A chaotic close full of hope.
Creative Staff:
Story/Art/Lettering: Carlos & Miguel Valderrama
What They Say:
Gogi and his adopted family face his former friend Zeedo and the gang he now controls. Against the backdrop of two giant monsters battling for supremacy, Gogi and Zeedo must determine which is stronger-brotherhood or ambition!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The Giants series draws to a close and all I can see is how this would have played out if the Valderrama’s had been able to pitch this to a manga publisher in Japan. The series, which feels very manga-like in many ways, feels like a recap of a much larger series with the key highlights and some character moments playing out. There’s so much good story material and potential here, particularly in expanding the cast and setting, that it could play out in such a large and engaging way that it feels like a missed opportunity as it is, simply, in the wrong market. The creators here have a lot of talent and plenty of potential with this project and it’s been a lot of fun watching it unfold even as my mind thinks of where it could (and should) have gone.
Gogi’s decisions have lead him to a bad place where he’s lost so many, including a valuable friend and his home, and he’s barely alive at this point. Kara’s able to save him, which is no surprise, but now the hunt is on to find Jola and Titia in order to save them more than anything else. Gogi’s not exactly interested in revenge but he wants to live his life the way he wants while still coping with the guilt of what he did to Zedo. And Zedo is holding onto that as well, though he’s far more focused on getting the Ambernoir back so he can be the king under the ground instead of an insect like Gogi on the surface. Both have chosen their paths and paid the prices for it and there’s no meeting of the minds to be had here, a way to move forward that would benefit both or simply let things end as it is.
With Zedo making his way back and Gogi and Kara chasing after to rescue their friends, this is mirrored in the fight between Sheik and Wraith as they represent the two old friends that have gone against each other. There’s not a lot of depth to the character side as the rescues and attempts play out here, but setting it so that the giants fight and that it’s placed directly behind the kids makes for some great looking panels and helps to give it more power than it might otherwise, especially since it’s been so light on depth throughout. The result is a strong one as both fights unfold and we get some real definitive end with one of them. It’s a big and bold series of sequences in the back half of the book here that’s wonderfully illustrated but just left me wishing it had the impact that it should have. It’s simply not a tale that can be told in a strong way in just five issues.
In Summary:
I really enjoyed Giants from start to finish but I also recognize that it needed a wholly different way of being told. That’s a frustration with several series I’ve been reading the last few years in that they come across more as plot points and superficial moments rather than taking the time to build the world, explore the characters, and tell a tale. Giants has a lot going for it in the concept and the design of it all with the artwork, but it’s something that needed a proper Japanese style run for its serialization in order to get anywhere near its true potential. A good project but one that can’t achieve what it can be.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: April 18th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
