PopCultHQ received a review copy of GIANT DAYS Library Edition Vol. 2 HC from BOOM! Studios. Available September 19th (bookstores) & September 20th (comic book shops & online retailers), the creators in this hardcover features writing by John Allison (Wicked Things, Steeple), pencils by Max Sarin (Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour), inks by Liz Fleming (Steven Universe), colors by Whitney Cogar, and letters by Jim Campbell.
The GIANT DAYS Library Edition – Volume 2 collects eight more issues of the Eisner Award-winning and Harvey Award-nominated series, as well as an issue of the original webcomic in a deluxe hardcover.
<Editor’s note: preview pages are from ‘Giant Days’ #9, the first five pages of this collected edition. – JB>
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
GIANT DAYS Library Edition Vol. 2 HC
Written by John Allison
Pencils by Max Sarin
Inks by Liz Fleming
Colors by Whitney Cogar
Letters by Jim Campbell
256 pages; hard cover; full color
SRP: $24.99
Bookstore release date: 9/19/23
Comic shop release date: 9/20/23
Collects ‘Giant Days’ #9-16.
Spring is in the air at Sheffield University. The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and close friends Susan, Esther, and Daisy are all surviving their first year of university by the skin of their teeth. By the year’s second half, Susan and McGraw’s fledgling relationship is already on the rocks, and Esther is not dealing well with the pressure of academia, while Daisy is just trying to keep everyone and everything from falling apart. Combined with house-hunting for second year, indie film festivals, and online dating, can the girls make it to the end of summer term?
PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
GIANT DAYS Library Edition Vol. 2 HC
Many of us have, at one time or another, gone through the chaos of education in varying forms. Whether it is grammar school, middle school, high school, or college, these times in our lives bring with them a lot of good and a lot of bad. Friendships, memorable experiences, the joy of life, these are all good. Messy relationships, academic struggles, and trying to find one’s identity in a world gone smash are all bad, or at least not very good. Long-time fans of John Allison’s comic book adventure of three friends traversing the wilds of university in the UK will be thrilled at this delightful HC and notice the outstanding repacking of Susan, Esther, and Daisy’s next round of adventures.
Writing: John Allison’s writing for this HC is wickedly fun. It is also grounded in authentic aspects of life that one encounters when attending university. Whether it is the mayhem of academia, the pangs of lost love, or just getting through the day, John writes with a delightful style that tickles the funny bone and tugs at the heartstrings simultaneously. Something to note with the scripts here is that while some of the scenarios this mad-cap trio of friends get in are a trifle fantastic, things do not escalate into the realm of the impossible. The chances of managing a doomed-to-fail student government campaign or having a childhood friend show up for a two-day debauch could happen to just about anyone. And so to John, I say, bravo, sir, well done.
Art/Colors: Max Sarin and Whitney Cogar do a bang-up job as the artist and colorist for the book. Max’s pencils are clean and sharp, capturing all the tiny details of the world shown to the readers. He carefully ensures that no one is reduced to a mere background presence and that each page of art will capture the reader’s attention every time. Likewise, Whitney knocks it out of the park with the color palette. Her choices enhance Max’s artwork and also perform a similar task of highlighting all the finer points throughout. Everything from the shades of everyone’s clothes to hair, scenery, and even food are distinct, and none are bland. 
Inks: Liz Fleming lays it on thick with lush inks. In all seriousness, the inking for this entire volume is terrific. It highlights the art and colors from Max and Whitney and stands apart. There are two areas where the inks serve a broader purpose beyond just working in tandem with the other visual elements. The first area is that of all the character’s hair. Seriously, people’s hair is standout in this whole book. It doesn’t matter whose hair it is, but Liz’s inking makes everyone’s locks seem downright lush. And the second area is the faces/facial expressions. Even when two figures are just talking, it might be more subtle instead of overt, but the inks make people’s faces pop.
Letters: The lettering by Jim Campbell is fun. Even though this HC covers the next round of life adventures at university, that doesn’t mean the lettering has to be boring. And none of it is; it is quite the opposite. Especially whenever things get wild and weird (like when Susan becomes a “night dweller” or whenever anyone is incredibly sick or feeling blah, Esther partying with Lindsay comes to mind), Jim goes to town on the letters. In previous reviews, I have often talked about how the letterer also serves to help give the characters in any comic a voice. Here, between Jim’s letters and John’s script, everyone has a unique tone to them. McGraw is quieter and reserved, while Esther oozes drama and chaos. If anyone were to start fan-casting an adaptation of this comic, the lettering of Jim Campbell would be the jumping-off point.
Overall Assessment:
Suppose anyone wants to see what it is like to attend university in another country. In that case, Giant Days is a terrific window into how things are overseas. On top of that, readers become close to a cast of characters that all jump right off the printed page and into hearts and minds galore. Everyone on the creative team significantly contributes to this book’s success, and they all do a spectacular job in their respective areas. If you are a newcomer or a long-time BOOM! fan looking for something new to read, this hardcover is for you.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
Publisher – BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios was founded by Ross Richie in 2005 with the singular focus of creating world-class comic book and graphic novel storytelling for all audiences. Through the development of four distinct imprints—BOOM! Studios, BOOM! Box, KaBOOM!, and Archaia—BOOM! has produced award-winning original work, including Lumberjanes, The Woods, Giant Days, Klaus, and Mouse Guard, while also breaking new ground with established licenses such as WWE, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Cartoon Network, and The Jim Henson Company properties. BOOM! will also bring their original series to life through unique first-look relationships with 20th Century Fox for film and with 20th Television for the small screen. Please visit www.boom-studios.com for more information.
