Graphic Novel Review: Andre The Giant Life and Legend- A plane ride to nowhere

Writer and artist: Box Brown
Publisher: First Second
Released: June 4th 2014

There was an emotional and developmental sense of stasis, of inertia that made reading this fine, subtle book about the life of Andre the Giant a melancholic experience for this reader. Perhaps it’s just the nature of the perpetually adolescent pro wrestling industry itself, but my lasting impression is of the book’s final panel, of hedonism, emptiness and of wasting time by playing cards on an endless plane ride to nowhere. I didn’t get a real sense of who Andre Roussimoff really was, but perhaps that’s the real sadness behind the persona, that there was nothing there, just a massive, empty façade, and when the show was over there was nothing. Just endless drinking and embarrassing moments of rudeness caused by the alcohol consumption.

The man was not a hero, but he was not a villain either. He was just a man who grew too big, made some money out of it, and died at an early age (46 years-old) without doing all of the things in life that men are supposed to do. He had a child, but she interfered with his career, so he wasn’t interested. He wasn’t married and his friendships were based on him being a celebrity. There was a sad, shallow emptiness about everything he did. He had a ranch where he stayed when he wasn’t playing cards on an aeroplane. He wrestled, and he drank. The book shoots by so fast, with panels that have a childish sense of fun about them. Panels that have a cartoon simplicity, a lack of complexity that is perfect to depict a life far less interesting than you might think, the life of a pro wrestler. His life was not fun. It looked boring. I wouldn’t want that life. He travelled, but he was too big, and he was in constant pain, and when he finished travelling he died, alone on his ranch, in pain.

He was not a victim. He lived his life on his own terms. Selfish, empty and looking to capitalise financially and socially out of his size. He didn’t do it to feed his family. He did it to feed himself. It’s a story of a hollow life. Of a life only half lived, and it’s a lesson to men of all size. Life is not about appearance. Life is not about travelling. Life is not about hedonism. Life is about stages of development. If all you do is stay at one stage, never progressing and experiencing the other stages of life, what’s the point? Pro wrestling is the perfect metaphor for stunted emotional development. It is childish fun, but eventually you have to leave it behind, not just as a fan, but as this book demonstrates, as a performer as well. Rating: 9/10