Tiny Giants

by Nate Powell (Illustrator), Sam Kieth (Introduction)

Only 23, Nate Powell has for years self-published his comics, including the popular Walkie Talkie series. Using a bold, stark graphic style and storylines that recall the moody world of a David Lynch movie, he fills traditional comic strip panels with outre characters and inexplicable happenings. Spanning 1998 to 2002, the stories in Tiny Giants are about awkward silences and miscommunication, growing up in the Midwest, and fighting to hold onto the sweetness of life by any means possible. These “true stories that never happened” build on vignettes into an otherworldly narrative of disturbing intensity in this debut collection of work from this talented underground comic artist.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Short Stories

150 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Nathan Lee Powell is an American cartoonist and musician.
Born in 1978 in Little Rock, Arkansas, Nate spent his childhood in different parts of the country, as his family moved around following his father's duties as an Air Force officer.
Powell became active in the punk rock scene since his teen age. He ended up performing in several bands over the years, and even owing a DIY punk record label. At the same time, he developed an interest in visual arts and majored in Cartooning at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York.
For about ten years Powell worked as a care giver for adult with developmental disabilities, while also drawing comic books. His major break came with the graphic novel Swallow Me Whole, which won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut and Outstanding Artist in 2008, as well as the Eisner Award for Best Original Graphic Novel in 2009. Between 2013 and 2016 Nate Powell released what remains his most famous work, the three volumes of March, a comic biography of civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis.

Reviews

[Sloth Slaughter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nate Powell is a beautiful artist, but his stories leave much to be desired in the comprehension department. As in, what the fuck is going on? But really, that hardly matters, because seriously, these drawings are breath taking.

[Tayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful imagery but at times I was left confused as to what was going on.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite comic book collections. Nate's illustrations are incredibly original and cool, and his stories are equally impressive. Buy it, twice. Nate is also a really amazing person. I met him a few years back when his band, Soophie Nun Squad, played an amazing show, and he's an incredibly nice person.

[Rishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

not only is this a good alternative graphic novel, with a storyline that builds good characters and talks about serious and surreal thinks and has nothing to do with superhero junk, the art is amazing. nate powell uses thick black like nobody else.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

stories, eh... you love motorhead, your friend apparently found a job and shows up at your house in a suit, therefore you are jerk to friend, because... but I do wish I could draw like this misguided young fellow.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this graphic novel, the short stories created a flow that was like visual poetry and struck all the feels many of us know or can relate to in our own lives and experiences. His use of darkness in his illustrations creates a nice void for the mind to fill the gaps and silence.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

More comics from Nate Powell. Great stuff.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

can't rate it because i have not read it yet

[Sarah Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply stunning.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just breathtaking. There were pages I didn't want to turn past, they were so good.

[Ashley H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I can appreciate it, the disjointed narrative just isn't for me.

[Nadia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seemed a lot better when I was a moody 20 year old but I'll still take it over like 99.9999% of other personal comics. I just wish my library would stock his other books.

[jack]

great!

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just didn't get this one.