The Rise of Aurora West (Battling Boy)

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A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The extraordinary world introduced in Paul Pope''s Battling Boy is rife with monsters and short on heroes... but in this action-driven extension of the Battling Boy universe, we see it through a new pair of eyes: Aurora West, daughter of Arcopolis''s last great hero, Haggard West.

A prequel to Battling Boy, The Rise of Aurora West follows the young hero as she seeks to uncover the mystery of her mother''s death, and to find her place in a world overrun with supernatural monsters and all-too-human corruption. With a taut, fast-paced script from Paul Pope and JT Petty and gorgeous, kinetic art from David Rubin, The Rise of Aurora West (the first of two volumes) is a tour de force in comics storytelling.

From School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up—This prequel to Battling Boy (First Second, 2013) reveals the backstories of some of the supporting characters introduced in that book. Aurora West, the daughter of science hero Haggard West, is training to be a monster hunter just like her father. While chasing down monsters that are stealing parts for a mysterious device, Aurora encounters a symbol she remembers from her past. Tracking down the origins of the symbol, she discovers that her imaginary friend from her youth was actually real, became one of the villains that she frequently battles, and may have even been involved in her mother''s death. Since Aurora and her father were only briefly mentioned in the previous installment, this volume does a wonderful job of fleshing out their characters further; readers see an Aurora that''s not as confident in her abilities, and a slightly jaded and darker side to her heroic father. Pope''s gritty, experimental art from the original Battling Boy has been replaced by Rubin''s more traditional style, giving a ''60s "Silver Age" appearance to the work. Although fans will long for the old, full-colored artwork of the original, the new style works to evoke a nostalgic atmosphere. Die-hard fans of the previous work will definitely want to pick up this book, but those new to the series will want to start from the beginning of this epic sci-fi.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

Review

“Before she fought alongside Battling Boy for the safety of Acropolis, Aurora West was a teenaged apprentice to her father, the monster hunter/science detective Haggard West, as chronicles in this graphic novel prequel . . . Likely to please Aurora fans from the earlier title, this graphic novel also stands alone, giving readers a bright new heroine to admire.” ―BCCB

“Pope''s lauded Battling Boy takes place in the monster-ridden city of Acropolis, and this prequel, featuring feisty Aurora, the daughter of Acropolis'' Bruce Wayne-like hero Haggard West, fills in the backstory of the city and its monster infestation . . . fans of Battling Boy will be eager to get their mitts on this thrilling installment featuring a compelling teen girl hero.” ―Booklist

“Die-hard fans of the previous work will definitely want to pick up this book.” ―School Library Journal

“This feels like a very different direction for the characters, and it''s a thrilling one; expect readers to clamor for the next installments of this clever spinoff.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Paul Pope''s delightful and original Battling Boy is the adventure of the year!” ―Jeff Smith, Eisner Award-winning author of Bone on Battling Boy

“Full of energy, precision, and pure kick--not to be missed.” ―Scott Westerfeld, author of Uglies on Battling Boy

“A new generation hero.” ―Entertainment Weekly on Battling Boy

About the Author

Paul Pope is the acclaimed author-illustrator of Batman: Year 100, Heavy Liquid, and 100%. He has won three Eisner Awards, and his first graphic novel for kids, Battling Boy, was a #1 New York Timesbest seller.

JT Petty is an American film director, author, and video game writer. With Paul Pope, he wrote two Battling Boy prequels: The Rise of Aurora WestandFall of the House of West.

David Rubin is a Spanish cartoonist and author of critically-acclaimed graphic novels including The Hero and Beowulf. He directed the animated feature film Spirit of the Forest and has been the subject of a documentary.

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 54.2 out of 550 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Frank Abignale5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase This partnership could be like so many other great ones Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2014 Yes it is a small, tiny little book. Yes, it is not illustrated by Paul Pope himself, but neither of these things make it any smaller an accomplishment. David Rubín''s artwork is OUTSTANDING. And though he emulates Pope''s lines, he has a style of his own. In my humble... See more Yes it is a small, tiny little book. Yes, it is not illustrated by Paul Pope himself, but neither of these things make it any smaller an accomplishment. David Rubín''s artwork is OUTSTANDING. And though he emulates Pope''s lines, he has a style of his own. In my humble opinion it works as well as. This partnership could be like so many other great ones: McCartney - Lennon, Jagger - Richards or in the same medium, Jodorowsky - Moebius. This comic book is a must have to any serious comic book fan, as well as for the accidental reader. Get Battling Boy too and read it beforehand. Again, MUST HAVE. 2 people found this helpful Helpful Report Andrew4.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase The artwork made the story! Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2016 I am going to be honest, I picked this up because I really love Rubin''s artwork. It is rock solid. The story itself flows really well as a young girls bashes her way through a monster filled world looking to solve the mystery of her mother''s death. As a father of young... See more I am going to be honest, I picked this up because I really love Rubin''s artwork. It is rock solid. The story itself flows really well as a young girls bashes her way through a monster filled world looking to solve the mystery of her mother''s death. As a father of young girls myself I identified with the impulse to teach your kids the old ways but the drive to keep them sheltered and safe.

Not in the same way obviously, I haven''t killed any huge monsters with a knife in like....six years...

I haven''t read Battling Boy but might just have to because of how good the storytelling was. Did I mention Rubin? His stuff is great!
Helpful Report Mr Architect 3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Decent Prequel to Battling Boy Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015 Not as enthralling as the more popular Battling Boy, but a decent read if you want to see more of the world in which the story takes place. The characters aren''t really as engaging, art style is still nice and the story is relatively interesting. Few prequels live up to the... See more Not as enthralling as the more popular Battling Boy, but a decent read if you want to see more of the world in which the story takes place. The characters aren''t really as engaging, art style is still nice and the story is relatively interesting. Few prequels live up to the original works and this continues that tradition. Helpful Report Herbertos5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase The drawings are good and I can just read it over and over ... Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2015 Can''t wait for the next! The drawings are good and I can just read it over and over again still catching new details in the art. So good, my friend stole my copy! Yikes! So be careful out there! Helpful Report Chris B.5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase This is a fun story and a great addition to what is already ... Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015 This is a fun story and a great addition to what is already going on with Battling Boy.
Keep in mind when purchasing this that the illustration is not done by Paul Pope.
Helpful Report cyrus p quadland1.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Where''s Battling Boy? Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2017 I was dusppointed because it says Battling Boy on the cover but he''s not in the story! Helpful Report Wayne Cash3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase The Rise of Aurora West almost won me over! Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2015 i LOVED the book going in, but it left me hanging at the end. The premise of a young side-kick, being groomed for superhero ''knighthood'' had me hooked! But I was disappointed that a graphic novel-length book would raise questions that the author didn''t bother to answer by... See more i LOVED the book going in, but it left me hanging at the end. The premise of a young side-kick, being groomed for superhero ''knighthood'' had me hooked! But I was disappointed that a graphic novel-length book would raise questions that the author didn''t bother to answer by the end of the book. I hate it in movies, and I hate it in books. The artwork was grand, as I thought it keenly fit the storyline and style of the story. The main characters were interesting, but the monsters needed a bit of work to me. All in all, I give it a 7 out of 10. Helpful Report Guillermo Zouain5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase This is a great book! If you loved Battling Boy you will ... Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2014 This is a great book! If you loved Battling Boy you will love The Rise of Aurora West. As others have said the drawing is not from Paul Pope, but the story is great and the dynamism of Pope is still present in the narrative. Can''t wait for the second part. Helpful Report

Top reviews from other countries

Zhivko 2.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Book Format Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2020 I have yet to go through the story and evaluate it''s merit but the size of the book is extremely small, almost twice that of the original Battling Boy book and is also black and white, which would have been a nice thing to mention in the description. Had I known these...See moreI have yet to go through the story and evaluate it''s merit but the size of the book is extremely small, almost twice that of the original Battling Boy book and is also black and white, which would have been a nice thing to mention in the description. Had I known these facts, I would have considered the purchase more in view of other options. I have yet to go through the story and evaluate it''s merit but the size of the book is extremely small, almost twice that of the original Battling Boy book and is also black and white, which would have been a nice thing to mention in the description.
Had I known these facts, I would have considered the purchase more in view of other options.
Report Jaroslaw E. 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Recommended Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2015 Great story of how Aurora become a hero following her father steps. Great read, great art and after reading Battling Boy you can learn a little more about Aurora and Haggard. Great story of how Aurora become a hero following her father steps. Great read, great art and after reading Battling Boy you can learn a little more about Aurora and Haggard. One person found this helpful Report Translate all reviews to EnglishLol 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Stupendo! Reviewed in Italy on January 29, 2015 Sebbene i disegni non siano di Pope, lo stile del disegnatore è molto simile e la storia è davvero bellissima. Funge da ottimo prequel a Battling Boy (da comprare assolutamente, un capolavoro), tessendo una trama interessante e mai banale. Il formato è buono, piccolo e in...See moreSebbene i disegni non siano di Pope, lo stile del disegnatore è molto simile e la storia è davvero bellissima. Funge da ottimo prequel a Battling Boy (da comprare assolutamente, un capolavoro), tessendo una trama interessante e mai banale. Il formato è buono, piccolo e in stile "manga". La carta pensavo fosse più resistente, mentre è abbastanza opaca e forse troppo "manga" per una storia del genere. Pensavo fosse a colori come BB e invece è in bianco e nero. Ma questo non incide poi sulla qualità dell''opera in sé. Aspettando che esca il seguito. Spedizione come al solito veloce e perfetta. Sebbene i disegni non siano di Pope, lo stile del disegnatore è molto simile e la storia è davvero bellissima.
Funge da ottimo prequel a Battling Boy (da comprare assolutamente, un capolavoro), tessendo una trama interessante e mai banale.
Il formato è buono, piccolo e in stile "manga". La carta pensavo fosse più resistente, mentre è abbastanza opaca e forse troppo "manga" per una storia del genere. Pensavo fosse a colori come BB e invece è in bianco e nero. Ma questo non incide poi sulla qualità dell''opera in sé.
Aspettando che esca il seguito.
Spedizione come al solito veloce e perfetta.
Report Translate review to EnglishStan FREDO 3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Une Aurore à l''ouest Reviewed in France on November 9, 2014 Ce commentaire porte sur l''édition en format "broché", qui est un petit livre de dimensions et de qualité de papier comparables à celles des mangas. Ce livre est en noir et blanc plus tramage. Autant aller au plus vite au devant des VNU, je ne suis pas un fana de Paul Pope,...See moreCe commentaire porte sur l''édition en format "broché", qui est un petit livre de dimensions et de qualité de papier comparables à celles des mangas. Ce livre est en noir et blanc plus tramage. Autant aller au plus vite au devant des VNU, je ne suis pas un fana de Paul Pope, son style graphique "crade" (cf. ces traits qui font "pas soigné") se trouvant éloigné de mes préférences graphiques. Ce n''est pas pour lui et sa série "Battling Boy" (dont je n''ai pas lu le premier volume) mais pour le dessinateur espagnol David Rubin, dont j''ai apprécié les deux tomes de son ''Le Héros'' (cf. ''1'' et ''2''). L''histoire est celle d''Aurora West, gamine de 13-14 ans environ, fille de Haggart West, un célèbre héros tueur de monstres dans le monde du Battling Boy. Ce dernier, un personnage de justicier à la Batman (il en a une voiture inspirée de la marque Bugatti et des gadgets) et du Midnighter (son masque. Car si tout le monde connaît son vrai nom, personne ne connaît son visage. Pas très crédible à l''heure de paparazzi et réseaux zozos). Depuis peu, Aurora est le "Robin" de son papa, qu''elle accompagne en mission nocture de dézingage de monstres. Ms. Grately joue le rôle de gouvernante, un "Alfred" qui serait une fille au physique de She-Hulk, mai qui a perdu une jambe et porte une prothèse. Ms. Grately s''occupe aussi de l''entraînement physique d''Aurora. Incidemment, Aurora découvre un signe - un "squiggle" à la Prince - gravé sur un mur de la maison caché par un meuble de bibliothèque. Ms. Grately lui dit qu''il signifie "Mr. Wurple", le compagnon imaginaire d''Aurora lorsqu''elle avait 3-4 ans, et qui a disparu... le jour de la mort de sa maman, assassinée par un monstre dans des circonstances de relâchement de l''attention, juste au soir d''une grande victoire du couple West contre les monstres. A l''insu de son papa, et à l''inquiétude de Ms. Grately, Aurora remonte dans ses souvenirs de sa vie avec ses parents et lance une enquête sur l''assassinat de sa maman, tout en poursuivant ses missions avec son père contre les monstres de Sadisto et de Medula. Dessiné dans un style "cartoony" mais "indie", avec des références à Pope mais aussi Charles Burns et d''autres dessinateurs "indie" de monstres, mais sans trop d''horreurs malgré l''omniprésence de monstres qui enlèvent les enfants la nuit venue, ce livre s''adresse aux jeunes dès la fin de la pré-adolescence. Les principaux personnages sont sympathiques mais certains "mystères" paraissent relever de facilités scénaristiques On veut bien que Aurora ne se souvienne pas (à 13-14 ans, tout de même) de ce qu''elle faisait à 4 ans, autour du moment de la mort de sa maman. Mais qu''elle redécouvre là, avec toute cette précision, tout ce qui revient à sa mémoire paraît curieux. Et c''est cette redécouverte qui est le moteur du récit. *** et 1/2 Ce commentaire porte sur l''édition en format "broché", qui est un petit livre de dimensions et de qualité de papier comparables à celles des mangas. Ce livre est en noir et blanc plus tramage.

Autant aller au plus vite au devant des VNU, je ne suis pas un fana de Paul Pope, son style graphique "crade" (cf. ces traits qui font "pas soigné") se trouvant éloigné de mes préférences graphiques. Ce n''est pas pour lui et sa série "Battling Boy" (dont je n''ai pas lu le premier volume) mais pour le dessinateur espagnol David Rubin, dont j''ai apprécié les deux tomes de son ''Le Héros'' (cf. '' 1 '' et '' 2 '').

L''histoire est celle d''Aurora West, gamine de 13-14 ans environ, fille de Haggart West, un célèbre héros tueur de monstres dans le monde du Battling Boy. Ce dernier, un personnage de justicier à la Batman (il en a une voiture inspirée de la marque Bugatti et des gadgets) et du Midnighter (son masque. Car si tout le monde connaît son vrai nom, personne ne connaît son visage. Pas très crédible à l''heure de paparazzi et réseaux zozos). Depuis peu, Aurora est le "Robin" de son papa, qu''elle accompagne en mission nocture de dézingage de monstres. Ms. Grately joue le rôle de gouvernante, un "Alfred" qui serait une fille au physique de She-Hulk, mai qui a perdu une jambe et porte une prothèse. Ms. Grately s''occupe aussi de l''entraînement physique d''Aurora.

Incidemment, Aurora découvre un signe - un "squiggle" à la Prince - gravé sur un mur de la maison caché par un meuble de bibliothèque. Ms. Grately lui dit qu''il signifie "Mr. Wurple", le compagnon imaginaire d''Aurora lorsqu''elle avait 3-4 ans, et qui a disparu... le jour de la mort de sa maman, assassinée par un monstre dans des circonstances de relâchement de l''attention, juste au soir d''une grande victoire du couple West contre les monstres.

A l''insu de son papa, et à l''inquiétude de Ms. Grately, Aurora remonte dans ses souvenirs de sa vie avec ses parents et lance une enquête sur l''assassinat de sa maman, tout en poursuivant ses missions avec son père contre les monstres de Sadisto et de Medula.

Dessiné dans un style "cartoony" mais "indie", avec des références à Pope mais aussi Charles Burns et d''autres dessinateurs "indie" de monstres, mais sans trop d''horreurs malgré l''omniprésence de monstres qui enlèvent les enfants la nuit venue, ce livre s''adresse aux jeunes dès la fin de la pré-adolescence. Les principaux personnages sont sympathiques mais certains "mystères" paraissent relever de facilités scénaristiques On veut bien que Aurora ne se souvienne pas (à 13-14 ans, tout de même) de ce qu''elle faisait à 4 ans, autour du moment de la mort de sa maman. Mais qu''elle redécouvre là, avec toute cette précision, tout ce qui revient à sa mémoire paraît curieux. Et c''est cette redécouverte qui est le moteur du récit.

*** et 1/2
One person found this helpful Report Translate review to EnglishMattruss 1.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase Misleading title and listing. THIS IS NOT BATTLING BOY! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2014 The book was sold to me in a misleading way. It seems to be listed as in brackets in the title: "battling boy", a book I have been dying to read a sequel too. The title of the listing is incorrect. On closer inspection of the copy I hold in my hand it clearly reads...See moreThe book was sold to me in a misleading way. It seems to be listed as in brackets in the title: "battling boy", a book I have been dying to read a sequel too. The title of the listing is incorrect. On closer inspection of the copy I hold in my hand it clearly reads by the author of battling boy. On even closer inspection the writer of battling boy is a co writer and not even the main writer of the two. The actual writer and artist are both complete unknowns and I do not want this comic in my collection. Artwork is far too manga reminiscent for my liking and the story is really bland and predictable. The book was sold to me in a misleading way. It seems to be listed as in brackets in the title: "battling boy", a book I have been dying to read a sequel too. The title of the listing is incorrect. On closer inspection of the copy I hold in my hand it clearly reads by the author of battling boy.
On even closer inspection the writer of battling boy is a co writer and not even the main writer of the two. The actual writer and artist are both complete unknowns and I do not want this comic in my collection.
Artwork is far too manga reminiscent for my liking and the story is really bland and predictable.
One person found this helpful Report See all reviews
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