to look at sometimes and don't even get me started on the writing...

[Patrice Sartor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Growing up in Raleigh, NC, I became a fan of college basketball towards the end of my elementary school career. My team of choice was the UNC Tarheels, and I adored Michael Jordan. He kept me glued to my tiny televison, cheering on my favorite team.

Bull on Parade barely touches on Jordan's college career, but that's not why I didn't particularly care for this title. The author jumps around in his telling of Jordan's life to the point of confusion. I had difficulty following what was happening and what Santiago was trying to express. I feel the book generally lacks cohesion and a connected flow.

Where it does shine is in the game depictions. Many moments from some important NBA matches were illustrated, and Santiago nailed the feel of attending a high profile, exciting pro basketball match-up.

[Eric Berniker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book so much that I read it in one day. I loved the funny cartoonish pictures and dim colors. I also really enjoyed the story told in this graphic novel. Most of the time Michael Jordan is described as the greatest and that is all there is to him. This book does a great job of showing all the off the court issues that Michael had to face from the media and fans.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very good, although having many pictures and only a selection of storyline, it says a lot about Michael Jordan's career. With the author being Wilfred Santiago I knew it would include great illustrations and important and interesting information. Wilfred Santiago is very good at graphic novels as I had easy time understanding everything that's going on in this book.

I will say that knowing who Michael Jordan is before reading this novel will help a ton. I had an easy time understanding this book, however for someone who doesn't know who he is or even that understands basketball may have a harder time reading and comprehending this novel. This is because Santiago's writing style is very straight forward with his slang he uses, and how he tells the story. Michael Jordan is one of the best or even the best basketball players to ever step on a court. His whole career is a Phenom from his teenage years to his college debut to his 6 Championships he won with the Bulls.

This story takes place in California and Chicago as it goes back and forth between games and it takes place a little bit at Michaels house when he was younger. The plot of the story is how he grew up with his parents and his major close games, not only were these games close but they were extremely important and if they hadn't gone the way they did, Michael would probably not be the greatest of all time. This book is very good and I recommend it for anyone who has a desire for basketball.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had potential by my two issues with this graphic biography of Michael Jordan is the font and the movement/images which are harsh- on the eyes but also to discern what's happening as it darkens the tone that I don't know is the intention.

Jordan is a powerhouse, the GOAT of basketball and certainly that ever played for the Bulls. There was also much talk about certain aspects of his life which also are woven into the story, which I don't know were necessary since it could have simply concentrated on his sports life and not his personal life.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Die-hard fans of Michael Jordan may be the only ones to enjoy this graphic novel. Reading it requires a great deal of background knowledge about Jordan. In addition, the illustrations are such that it is almost impossible to differentiate between the various people being portrayed. The story line also jumps around in time, making it difficult to follow. Illustrations are fairly dark in both actual color and in the tone that is portrayed by the drawings themselves.

[Cass · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non-linear story line. Best for fans of Jordan who already have a base of knowledge on his career and life. Would not recommend for a school assignment: not comprehensive enough...possibly a good companion resource to more comprehensive research. Amazing artwork. I am not walking away with as much knowledge as I thought, but I certainly learned a thing or two!

Highly recommend for Jordan and graphic novel fans.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only got *** because it was about MJ.

"21" was excellent while making sense throughout but this was constantly confusing. Santiago kept the timeline in such a constant flux that I had trouble understanding even though I was alive and aware of most of the events- unlike the stardom of Clemente.

So much was skipped or abbreviated to one page in a manner that I'll call "getting cute" with the storyline. He tried to get too "artsy" with a biography.

[Nook_Book_21 Pepoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

LUI è il BASKET !!!!
Una vita dedicata allo sport
Sacrifici , vittorie e sconfitte di un grande campione.
Leggere questo libro ti fa entrare in un’altra dimensione….
….ti sembra di sentire la palla tra le mani , le urla sugli spalti….
His .Airness a cui sempre mi inchino.
Se amate il basket come me e come me vi piace poco leggere ,
questo libro a fumetti di un grande campione è ciò che fa per voi

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explore's Michael Jordan as a person, a player, and a pop-culture phenomenon. Unfortunately, it gives no attention to his film career. Santiago uses collage like style to fit Jordan's life, career, and cultural impact into one short graphic novel. I was disappointed there was nothing about Space Jam, but all in all I liked it.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was awesome! As a kid I always knew Michael
Jordan was the best but I had a fondness for Space Jam Jordan because I was a kid when that movie came out so as far as to WHY he was the greatest- I didn’t really watch his actual greatness on the court. I really liked the art and how his life was collected- especially the on-court bits. I had no idea about the off-court bits, wow!

[Katarzyna Bartoszynska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Impressionistic and somewhat confusing, especially if you aren't already very familiar with Jordan's story. The artwork is cool, but the book merely alludes to various key events without ever going into depth.

[Kim Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The nonlinear progression throws off the flow of the book. The choice of text font also is a hindrance when reading the book. It is an enjoyable and easy read if you're at least somewhat familiar with Jordan's life, which I am not. Not a bad book, just not well executed.

[Daniel Lanciana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good art, weak story.

[JL Salty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edgy art and language.
If you don’t know Michael Jordan’s story, this is a confusing book.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art was nice and the story had potential. For my personal taste, however, the book jumped around too much and it was hard to follow. The parts involving his dad were my favorite, though.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://graphicpolicy.com/2015/01/18/r...

Everyone knows the legend of Michael Jordan: The Chicago Bulls, Nike shoes, minor league baseball. In Bull on Parade, Wilfred Santiago digs in a bit and lifts the veil of the man behind the legend. The graphic novel, published by Fantagraphics, is Santiago’s follow up to 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente.

15 seasons. 1,072 games. 41,011 minutes of basketball. That alone could fill up volumes of exciting graphic novels, as Jordan rose from team reject to basketball god. Santiago has a lot to work with, and takes the man’s legendary life and condenses it into a one big theme, how Jordan went from basketball player to as much of a product as the items he later was paid to endorse.

Santiago also has no problem showing that it’s not all shine, and touches upon the more controversial aspects of Jordan’s life including his infidelity and gambling habits, things that are often overlooked at when discussing his rise. There’s also the failure of his baseball career, and retirement and return to basketball. None of it is very deep, instead touching upon key aspects of his career and life. From his sometimes scandalous and tragic private life to Jordan’s intense battles with the “bad boy” Pistons, Clyde Drexler’s Trailblazers, and the unrelenting Utah Jazz of the late ’90s, Santiago is able to induce a sense of dynamism and awe as he takes on Jordan’s life on and off the court.

The excitement that was Jordan and his Chicago Bulls is brought to life with Santiago’s style that’s beautiful to look at. It’s a kinetic style for a kinetic personality, and the graphic novel is as entertaining to read as it is to look at.

For all those who have strapped on a pair of Air Jordans, donned the number 23, or wished they could be “like Mike,” the graphic novel is a must read. So just sit back, let your tongue hang out, and marvel at Wilfred Santiago’s mastery of the life and times of Michael Jordan in Bull on Parade.

[Andrush · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic piece of Literature because that's all that need to be said. I am very into basketball right now so when I saw this book in the story I knew I should buy this and I do not regret it a single bit. This book isn't expertly written or that good in terms of word choice but the reason that I love this book is because of all the stories about Michael Jordan Trash talking other players and honestly some of them make him seem inhuman like he was bored with basketball and sometimes he would ask the other team to present him with a challenge when he would just tell the person defending him look i'm gonna do this move and then shoot like this so try to defend me then once he did it he would just laugh like it's nobody's business. The other thing is that he mentions several of the mistakes that he made that he later on regret in his Lifetime and some of these I take very personally and hope that this book will help me get better at basketball. This books overall charm and relevance to me get it a score of 8-9/10 the only thing that would have made it better was if it lasted longer then it did.

[Matthew Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting comics biography of Jordan that forms kind of an impressionistic picture of the man, jumping around in his life, only glancingly covering his pre-NBA days (a few scenes from childhood, including not making his high school basketball team, but nothing about his college years) and mostly sticking to scenes from famous games played, championships won, and some of the other stuff that happened around him, like his resistance to commenting about the Rodney King riots, his reported gambling debts, and his father's murder. If you're looking for a bunch of information about Jordan's life, this isn't the place to find it, but for a dynamic presentation of what it was like to follow his career, there's nothing like it. Wilfred Santiago's art is all sorts of stylized, exaggerated and full of movement and action, and often using innovative techniques to convey overwhelming circumstances. It's pretty great to look at, and you do get an interesting look at Jordan's life, so it's worth checking out, even if, like me, you're really not much of a fan.

[Kaden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micheal Jordan was an amazing and talented man. In this book, it talks about how he goes through his life and his struggles. He had a interesting story in his basketball career and his short baseball career. Micheal could definitely be a role model to me.

Micheal is the main character. He was definitely the most interesting because it gave lots of background information on him. 2nd character is his son. He went to the NBA in 2009 as number 12. His name is John Jordan.

The theme of this book is even though you run into problems, there is always another way. This is true because he ran into at least 5 issues through out the book. This is a book with an obvious theme but a good one. I would listen to this book if it had a mouth.

In my opinion, this book is one I would recommend to a friend or even a stranger. I thought it was great because I love basketball and reading this book made me love it even more. This book was great. I could read it over and over again.

[Luke Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cyborg Jordan being reconstructed on the table with wires and nodes coming out of him. His visit with his dad during Magic's 1992 HIV announcement. The pregame interviews on the street before the Knicks: "Mr. Jordan's pirouetting is perpetually tainted by his continuing to be a shameless corporate tool, while ignoring his people over profit... 'Be like Mike'? *scoff*" The coining of the term Be Like Mike. Dark, foreboding drives to NBA HQ and the heads in the background like demonic overseers. A stewing swelter of the Rodney King riots alongside the Miami Heat elimination. The 1992 MacDonald's cup Barcelona Dream Team, being protected by armed guards, with those "those choppers hovering over us... blocking my sun again..." at Olympic Village. Jordan: "I've been flooded with requests from LA stations to make an on air plea... GO ask Cosby, Murphy, o Oprah-- they're wealthy blacks too! Am I even qualified to comment?"

[Evan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great graphic novel that gives insight into the life of Michael Jordan while he was in the NBA. The author does a great job intertwining historical events that were occurring during Michael Jordan's NBA career as well as many of the inner struggles that he had dealing with being both Black and celebrity. The illustrations and commentary are excellent and Santiago does a great job of illustrating and orchestrating words so that you feel as though you are watching the game again. It makes me flash back to when I was younger and how we would drop everything just to hear the Bulls introduction of Michael Jordan. Great novels for teens and will definitely offer a chance for them to look at and discuss other issues in the U.S. such as the Rodney King case and what is the role of the Black athlete when it comes to activism.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this graphic biography, and I did. But parts of it left me confused--awkward panel transitions, big leaps in time, historical references that don't get fleshed out enough. It's another way in, though, for readers who care about basketball and Jordan. There is swearing throughout but it is not gratuitous; it shows Dennis Rodman's wild man tendencies, Jordan's struggle to be a public black man but not a civil rights advocate and his feelings of being overwhelmed by the media pressures put upon him. I liked that this biography doesn't exalt Jordan blindly; his faults are a strong thread, and despite confusing scenes, the impressionistic art leaves us with a feeling for this complicated, fascinating man.

[NBHS Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book because Michael Jordan. However, I think if you didn't know anything about him you would find this very hard to follow. It jumps all over the place time wise, and the panels don't always track in the same way that can lead to confusion. There is also the conversation between the feet that occurs periodically which I didn't really get the point of (go to college and don't follow your dreams??). The artwork is amazing though.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book because Michael Jordan. However, I think if you didn't know anything about him you would find this very hard to follow. It jumps all over the place time wise, and the panels don't always track in the same way that can lead to confusion. There is also the conversation between the feet that occurs periodically which I didn't really get the point of (go to college and don't follow your dreams??). The artwork is amazing though and saved this from being two stars.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, puts you there on the court - amazing illustrative work, particularly - and into the private life and some of the scandals attached to Jordan's incredible run w/ the Chicago Bulls. I loved that era, right up to the 92 Dream Team so this brought back memories of watching basketball as closely as I ever have. A thoughtful book that mixes fan-passion with a biographer's ear and eye.

[wildct2003 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slice of life episodes in graphic novel form. Some segments I could appreciate but did not know what they referred to or what was going on. Connects on an emotional level; hard to read as a narrative.