By Dustin Cabeal
Giants is definitely one of the best new titles from Dark Horse since Black Hammer. It’s been a while since I enjoyed a sci-fi title as much as I have Giants, but also, I will always have a soft spot for Dark Horse. The past few years have left me wanting to read more from them, but ultimately, not finding much that I enjoyed. After just two issues, Giants has me looking forward to the next month and the one after.
The beginning of this issue is genuinely terrifying. You have to put yourself in the character’s shoes, and the fact that it’s a comic lets us distance ourselves from the terror, but imagine waking up in a hole, not knowing where your brother is and the only way out is blocked by a monsters giant fucking head. And it’s getting closer. Our younger, blonder brother finds himself in this position. He fights for his very survival, more so than ever before. He makes it out, but as a different person.
Our other brother that fell into the abyss wakes up to find himself in the care of some other kids. Some older, most around the same age. There is a stark difference in clothing compared to them. Gogi’s clothing is tattered and worn while the other kids that live on the surface all have well-kept winter clothing. For some reason, they want to take care of him, even after he puts them in danger by starting a fire and attracting one of the giants. The brothers are torn apart. Each seems to be experiencing a good life without the other, but our younger brother is still on a much harder and bloodier path. It reminds me a lot of manga and anime that I’ve read. Most likely our brothers will be united, but will they be the same people as before?
The pacing of the story continues to be quick. At this point, I’ve become used to it, so it’s no longer a complaint. While the endings still feel a bit abrupt to the natural flow of the story, it’s better than getting cliched cliffhangers like 70% of all other comics. The dialogue continues to flow naturally, and the exposition dumps are at least quick and painless. I’ll take the way information is relayed here over the wall of text that most sci-fi stories rely on.
The artwork continues to be the most active aspect of Giants. This time around the characters are the star of the show, and they’re all fleshed out quite well. There’s a variety of characters giving it a diverse cast that resembles the real-world readers. The attention to detail with the clothing stood out this issue. What should be par for the course is anything but in comics as jackets are often exaggerated instead of realistic. The kid’s clothing is very real looking, from the designs, to how they set on the character’s shoulders. It’s simple, but also a compelling detail.
I’m beginning to see Giants influences more, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s a fresh story that’s pairing a lot of other concepts into one world. The blending and meshing is interesting, but without a strong story and fantastic artwork, it wouldn’t be worth getting invested. I’m vested. I’m very vested and can’t wait to see what the Valderrama Bros. have in store next.
Score: 4/5
Giants #2
Dark Horse Comics