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Battling Boy | July 3, 2013

by Paul Pope (First Second/ Macmillan, October 2013)

Ever have one of those moments when you realize the author you’ve just “discovered” has actually been around for years—and not only that, but also that he or she is kind of a big deal? I’ll admit that is exactly what happened with this book. Paul Pope is a seasoned veteran in the comic book industry, whom I’ve never had the pleasure of reading before. Luckily, I snagged myself a galley of Battling Boy and got a chance to read this Eisner award-winning author’s first crack at a graphic novel for children.

Battling Boy takes place in Acropolis, which is a city overrun with monster criminals. For years, the people have looked to Haggard West, local hero, to help protect them, but he’s recently been killed by one of the gangs of monsters. Enter our title character: Battling Boy, a twelve-year old demigod who has just been sent to this realm by his father as a rite of passage. His father tasked the reluctant hero with ridding the city of its monsters. The only problem is Battling Boy doesn’t really have any powers.  What he does have, though, is a suitcase filled with magical t-shirts. Each one can give him unimaginable power—but like with real clothes, they can also get lost…or even damaged.

Pope puts a welcome fresh spin on the classic hero tale with Battling Boy. It’s a brisk and intense read from cover to cover, filled with subtle humor, rich characters, and high-octane illustrations. Readers may find the comic ends much too soon, but this origin story is only the beginning of Pope’s planned series. And I, for one, cannot wait for Battling Boy’s next adventure.

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