Giant Days, Vol. 3

Giant Days (Single Issues) #9-12

by John Allison, Max Sarin (Illustrator), Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Continuing their first semester at university, fast friends Susan, Esther, and Daisy want to find their footing in life. The girls, along with their male hall-mates, Ed and McGraw find that college is more than academics and bad microwavable meals. Add some pub hopping, hookups, breakups and political scandal this might just be the most eventful first semester  ever.

Giant Days, the comedic slice-of-life series from creator John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round), and fantastic newcomer, Max Sarin has graduated to a third volume.

Collects issues #9-12 of the critically acclaimed series.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Graphic Novels Comics, Humor

112 pages, ebook

First published October 11, 2016

About the author

John Allison is the author and artist of the British webcomics Scary Go Round and Bad Machinery.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.

Reviews

[karen]

like the second volume, this one was more scattered and episodic than that superfun first one i fell so hard for. not only do the stories stand on their own more, without the nice flowy cohesion of that getting-to-know you volume, but even within the stories, there's some transitional oddness and things mentioned and then dropped - what is this hatch all about? will it return in a later story?

but don't get me wrong, there's still plenty to love.

their quirky and adorable speech patterns and general enthusiasm:



esther's swimsuit:



and her hyperbolic affection:





and equally hyperbolic dread:



susan's commitment to gossip-hounding:



the memories of triumphant all-nighters:



the dramatic sorrow of youth:



hands-on friendships:



daisy's leadership tactics:



susan's frazzled crankiness:



and after my country's own recent election kerfuffle, this glimpse into voter-mindset was darkly comical:



i also appreciate the general weirdness permeating these stories:







this time, we spend a little more time with the gents of giant days.

poor ed and his dating woes:



who is developing a little sarcastic crust over his sweet-boy softness:



and stiffman mcgraw is really growing on me:



or at least he WAS, until he did something inexcusable. although understandable.

this "typo" is also inexcusable. and not understandable.



i, for one, rather enjoyed the camping story.



it cheered susan up for a while, anyway:



although i still don't know what little critter this was meant to be:



i'm still tuning in, because many things happen in this one that i wanna see resolved, but while i still love the characters, i want more out of the story than this volume gave me.

the next one comes out on valentine's day! may there be true love for all!

come to my blog!

[Natalie]

This review contains *spoilers*.

I'm finally back with my favorite group of gals. The third volume continues off right where we last left the Giant Days group. Continuing their first semester at university, fast friends Susan, Esther, and Daisy want to find their footing in life. The girls, along with their male hall-mates, Ed and McGraw find that college is more than academics and bad microwavable meals. Add some pub hopping, hookups, breakups and political scandal this might just be the most eventful first semester ever.

Also, can we take a minute to admire the neat art style in this one!!

(They’re not on drugs—just really, really sleep-deprived...)


Everyone has their own reasons for not sleeping, but it all comes down to this: University is damn hard.


While Esther is handling her essays, Susan is stressing about her own issues and ends up leaving McGraw out of the loop, which wounds him deeply... so he decides to take some action.


But I never expected him to... to break up with her.


I wasn't the only one left heart-broken, but fortunately Susan still has her friends to stand by her. And since Daisy is such a mom friend (#relatable), she decides what they all need is a good ol' fashioned camping trip


Once settled in, they have an open heart-to-heart conversation and let out their withheld concerns.





#Friendgoals.

So when they get back to their dorms, it's already time to leave for Easter.

And Esther leaves us on an even more dramatic note…


As always, the Giant Days group never fails to cheer me up and make my day brighter. I truly cannot wait for what's to come next in their lives.

*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Giant Days, Vol. 3, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*


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[destiny ♡ howling libraries]

Vol 1: ★★★★☆
Vol. 2: ★★★★★
Vol. 3: ★★★★★
Vol. 4: ★★★★★
Vol. 5: ★★★★★
Vol. 6: ★★★★★
Vol. 7: ★★★★★
Vol. 8: ★★★★★
Vol. 9: ★★★★★
Vol. 10: ★★★★★

This series just keeps getting better and better. Can we please see more of Big Lindsay? She was amazing and I loved the little "twist" with her character—how precious. It's funny how I feel like I have a different favorite character with each passing installment—first Esther, then McGraw, now Lindsay—but the turmoil at the end with a certain very precious and grouchy couple has me all kinds of stressed out and quickly reaching for volume 4! 😂

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads)]

McGraw is so dreamy. Who am I rn

[Calista]

It looks like the girls almost made it through their first year of college. This ends at Easter Break. There is a nasty election campaign that is the heart of this story that Susan is embroiled in. It's a little bizarre. The girls are crazy as ever. Esther has a friend visit who is a real party animal and Daisy takes the girls camping against their will.

This is a fun series to read. When the world is stressful and serious, this is a good antidote. It's like bubbles on a summer day. This is the 3rd volume out of 9 now or so and I look forward to reading more in this story. It ends with a fairly big cliff hanger.

[Sam Quixote]

Giant Days gets political as cub reporter Ed Gemmell unearths scandal involving the Student President! As a new election brews, Susan becomes obsessed with toppling future toff Presidential Candidates – to the detriment of her relationship with McGraw. Who can rescue her from the mysterious Night World? Esther! Who can rescue Susan and Esther from the mysterious Night World? Daisy!

Ed gets some much deserved time in the spotlight in this volume, temporarily getting over Esther and falling for editor Amanda, a third year student, but being humiliated in the process - poor bastard! It ends well though once Esther’s townie friend Big Lindsay stops by for a visit. And it says a lot about John Allison’s writing ability when he can introduce a new character as a caricature and turn her into a realistic, relatable person whom the reader adores within a single issue!

Things shift back to the girls in the second half of the book as Susan enters the Night World, a place inhabited by sleep-deprived students, after working too hard on the student president campaign and keeping up with her medical studies at the same time. I loved how Max Sarin drew the warped, carnival mirror-esque sequences and how Esther made her way into that world.

The book ends with the girls going camping and there’s a lovely scene where Susan and “McGraw” (you’ll see) make their peace. And that final page is a sucker punch – you’re deffo gonna want to have the next book to hand to see what happens next!

Giant Days continues to be the most wonderful comic with another stonkingly good volume – recommended reading for everyone!

[Bookishrealm]

Update: This was just as good the second time around. If you enjoy slice of life then this is the comic series for you. I loved that this one focused on some of the issues that Susan and Esther in reference to their personal relationships and school. By highlighting these issues we were able to see how strong Esther, Susan , and Daisy are in terms of their friendship. For me this was definitely an volume that had Daisy as more of a supporting character which is great because while she has her own share of issues she was the most stable character in this. The artwork is simply amazing with the use of bright colors. I can’t recommend reading this series enough.

This my first read for #gettinggraphic and it was so good. I love that this series is mostly focused on character development and not plot. It makes it so interesting and they are definitely characters I can relate to. The artwork is phenomenal and I can't wait to pick up the next volume.

[Magdalena Miękińska (getbooky)]

4.5

[Dave Schaafsma]

At the risk of enraging my Goodreads Giant Days fanatics I will say, yes, okay, I still like this series, it is way cute and uplifting in an almost manga-ish explosion of jumpy feels, with great and of course likable characters, but I would say this volume feels more episodic than the last two, a little scattered. There is a Ed's investigation of the student president (who only cares about the 1%!) but not much else of substance happens here, but I guess that's the point, this is college, they are all living that life and having madcap silly fun. Reminds me a bit of a college level Lumberjanes or something sometimes. But okay, okay, 3.5, I like it, all right, and will read on!

[Vanessa]

Once again, Giant Days manages to be a complete and utter source of comfort to me. I was so excited to be back in the world of Esther, Daisy and Susan. In this particular volume, Esther struggles with her motivations in life, Daisy gets outdoorsy, and Susan struggles to maintain the work/life balance.

Was this as good as the previous 2 volumes? No, not in my opinion. But was it great fun and something I'll return to again and again? For sure. I'm actually really sad that there is only one more volume to come, but I will for sure be preordering it.

[Daniel]

This one has some weird sh*t. Still fun but somehow the relaxing fun is gone and the charm is loosing the battle.

[Emma]

This comic book series is always a joy to read. This volume in particular focused a little more on Ed and I really enjoyed that, he's such a good friend to the girls. Also, I really liked how the three main characters kept building their relationship and also when they took the camping trip.
McGraw is just another amazing character and I hope things between him and Susan can be resolved in the next volumes. Also, I cannot wait to see how the last big revelation develops in volume 4!

[Rachel (Kalanadi)]

Why didn't I buy vol. 4 at the same time?? I need more! I love the characters and their shenanigans so much.

[Stewart Tame]

Have I mentioned recently how much I love this book? Makes me nostalgic for my college days. Almost.

Random thoughts: Yay! Camping trip! Awwww … poor Ed. Lindsay’s cool. Hope we see her again. Night World Syndrome! “You're literally standing in a pigeonhole.”

And what a note to end it on! Good thing I have volume 4 ready to hand. Highly recommended!

[Kai Spellmeier]

Reader, I cackled. A lot.

[Dannii Elle]

This whole series is just the epitome of a fun time!

[Mehsi]

I know this one isn't out yet, but the separate parts are, so I read those, I just couldn't wait any longer! This is one series that I really look forward to, so you can imagine how twitchy I am, because now I have to wait for the fourth volume to come out. :P

This time we got various things going on again. From an election to break-up (so sad!) to camping and to a big decision in the end (which shocked me, but then when I thought back I wasn't so shocked, it was kind of expected).

Most of the book is about the election and about the previous president's bad stuff (like that he is never there, that he was chosen only because of him being rich). We see how one of our girls, Susan, totally goes into the election, and does so much for it that she loses the grip on everything else. It was quite interesting, but also sad, to see her tumble down so far. She didn't even notice anything around her, she was so solely focused on the election. She didn't notice her friends trying to help her, she didn't notice the neglect of her room, she didn't notice her boyfriend at all. And that one hurt the most for me. She has such a wonderful, sweet, caring, manly boyfriend, and yet she does all this. Yes, election is important, but you also got a life outside of that. You need to learn to juggle stuff. I felt absolutely sorry for McGraw. He is one of my favourite characters and he deserves someone awesome. Which I thought our girl was. :(

So I can imagine why McGraw picked that solution. I probably would have done the same. I can imagine that my significant other might be busy, but if that person won't talk, come out, won't accept any help whatsoever, won't do anything at all for weeks, or even longer? Yeah, sorry that is not how relationships work. It was sad, but I was also pissed off at the girl for just not noticing it sooner, thinking it was unfair. Yeah, sorry girl, but I am totally with McGraw on this.

Of course we also see our other girls, Daisy and Esther, and their lives, and it was so much fun to see them. To see Esther go to the dark side of the world (aka not sleeping for a few days) to save our election-hype-hype girl. :P To see Daisy having to save both of them when they were stranded in the parking lot of a supermarket. :P

And then the election ends, and by lord, I was so happy that it was over. The result? Haha, I knew something would happen.

The camping trip? Boy, I just laughed my butt off during those moments, especially when Daisy got all in camp leader mode.

Then we also got Eddie and um, well, his little accident. I felt so sorry for him and all he had to experience, girls, but also boys, can be mean. :(

We also meet a new girl, a friend of Esther's. At first I was worried about her. What kind of character would she be? Would she be as Esther is describing her to her friends? Or something else? In the end she turned out to be one of my favourite side-characters and I do hope we will see more of her.

The art is getting better and better and I am just delighted with how it all looks.

The story is also getting better, then again, it was already awesome. :P

All in all, I can't WAIT for the next volume. And I would highly recommend this series to everyone.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Paul]

Another cracking volume of John Allison's fantastic Giant Days. While I was initially dismayed at the loss of original artist Lissa Treiman, replacement Max Sarin's artwork is getting progressively better with each issue (unfortunate surname there, mind you).

For those of you who don't know the book, it's a comedy based around the trials and tribulations of a group of university friends who couldn't be more different but somehow stick together through thick and thin. It's funny, charming and, refreshingly, very British. I recommend it to anybody either looking for a break from superhero comics or anybody who wants to give comicbooks a try but isn't interested in superheroes.

How happy was I at the end of this volume to find this book had been 'promoted' to an ongoing series? HAPPIER THAN REN AND STIMPY IN THEIR HAPPIEST MOMENT!!! HAPPIER THAN A THOUSAND DANCING SNOOPIES!!! Bring on volume four!

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I read these when I'm in the mood for candy and Hoopla warns me I still have downloads left. ;)

[Ioanna ms✨]

3.5!
Πάνω από το μέσο graphic novel, όχι όμως ο αγαπημένος μου από τους 3 τόμους που έχω διαβάσει ως τώρα. Κάτι πήγε λάθος με ορισμένα στοριλάινς αυτή τη φορά, και επίσης η Σούζαν ήταν έξτρα ενοχλητική.😂 Και πάλι βέβαια μου άρεσε πολύ! Αυτή η σειρά με έχει συνεπάρει, πραγματικά😄

[Ashley Daviau]

This is by far my favourite volume out of the series yet! Mind you, I’m probably going to say this about every single volume in this series if it continues being this great. I just love these characters so much and they really bring me back to my college days and all the uncertainty you constantly feel. Plus this volume has both moments to make you laugh and moments that make you want to sob into a pint of ice cream. It’s definitely the funniest one by far, I actually laughed out loud multiple times and that rarely happens to me when I’m reading!

[Paul]

I just really enjoy reading Giant Days. I loved this third volume and it might be my favorite yet. I really like Ed a lot and he reminds me of myself when I was that age. I feel like John Allison captures the drama of a freshman college student well but doesn't go too over the top. Susan, Esther, and Daisy are just fantastic characters that are so different from each other and their friendship just works really well with those differences.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile]]

AMAGLJAFGWERRLKK I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH

and also my ship is sunk foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Basically Britt]

3.25

[James DeSantis]

Well Giant Days continues to be one of the most enjoyable reads. It's not mind blowing. It doesn't change my life. It doesn't make me go "WHOA" every time I read it. You know what it does do though? Make me smile the whole time. It has this charm about it, with quirky characters, and wonderful pacing. Giant Days volume 3 continues the story of our three female leads. We actually get a bit more time with the boys even in this one.

The story gives a more indepth look on Ed and you begin to see why he's a cool guy. His unlucky events of basically messing up in bed are funny and sad. Then we get to see Susan breakdown and her world turning upside down. We get to go into the "Night World" which is both scary and funny. Ester to the rescue! We finish up the volume on a saddish note but with some hope.

What I liked: The charm of this series is still there. The plots are all interesting and letting smaller characters get some splotlight really help flush out the characters. The dialog is still sharp and makes me laugh multiple times. The pacing is near perfect and I'm never bored once reading it. Also, the art is still top notch.

What I didn't like: The nightworld gets trippy and little weird at points. Sometimes becoming a tad confusing and the only issue I didn't love.

Overall Giant Days should be bought. That goes without saying. It's good for both comic fans and non-readers alike. My wife LOVES them and I really dig them. They're worth reading right now to just enjoy reading something lighthearted and fun!

[Lauren]

Awwwwwwwwww, I've missed Esther, Susan and Daisy sooooo much!!

Giant Days Volume 3 is like coming home again after a brief stint away. This collection follows Ed Gemmell finally having his wicked way with someone, the chaos and heartbreak a student election causes between Susan and McGraw, and Esther questioning her reasons behind staying at university. We don't really learn anything about Daisy in this volume but I think she's always had the least amount of coverage out of the trio.

Esther and Susan continue to be adorable and super cute, I just wish Daisy had a more exciting storyline - hopefully she'll get that in Volume 4.

Plus, I really hope Susan and McGraw get back together, I think they are well suited, and if they don't, just send McGraw my way!

A funny and enjoyable addition to the Giant Days series. You've gotta love these kids!

[Kristina]

Oh my! This was so much fun!

I missed the characters a lot and I have almost forgotten how quirky and cool they were.

The series is basically the comic version of a comedy show! Literally amazeballs <3

Go and read it if you haven't yet! ;)

[Maede]

این سری کمیک دائما بهتر میشه، این سه تا دختر دیوانه دوست داشتنی و روزمرگی هاشون
حس شاد زمان خوندنش رو دوست دارم



امتیاز واقعی ۳.۵
95.8.24

[Kayla Charisse]

This volume was literally perfection. I love this comic series so much! The over-the-top hilarity is always complimented by unexpected touching moments--these characters are unique and leave you wanting the next volume ASAP.

[Kitkat]

I loved it!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️