sc's I Kill Giants #2 - The Spark review

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    Coveleski Crushes & Best Friend's Blushes

    Overview

    This review will contain SPOILERS. Its also best to pick up where we left off from last issue and last review, here. In the second issue of I Kill Giants our protagonist continues indulging in her own little world of imagination. Praying dramatically and asking for a blessing for her very own weapon of choice in dealing with killing giants - Coveleski. We are introduced to a few new characters, one by the name of Sophia who will play an important role in the story yet to come, a bully called Taylor who is pretty unlikable but semi believable despite how cartoonishly horrible and immature she is. Finally Mrs Molle, the school counsellor, also destined to play an important part with things to come. We also actually get to learn a lot more about Barbara's idea of what giants are and her one girl crusade to stop and defeat them. The mystery of something terrifying lurking in her home is touched on but remains mysterious. In this issue we get closer to our protagonist and the adversity she faces and how she interacts with others. We are also treated to a nice little exposition sequence detailing the nature and qualities of giants.

    Writing & Plot

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    Joe Kelly is still our writer here, and he uses this issue to further develop and characterize our hero and protagonist Barbara Thorson. We are introduced to a girl around the same age as Barbara, Sophia who wanders across Barbara at night near a beach as she is building a trap for giants. Where as Barbara is intelligent, cynical, defensive, dry and snarky, Sophia is friendly, open, a little bit naive, and well I guess a lot more typical or "normal" as some normal people might say. Hell if I know, I'm not normal. In spite of there differences, Sophia's curiosity and friendliness elicits some responses and reaction from Barbara. In contrast to this interaction and scene we also get to witness Barbara interact with an antagonist in the form of a bulking jerk bully Taylor. Taylor tries to intimidate Barbara but Barbara having pride and confidence dismisses Taylor rather flippantly almost leading to a fight, before that can happen, Barbara (presumably) is saved by the bell so to speak, as she is scheduled to meet with Mrs Molle the school psychologist. Where as Sophia could represent a positive force, Taylor a negative, Mrs Molle could easily fall into a more neutral role. She is an adult after all and an authority figure of sorts. Barbara doesn't want to be there and makes this pretty transparent, refusing to speak and storming out at the end of the session in a huff. Its pretty good writing trick to expand Barbara's character by getting to see her interact with these very different characters and how she responds to each of them. We get a lot of insight into her personality. Before the end of the issue its established that Barbara and Sophia are friends, and Barbara rewards this newfound friendship by explaining giant lore, mythology and knowledge to her new bestie.

    Side note: I wonder how much thought was given into explaining Ur as the first giant? Is it a multi layered reference to the super continent of Ur often considered to be the first supercontinent before it broke up (hence Ur the first Giant before breaking itself apart and unleashing new creatures) and as a German prefix denoting original or primitive (thus quite appropriate for the original giant and a primitive giant creature. Also possibly because it might hint at Barbara being crazy, the giant UR = You Are. Barbara has trouble with people, are they the giants? Maybe one of these things, maybe none of them, I do know that the rune of Ur (going with the underlying Norse mythology theme doesn't have anything to do with giants) but maybe someone with greater knowledge can correct me. The issue ends on a sombre note, something at Barbara's home is really messing with her. Is it a giant? A dark supernatural force? Some maleficent entity?

    Art & Visuals

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    JM Ken Niimura has a beautiful art style that others are probably familiar with, but not me. As I mentioned in the other review I am not usually a fan of black and white comics, or anime/manga super expressive styles, but at this point in the series I forgot all my idiosyncratic preferences and was deeply engrossed in the story. By story I meant both the writing and the art, since in far too many threads around CV I see people making threads called Story VS Art when they usually mean to say writing vs art or writer versus artist heh heh. Good art can tell a story too! Good art can tell a story too. I said that twice for emphasis. Naturally an artist and writer tend to know when they work together on a story, so its often a matter of balance and trust as far as acknowledging and being aware that both are meant to support and aid each other. I don't want to rant too much here about why one shouldn't ever pit story vs art if they really mean dialogue or writing versus art so I'll end on a Joe Kelly quote describing his collaborator here as “a mad genius.” “Ken is a brilliant artist with an incredible depth of style and technique. He's also heavily manga influenced, so the book is being done in what I'd call a ‘loose manga’ style -- his line is very fluid and relaxed, wash inks, etc. He brought so much to this book" Very sweet words.

    Moment of Cool

    Coveleski. Coveleski is Barbara's weapon of choice, since as she points out all the greatest weapons require a name, and she illustrates why her war hammer is called Coveleski. Rather endearingly as described by Barbara, she has named it after a rookie pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Harry Coveleski, who despite being a rookie, lead his team to victory against a championship team The Giants. Rather apt name for her weapon. Oh and yes Harry Coveleski is a real person. Here is his wikipedia page. Cute! (see image above)

    Moment of Friendship is Awesome

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    I really like the Sophia character, I wasn't expecting her to show up, the first issue emphasized Barbara's distance from people in general, and strained relationships with family members, so it was kind of sweet to see her cynical and jaded self disarmed by Sophia's huge smile. Fun fact - I lack the ability to smile in real life. Not that I am not a happy person, actually a lot of the time I feel like I am smiling, but you probably couldn't tell by looking at my face. Its actually something I really like about the internet and communicating by typing or writing a letter since I can use a smiley or just tell people I am smiling if thats how I feel. That being said it is something I wish I could do more in real life. A humble and simple smile is such a gift to give other people and can lift a persons spirits. All without anything being said. Sophia just innocently and sincerely smiling at Barbara to me thus is all sorts of sweetness and kindness. Very nice moment that contrasts both characters differences but also anchors them together.

    Who Should Read This

    I think everyone should, I mean I gave this issue five stars, and I only give five stars to comics that I love. Like literally love, I buy the physical issue flowers and chocolate and stare at in longingly and when it smiles or laughs I am complete. Wait what?! I think this issue will appeal to anyone who knows the power of friendship in overcoming adversity, anyone who has had to deal with and cope with loss and grief. Anyone who has had to use their imagination to retreat from the pain and horrors of everyday existence and anyone who has ever felt like an outsider and a loner. Or just alone. Those are some pretty broad nets to cast so unless you are allergic to black and white stories really you have no excuses. I give this issue maximum stars!

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