Strong Man
September 18, 2007 7:42 am Uncategorized
By Charles Atlas
Think kitsch with a message and you’ll see the appeal of “Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas.” Critically acclaimed illustrator Meghan McCarthy adds words to her sketchbook to tell the life story of the man who wanted to keep sand from getting kicked in the faces of 98-pound weaklings. McCarthy’s compassion for her subject lets her tell Atlas’ story without poking fun at the back-of-the-comic-book stalwart.
Though her interior illustrations are a tad static for a book about athleticism and don’t quite live up to the saturated, kinetic cover and jacket flaps, the book is packed with telling tidbits. I never knew, for example, that the exercise devotee dubbed “The World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man” posed for more than 75 statues that now dot America, including figures of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Appendices with exercises for kids and more Atlas trivia make the package worthwhile. (Ages 5-8)