January BotM Discussion - I Kill Giants

[Kate]

What did you think of I Kill Giants? If this is your first time reading it, how did you feel about the ending? If it's a re-read for you, what was it like reading it with all your prior knowledge? What did you think of the art?

[Kate]

tfw you pull out your copy of I Kill Giants for a re-read and find the cover has been damaged



I have no idea how this happened while sitting safely on my shelf...

[Brian]

I Kill Giants was one of the first comics I read that made me think, "Oh, okay, so comics are like... literature." Before that it had all been Capes books which, while fun, are not always the most intellectually stimulating. But I Kill Giants stuck in my head for days after I finished it.

I guess the part that really stuck with me was the ambiguity around whether the giants were real, or if this was just how a young girl who had experienced trauma was dealing with the world around her. It made me think about how I would handle that situation, if I was her age. And about how I handle stressful events as an adult.

I liked the art. It's not phenomenal, but it's clean and pleasant to look at. I don't think that every comic needs to have super detailed art, as long as the art (whatever it looks like) serves the purpose of the story, and I think the art in I Kill Giants does that very well.

[kaitlphere]

I'm glad this book was the BotM for this month, as I have been wanting to re-read it. The first time I read this book, I was fixated on whether or not the giants were real and Barbara was the only one who had the ability to see them. I also ended up trying not to cry while I was reading in a car full of my family.

This time, I was home alone, so I didn't have to suppress my gross tears (the cat didn't judge me...I don't think). This time, I just let the giants and such be real for Barbara. Although I did have this alternative image in my head of Barbara just wading out into the water to try to fight a double tornado with her little keychain hammer raised.

I am not usually into grayscale art, but after this reading, I think it really works for this book. It makes me want to read more comics that this artist worked on. Barbara sees a lot of things in black and white for most of the book, so while the metaphor worked really well, I also just enjoyed the visual contrast of having limited colors.

I love the design of the giant, and Barbara's weird animal hats.

[Rachel]

I gave this book a 3 star rating.
A coming of age story that focuses on a young girl who lives in a fantasy world. Throughout the story, you find out the girl is going through something, but you won’t find out until the very end. Graphics were very well done, and I really enjoyed the black and white effect. Gave a lot of depth to the story.

[Kate]

Rachel wrote: "...Graphics were very well done, and I really enjoyed the black and white effect. Gave a lot of depth to the story. ..."

I couldn't agree more. J. M. Ken Niimura's artwork is superb, and completely transported me into Barbara's world.

Kait, that's a great point about Barbara seeing the world in black and white herself. It's an interesting and well-executed metaphor.

I don't think this book would have worked as well if colored, because it would loose its stark, atmospheric effect. With everything she's going through, Barbara's world is menacing, bleak and gray. It is powerfully depicted in the grey scale.

[Kate]

Brian wrote: "...I guess the part that really stuck with me was the ambiguity around whether the giants were real, or if this was just how a young girl who had experienced trauma was dealing with the world around her. It made me think about how I would handle that situation, if I was her age. And about how I handle stressful events as an adult...

This was what stuck with me as well. So, what do you think? Are they real?

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Whew. I put reading this book off because I knew it was going to wreck me. Reading it a second time, and in one go, was way more gut wrenching. That whole last chapter had me in straight-up tears.

I knew the damn ending and I still cried.

This book sets you up to have fun with some quirks but with a heavy, heavy cloud over head. How we get to the end is the most important part, and watching Barbara lose control, chapter after chapter, is the roughest part of the story. You know something bad looms, and yet she somehow tries to persevere with witticisms and, in most cases, lashing out under the guise of "giant killing."

I cannot express enough how fantastic of a read this was. Going head-first into this book, not second guessing anything, it is a testament to the fantastic creative delivery made by Joe Kelly and J. M. Ken Niimura's work.

Fantastic pick, Danny and Phillip.

[Daniel]

Mike wrote: "Whew. I put reading this book off because I knew it was going to wreck me. Reading it a second time, and in one go, was way more gut wrenching. That whole last chapter had me in straight-up tears. ..."

I am glad to see everyone enjoyed it
Just a final bow on top of the gift that was the reading challenge last year