Paperback, 184 pages
Published April 18, 2009 by Image Comics.
Barbara Thorson is your new hero: A quick-witted, sharp-tongued fifth grader who isn’t afraid of anything. Why would she be..? After all, she’s the only girl in school who carries a Norse war hammer in her purse and kills giants for a living… At least, that’s what she’ll tell you…but where does the fantasy end and reality begin in the heart of this troubled girl? And what if she’s telling the truth?
Originally published in single magazine form as I kill giants #1-7.
Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. Which, frankly, is a good thing. Really, really well done.
Even knowing what's coming, you're still gonna cry.
A good exploration of a serious topic. The comic follows a young girl who tries to deal with bad things in her life, and ends up partly taking it out on others, and partly creating a fantasy world of her own. The best part of the comic is the gradual reveal of the core of the problems, and some of the characters in it. The latter is also one of the worst parts, as some side characters (especially the bully) is too simple for a story like this, becoming a contrast to the other quite developed characters. The art is good, and I can't imagine reading this story in a different format.
D&D has become such a huge part of my life and I think this book sheds a really interesting light on using fantasy & roleplaying as coping mechanisms for trauma. I really applaud Joe Kelly for writing this novel.
