This was my first "graphic novel" that I've read. It was an interesting way to present the story of Fred Hutchinson. I prefer the traditional style of biography more than this graphic style. The art work is great and makes for a quick read, but it just isn't for me. I think that a lot more detail about Hutch's life could have been presented in a regular prose style. Overall the story of the man and his battle against cancer was interesting and the book is well done, just not my style. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

This graphic novel biography is chock full of fascinating information about the life and legacy of Major League baseball pitcher and manager, Fred Hutchinson. From his birth during the summer of the infamous World Series fix to too-soon demise, the illustrations compliment the text sharing as much of Hutch's story as would be in a 300+ page book. The end-notes provide excellent details to the condensed illustrated story and the bibliography is great for baseball fans who crave further knowledge about baseball's rich history -- especially regarding the Tigers and Reds.

Highly recommended to sports fans of all ages and recommended to anyone who has ever watched a baseball game with interest. ( )

I have to begin by acknowledging my failure to note in the description that this is a graphic biography. So I am to blame for my initial disappointment in the book. However, I do find the choice of this format for this biography as surprising.

This book left me wishing for more information about Fred Hutchinson. I think a narrative biography could have been very interesting as it seems Hutch had a good baseball career and his story can provide inspiration to all.

There are several pages of notes at the back of the book and the graphic part of the book is noted with reference numbers. The notes had more detail about Hutch and his time in baseball, but I found it distracting to look to the back each time a note was referenced. Why not just write in narrative form and include much of the information in that way.

I would only recommend this book for younger readers or others who are only interested in a quick overview of the life of Fred Hutchinson. ( )