Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

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.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

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.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Cartoonist Brown (The Survivalist) uses professional wrestling-s complex narrative devices in this biography, which pulls back the curtain on Andre the Giant (Andre Rousimoff), one of the industry-s most well-known figures. Brown tells Andre-s life story using both narrative and recollections by Andre-s contemporaries, blurring the line between what-s real and what-s just part of the show, mirroring the tradition of professional wrestling. Although he enjoyed worldwide fame, Andre-s life was hardly glamorous: he was on the road for long stretches, boozing and fighting at local dives; he suffered an array of health issues due to his immense size (he was 7-4- and weighed over 500 pounds); and he frequently felt isolated due to his enormity. Brown-s simple, blocky art keeps the story front and center, and the down-to-earth tone allows him to avoid demonizing or lionizing his subject. An engaging biography of a literally larger-than-life character. (May)

School Library Journal (Thu May 01 00:00:00 CDT 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

Voice of Youth Advocates

Andre Roussimoff, better known professionally as Andre the Giant, grew up in the French countryside before becoming an international professional wrestler and going on to star as Fezzik in the modern film classic The Princess Bride. Weighing in at over five hundred pounds and seven feet four inches tall at his peak, Roussimoff suffered from acromegaly, a syndrome that causes extreme growth. His condition caused him great discomfort and constant pain, yet he was a dedicated professional who worked nonstopat the expense of familial relationshipsuntil his death at forty-six. Brown does an outstanding job conveying the excitement and drama of professional wrestling, and it is clear that he has exhaustively researched Roussimoff's life. His affection for Roussimoff specifically and wrestling in general is evident, yet he does not sentimentalize his life. Roussimoff drank constantly, mistreated his friends and fans, only saw his daughter four times, and long denied her mother child support, despite his wealth. Brown's artwork is spare and clean yet conveys the energy and drama of the wrestling ring.This comic biography will not be suitable for most teen collections due to the constant drinking and frank (but not explicit) sexual situations, particularly when combined with expected low interest from teens due to the subject's somewhat outdated fame (from the 1980s). Let hardcore wrestling and The Princess Bride fans seek out this title in the adult collection.Amanda Jacobs Foust.