"Its warts-and-more depiction of the French-born figure’s odd life is ably illuminated by Brown in a stylized but engaging manner." —Miami Herald
“A labor-of-love tribute, exquisitely rendered, to the larger-than-life wrestling giant.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Larger-than-average Andre the Giant had a larger-than-life personality to match, and award-winning cartoonist Brown manages to capture the legendary wrestler's career in charming, heartfelt black-and-white panels . . . Fans of professional wrestling aren't the only ones who will line up to read this one.” —Booklist
“Interesting and complex . . . fans can enjoy this intimate look into the life of an industry legend.” —School Library Journal
“It's clearly evident from every frame of The Princess Bride that Andre was not only one of the world's gentlest human beings, but also the kindest-a giant of a man in every way. I am thrilled to see his story finally told!” —Mandy Patinkin
"This book will thrill longtime fans and introduce a new generation to the man, the myth, and the legend known as the Eighth Wonder of the World.” —Mick Foley, three time WWE Champion, New York Times bestselling author
“Box Brown's melancholy tale of the sad, angry life of Andre the Giant is his best work yet. A poignant portrait of a troubled, complicated legend, wonderfully paced and beautifully rendered by one of the most stylish and distinctive comix creators working today. An impressive book by a major talent.” —Derf Backderf, My Friend Dahmer
“Andre's story moves from the ring to the comic page with delightful ease... Funny, delicate, and full of life and great cartooning... Box Brown gives Andre the humanity and grace the Giant deserves.” —Tom Hart, Hutch Owen
“Box Brown tackles a very special man's life through the best possible lens: deeply empathetic but unsentimental, expertly paced, emotionally naked without being overwrought, illuminating flaws and subtleties as we journey into the Giant's world.” —Nate Powell, March
“The spare line work and elegant storytelling carry the weight of a tragic story that both transcends and elevates the world of professional wrestling while painting a complex portrait of its biggest icon.” —Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT
“Is wrestling real? As real as any story is, Box Brown's story proves it while showing us how the real Andre the Giant made the most of what he had, even if all he had was a 7'5" (and falling), 463 pound (and rising) body.” —Jim Ottaviani, Feynman
“Box Brown tells Andre's story clearly and plainly: this book lets him be the human being he was. To paint a guy larger than life is easy, but to paint a guy true to life takes something special, and that special quality runs through this book. Just fantastic.” —John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats
"This comic is one that breaks the kayfabe — the wrestler’s fourth wall — not just of the performer but of the man." —National Post
05/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Students may never have heard of Andre Roussimoff, a man born in France in the late 1950s, who would go on to become one of the first stars in the early modern era of professional wrestling. Born with a rare syndrome known as acromegaly, he produced too much growth hormone in his body. This rendered him so gigantic that as a child, he was unable to fit on the bus to go to school. Eventually finding his calling on the stage, Roussimoff eventually became a chronic drinker and smoker as he became more and more successful. He took frequent trips to Japan where he was regarded as an international celebrity. But his life was not devoid of conflict and strife. He was in constant pain as a result of his condition. He also had a daughter he barely ever saw. This in-depth and well-researched look into the life of the memorable actor from The Princess Bride is interesting and complex. Drawing from number of different sources, Brown has constructed as complete a portrait of Andre the Giant as he possibly could. While some of the language and situations in this graphic novel biography are definitely for older audiences, high school wrestling fans can nonetheless enjoy this intimate look into the life of an industry legend.—Ryan P. Donovan, New York Public Library
★ 2014-03-12
A labor-of-love tribute, exquisitely rendered, to the larger-than-life wrestling giant. Artist Brown combines his passion for pro wrestling with the clarity of his drawings in a biography that never sentimentalizes its subject nor reduces his life to a rote series of facts. Despite his meticulous research, he admits that in the fantasyland of professional wrestling, it can be tough to separate tall tales from the truth, and he recognizes that for the sake of the narrative, he must rely on his creative imagination. Though he has a source for his anecdote about a boyhood encounter between Andre Roussimoff (1946-1993) and literary visionary Samuel Beckett, who offered the youngster a cigarette but warned that they "stunt your growth," readers might likely conclude that whether or not it happened, it should have. Much of the rest is easier to document—his interview with David Letterman, his phenomenal wrestling career, his relationship with Hulk Hogan, his acting in The Princess Bride (both Billy Crystal and Mandy Patinkin make cameo appearances here), and his prodigious appetites for food, drink and sex. For all of Andre's international success and acclaim, as Hogan says, "I heard people say horrible things and make fun of him. He lived in a cruel world….He was a gracious person with a kind heart." He was also someone whose freakish size (almost 7 1/2 feet tall and 600 pounds) had him living under a death sentence, causing premature aging and countless medical problems, making it impossible to find beds that fit him and difficult to squeeze into bathrooms. Both the narrative and the drawing resist the clutter of unnecessary detail, rendering the life and legend of a complex man with creative precision. An achievement that merits a wider readership than just wrestling fans, deserving recognition for the quality of its graphic art.
