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Battling Boy #1
Battling Boy
The adventure begins in the new graphic novel by comics legend Paul Pope.Monsters roam through Arcopolis, swallowing children into the horrors of their shadowy underworld. Only one man is a match for them - the genius vigilante Haggard West.Unfortunately, Haggard West is dead. Arcopolis is desperate, but when its salvation comes in the form of a twelve-year-old demigod, nobody is more surprised than Battling Boy himself. IT'S TIME TO MEET AN ELECTRIFYING NEW HERO. An NPR Best Book of 2013
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2013
40 people are currently reading
1581 people want to read
About the author
Paul Pope
227 books250 followersPAUL POPE is an American cartoonist living and working in New York City. Pope has made a name for himself internationally as an artist and designer. He has been working primarily in comics since the early '90s, but has also done a number of projects with Italian fashion label Diesel Industries and, in the US, with DKNY. His media clients include LucasArts, Paramount Pictures, Cartoon Network, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Conde-Naste, Kodansha (Japan), Sapporo (Japan), Marc Ecko, Dargaud Editions (France), EMI Canada, Warner Brothers, and The British Film Institute. His iconic Batman: Year 100, a science fiction take on the classic Batman origin tale, has won numerous awards, seen print in many languages, and appears frequently on many Top 10 Batman story lists. In 2010, Pope was recognized as a Master Artist by the American Council Of The Arts, and is currently sitting on the ACA advisory board. His 2010, short science fiction comic strip Strange Adventures (DC Comics)--an homage to the Flash Gordon serials of the '30s-- won the coveted National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award for Best Comic Book of the year. He has won 5 Eisners to date.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
May 25, 2016
Battling Boy is the son of a mighty God. He spent his childhood among his own kind in the so-called Starry Lofts - sounds pleasant, doesn't it? On the eve of his adolescence, however, he is sent all the way down to good old Planet Earth... or something like it, at least: to a city called Arcopolis.
Arcopolis is a place overrun with terrible monsters that, for reasons unknown, specialize in kidnapping the city’s children. The children’s sole protector has just been slain, and now Battling Boy is supposed to step up to the plate, that is, prove himself by becoming the city’s new hero. Not an easy task, not even for the son of a god.
The premise may not be terribly original, but creator Paul Pope brings it to life with imaginative detail and his trademark loose, raw, dynamic, kinetic artwork. Reminiscent of some of Alan Moore's ABC work, Battling Boy feels like the pulpier, raunchier, more subversive version of a traditional superhero origin story - targeted at a slightly older audience.
Arcopolis is a place overrun with terrible monsters that, for reasons unknown, specialize in kidnapping the city’s children. The children’s sole protector has just been slain, and now Battling Boy is supposed to step up to the plate, that is, prove himself by becoming the city’s new hero. Not an easy task, not even for the son of a god.
The premise may not be terribly original, but creator Paul Pope brings it to life with imaginative detail and his trademark loose, raw, dynamic, kinetic artwork. Reminiscent of some of Alan Moore's ABC work, Battling Boy feels like the pulpier, raunchier, more subversive version of a traditional superhero origin story - targeted at a slightly older audience.
June 2, 2019
Haggard West, hero of Arcopolis is dead. Fortunately, Battling Boy has arrived to prove himself to his parents and take up Haggard West's fight against the monsters plaguing Arcopolos. But what of Haggard West's daughter, Aurora?
I've got a couple of old issues of Paul Pope's THB and I liked his Adam Strange feature in Wednesday Comics so when I found this on the cheap at V-Stock, I snapped it up. It was easily worth my four bucks.
Paul Pope's art is what originally drew me to this. It's part prime era Jack Kirby, part Moebius. It's minimalist yet complex, stylized, and fucking awesome. He's as at home drawing vast cityscapes and other-worldly homes of gods. The monsters get as much attention to detail as the mundane. In short, it's great.
The story is good, too. It's a coming of age tale about the son of a god and the daughter of a dead hero. Arcopolis is a city under siege by monsters and Battling Boy shows up to stem the tide. Things quickly go pear-shaped.
There is some good use of parallelism as Battling Boy and Aurora West try to fill the shoes of their parents. Aurora uses the science of her father while Battling Boy draws power from his father's cape and the twelve magic t-shirts he's been given, as well as being the son of a Thor analogue.
Battling Boy just scratches the surface of the world Paul Pope has forged. I guess I'm tracking down the rest of the books in this series. Five out of five stars.
I've got a couple of old issues of Paul Pope's THB and I liked his Adam Strange feature in Wednesday Comics so when I found this on the cheap at V-Stock, I snapped it up. It was easily worth my four bucks.
Paul Pope's art is what originally drew me to this. It's part prime era Jack Kirby, part Moebius. It's minimalist yet complex, stylized, and fucking awesome. He's as at home drawing vast cityscapes and other-worldly homes of gods. The monsters get as much attention to detail as the mundane. In short, it's great.
The story is good, too. It's a coming of age tale about the son of a god and the daughter of a dead hero. Arcopolis is a city under siege by monsters and Battling Boy shows up to stem the tide. Things quickly go pear-shaped.
There is some good use of parallelism as Battling Boy and Aurora West try to fill the shoes of their parents. Aurora uses the science of her father while Battling Boy draws power from his father's cape and the twelve magic t-shirts he's been given, as well as being the son of a Thor analogue.
Battling Boy just scratches the surface of the world Paul Pope has forged. I guess I'm tracking down the rest of the books in this series. Five out of five stars.
July 17, 2013
I feel like Battling Boy should his own 80s kids cartoon theme music.
Battling Boy! Battling Boy!
Fighting monsters ‘stead of playin’ with toys!
Battling Boooooooooy!
He’s a space prince come to save the world
There a Batman character who’s also a girl
The boy’s got a cape that’s big and red
He’s basically young Superman - yeah!
Battling Boy! Battling Boy!
Nothing rhymes with Battling Boy!
(To the tune of something awesome and ‘80s rockin’ with a montage of Battling Boy punching bad guys and then looking sheepish in the final shot)
Paul Pope’s Battling Boy sorta reminded me of 80s kids cartoons but the similarities in this book go beyond those shows and mines references across the cultural spectrum from the 1960s Batman show to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics. You have Battling Boy who lives in the Hidden Gilded realm (basically Asgard) and whose dad is unnamed but is pretty much Thor. As part of his coming-of-age ritual (he’s a pre-teen) he has to undertake a “rambling” which is where he’s taken from his home to another world on his “turning day” and made to overcome obstacles to prove he’s a man (kind of like Hercules’ Labours). Thor takes Battling Boy to a city called Arcopolis that’s under siege from crazy monsters and he’s left with a suitcase of interesting magical objects and a red cape that makes him look like a young Superman.
There’s also a Batman-ish figure in Arcopolis called Haggard West (a tribute to Adam West?), a cross between Batman and the Rocketeer and whose car is called the Westmobile(!). The main villain of the book is Sadisto, kind of like the Joker but looks like the Grinch wearing a ninja outfit with a hint of Mumm-Ra. But despite the numerous references to more familiar cultural figures, Paul Pope manages to make Battling Boy feel fresh and his own thing.
Pope captures what being a boy who discovers he has superpowers really well. First off BB really seems like a boy – his personality is at times overconfident which leads to mistakes, innocent, which leads to situations he doesn’t want to be in, and he can become scared and run back to his dad for protection (like he does when he faces his first monster). Being young, he’s not as articulate as he would like to be and his natural politeness makes it hard for him to communicate how he truly feels – in one brilliant scene when Arcopolis’ mayor is trying to use BB as a political tool, BB becomes frustrated and wordlessly scrunches up a metal paperweight with his bare hands before remaking it anew. It puts across his unique strength and otherworldliness while also letting them know he will not be their puppet all at once.
One of the most inspired choices Pope makes is giving BB a dozen t-shirts with animal totems on them, with each shirt bestowing BB with that animal’s attribute, eg. King Lion or Curious Orangutan or the Sly Silent Fox. It’s similar to Bravestarr’s powers (“Strength of the Bear! Speed of the Puma!” – there are those 80s kids cartoon references again!) but work really well here as we see BB figure out how to use these powers, failing to control them at first but slowly learning to.
The book is fleshed out further with the excellent character, Aurora West, the daughter of Haggard West, the Batman/Rocketeer figure of Arcopolis. Haggard dies early in the book and, as a subplot to BB’s main arc, Aurora, though only slightly older than BB, begins training to become the new hero of Arcopolis. So this book contains the origin stories of two heroes in one, both of whom are loosely analogues of arguably the two most famous superheroes in history. It’s fantastically realised and fun to see, especially if you’re a superhero comics fan like me.
In terms of the audience for this book, Sadisto is kind of a disturbingly drawn figure and his unsettlingly vague mission of abducting children for an unknown purpose (it’s implied they are abused) might make this not the most appropriate read for younger readers, but I think it’s alright for young teens to pick up and it’s definitely sophisticated enough for adults to get a lot out of it too.
I just wrote a lengthy list of things I loved about this book and, though they’re harmless observations that won’t spoil the book for you, I deleted it anyway because I want the little touches Pope throws into the mix to be as much a pleasant surprise to me as they will be to you.
Combine the many small but brilliant touches into the 12 Labours of Hercules-esque storyline, the characters of Battling Boy, Aurora West, and Sadisto, and Pope’s AMAZING art, and you have one helluva book. As much as I’ve written about this book, there are lots of other things I haven’t mentioned – Battling Boy contains multitudes. If you love superhero comics, you’ll really get a lot out of this but even if you’re not well-versed in superhero stories, it’s still a really fun story that anyone can enjoy. For me, I think it’s the best work Pope’s done yet, and is one of the most enjoyable and original superhero stories I’ve read in ages. I had a blast and look forward to Vol 2 as BB and Aurora West team up to take down Sadisto and the remaining monsters of Arcopolis.
Battling Booooooooy!
Battling Boy! Battling Boy!
Fighting monsters ‘stead of playin’ with toys!
Battling Boooooooooy!
He’s a space prince come to save the world
There a Batman character who’s also a girl
The boy’s got a cape that’s big and red
He’s basically young Superman - yeah!
Battling Boy! Battling Boy!
Nothing rhymes with Battling Boy!
(To the tune of something awesome and ‘80s rockin’ with a montage of Battling Boy punching bad guys and then looking sheepish in the final shot)
Paul Pope’s Battling Boy sorta reminded me of 80s kids cartoons but the similarities in this book go beyond those shows and mines references across the cultural spectrum from the 1960s Batman show to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics. You have Battling Boy who lives in the Hidden Gilded realm (basically Asgard) and whose dad is unnamed but is pretty much Thor. As part of his coming-of-age ritual (he’s a pre-teen) he has to undertake a “rambling” which is where he’s taken from his home to another world on his “turning day” and made to overcome obstacles to prove he’s a man (kind of like Hercules’ Labours). Thor takes Battling Boy to a city called Arcopolis that’s under siege from crazy monsters and he’s left with a suitcase of interesting magical objects and a red cape that makes him look like a young Superman.
There’s also a Batman-ish figure in Arcopolis called Haggard West (a tribute to Adam West?), a cross between Batman and the Rocketeer and whose car is called the Westmobile(!). The main villain of the book is Sadisto, kind of like the Joker but looks like the Grinch wearing a ninja outfit with a hint of Mumm-Ra. But despite the numerous references to more familiar cultural figures, Paul Pope manages to make Battling Boy feel fresh and his own thing.
Pope captures what being a boy who discovers he has superpowers really well. First off BB really seems like a boy – his personality is at times overconfident which leads to mistakes, innocent, which leads to situations he doesn’t want to be in, and he can become scared and run back to his dad for protection (like he does when he faces his first monster). Being young, he’s not as articulate as he would like to be and his natural politeness makes it hard for him to communicate how he truly feels – in one brilliant scene when Arcopolis’ mayor is trying to use BB as a political tool, BB becomes frustrated and wordlessly scrunches up a metal paperweight with his bare hands before remaking it anew. It puts across his unique strength and otherworldliness while also letting them know he will not be their puppet all at once.
One of the most inspired choices Pope makes is giving BB a dozen t-shirts with animal totems on them, with each shirt bestowing BB with that animal’s attribute, eg. King Lion or Curious Orangutan or the Sly Silent Fox. It’s similar to Bravestarr’s powers (“Strength of the Bear! Speed of the Puma!” – there are those 80s kids cartoon references again!) but work really well here as we see BB figure out how to use these powers, failing to control them at first but slowly learning to.
The book is fleshed out further with the excellent character, Aurora West, the daughter of Haggard West, the Batman/Rocketeer figure of Arcopolis. Haggard dies early in the book and, as a subplot to BB’s main arc, Aurora, though only slightly older than BB, begins training to become the new hero of Arcopolis. So this book contains the origin stories of two heroes in one, both of whom are loosely analogues of arguably the two most famous superheroes in history. It’s fantastically realised and fun to see, especially if you’re a superhero comics fan like me.
In terms of the audience for this book, Sadisto is kind of a disturbingly drawn figure and his unsettlingly vague mission of abducting children for an unknown purpose (it’s implied they are abused) might make this not the most appropriate read for younger readers, but I think it’s alright for young teens to pick up and it’s definitely sophisticated enough for adults to get a lot out of it too.
I just wrote a lengthy list of things I loved about this book and, though they’re harmless observations that won’t spoil the book for you, I deleted it anyway because I want the little touches Pope throws into the mix to be as much a pleasant surprise to me as they will be to you.
Combine the many small but brilliant touches into the 12 Labours of Hercules-esque storyline, the characters of Battling Boy, Aurora West, and Sadisto, and Pope’s AMAZING art, and you have one helluva book. As much as I’ve written about this book, there are lots of other things I haven’t mentioned – Battling Boy contains multitudes. If you love superhero comics, you’ll really get a lot out of this but even if you’re not well-versed in superhero stories, it’s still a really fun story that anyone can enjoy. For me, I think it’s the best work Pope’s done yet, and is one of the most enjoyable and original superhero stories I’ve read in ages. I had a blast and look forward to Vol 2 as BB and Aurora West team up to take down Sadisto and the remaining monsters of Arcopolis.
Battling Booooooooy!
November 7, 2013
I don't have much to say about this one. Having noticed the other high star ratings this book has received I realize I am in the minority in my opinion but I just didn't like it. I really wanted to though!. It sounded so like my type of book but it just didn't do anything for me. Even though it was full of monster-battling action from beginning to end I found myself bored and wanting the book to hurry up and be over. The Hero's son being sent to battle monsters to prove his coming-of-age and hero-worthiness felt cliched and I found the font got awfully small at times. Sorry, but I got nothing from this one. The book ends abruptly too, obviously making this part one of a possibly long series which should have been labeled Vol. 1 to let us know.
June 7, 2013
Why do superheroes wear such silly hats? I mean, seriously, Thor-esque-God-dude, you lost me at the Rambling. I will say two things. I was singularly unimpressed by the superheroes in this story and I thought the storytelling was clunky and uneven and I gave not one hoot for the titular Battling Boy. I gave slightly more of a hoot for of-this-world daughter of the fallen human superhero guy, but, eh. I have no desire to root for them or reflect upon the tropes and responsibilities of superheroes in our fallen world.
But the monsters and the bad guys were super-sweet (woo mummyish Sadisto!), wildly drawn and wonderfully colored, the bad-guy bar was especially awesome (giant silkworm dudes!), the unmasking of Sadisto was pretty nicely gross, and the silhouetted-demon-guy-upon-his-throne at the end was fantastic. I could just read books about bad guys, or just books with pictures of bad guys, story not included, all day long. And this book would be pretty cool if it was just that.
All told, I'm no superhero connoisseur so I can't say if this was much good -- but I can say I resent it being just the buildup to a Stunning Sequel! Build-ups should be satisfying in themselves too, and story-wise this wasn't.
Anyways... Point being: The illustrations were pretty good here, but the story was a wash for me, and I probably won't go in for the next one. My apologies First Second (ARC via NetGalley), but my statement on the positiveness of your diversity of offerings this year stands. Hooray.
But the monsters and the bad guys were super-sweet (woo mummyish Sadisto!), wildly drawn and wonderfully colored, the bad-guy bar was especially awesome (giant silkworm dudes!), the unmasking of Sadisto was pretty nicely gross, and the silhouetted-demon-guy-upon-his-throne at the end was fantastic. I could just read books about bad guys, or just books with pictures of bad guys, story not included, all day long. And this book would be pretty cool if it was just that.
All told, I'm no superhero connoisseur so I can't say if this was much good -- but I can say I resent it being just the buildup to a Stunning Sequel! Build-ups should be satisfying in themselves too, and story-wise this wasn't.
Anyways... Point being: The illustrations were pretty good here, but the story was a wash for me, and I probably won't go in for the next one. My apologies First Second (ARC via NetGalley), but my statement on the positiveness of your diversity of offerings this year stands. Hooray.
November 25, 2014
Battling Boy is a masterpiece of comics storytelling. It is the story of a young boy who belongs to a cosmic, god-like society. At the age of 13, he must undergo an adventure in order to become an adult in his society. He is taken by his father to a planet inhabited by humans, to serve as their protector. This planet, however, is plagued by monsters that come out at night and steal children for an unrevealed purpose. In his adventures, he comes across Aurora West, a half Rocketeer and a half Batman type hero, who is on a quest for revenge against the world of monsters.
This is a beautiful book. The art and the colours really pop out. It's a shame that this is a small-sized book, because you really want to see this art in a large format. As for the story, the characters are well-developed and they change as they face the challenges their world presents. It's a must-read for comic fans.
This is a beautiful book. The art and the colours really pop out. It's a shame that this is a small-sized book, because you really want to see this art in a large format. As for the story, the characters are well-developed and they change as they face the challenges their world presents. It's a must-read for comic fans.
April 1, 2021
Päť hviezd jak vyšitých. Skvelý nápad, príbeh, postavy. Dvanásťročné decko od bohov poslané aby si prešlo skúškou dospelosti na Zem a aby chránilo planétu pred monštrami. Prischne mu Zem s mestom Arcopolis, kde sa začne mlátiť s prvou prekážkou. Do toho celého dostáva schopnosti a rady od tričiek a totemami zvierat/bájnych tvorov. Strašne super tempo si to drží celú dobu, Autora West, dcéra hrdinu čo chránil mesto predtým je tiež strašne skvelá postava a je škoda že dostala tak málo priestoru (čo sa napravilo vlastnými dvomi komiksami, minimálne, o ktorých viem). Hrozné sklamanie že je to useknuté keď sa konečne začnú diať veci a nikdy sa v tom nepokračovalo.
December 18, 2017
Ok, I'm biased. I'm a fan. But good-golly-miss-molly this 200-page graphic novel reads like a 22-page Kirby slugfest. I hate to say that Pope is at the top of his game because he just seems to keep getting better and better, but Battling Boy is a definately a treat. This frighteningly fun read is chock-full of fascinating characters, exciting action and exciting new worlds to explore. Sure Pope builds on architypes of the superhero genre with Haggard West is a very Phantom/Shadow/Spider/Batman type of figure and Battling Boy's dad is very much in the Thor/Orion vein. The material in the earlier published The Death of Haggard West is also included and incorporated into the main text.
Pope's dynamic, frenzied art is perfect for this type of tale and the story is a clear descendant of Kirby's work on Thor, The Eternals Omnibus and the "Fourth World" titles from DC. This fun, light-hearted and fast-paced graphic novel should be included on every Kirby fan's shelf as well as fan of Thor, The Eternals, the Forever People or the New Gods.
To put it simply: Paul Pope's Battling Boy ROCKS! I give this one my highest Rickommendations.
UPDATE: I just read this a second time and even with several years having passed since I first read this, it still holds up. A fun and excellent read. Still waiting for a sequel...
Pope's dynamic, frenzied art is perfect for this type of tale and the story is a clear descendant of Kirby's work on Thor, The Eternals Omnibus and the "Fourth World" titles from DC. This fun, light-hearted and fast-paced graphic novel should be included on every Kirby fan's shelf as well as fan of Thor, The Eternals, the Forever People or the New Gods.
To put it simply: Paul Pope's Battling Boy ROCKS! I give this one my highest Rickommendations.
UPDATE: I just read this a second time and even with several years having passed since I first read this, it still holds up. A fun and excellent read. Still waiting for a sequel...
December 23, 2013
Some of Paul Pope's best work. Nominally aimed at a YA audience, but it remains graphically sophisticated and never dumbs down the narrative. Interested to see how the story unfolds in the upcoming volumes.
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October 30, 2013We think this book is super.
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July 13, 2023
It needed many more monsters drawn by Paul Pope!
March 22, 2020
Interesting and not your usual take on the "heroes protecting the cities" stories. Very good artwork & nice story until now.
May 13, 2014
For the record, I’m a huge Paul Pope fan. I think he’s one of the few real visionaries working in comics today, one of only a handful of artists who are really challenging the pre-conceived notions of the craft of comic book storytelling. He can crank out pages when he has to, but only after he’s thought about what he’s going to draw for a long time. He doesn’t do things by rote. He seizes the opportunity to say something new in everything he does. Ultimately, he has the potential to be a watershed artist in the history of the medium, alongside great innovators like Kirby, Steranko, and Moebius. He’s one of the leaders and best practitioners of what he calls “world comics,” a global style which blends the best of American, Japanese, and European comics. Most importantly, he also draws inspiration from outside of comics—art, music, fashion, experimental film, performance art—to expand both his realm of reference and his sphere of influence. Battling Boy, his long-awaited YA graphic novel, is some of the best work he’s ever done. It’s fun, imaginative, humorous, and action-packed. It’s a culmination of almost 20 years of experimentation in the realm of visual storytelling. But it’s not without problems.
First of all, the format surprised me. Unlike the large, slim graphic novels One-Trick Rip-Off and Escapo, Battling Boy’s 6”x8” size is much closer to a manga volume than a traditional American graphic novel size. Obviously, that’s designed to be part of the YA appeal. No kid’s going to read a 200-page tome that he or she can’t even lift. It makes the book more of a fun read that you can take with you, but it’s also a disservice to Pope’s intricate artwork. The tiny lettering also makes me think it was conceived as a larger book originally.
For the most part, I agree with Tim Callahan’s enthusiastic assessment over on Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?pa...). On the one hand, there is depth and nuance and humor to it. My main issue with this book is it feels too contrived, which is not something I could ever say about Pope’s work before. But BB feels like a calculated attempt to court a YA audience and make a book with built-in movie rights (the book was optioned back in 2008 and Pope has been collaborating with the screenwriter since at least 2009). The story structure is very Joseph Campbell by-the-numbers. The character of Aurora West gets some nice character moments, but Battling Boy himself seems a little underdeveloped. And the pacing, with extended fight sequences borrowed from manga, feels off in terms of both story and character development, with some narrative threads dropped for way too many pages. Pope has successfully tried this technique before in THB, but it worked in THB because that series had an organic and spontaneous flow. BB, on the other hand, feels like a commercial enterprise from start to finish. Not that I begrudge Pope his chance to cash in, but this is the first Pope book that feels like a cash-grab. On the other hand, it’s really an opportunity to expose a new group of young readers to Pope’s unique and inspiring imagination. I’d certainly love for more mainstream comics to take a page from Pope’s playbook.
Ultimately, however, I think this book succeeds on style. Despite films like Scott Pilgrim and Pacific Rim and shows like Ben 10 and Adventure Time, which all share a certain sensibility with Battling Boy’s 12-year-old monster fighter, I have a hard time imagining Battling Boy: The Motion Picture as having one-tenth of the energy, verve, or style of Paul Pope’s original art and vision.
First of all, the format surprised me. Unlike the large, slim graphic novels One-Trick Rip-Off and Escapo, Battling Boy’s 6”x8” size is much closer to a manga volume than a traditional American graphic novel size. Obviously, that’s designed to be part of the YA appeal. No kid’s going to read a 200-page tome that he or she can’t even lift. It makes the book more of a fun read that you can take with you, but it’s also a disservice to Pope’s intricate artwork. The tiny lettering also makes me think it was conceived as a larger book originally.
For the most part, I agree with Tim Callahan’s enthusiastic assessment over on Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?pa...). On the one hand, there is depth and nuance and humor to it. My main issue with this book is it feels too contrived, which is not something I could ever say about Pope’s work before. But BB feels like a calculated attempt to court a YA audience and make a book with built-in movie rights (the book was optioned back in 2008 and Pope has been collaborating with the screenwriter since at least 2009). The story structure is very Joseph Campbell by-the-numbers. The character of Aurora West gets some nice character moments, but Battling Boy himself seems a little underdeveloped. And the pacing, with extended fight sequences borrowed from manga, feels off in terms of both story and character development, with some narrative threads dropped for way too many pages. Pope has successfully tried this technique before in THB, but it worked in THB because that series had an organic and spontaneous flow. BB, on the other hand, feels like a commercial enterprise from start to finish. Not that I begrudge Pope his chance to cash in, but this is the first Pope book that feels like a cash-grab. On the other hand, it’s really an opportunity to expose a new group of young readers to Pope’s unique and inspiring imagination. I’d certainly love for more mainstream comics to take a page from Pope’s playbook.
Ultimately, however, I think this book succeeds on style. Despite films like Scott Pilgrim and Pacific Rim and shows like Ben 10 and Adventure Time, which all share a certain sensibility with Battling Boy’s 12-year-old monster fighter, I have a hard time imagining Battling Boy: The Motion Picture as having one-tenth of the energy, verve, or style of Paul Pope’s original art and vision.
February 5, 2018
Battling Boy, a bright and action-packed comic by Paul Pope, unveils a post-apocolyptic experience for a young boy forced into the role of a hero. The reader is immediately dropped into a strangely familiar scene of the distressed city of Arcopolis, dressed in monsters and fairy-tale antagonists alike. The city's previously reliant hero is sadly exterminated in battle, subsequently initiating a terrifying sense of vulnerability. Young Battling Boy is just as surprised to become the city's new hero as its citizens are. We follow Battling Boy through a journey of his newfound independence and self discovery.
This book uses enticing imagery to grab a reader's attention, but it quickly becomes evident that the text relies entirely on its images. Pope fails to make a strong connection between the story and its visual counterpart, which leaves room for confusion and misunderstanding for the reader. If the reader were provided with no imagery at all the story itself would not exist, but perhaps that is the point.
This reading has a striking appeal to pre-teen boys everywhere, if not just for their shared demographic with Battling Boy himself. His sense of confusion and obvious insecurity can be relatable for all readers, even if his journey is hard to understand at times. These same young readers, however, will likely face the most perplexity in understanding the book's sequence of events and ultimate ties between sections and characters. The book is divided into very obviously separate sections, that can initially be mistaken as entirely different stories from one another. The lack of descriptive text and appropriate language leaves the reader scratching their head from time to time. For a young teen engorged in this reading, they may find the vocabulary regressive or just simply not challenging.
The theme of finding strength in fear has potential to make this story great, so long as its text and pictures are aligned. The illustrations are very obviously the best part of the story, and visually guide the reader page by page. Pope's varied use of color, tone, and hue catch the reader's eye and enhance the overall experience of the story. It is easy to see the appeal to this science-fiction adventure tale, but it fell short in its lack of effective text. Personally, I would not use this as a classroom novel, but for those who disagree, they would likely use it to emphasize the importance of courage, integrity, and honesty.
This book uses enticing imagery to grab a reader's attention, but it quickly becomes evident that the text relies entirely on its images. Pope fails to make a strong connection between the story and its visual counterpart, which leaves room for confusion and misunderstanding for the reader. If the reader were provided with no imagery at all the story itself would not exist, but perhaps that is the point.
This reading has a striking appeal to pre-teen boys everywhere, if not just for their shared demographic with Battling Boy himself. His sense of confusion and obvious insecurity can be relatable for all readers, even if his journey is hard to understand at times. These same young readers, however, will likely face the most perplexity in understanding the book's sequence of events and ultimate ties between sections and characters. The book is divided into very obviously separate sections, that can initially be mistaken as entirely different stories from one another. The lack of descriptive text and appropriate language leaves the reader scratching their head from time to time. For a young teen engorged in this reading, they may find the vocabulary regressive or just simply not challenging.
The theme of finding strength in fear has potential to make this story great, so long as its text and pictures are aligned. The illustrations are very obviously the best part of the story, and visually guide the reader page by page. Pope's varied use of color, tone, and hue catch the reader's eye and enhance the overall experience of the story. It is easy to see the appeal to this science-fiction adventure tale, but it fell short in its lack of effective text. Personally, I would not use this as a classroom novel, but for those who disagree, they would likely use it to emphasize the importance of courage, integrity, and honesty.
October 9, 2013
Book Review by Chris for Book Sake
Battling Boy is just so stylish, you don’t have any choice but to fall in love with the book. The story, the art, the dialogue all harken back to the 80′s sci-fi epics of old. It’s so grand, but in such a grounded way. I have flashes of Flash Gordon, Buckaroo Banzai, and maybe touches of The Last Starfighter.
Battling Boy is basically the daydreams of my youth coming alive on page. Maybe my adult daydreams as well. A super powered kid battling giant monsters? I spent many an afternoon living in that world. He even has a cool cape, though he gets rid of it for some reason. I don’t care how useless they are, they look awesome.
That’s not to say Battling Boy is perfect. It’s short on story. I don’t know if that’s because this is just the tip of the iceberg or because it’s as simple as a kid fighting monsters.
The book is over 200 pages and Battling Boy doesn’t show up till about half-way through. The only character with any back-story or character growth is the now orphaned daughter of Acropolis’ now dead savior.
I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes and how it builds up. Even if it doesn’t really progress too much, I know it will still be fun because whenever I see Battling Boy I will be seeing myself punching that wicked monster and saving the day.
Book Review by Jessica for Book Sake
At Chris’s suggestion, I gave this graphic novel a try. While I didn’t like it as much as he did, I can see the draw. I’m more into books for stories and character development – he’s into the art more than I am. The story was interesting and I think that the follow up book will get a move on things faster than this introduction. It seemed to me that it took a really long time to introduce “Battling Boy” into the world. I wasn’t fond of the way Battling Boy’s family spoke, it was harder to read and he didn’t talk like that so I’m not sure the reasoning there. There is another character, that I assume will share the pages with Battling Boy, and a bit of the story was devoted to her father and she was included in that area as well – but wasn’t the extreme focus of much of that. I will pick up the next book to see where it goes and hope that there will be more development of the main character.
Book Received: For free from publisher in exchange for an honest review
Battling Boy is just so stylish, you don’t have any choice but to fall in love with the book. The story, the art, the dialogue all harken back to the 80′s sci-fi epics of old. It’s so grand, but in such a grounded way. I have flashes of Flash Gordon, Buckaroo Banzai, and maybe touches of The Last Starfighter.
Battling Boy is basically the daydreams of my youth coming alive on page. Maybe my adult daydreams as well. A super powered kid battling giant monsters? I spent many an afternoon living in that world. He even has a cool cape, though he gets rid of it for some reason. I don’t care how useless they are, they look awesome.
That’s not to say Battling Boy is perfect. It’s short on story. I don’t know if that’s because this is just the tip of the iceberg or because it’s as simple as a kid fighting monsters.
The book is over 200 pages and Battling Boy doesn’t show up till about half-way through. The only character with any back-story or character growth is the now orphaned daughter of Acropolis’ now dead savior.
I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes and how it builds up. Even if it doesn’t really progress too much, I know it will still be fun because whenever I see Battling Boy I will be seeing myself punching that wicked monster and saving the day.
Book Review by Jessica for Book Sake
At Chris’s suggestion, I gave this graphic novel a try. While I didn’t like it as much as he did, I can see the draw. I’m more into books for stories and character development – he’s into the art more than I am. The story was interesting and I think that the follow up book will get a move on things faster than this introduction. It seemed to me that it took a really long time to introduce “Battling Boy” into the world. I wasn’t fond of the way Battling Boy’s family spoke, it was harder to read and he didn’t talk like that so I’m not sure the reasoning there. There is another character, that I assume will share the pages with Battling Boy, and a bit of the story was devoted to her father and she was included in that area as well – but wasn’t the extreme focus of much of that. I will pick up the next book to see where it goes and hope that there will be more development of the main character.
Book Received: For free from publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 22, 2014
Awesome monsters, epic settings, and a magical suitcase of tshirts. Srsly. This is so much fun. Pope should do more comics that work for the middle school set, bc I can totally see him riding the wave of Doug TenNapel and Pinocchio Vampire Slayer into the hearts of middle schoolers everywhere.
This thing is beautifully colored and though the illustrations are a touch cramped at first glance, when you actually focus on each panel in turn (as you're supposed to), everything makes sense and sucks you along the story. I LOVE the bar where the monsters gather, and I'm eager to see where Battling Boy's story goes next. It's pulpy and fun and will be read to death when presented to the right people.
This thing is beautifully colored and though the illustrations are a touch cramped at first glance, when you actually focus on each panel in turn (as you're supposed to), everything makes sense and sucks you along the story. I LOVE the bar where the monsters gather, and I'm eager to see where Battling Boy's story goes next. It's pulpy and fun and will be read to death when presented to the right people.
April 16, 2017
I really enjoyed this. Great set up where you have the cosmic gods in their home with a ritual where their children are sent out to a world with a duty or project and they must accomplish whatever it is out there to become adults they are intended to be.
A Thor look a like drops his son off in a 1940s looking world with a huge city that is slowly losing a war against monsters. Our hero, the Battling Boy must defeat the monsters. Sadly, the book sets everything up very well and gets Battling Boy's story started as he is trying to figure out what he can do when it ends.
It appears there is a pre-equal that centers around the cities science/adventure defender and his daughter but I'm not sure the rest of the story is out yet.
A Thor look a like drops his son off in a 1940s looking world with a huge city that is slowly losing a war against monsters. Our hero, the Battling Boy must defeat the monsters. Sadly, the book sets everything up very well and gets Battling Boy's story started as he is trying to figure out what he can do when it ends.
It appears there is a pre-equal that centers around the cities science/adventure defender and his daughter but I'm not sure the rest of the story is out yet.
May 5, 2020
I picked this up at my local library, as I have been interested in reading some Paul Pope for a while now, having previously only read his Batman story from
Batman: Black & White Vol. 2
and his Adam Strange story from
Wednesday Comics
(as far as I can recall), and having been more than a bit annoyed when I borrowed his
Batman: Year 100
at the library only to discover that their copy had pages missing.
At any rate, I did not know quite what to expect. Pope's visual aesthetic is intriguing to me, in a sort of ugly-ish but compelling way. And here it absolutely soars. The fantasy based superhero story of another world, the city Arcopolis which is under siege by monsters, which loses its primary (science) hero, Haggard West, in the opening of the narrative, and then gains a potential new hero in Battle Boy, a twelve-year-old godling from another dimension, who has arrived to save Arcopolis, as a rite of passage. But can the young godling do this?
Pope's page sparkle and crackle with the action, and I very much intend to read the two following volumes in the series in the near future.
At any rate, I did not know quite what to expect. Pope's visual aesthetic is intriguing to me, in a sort of ugly-ish but compelling way. And here it absolutely soars. The fantasy based superhero story of another world, the city Arcopolis which is under siege by monsters, which loses its primary (science) hero, Haggard West, in the opening of the narrative, and then gains a potential new hero in Battle Boy, a twelve-year-old godling from another dimension, who has arrived to save Arcopolis, as a rite of passage. But can the young godling do this?
Pope's page sparkle and crackle with the action, and I very much intend to read the two following volumes in the series in the near future.
November 15, 2013
The wait is finally over and Paul Pope once again delivers the goods. It's obvious that Paul dug deep into himself for this one. The art is breathtaking, both kinetic and expressive. There is a consistent inventiveness that just pops off the page, transforming old ideas (like Haggard West and Humbaba) into something fresh and new. And the story, as the first chapter in an expanding series, pulls you through at a lightning pace, introducing dozens of characters and several worlds that would be great to spend more time with. There are several surprises throughout, and I really appreciate the story's hopeful tone, as well as the diversity that feels organic in this book. I like to imagine giving this as a gift to my past 10-year old self, because kids are going to love this series along with the growing numbers of grown up Pope fans. I was surprised that the book itself was kinda small, especially since Pope's artwork is best viewed larger, but he has mentioned the possibility of a deluxe, oversized black and white edition in the works. And best of all, this means THB is ever closer, and judging from the quality of the work here it will be magnificent. Highly recommended.
June 2, 2013
I got a copy of this book at the book expo and it was awesome!!! I never read any of Paul Pope's other books but I really want to now. Never before have I seen a marriage of the superhero and classic myths genre done in this way. Teens will love this story as the main character is hurled into a coming of age tale of heroism and responsibility. I highly recommend this book, it's an instant classic.
June 22, 2013
Can monster-plagued Arcopolis be saved by a twelve-year-old demigod? Compelling and action-packed from the get-go, readers follow the intersecting paths of Aurora West, teenage daughter of slain hero Haggard West, and tween demigod Battling Boy, both on quests to prove themselves and save Arcopolis from the monsters plaguing it. In trying to find their way as young heroes, Aurora and Battling Boy discover that lack of self-confidence may be the most dangerous monster of all.
July 5, 2013
A little bit of Roald Dahl, a little bit of Tim Burton's Batman, a little bit of Dick Tracy, a little bit of classic mythology all wrapped up in an off-the-wall superhero story about a boy discovering what it means to be a hero. Delivers on all levels.
February 5, 2018
A New York Times best-seller, Battling Boy is a superhero-themed graphic novel written and illustrated by Paul Pope and published by First Second Books. Paul Pope is an American writer living in New York City. Along with Battling Boy, other works of his include The Rise of Aurora West, PulpHope, and Escapo. Although adored and praised by many, I found Battling Boy to be a very well illustrated graphic novel, but one which lacked enough detail in its plot for me to consider it a 5-star story.
The first book in a graphic novel series, this story centers on Battling Boy, a 12-year-old demigod who is sent to the city of Arcopolis to save it from intruding, kidnapping monsters after its previous hero, Haggard West, had just been killed. In the meantime, Haggard West's daughter, Aurora, is working to prepare herself to finish the work her father started. When Battling Boy first makes it to Arcopolis, he is instantly revealed as unprepared in his first battle by his failure to use his powers effectively. Only with the help of his father is he able to defeat his first monster with a strike of lightning. Unaware that it wasn't Battling Boy who triggered the lightning strike, the city of Arcopolis deems Battling Boy as the city's new hero and he is overwhelmed with praise, celebrations, and parades. All the while, the monsters are working through the development of a plan to defeat this new and powerful hero.
While this was an excellent book as part of a series, I don't think it was well-enough written to have been the first of a collection. There were parts of the book that were left too vague including details on where Battling Boy came from and even where the monsters came from and why they were attacking Arcopolis. One aspect of the novel which I enjoyed was Paul Pope's development of Battling Boy's superpowers through t-shirts. This was one part where I found myself focusing more on the images and not relying on the text as much as I am used to. Being able to just see the different shirts was enough to understand how each one provided for a different power. Continuing with the illustration, the graphics of the book were just that, graphic. The images worked so that the story could not be told without them. Each of the main characters has very distinct looks in their colors and emotions, but when it came to the secondary characters, the distinction fades. This could have been done intentionally by Pope with the hopes to keep the focus on the main characters. Although the plot, in my opinion, was not enough to be the first of a series, the illustrations were excellent in providing the readers with the details necessary to grasp a firm understanding of the story the author was conveying.
Overall, although I didn't enjoy the book too much myself, I do think that it is a good story to target young readers who might not be as motivated to read in school. For someone who is not too interested in superhero-themed tales and didn't enjoy the story of Battling Boy too much, the illustrations kept me interested enough to start and finish the book in one sitting without falling victim to any distractions. This ability to keep readers engaged in a story that is not their favorite by pulling them in with excellent graphics is why I think Batttling Boy, and graphic novels, in general, would make an excellent contribution to a classroom setting.
The first book in a graphic novel series, this story centers on Battling Boy, a 12-year-old demigod who is sent to the city of Arcopolis to save it from intruding, kidnapping monsters after its previous hero, Haggard West, had just been killed. In the meantime, Haggard West's daughter, Aurora, is working to prepare herself to finish the work her father started. When Battling Boy first makes it to Arcopolis, he is instantly revealed as unprepared in his first battle by his failure to use his powers effectively. Only with the help of his father is he able to defeat his first monster with a strike of lightning. Unaware that it wasn't Battling Boy who triggered the lightning strike, the city of Arcopolis deems Battling Boy as the city's new hero and he is overwhelmed with praise, celebrations, and parades. All the while, the monsters are working through the development of a plan to defeat this new and powerful hero.
While this was an excellent book as part of a series, I don't think it was well-enough written to have been the first of a collection. There were parts of the book that were left too vague including details on where Battling Boy came from and even where the monsters came from and why they were attacking Arcopolis. One aspect of the novel which I enjoyed was Paul Pope's development of Battling Boy's superpowers through t-shirts. This was one part where I found myself focusing more on the images and not relying on the text as much as I am used to. Being able to just see the different shirts was enough to understand how each one provided for a different power. Continuing with the illustration, the graphics of the book were just that, graphic. The images worked so that the story could not be told without them. Each of the main characters has very distinct looks in their colors and emotions, but when it came to the secondary characters, the distinction fades. This could have been done intentionally by Pope with the hopes to keep the focus on the main characters. Although the plot, in my opinion, was not enough to be the first of a series, the illustrations were excellent in providing the readers with the details necessary to grasp a firm understanding of the story the author was conveying.
Overall, although I didn't enjoy the book too much myself, I do think that it is a good story to target young readers who might not be as motivated to read in school. For someone who is not too interested in superhero-themed tales and didn't enjoy the story of Battling Boy too much, the illustrations kept me interested enough to start and finish the book in one sitting without falling victim to any distractions. This ability to keep readers engaged in a story that is not their favorite by pulling them in with excellent graphics is why I think Batttling Boy, and graphic novels, in general, would make an excellent contribution to a classroom setting.
September 12, 2019
This is the first book in the Battling Boy series...although it appears no more books were ever released in this graphic novel series. This was okay. It's just the start of an adventure that was never continued. I like the premise but the artwork was just so-so. It was also a bit hard to follow; the story jumps around without letting the reader know where you are.
With Haggard West dead the Arcopolis needs a new hero. Battling Boy is sent to Arcopolis to complete a coming of age ceremony and finds himself in over his head battling monsters he just cannot handle. Then West’s daughter steps in and it looks like maybe together they might be able to protect Arcopolis.
As mentioned above, the artwork in here is so-so. It’s very traditional comic style but I thought facial expressions were really lacking. It’s also a bit hard to follow from panel to panel. I never engaged with the story or characters all that well I also thought it was hard to follow, there is no background on this world or the characters.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this and it felt like a waste of time to read. The artwork, characters, and story are pretty thin. In addition to that this is just the beginning and intro to a world and story that was never continued. Not recommended.
With Haggard West dead the Arcopolis needs a new hero. Battling Boy is sent to Arcopolis to complete a coming of age ceremony and finds himself in over his head battling monsters he just cannot handle. Then West’s daughter steps in and it looks like maybe together they might be able to protect Arcopolis.
As mentioned above, the artwork in here is so-so. It’s very traditional comic style but I thought facial expressions were really lacking. It’s also a bit hard to follow from panel to panel. I never engaged with the story or characters all that well I also thought it was hard to follow, there is no background on this world or the characters.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this and it felt like a waste of time to read. The artwork, characters, and story are pretty thin. In addition to that this is just the beginning and intro to a world and story that was never continued. Not recommended.
November 20, 2022
Meh. In addition to the font being really challenging to read, this is a weird story.
Grades 6 and up.
Grades 6 and up.
June 17, 2018
I've been talking a lot about syndromes that I've invented. Or not so much invented as noticed and name. I guess if I was inventing syndromes, I'd probably be too busy to write reviews of comics.
Is there such a thing as a good syndrome? One you'd want to have?
Anyway, Battling Boy, for me, suffers from what I like to call How I Met Your Mother Syndrome.
It goes like this.
The show How I Met Your Mother has some good laughs, and its success is almost certainly due to the cast. However, most noticeably, anyone who has watched the show will tell you that Ted, the main character, is the most boring guy on the show.
Sometimes it can work. I'm thinking of Far Bright Star, the Robert Olmstead book, where the most interesting character is probably the brother who is killing his way across the desert in search of our main character, a man who was captured and stranded, left to die in the middle of nowhere. Throughout the book, the stranded man is trying to survive, but he's also haunted, knowing that somewhere out of frame his brother is making this ruthless search. He's sort of cringing as he imagines what his brother might be doing.
But in HIMYM, it doesn't work for me. The difference, as I see it, is that I can spend a couple hundred pages with the less action-oriented character. But 8 seasons of TV? That's too much.
Same thing happens on the show New Girl. The one guy, I can't remember his name, but he's the guy who I would call the "main" guy as he's the only real romantic interest for Zooey Howeverthefuckyouspellhername. And that guy? Most boring of the guys.
Battling Boy, to me, was the least interesting character of the others presented. I was more interested in hearing about his father. Or about the city's old hero.
Okay, he's not the LEAST interesting character. I'm sure there was a janitor or something in the background. A guy who worked at a factory or something.
This CAN change over the course of a story. Going back to sitcoms, the Simpsons is a great example. Early episodes, Bart Simpson was clearly the star of that show. And then, at some point Homer Simpson became the character with all the good lines, the funniest actions, and when it was a Homer-centric episode, nobody was pissed off.
For me, Battling Boy didn't quite get there. The story of a superhero who is sort of just starting out and learning about his powers and the larger world? It can work. It has worked. But because it's worked so many times before, I just need more in order to fall in love with the story and stick with it long enough for Battling Boy to take up the role of a character I care for.
Is there such a thing as a good syndrome? One you'd want to have?
Anyway, Battling Boy, for me, suffers from what I like to call How I Met Your Mother Syndrome.
It goes like this.
The show How I Met Your Mother has some good laughs, and its success is almost certainly due to the cast. However, most noticeably, anyone who has watched the show will tell you that Ted, the main character, is the most boring guy on the show.
Sometimes it can work. I'm thinking of Far Bright Star, the Robert Olmstead book, where the most interesting character is probably the brother who is killing his way across the desert in search of our main character, a man who was captured and stranded, left to die in the middle of nowhere. Throughout the book, the stranded man is trying to survive, but he's also haunted, knowing that somewhere out of frame his brother is making this ruthless search. He's sort of cringing as he imagines what his brother might be doing.
But in HIMYM, it doesn't work for me. The difference, as I see it, is that I can spend a couple hundred pages with the less action-oriented character. But 8 seasons of TV? That's too much.
Same thing happens on the show New Girl. The one guy, I can't remember his name, but he's the guy who I would call the "main" guy as he's the only real romantic interest for Zooey Howeverthefuckyouspellhername. And that guy? Most boring of the guys.
Battling Boy, to me, was the least interesting character of the others presented. I was more interested in hearing about his father. Or about the city's old hero.
Okay, he's not the LEAST interesting character. I'm sure there was a janitor or something in the background. A guy who worked at a factory or something.
This CAN change over the course of a story. Going back to sitcoms, the Simpsons is a great example. Early episodes, Bart Simpson was clearly the star of that show. And then, at some point Homer Simpson became the character with all the good lines, the funniest actions, and when it was a Homer-centric episode, nobody was pissed off.
For me, Battling Boy didn't quite get there. The story of a superhero who is sort of just starting out and learning about his powers and the larger world? It can work. It has worked. But because it's worked so many times before, I just need more in order to fall in love with the story and stick with it long enough for Battling Boy to take up the role of a character I care for.
December 31, 2013
We're living in the post-post modern age of comic books. Everyone is on the bandwagon. At least a million kids dressed up as Iron Man or the Hulk for Halloween.
Yet, most of the stories that have finally trickled up to the movies are decades old. (Example: the next film in the X-Men franchise features The Days of Future Past plot. Absolutely, one of the best stories ever made, but it was made in 1980!) So it's with this back drop that many of us fanboys search for something fresh. You know, something we haven't seen before.
Battling Boy does a pretty good job in this respect. Pope is familiar enough with comic book convention and Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces to subvert expectations.
Start with the artwork. Way back (and I mean waaaay back) in the days of Windsor McKay and Yellow Kid comic art was gritty and hyperdetailed. Rooms had dirty corners. Clothing was tattered. Etc. Somewhere along the way, the market moved to slick, clean lines. (Examples: the Archie comics, anything by Jim Lee, and so on.)
Pope bucks that trend creating a world in which there are virtually no straight lines. The style fits. After all, we've been transported to a crumbling city on a hill under siege from hideous child-stealing monsters.
Pope throws in so many fun touches. One brawny hero wears a knit scarf. The monsters hang out in a bar that's a cross between the one in Star Wars and a New Orleans dive bar. And on and on.
Battling Boy's dad is something like Thor (or maybe Thor's pop, Oden), but pretty normal for a demigod.
The first volume is rollicking and fun. On the day Battling Boy turns thirteen, he's sent to help the people of Acropolis. (Is it weird that Acropolis looks a bit like how I picture Colson Whitehead's unnamed city in The Intuitionist? That's what I get for reading these so close together.) Like most boys, he's cocky, but we see that he's going to learn some hard lesson, quickly.
But perhaps not quickly enough. Given the size of the first volume not much happens in the big picture sense. A couple of monsters get punched. There's a reckoning. Then The End. However, the work is strong enough to hang around for more.
Worth reading.
Yet, most of the stories that have finally trickled up to the movies are decades old. (Example: the next film in the X-Men franchise features The Days of Future Past plot. Absolutely, one of the best stories ever made, but it was made in 1980!) So it's with this back drop that many of us fanboys search for something fresh. You know, something we haven't seen before.
Battling Boy does a pretty good job in this respect. Pope is familiar enough with comic book convention and Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces to subvert expectations.
Start with the artwork. Way back (and I mean waaaay back) in the days of Windsor McKay and Yellow Kid comic art was gritty and hyperdetailed. Rooms had dirty corners. Clothing was tattered. Etc. Somewhere along the way, the market moved to slick, clean lines. (Examples: the Archie comics, anything by Jim Lee, and so on.)
Pope bucks that trend creating a world in which there are virtually no straight lines. The style fits. After all, we've been transported to a crumbling city on a hill under siege from hideous child-stealing monsters.
Pope throws in so many fun touches. One brawny hero wears a knit scarf. The monsters hang out in a bar that's a cross between the one in Star Wars and a New Orleans dive bar. And on and on.
Battling Boy's dad is something like Thor (or maybe Thor's pop, Oden), but pretty normal for a demigod.
The first volume is rollicking and fun. On the day Battling Boy turns thirteen, he's sent to help the people of Acropolis. (Is it weird that Acropolis looks a bit like how I picture Colson Whitehead's unnamed city in The Intuitionist? That's what I get for reading these so close together.) Like most boys, he's cocky, but we see that he's going to learn some hard lesson, quickly.
But perhaps not quickly enough. Given the size of the first volume not much happens in the big picture sense. A couple of monsters get punched. There's a reckoning. Then The End. However, the work is strong enough to hang around for more.
Worth reading.
November 3, 2013
Battling Boy was one of my many exciting finds at ALA this year and as a big fan of graphic novels, I could not wait to dig into it. I loved the mix of mythology with fantasy right away. Now, I have to say I'm not a big fan of traditional super hero graphic novels, and I felt this one fell a little in toe with what you'd see in adult superhero stories. It's definitely a lot more graphic, gross and geared towards middle grade readers.
As for character development, Battling Boy has a long way to go. I know he is the son of a God which makes him quite less human, but I honestly felt more attached to Aurora's character – the daughter of the deceased Haggard West. She is trying to become prepared to take her father's place when Battling Boy makes his entrance and steals the show. He's a bit disorientated and feels guilty about needing his father help to take out his first monster.
The politic involvement drove me a little away from liking Battling Boy as he went along with the parade in his honor after taking out just one monster. Since I'm not a traditional superhero graphic novel reader I didn't really connect with what was happening and it felt a little forced. I'm hoping the second volume picks up speed and that more of Aurora is shown and hopefully in a way that empowers her as a female character. I'm a bit weary that it will follow the traditional story of women always needing to be rescued, etc.
Overall, I really enjoyed the illustrations and the basic story line. I hope the characters develop more as the graphic novels continue and felt it was a bit of a slow start getting to know them in this first volume. Definitely for those who love a good superhero story.
As for character development, Battling Boy has a long way to go. I know he is the son of a God which makes him quite less human, but I honestly felt more attached to Aurora's character – the daughter of the deceased Haggard West. She is trying to become prepared to take her father's place when Battling Boy makes his entrance and steals the show. He's a bit disorientated and feels guilty about needing his father help to take out his first monster.
The politic involvement drove me a little away from liking Battling Boy as he went along with the parade in his honor after taking out just one monster. Since I'm not a traditional superhero graphic novel reader I didn't really connect with what was happening and it felt a little forced. I'm hoping the second volume picks up speed and that more of Aurora is shown and hopefully in a way that empowers her as a female character. I'm a bit weary that it will follow the traditional story of women always needing to be rescued, etc.
Overall, I really enjoyed the illustrations and the basic story line. I hope the characters develop more as the graphic novels continue and felt it was a bit of a slow start getting to know them in this first volume. Definitely for those who love a good superhero story.
November 12, 2013
Paul Pope is an artist whose work I've appreciated for a while now, but whose work I've read comparatively little of. Aside from his Escapo graphic novel, my exposure to him has largely been limited to a couple issues of Milligan's X-Force run (that he was the guest penciler for) and his Solo book he did for DC a number of years back.
That said, I was really excited when I saw the solicitations for this new series, and knew I had to check it out. With it's high concept of a boy defending a city from monsters using abilities gained from is super-powered T-shirts, it seemed like it could potentially be a lot of fun. I definitely wasn't disappointed.
While the story is surprisingly straight forward (at this point at least) and thankfully all-ages (meaning I can share it with my kids in a year or two when this sort of thing will be exciting for them), there is a truly off-beat sensibility that Pope brings to the entire proceeding, making everything seem free, new and exciting. There's a certain breed of comic creator who likes to think of themselves as "rock stars" but Pope is definitely one of the few that lives up to the moniker.
Now here's hoping the next volume comes soon!
That said, I was really excited when I saw the solicitations for this new series, and knew I had to check it out. With it's high concept of a boy defending a city from monsters using abilities gained from is super-powered T-shirts, it seemed like it could potentially be a lot of fun. I definitely wasn't disappointed.
While the story is surprisingly straight forward (at this point at least) and thankfully all-ages (meaning I can share it with my kids in a year or two when this sort of thing will be exciting for them), there is a truly off-beat sensibility that Pope brings to the entire proceeding, making everything seem free, new and exciting. There's a certain breed of comic creator who likes to think of themselves as "rock stars" but Pope is definitely one of the few that lives up to the moniker.
Now here's hoping the next volume comes soon!
May 17, 2013
4.5 stars
I only had a vague idea of what Battling Boy was about when I started reading it. But from my experience reading some of Paul Pope's other graphic novels, I knew what I was going to get: awesome artwork, a wonderful story, and badass characters!
It was easy to become immersed in Battling Boy's journey. (Yes, Battling Boy is the main character's name!) He may be young, but he was cool and hilarious. I loved that he was brave, yet unsure of himself. That uncertainty is something that I think we can all relate to, no matter our age. What I also loved about this graphic novel was the humorous and smart dialogue and the non-stop, kickass action. And with that amazing artwork, it wasn't hard at all for me to enjoy this story.
Battling Boy was just a completely fun and engaging read. The ending was a bit abrupt and made me crave more. I'm looking forward to reading the second volume, and I'm hoping we don't have to wait too long for it because I need to know what happens next with these characters!
I only had a vague idea of what Battling Boy was about when I started reading it. But from my experience reading some of Paul Pope's other graphic novels, I knew what I was going to get: awesome artwork, a wonderful story, and badass characters!
It was easy to become immersed in Battling Boy's journey. (Yes, Battling Boy is the main character's name!) He may be young, but he was cool and hilarious. I loved that he was brave, yet unsure of himself. That uncertainty is something that I think we can all relate to, no matter our age. What I also loved about this graphic novel was the humorous and smart dialogue and the non-stop, kickass action. And with that amazing artwork, it wasn't hard at all for me to enjoy this story.
Battling Boy was just a completely fun and engaging read. The ending was a bit abrupt and made me crave more. I'm looking forward to reading the second volume, and I'm hoping we don't have to wait too long for it because I need to know what happens next with these characters!
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