Barney Ross' life seems straight out of an old comic book:

Page 1: Young Dov-Ber Rasofsky is growing up in a tough Chicago neighborhood. Under the tutelage of his father, he is studying to be a rabbi.

Page 2: Dov-Ber's father is gunned down at the grocery that he owns. Dov-Ber's mother goes mad.

Page 3: Dov-Ber's siblings are placed in an orphanage. Dov-Ber is left to fend for himself. He joins a local gang.

Page 4: Dov-Ber meets another young Jewish hooligan, Jack Ruby, as well as mob boss Al Capone.

Page 5: In order to get some money to help his family, Dov-Ber begins to box. He is now named... BARNEY ROSS!

Page 6: Ross progresses through the ranks, becomes a champion, winning titles in three weight classes.

Page 7: But it's the 1930s. Hitler is rising to power. Ross makes a stand against Nazi Germany, becoming a symbol for American Jews. He then enlists in the Marines.

Page 8: Stationed in the South Pacific, Ross and three other Marines are surrounded by the enemy. Two of his comrades are killed, but Ross single-handedly fights off a Japanese battalion, and carries the surviving American to safety.

On second thought... Comic book? Make that an epic novel.