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Box Brown

Andre the Giant: Life and Legend Paperback – Illustrated, May 6, 2014

by Brian "Box" Brown (Author)

199 ratings

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A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Andre Roussimoff is known as both the lovable giant in The Princess Bride and a heroic pro-wrestling figure. He was a normal guy who'd been dealt an extraordinary hand in life. At his peak, he weighed 500 pounds and stood nearly seven and a half feet tall. But the huge stature that made his fame also signed his death warrant.

Box Brown brings his great talents as a cartoonist and biographer to this phenomenal new graphic novel. Drawing from historical records about Andre's life as well as a wealth of anecdotes from his colleagues in the wrestling world, including Hulk Hogan, and his film co-stars (Billy Crystal, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, etc), Brown has created in Andre the Giant, the first substantive biography of one of the twentieth century's most recognizable figures.

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

First Second
Publication date

May 6, 2014
Dimensions

6.3 x 0.71 x 8.44 inches
ISBN-10

1596438517
ISBN-13

978-1596438514
Lexile measure

GN560L
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

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

From Booklist

Larger-than-average André 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. After a few snippets of an interview with André’s fellow wrestler Hulk Hogan, Brown starts off with a doozy of an anecdote: 12-year-old André, too big to fit in the school bus, gets a ride to school in the back of Samuel Beckett’s pickup truck in exchange for a bottle of Beaujolais. From there, Brown covers André’s storied career in wrestling, his movie roles, his insatiable drinking (reportedly once running up a $40,000 bar tab), and the many health problems he faced owing to his acromegaly. Throughout, André comes across as a good-natured, gentle giant with a playful sense of humor and love for showmanship. He was, of course, no stranger to controversy, but Brown only lightly touches on those moments, choosing instead to keep the tone laudatory. Given André the Giant’s long-standing popularity among a wide audience, fans of professional wrestling aren’t the only ones who will line up to read this one. --Sarah Hunter

Review

"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

About the Author

Box Brown is an Ignatz Award–winning cartoonist, illustrator, and comic publisher from Philadelphia. His books include the New York Times–bestselling Andre the Giant: Life and Legend, Tetris: The Games People Play, Is This Guy For Real?: The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America, and Child Star.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ First Second; Illustrated edition (May 6, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1596438517
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1596438514
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ GN560L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.705 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 0.71 x 8.44 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #775,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #831 in Biographies & History Graphic Novels
- #1,507 in Literary Graphic Novels (Books)

Customer Reviews:
199 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		67%
4 star		19%
3 star		6%
2 star		3%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Gina M. Harris

Lots of wrestling

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2017

Verified Purchase

It hasn't been that long since I read Cary Elwes' book, As You Wish, which paints a very sweet picture of Andre. That is not necessarily untrue, but there is another side as well, and seeing it can be disconcerting. One thing Brown does very well is start with some quotes from Hulk Hogan that give understanding and empathy for him. Everything goes back to that context. It makes the story a sad one, but not only sad.

The other thing that stands out is that Brown gives some really good introduction and insight into professional wrestling. Much of Andre's life is set against that backdrop, and so it is important, but it could have made some things inaccessible for non-wrestling fans. That is never a problem. Brown has a lifetime of being a wrestling fan for background, but retains perspective on what information newcomers would need.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

WEE

Great comic for fans of wrestling and indie comics!

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

Are you a fan of professional wrestling? Do you like Indie comics? If you answered yes to both questions then you're in for a treat! Turns out indie comics artists and writer Box Brown is a fan of professional wrestling and he's recently turned his talents to telling the story of one of wrestling's all-time greats, Andre the Giant! I'll start off by admitting I'm a wrestling fan, have been since I was a kid. My childhood is filled with many fond memories of watching Andre the Giant's hulking presence in the squared circle on a Saturday morning as he made easy work of all that dared to face off against him in the ring. And, although I consider myself a fan of the Giant, I really didn't know much about him. That is until now. Box Brown brings us Andre's story, starting with his uncomfortable childhood, then carrying us along as Andre grows into manhood and encounters the numerous challenges his massive size invites.

The art in this comic is simple and bold, much like the persona of Andre the Giant. Andre's size is at times overly exaggerated, dwarfing other objects and figures in the panel to visually impart just how big he really was, both physically and figuratively. The uncomplicated artwork flows with the story, exposing Andre's gentle nature while at the same time communicating his uneasiness with society.

Throughout the comic Box Brown is quick to point out that distinguishing between the Life and Legend of Andre is at times a difficult thing to do, as he re-tells some of the many stories that have grown just as large as Andre himself over the years. But Brown conveys each alongside a personal anecdote that balances the myth with the man and reveals Andre to be more than the massive brawler Saturday morning wrestling portrayed him to be. Through the pages of Andre the Giant: Life and Legend we learn that Andre was just a normal guy that wanted what most of us want: to live in peace.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Robert Korczak-Sielicki

Memories of Andre The Giant Delivered in context.

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2014

Verified Purchase

I love this Graphic Novel about Andre the Giant. Not really because I was looking for new information but because the context and the flow of the presentation really ties all the stories we know about him together. Andre was an amazing attraction and he is legendary and somehow being able to even read the same stories we already know with the illustrations just humanizes Andre and puts his life in context which is often something you don't get with simple print books, electronic or paper. If you're a wrestling fan and you already know EVERYTHING about Andre you should still get this book for the art inside and because it's a really cool collectable with it's material presented in a manner that makes it easy to flip to a page and get the information you want for either an article or blog post or even a forum post. Just a really cool presentation of the legendary Andre The Giant.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Stephen Vincent Kempton

My Dinner With Andre The Giant

Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2014

Verified Purchase

I have been a life long comic fan. I also spent about a decade interested in Wrestling. Actually I found the behind the scenes information a lot more fascinating then the actual wrestling matches.

I pre-ordered this book from Amazon. They had the cheapest pre-order price I could find. It arrived a couple days ago. I took it out of the box to read today with My Dinner.

It was fascinating. I could not stop reading it. An hour and 45 minutes later I had read it cover to cover. At times funny, at times sad. It is a thoroughly engaging Graphic Novel about a tragic life of a man. The art by Box Brown captures all the emotions.

Highly Recommended

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jennifer Brown

Excellent Biography by Accomplished Writer and Illustrator

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

As an english professor, sometimes when I read comics I can be off put by the lack of attention to the writing (for writing's sake). Similarly, the opposite can occur, when a brilliantly written piece can fall short in illustration. The marriage of the two forms is truly what makes the illustrated or graphic "novel" (what I really like to call "comics") an admirable achievement.

With that in mind, I read Brown's 'Andre the Giant: Life and Legend' and am impressed at the unity of both the graphics and the writing. Andre himself comes off as truly what he seemed like--a giant with a heart of gold--but he clearly had a tough life. I think we all tend to assume that about him without getting to know him (as we do of all celebrities), but Brown manages to bring the man to life. Between the matches and celebrity sightings, we see a person! And really, isn't that what everyone wants out of a biography?

The graphics themselves unfold seamlessly, with careful attention paid to the transitions in Andre's life. This is a beautiful book by an incredibly talented writer and illustrator. Read it, view it, and be astonished.

7 people found this helpful

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Matt Posner

Humanizes a legend

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

This is a well-drawn book which does a pretty good job capturing the life of Andre the Giant for those who don't know much about him. Having read or listened to the majority of his sources and watched many of the matches, I knew a lot of the content already and found only a little bit of new information. The book should be admired more for the quality of the art and for its ability to humanize someone who is already a legendary or historical figure. I recommend it to wrestling fans who either would like to know more about Andre, or who know his life story but would like to see it in graphic novel form. Some content is for mature readers.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

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Jamie Brogden

Andre the Giant

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

A clever way to tell a good stor. Only did not fit into the kindle and was difficult to get a clear focus. Dont let my review put you off.

Cait Hatstand

... for the girlfriend of Firstborn and she is very pleased with it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

It was a present for the girlfriend of Firstborn and she is very pleased with it.

lukey

Legendary

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

Incredible heartfelt comic with amazingly strong art

garry

a giant success !

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2014

Verified Purchase

a beautifully illustrated book. the story flows beautifully, capturing both the hardships and fun times in andres life.
a must read for wrestling fans and fans of the medium

Thiago Borges

Das melhores biografias em quadrinhos que já li

Reviewed in Brazil on June 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

Box Brown faz um trabalho certeiro em Andre the Giant. Com seu traço cartunesco e quase infantil, mostra diversas faces dessa lenda francesa da luta livre.

Geralmente, biografias tendem a mostrar mais os lados felizes e bons do retratado. Aqui, Brown não faz juízo de valor: vemos que Andre é tão humano quanto qualquer outra pessoa, sendo bem humorado, sem caráter, puro e canalha como todos nós somos - ou seremos - um dia.

Nota máxima pra uma das melhores graphic novels de 2014.

One person found this helpful

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