Battle Boy is set in Arcopolis, a sprawling city which is under siege by hideous monster and terrorized by gangs of ghouls. The only person keeping it safe is Haggard West, a flying science hero with a blaster, similar to The Rocketeer. That is until his unfortunate death in the first few pages. Haggard leaves behind a city without a protector and a daughter devastated by loss. Meanwhile in another dimension, above the clouds and among the stars themselves live the gods. This is where we meet our main protagonist Battling Boy (yes that is his real name), the son of the bravest god. On this his thirteenth year he must now prove himself on a "ramble" - a solo adventure through which he will come of age. He’s sent down to Arcopolis with a suitcase full of magical knic-knacks including a totem-infused t-shirt to a limitless credit card. But will Battling Boy be the rescuer of Arcopolis, or he will be slain by its monsters.Even though Battling boy is a son of a god, this doesn't mean he can't be ground. Like all young adults he’s still figuring out who he is and what he’s capable off. He also has to battle the influence of adult that show signs of using him for something more than a protector.
Pope’s artwork is amazingly stylish and kinetic. His distinctive style is deceptively simple and messy on the surface. At times you see the influence of Jack Kirby in his character designs, Hergé in his bizarre backgrounds and cityscapes, Katsuhiro Otomo in his energy. Paul infused all of this into his own pure sexiness, all while pumping up the raw power.
Pope’s story is wonderfully realized at the end of volume one and I wish I had volume two already. Battling Boy feels like a mix-tape of all things cool created by a master of his craft.
4.5 totem-infused waffles out of 5
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