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Giant #1
Giant
March 1932, New York. Dan Shackelton is an Irish migrant. Like many of his fellow countrymen, he has found work on the construction site of the Rockefeller Center. He is to replace Ryan Murphy, a worker who died on the site. Dan works with a quiet, broad-shouldered man named Giant who is in charge of informing Ryan Murphy's family of the news. But Giant decides not to say anything. Instead, he sends a substantial sum of money accompanied by an unsigned, typewritten letter. When he receives a response from Ryan's widow, Mary Ann, Giant writes to her again, tangling himself up in a web of lies. Little by little, the enigmatic Giant starts to come out of his shell, until one day, when Mary Ann shows up in New York with her two children, ready to join her husband.
66 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2017
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76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 26, 2017
I really enjoyed this mature graphic novel based in New York -The Great Depression 1932.
The title of the novel 'Giant' is in reference to the name of a worker on the construction site on the Rockefeller centre which is where the story is based. Giant is faced with the job of having to inform the family of one of the workers deaths on the site, his choice of how he handles this situation leads to a big tangled web of deceit and lies.
The illustrations tell the story well and the colours used and fine detail set the scenes perfectly.
The ending leaves you desperate for volume 2.
A unique novel I enjoyed very much.
My thanks the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing me with a copy of this arc in return for an honest review.
The title of the novel 'Giant' is in reference to the name of a worker on the construction site on the Rockefeller centre which is where the story is based. Giant is faced with the job of having to inform the family of one of the workers deaths on the site, his choice of how he handles this situation leads to a big tangled web of deceit and lies.
The illustrations tell the story well and the colours used and fine detail set the scenes perfectly.
The ending leaves you desperate for volume 2.
A unique novel I enjoyed very much.
My thanks the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing me with a copy of this arc in return for an honest review.
January 25, 2019
Reseña completa: http://elcaosliterario.blogspot.com/2...
Las ilustraciones son detalladas y encajan perfectamente con la época en la que transcurre la historia: las faltas de respeto de los jefes, las limitaciones de tiempo para desarrollar el trabajo a la máxima velocidad posible así como las herramientas de construcción o los métodos para comunicarse en aquellos años.
Algo que no me gustó demasiado fueron los diálogos entre los trabajadores ya que tendían a mezclarse y al final resulta un poco confuso. De igual manera es algo que no entorpece la lectura.
Me ha parecido una historia conmovedora y muy completa que absorbe desde el comienzo de su lectura.
En resumen: el reflejo de la dura vida en las obras de construcción de la época mostrada a través de unas ilustraciones detalladas y muy cuidadas. Es una obra que medita sobre la pérdida y ganancias de nuestra vida y sobre todo aquello que dejamos atrás por el camino. Deseando leer el segundo volumen.
Las ilustraciones son detalladas y encajan perfectamente con la época en la que transcurre la historia: las faltas de respeto de los jefes, las limitaciones de tiempo para desarrollar el trabajo a la máxima velocidad posible así como las herramientas de construcción o los métodos para comunicarse en aquellos años.
Algo que no me gustó demasiado fueron los diálogos entre los trabajadores ya que tendían a mezclarse y al final resulta un poco confuso. De igual manera es algo que no entorpece la lectura.
Me ha parecido una historia conmovedora y muy completa que absorbe desde el comienzo de su lectura.
En resumen: el reflejo de la dura vida en las obras de construcción de la época mostrada a través de unas ilustraciones detalladas y muy cuidadas. Es una obra que medita sobre la pérdida y ganancias de nuestra vida y sobre todo aquello que dejamos atrás por el camino. Deseando leer el segundo volumen.
December 1, 2017
Touchant. Viens nous chercher droit au cœur. Un important rappel du travail accompli dans la misère et que les américains viennent tous d'ailleurs. Vivement la suite. Bravo à l'auteur pour son travail de recherche.
June 22, 2020
Evocative artwork and strong sense of time and place makes this story of Irish immigrants working in New York during the Great Depression a strong and memorable book. The titular character is a taciturn worker who fails to send a letter back to Ireland to inform a woman she is now a widow. Instead, he sends her money as her husband. The letters she sends back tell him about the family and he becomes attached. How will he ever tell her the truth? This is a gritty look at life at the time.
June 22, 2020
If the walls could talk...
New York is graced with many skyscrapers, and this is the story of Giant, a Rockefeller center's builder in the 1930s who had to deal with a colleague's death. The illustrations and dialogue represented the period well enough. Although, I didn't agree with Giant's actions, I'm looking forward to reading tome 2, as the author created a powerful climatic ending.
New York is graced with many skyscrapers, and this is the story of Giant, a Rockefeller center's builder in the 1930s who had to deal with a colleague's death. The illustrations and dialogue represented the period well enough. Although, I didn't agree with Giant's actions, I'm looking forward to reading tome 2, as the author created a powerful climatic ending.
May 13, 2020
4.5 stars
Set in America in the 1930’s, during the time of the Great Depression, the story follows the characters that are building the Rockefeller Centre. As someone who doesn’t know a whole lot about the Great Depression, except the bare minimum, it was a great read to grasp another point of view from the migrants that were on the construction site. Before the story even began, there was an opening prose from Jean-Louis Tripp, a cartoonist, about his meeting with Mikaël and how the story was so important to be brought to live and translated from French. I absolutely loved this introduction to the story, as I helped me with my small Great Depression knowledge.
The story follows the lives of Daniel Shackleton and the Giant, another construction worker on the Rockefeller Centre, nicknamed that for his size. It follows Dan’s beginning of his career at the Rockefeller Centre, whilst following Giant who has to get in contact with a deceased workers family regarding his death and the last payment from the union. However, Giant doesn’t do this, instead he gets himself tied up into a string of lies through communication between Murphy’s widowed wife.
Dan spends majority of the book trying to befriend Giant, but it continuously rebuffed. It isn’t until later in the book, where we see Giant slowly come out of his skin and Dan slowly breaks his walls down. Their friendship, if you could call it that, was something i absolutely loved and truly made the novel for me.
I absolutely adored the illustrations and how detailed they were from the detail on the buildings to the character illustrations themselves. The colour scheme used was incredibly fitting in regards to the time period within New York. The illustrations of Giant were phenomenal, especially as he has very few words spoken throughout the book.
Thank you very much to Papercutz for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Set in America in the 1930’s, during the time of the Great Depression, the story follows the characters that are building the Rockefeller Centre. As someone who doesn’t know a whole lot about the Great Depression, except the bare minimum, it was a great read to grasp another point of view from the migrants that were on the construction site. Before the story even began, there was an opening prose from Jean-Louis Tripp, a cartoonist, about his meeting with Mikaël and how the story was so important to be brought to live and translated from French. I absolutely loved this introduction to the story, as I helped me with my small Great Depression knowledge.
The story follows the lives of Daniel Shackleton and the Giant, another construction worker on the Rockefeller Centre, nicknamed that for his size. It follows Dan’s beginning of his career at the Rockefeller Centre, whilst following Giant who has to get in contact with a deceased workers family regarding his death and the last payment from the union. However, Giant doesn’t do this, instead he gets himself tied up into a string of lies through communication between Murphy’s widowed wife.
Dan spends majority of the book trying to befriend Giant, but it continuously rebuffed. It isn’t until later in the book, where we see Giant slowly come out of his skin and Dan slowly breaks his walls down. Their friendship, if you could call it that, was something i absolutely loved and truly made the novel for me.
I absolutely adored the illustrations and how detailed they were from the detail on the buildings to the character illustrations themselves. The colour scheme used was incredibly fitting in regards to the time period within New York. The illustrations of Giant were phenomenal, especially as he has very few words spoken throughout the book.
Thank you very much to Papercutz for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2021
What a gorgeous, immersive and thrilling tale this is!
The art perfectly replicates multiple ambients across New York during the Great Depression, in glorious dynamic detail, full of life, people, sounds, just about everything. I really appreciate the attention to many details.
Impressive research work!
The narrative is "multi-track" in several scenes, showing the mastery of storytelling of Mikaël, and then, this first volume ends with a great cliffhanger.
This is by far one of the best "time period" stories I've read until today.
I'm looking for the second (and last) volume.
Reviews:
Volume 1: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Volume 2: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Extra:
Check out this quick feature about the iconic photo:
"Lunch Atop A Skyscraper": The Story Behind The 1932 Photo | 100 Photos | TIME Magazine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QCYD...
The art perfectly replicates multiple ambients across New York during the Great Depression, in glorious dynamic detail, full of life, people, sounds, just about everything. I really appreciate the attention to many details.
Impressive research work!
The narrative is "multi-track" in several scenes, showing the mastery of storytelling of Mikaël, and then, this first volume ends with a great cliffhanger.
This is by far one of the best "time period" stories I've read until today.
I'm looking for the second (and last) volume.
Reviews:
Volume 1: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Volume 2: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Extra:
Check out this quick feature about the iconic photo:
"Lunch Atop A Skyscraper": The Story Behind The 1932 Photo | 100 Photos | TIME Magazine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QCYD...
December 28, 2017
Well, the palette of this graphic novel is fabulous - but that's about all it has going for it. The usual racial stereotypes of 20s/30s America, the usual grifters' plot, the usual cliches - it's all here, with horrendous amounts of exposition courtesy of different narrative devices, including, I will charitably assume, dodgy translating. I wouldn't rush to return for the second half - this is not one to stick in my memory.
December 28, 2017
It is 1932 and Irish immigrant Dan Shackleton manages to get a rare job in construction helping to build the new skyscrapers in New York. Among his coworkers are several others from Ireland including a quiet giant of a man who, not surprisingly, is called Giant. Shackleton, loquacious and friendly, tries to make friends with Giant but is repeatedly rebuffed. When another Irish worker falls to his death, Giant is tasked with writing to the dead man’s wife, Mary Ann, to tell her of the sad news. But, despite his size, Giant is at heart a sensitive romantic and cannot bring himself to tell her the truth so he pretends to be her husband, borrowing a neighbour’s typewriter to disguise his writing. He sends her money, tells her of all the amazing sights of New York and how much he misses her and the kids. When she writes back, he continues the deception. Slowly, the correspondence helps Giant to come out of his shell and he begins to interact with his coworkers, especially Dan. The volume ends, however, with something he had not anticipated – Mary Ann is heading to New York with her three children to join her husband.
Giant Vol. 1 by Mikael is a graphic novel based on the iconic picture of workers sitting on the high girders of the skyscrapers rising over the skyline of New York during the Depression. It is a beautifully drawn and inked tale of New York and the men who built it. Although overall, I enjoyed this book, I do have one fairly major criticism. The dialogue bubbles varied based on who was speaking as well as in the letters between Giant and Mary Ann. This was fine for native New Yorkers or for the correspondence. However, the words of the Irish workers tended to be jumbled together, I’m guessing to suggest their accents but this made it difficult to read. As a result, I almost gave up but I’m glad I didn’t. Based on other parts of the story, I was able to at least get the gist if not to actually decipher the words and it did not interfere overly with my enjoyment.
Despite this problem, I found Giant a lovely poignant story with beautifully detailed art that perfectly evoked the era and the men who braved the high girders. Thanks to the marvelous art, I was able to understand and appreciate the story even when I could not read the dialogue.
Thanks to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the opportunity to read this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review
Giant Vol. 1 by Mikael is a graphic novel based on the iconic picture of workers sitting on the high girders of the skyscrapers rising over the skyline of New York during the Depression. It is a beautifully drawn and inked tale of New York and the men who built it. Although overall, I enjoyed this book, I do have one fairly major criticism. The dialogue bubbles varied based on who was speaking as well as in the letters between Giant and Mary Ann. This was fine for native New Yorkers or for the correspondence. However, the words of the Irish workers tended to be jumbled together, I’m guessing to suggest their accents but this made it difficult to read. As a result, I almost gave up but I’m glad I didn’t. Based on other parts of the story, I was able to at least get the gist if not to actually decipher the words and it did not interfere overly with my enjoyment.
Despite this problem, I found Giant a lovely poignant story with beautifully detailed art that perfectly evoked the era and the men who braved the high girders. Thanks to the marvelous art, I was able to understand and appreciate the story even when I could not read the dialogue.
Thanks to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the opportunity to read this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review
February 23, 2018
Wow. All the feels! It kept me on the edge of my seat - and then the cliffhanger ending! I can't wait to get my hands on part 2 to find out how it all shakes out...
Set in NYC during the Depression, this follows Giant, the quiet, huge, mysterious construction worker building Rockefeller Center and a whole cast of characters around him. Inspired by the famous picture of workers lined up eating lunch on a beam over the city, Mikael brilliantly captured the grittiness of 1930s NYC in sepia tones and detailed backgrounds.
I don't want to give away one iota of the plot but I must say it was brilliantly crafted, not at all what I was expecting from the forward!
Set in NYC during the Depression, this follows Giant, the quiet, huge, mysterious construction worker building Rockefeller Center and a whole cast of characters around him. Inspired by the famous picture of workers lined up eating lunch on a beam over the city, Mikael brilliantly captured the grittiness of 1930s NYC in sepia tones and detailed backgrounds.
I don't want to give away one iota of the plot but I must say it was brilliantly crafted, not at all what I was expecting from the forward!
September 5, 2019
J’ai absolument adoré ce roman graphique (les deux tomes).
Je suis impressionné par l’habileté de l’auteur-artiste à présenter le contexte géographique-historique-social par l’entremise des commentaires radiophoniques de Walter Winchel et de présenter le milieu des travailleurs en construction de grattes-ciel dans le NY des années’30 par le biais d’un nouvel employé inexpérimenté qui a tout à apprendre, par l’utilisation du sépias pour représenter l’époque, par la fluidité du récit, par le portait de l’immigration d’entre deux guerres, par la subtilité des analogies avec l’oeuvre de Charlot, par la tendresse cachée et, avant tout, par le réalisme de la proposition.
Je suis impressionné par l’habileté de l’auteur-artiste à présenter le contexte géographique-historique-social par l’entremise des commentaires radiophoniques de Walter Winchel et de présenter le milieu des travailleurs en construction de grattes-ciel dans le NY des années’30 par le biais d’un nouvel employé inexpérimenté qui a tout à apprendre, par l’utilisation du sépias pour représenter l’époque, par la fluidité du récit, par le portait de l’immigration d’entre deux guerres, par la subtilité des analogies avec l’oeuvre de Charlot, par la tendresse cachée et, avant tout, par le réalisme de la proposition.
August 26, 2018
Mikaël raconte avec doigté cette histoire d'un homme, Giant, et de sa correspondance avec la veuve d'un collège accidentellement décédé sur le chantier de travail. Dès la première page nous voilà transporté dans l'univers à la fois dur et plein d'espoir de NYC pendant la grande dépression. Des teintes sépia ancrées dans un noir suie. Des personnages taciturnes et troublants qui bouillounnent à l'intérieur. J'ai cours de ce pas chercher la suite!
January 23, 2018
New York en 1932. A cette époque, beaucoup d’immigrants irlandais se rendent aux États-Unis quittant pays et famille afin de rapporter un peu de nourriture sur la table de cette dernière. Dans le monde de la construction d’immeubles imposants de cette ville, on fait la connaissance de Giant, un homme mystérieux et sans histoire...en apparence!!
February 4, 2018
J'ai tout lu d'un seul coup! Cela m'a paru si court! La ville de New York nous apparaît si clair dans le récit qu'en fait Mikaël, et le personnage principal est bien curieux. J'aime bien ce non-dit, cette quête « mystérieuse » que se donne Giant d'écrire pour une personne qu'elle ne connaît que par ses correspondances. Bref, je lirai le deuxième tome avec plaisir!
June 26, 2018
Superbe bande dessinée au graphisme très intéressant.
L'histoire quant à elle prend place avec finesse... donnant peu à peu beaucoup de profondeur aux personnages, qui deviennent très attachants. La tension monte petit à petit... jusqu'à la fin du premier tome où l'on n'a qu'une envie : vite passer au second tome de ce diptyque et découvrir le dénouement de l'histoire !
L'histoire quant à elle prend place avec finesse... donnant peu à peu beaucoup de profondeur aux personnages, qui deviennent très attachants. La tension monte petit à petit... jusqu'à la fin du premier tome où l'on n'a qu'une envie : vite passer au second tome de ce diptyque et découvrir le dénouement de l'histoire !
July 24, 2018
Lu, ému, touché par ces Irlandais venus refaire leurs vies aux USA, prendre leur part de l'American Dream, qui n'est pas toujours ce que l'on rêve... vie dure sur les chantiers des édifices de l'époque.
June 10, 2019
J'ai bien aimé cette ambiance et ces personnages. L'histoire est très fragmentée et c'est sans doute voulu. Mais j'ai quand même espoir que tout va d'éclaircir dans le tome II, comme le laissent présager les dernières pages.
September 22, 2017
Une fabuleuse histoire avec beaucoup de profondeur et d'humanisme qui se déroule au début du XXe siècle durant la Grande Dépression.
October 8, 2019
Un album plus ambitieux que réussi. Le dessin est beau et évocateur, mais les dialogues sont pleins de clichés en plus d'utiliser un parigot imbuvable par moment.
Read
March 14, 2020Le reflet d'un pan de la vie à NY en 1932. Une belle histoire en deux tomes.
March 17, 2020
C'est une très bonne histoire sur l'immigration aux Etats-Unis, sur les traumas de la guerre, sur la famille.
July 24, 2021
Très bon, bien hâte de lire le 2e tome.
La réalité de New York qui prend forme.
La réalité de New York qui prend forme.
May 18, 2024
Good little story of a giant Irishman in 1930’s NYC who supports another guy’s widow in Ireland. Great artwork.
December 20, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Giant is a beautifully illustrated meditative piece that is very much of the era in which the story is set. The Great Depression in America has begun and New York City is a the new home of immigrants from all over the world. Into this industrialized city a story is woven of the men who worked in construction to build the new skyscrapers. The author and illustrator accurately nailed the dialogue and the feel - even the art is reminiscent of the late deco period. The story is full of pathos and is more of a meditative piece about life and what we lose and gain, what we have and what we left behind.Story: In a bustling and growing New York City, effervescent Irishman Dan Shackleton takes the only job he can find in town - building Rockefeller's newest skyscraper. There he learns the ropes - how to be careful, how to survive, and how to work with the various personalities. The most intriguing to him is Giant - a large man of few words. When Giant is commissioned to send a check and condolences back to Ireland after the death of a coworker (the man Shackleton is replacing), he feels for the unknown woman and her children. He takes the place of the dead husband, writing back to the wife and sending money for the children. As Dan Shackleton watches him do it, he is perplexed at the big man's actions. But as with most ruses, they can only last so long....
The story is mostly told from Giant's perspective. Dan Shackleton is a counterpoint - a small and vocal Irishman against the large and stoic Giant. Giant has few words throughout the story but so much is communicated in the illustration work that dialogue isn't needed. Mood is set through a radio commentator discussing the current American elections and state of the union as well as Shackleton's amused observations. As well, we're given a bit of POV of the widow and her children as she reads letters from her 'husband' back in America.
The illustration work is exemplary - rich, detailed, and nailing all the period details beautifully. Small things like the row apartments, the shanty towns, the gruff disrespect of the bosses who are under time constraints and have to push works to dangerous speed, even the construction tools and methods of the time. It is all remarkably done and I was fully immersed once I started reading the story. It's all colored in monochromatic shades of brown - appropriate really for the gritty city and the period.
The story ends on a cliffhanger that will be continued in the next volume. I eager look forward to seeing where the story will go next. Highly recommended. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
May 25, 2020
Gripping with illustrations that convey the life of immigrants living in New York city. Dan Shackelton finds work on the construction site of the Rockefeller Center. He works next to a giant of a man who is actually called "Giant".
Giant is also an Irish migrant who is running away from the past. When a co-worker dies Giant begins to send the co-worker's widowed wife money and letters. Far away in Ireland Ruth is delighted to recive letters and money from her husband and she begins to make plans to join him in New York, not knowing that her husband is dead.
This is a fascinating story about immigrant life in New York and the challenges and difficulties of leaving the past behind. Giant finds that his actions although well meaning, have consequences but at the same time facing the consequences enable him to confront the pain of his own past. The artwork is good, drawn in dark shades which convey the grittiness and difficulties of immigrant life.
Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Giant is also an Irish migrant who is running away from the past. When a co-worker dies Giant begins to send the co-worker's widowed wife money and letters. Far away in Ireland Ruth is delighted to recive letters and money from her husband and she begins to make plans to join him in New York, not knowing that her husband is dead.
This is a fascinating story about immigrant life in New York and the challenges and difficulties of leaving the past behind. Giant finds that his actions although well meaning, have consequences but at the same time facing the consequences enable him to confront the pain of his own past. The artwork is good, drawn in dark shades which convey the grittiness and difficulties of immigrant life.
Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 5, 2018
I'm in love with the art style of this book, from the coloring to the character design, I was enticed from the moment I saw the cover.
Going deeper than the art, though, Giant tells an intricate and compelling story, against the backdrop of New York City during The Great Depression.
I immensely enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it.
Going deeper than the art, though, Giant tells an intricate and compelling story, against the backdrop of New York City during The Great Depression.
I immensely enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it.
December 20, 2017
Giant is an enjoyable example of history blending with the comic book/graphic novel medium. My electronic copy of this book was sharp, polished, and professionally-done. Likely aimed at more mature readers.
Read
January 30, 2020Gorgeous historical piece, things are going to get worse for the Giant before they get better.
Belle BD historique. La future de le Giant vont inclure plus des temps douleurs avant qu'il améliore.
Belle BD historique. La future de le Giant vont inclure plus des temps douleurs avant qu'il améliore.
February 2, 2018
Huge thank you to Europe Comics for publishing this in English! I learned about this series at the comics festival in Angoulême and it did not disappoint.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews