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cpiemontese's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
leslie_d's review against another edition
3.0
Having read Paul Pope’s Battling Boy, naturally I was eager to seek out The Rise of Aurora West. We’d met Aurora West in Battling Boy as the recently orphaned (before our eyes) daughter of Arcopolis’ Science Hero Haggard West. The Rise takes us back to a time where Pope and Petty can flesh out a bit more of the mystery not only behind the up-and-coming hero of Aurora West, but the arrival and rise of the supernatural monsters terrorizing the city. You read with dread their development of a weapon to take down the elder West. The most compelling mystery for Aurora, of course, is the death of her mother and whether her imaginary friend was really all that imaginary–or harmless.
The ass-kicking adventures are tempered by familial implication and what a violent life-style costs. Haggard had to come to his own decisions about the monsters that haunt them, Aurora must as well. Haggard is driven by the desire to protect his daughter and avenge his wife. How might the ending of Rise and the events of Battling Boy affect the nature of Aurora’s own career as a hero of Arcopolis?
While the characterization in Battling was sound, it was good to learn more about Aurora’s background as well as become more familiar with her own Ms. Grately. Too, Rise sets up intriguing story lines for the next volume and the next issue of Battling Boy adventures. Rise functions successfully as a prequel, but it is a complex novel in its own right–one that would be a shame to miss.
Now for the art. I hadn’t thought nor expected a different illustrator. David Rubín is obviously talented, but I prefer Pope’s rendering of Aurora and company in Battling Boy. The smaller size to the novel was nice. It made me think Archie over epic fantasy superhero, but I was less taken with the aesthetic. The black and white befitting the size. And for a narrative told from Aurora’s POV, a shift in artwork suits the shift in mode.
Rise isn’t the current adventure, but a story of what was going on before Battling Boy arrived on the scene. In a genre that frequents artistic collaborations for design purposes or necessity, I should have better anticipated another hand. Rise sets itself apart from Battling in a good way, and an important way. You’ll want this volume (the first of two) for your collection–just adjust another expectation: that the volumes are not going to fit uniformly on the shelf. Not that Aurora could fit uniformly on a shelf somewhere. Watch out female comic book heroes.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/comics-no-sleeping-beauty/
The ass-kicking adventures are tempered by familial implication and what a violent life-style costs. Haggard had to come to his own decisions about the monsters that haunt them, Aurora must as well. Haggard is driven by the desire to protect his daughter and avenge his wife. How might the ending of Rise and the events of Battling Boy affect the nature of Aurora’s own career as a hero of Arcopolis?
While the characterization in Battling was sound, it was good to learn more about Aurora’s background as well as become more familiar with her own Ms. Grately. Too, Rise sets up intriguing story lines for the next volume and the next issue of Battling Boy adventures. Rise functions successfully as a prequel, but it is a complex novel in its own right–one that would be a shame to miss.
Now for the art. I hadn’t thought nor expected a different illustrator. David Rubín is obviously talented, but I prefer Pope’s rendering of Aurora and company in Battling Boy. The smaller size to the novel was nice. It made me think Archie over epic fantasy superhero, but I was less taken with the aesthetic. The black and white befitting the size. And for a narrative told from Aurora’s POV, a shift in artwork suits the shift in mode.
Rise isn’t the current adventure, but a story of what was going on before Battling Boy arrived on the scene. In a genre that frequents artistic collaborations for design purposes or necessity, I should have better anticipated another hand. Rise sets itself apart from Battling in a good way, and an important way. You’ll want this volume (the first of two) for your collection–just adjust another expectation: that the volumes are not going to fit uniformly on the shelf. Not that Aurora could fit uniformly on a shelf somewhere. Watch out female comic book heroes.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/comics-no-sleeping-beauty/
library_hungry's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why I took so long to read this book; it was really excellent. (Really, I think it was because the trim size was so small and I was worried my squinty eyes couldn't take it.) The character art was great, and while I sometimes had trouble following the action scenes--especially when they involved monsters, which were weird and confusing-looking--the story pulls you along clearly enough.
The most amazing part was the relationship between Aurora and Haggard. This is the story of a daughter/sidekick starting to become her own hero, and the relationship between Aurora and her father is so complex. He's her teacher, and he's strict. But he's also fair, and he's the best at what he does, which means she learns every minute. He shows her a great deal of respect, and he clearly loves her more than anything in the world--but he's also very distant in many ways, and clearly damaged by the loss of Aurora's mother. The balance with which he's treated--respect and constructive criticism--is really what makes the book for me.
The most amazing part was the relationship between Aurora and Haggard. This is the story of a daughter/sidekick starting to become her own hero, and the relationship between Aurora and her father is so complex. He's her teacher, and he's strict. But he's also fair, and he's the best at what he does, which means she learns every minute. He shows her a great deal of respect, and he clearly loves her more than anything in the world--but he's also very distant in many ways, and clearly damaged by the loss of Aurora's mother. The balance with which he's treated--respect and constructive criticism--is really what makes the book for me.
elevetha's review against another edition
3.0
A father and his daughter, battling monsters and on their way to avenging the death of Aurora's mother. The story was enjoyable, if not terribly original by any means, but I liked the relationship between Aurora and Haggard.
The art is definitely not the worst I've seen. It's mostly not so bad, though there are a fair amount of of cringe-worthy panels. Most notably, the proportions for Aurora as a child were awful and somewhat grotesque. Additionally, Ms. Grately's design is very odd: she's a big masculine lady.
Will be checking out [b:The Fall of the House of West|23310706|The Fall of the House of West|Paul Pope|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420944532s/23310706.jpg|42864828].
The art is definitely not the worst I've seen. It's mostly not so bad, though there are a fair amount of of cringe-worthy panels. Most notably, the proportions for Aurora as a child were awful and somewhat grotesque. Additionally, Ms. Grately's design is very odd: she's a big masculine lady.
Will be checking out [b:The Fall of the House of West|23310706|The Fall of the House of West|Paul Pope|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420944532s/23310706.jpg|42864828].
pussreboots's review against another edition
2.0
http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2015/comments_01/rise_of_aurora_west.html
ireadinbed's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, I didn't hate it, but I found it kinda boring and too quickly paced. I like a little buildup.
I also wasn't too impressed with the art style, the monsters especially just didn't have any style to them.
but I enjoyed the plot and especially the flashbacks
I also wasn't too impressed with the art style, the monsters especially just didn't have any style to them.
but I enjoyed the plot and especially the flashbacks
elna17a9a's review
3.0
This is a review of BOTH The Rise of Aurora West and The Fall of the House of West, and so under a spoiler tag.
I really think these could have been one novel. I understand why they're not, because it would have been huge (and that's always a deterrent for middle readers), but there's so much going and and it's crammed so full of action and history that if you don't read them back-to-back you risk feeling a little confused.
It seems readers who got the ARC also got these in black and white, and I'm disappointed this wasn't changed for the published version. Aurora talks about being able to tell Sadisto's gang apart by the color of their cowls, and I had no idea what she meant until Battling Boy, which was actually in color. Since this books is small (less than half a sheet of printer paper), the black and white line drawings were too busy and confusing. Medula's design is great, but she has so many tentacles that they can get lost in the background. And, again, I couldn't tell anyone in Sadisto's gang apart, so they deaths of the individual members were lost on me until they said specifically who was killed.
The characterization of Aurora and Haggard is a bright point, though. Morally complex, full of believable anger over their mother's/wife's death, justifiably angry at the monsters, they sometimes make reckless and irresponsible decisions. They underestimate the monsters and allow their biases to get in the way, but they're trying their best and they're all Acropolis has.
I was a little disappointed that Haggard didn't die at the end of the second one (it IS called The Fall of the House of West, after all!), but it sets it up to happen in Battling Boy, so I guess it's OK.
Morally complex characters and no sexualization of the (two) female superhero(s) make this a great addition to the heroic graphic novels, but the small stature and the confusion of the black and white inkwork make it hard to read and follow.
It seems readers who got the ARC also got these in black and white, and I'm disappointed this wasn't changed for the published version. Aurora talks about being able to tell Sadisto's gang apart by the color of their cowls, and I had no idea what she meant until Battling Boy, which was actually in color. Since this books is small (less than half a sheet of printer paper), the black and white line drawings were too busy and confusing. Medula's design is great, but she has so many tentacles that they can get lost in the background. And, again, I couldn't tell anyone in Sadisto's gang apart, so they deaths of the individual members were lost on me until they said specifically who was killed.
The characterization of Aurora and Haggard is a bright point, though. Morally complex, full of believable anger over their mother's/wife's death, justifiably angry at the monsters, they sometimes make reckless and irresponsible decisions. They underestimate the monsters and allow their biases to get in the way, but they're trying their best and they're all Acropolis has.
I was a little disappointed that Haggard didn't die at the end of the second one (it IS called The Fall of the House of West, after all!), but it sets it up to happen in Battling Boy, so I guess it's OK.
Morally complex characters and no sexualization of the (two) female superhero(s) make this a great addition to the heroic graphic novels, but the small stature and the confusion of the black and white inkwork make it hard to read and follow.
tinkeringlibrarian's review
2.0
Just kinda weak. Very simplistic plot, lettering doesn’t alwY line up with bubbles.