Mike Shannon

Fred Hutchinson is the subject of this graphic biography, written by Mike Shannon and illustrated by Scott Hannig. It follows the career of Hutch in chronological fashion, focusing on his years as major league baseball player and manager. A fine pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, he became their player-manager in the final years of his playing career. He later managed the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as short stints with the Pacific Coast League Seattle Rainiers. He died of cancer at the age of 45, the courage of his last years memorialized with the yearly award going to a player who exemplifies his strength of character.

The format of a graphic book – frame and caption -- doesn’t lend itself to an in-depth biography. The author supplements the brief captions with endnotes, but unless you interrupt the narrative with frequent glances at the back of the book, that really doesn’t help. So, if you are searching for depth, this isn’t your best choice. If you go back that far, think of this as a “Classics Illustrated” biography. Since I knew very little about the man and enjoy baseball very much, I had a good time with this book. Hannig’s illustrations are top-notch, capturing many of the stars of the day in portraits that are recognizable without being photographic.… (mehr)

Although this is written in the format of a graphic novel, it is more for baseball enthusiasts than comic book lovers. The artwork, which often contains still portraits of the key players, evokes classic baseball cards and will surely appeal to readers who collect ephemera related to Major League Baseball. While I'm not very knowledgeable about MLB's history, I learned a lot from this book, which touches on the Black Sox scandal, Babe Ruth's legacy, and covers Fred Hutchinson's time as both a player and a legendary manager, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds. The drawings are largely static and at times I found the story a bit dry, as it delves into specifics about seasons and series, but at the same time, I was impressed by the intimacy with which "Hutch" is portrayed. By the end, this portrait of a beloved figure was both sad and very inspiring, and explains why he has left behind a legacy of hard work and striving against adversity.… (mehr)