Writer Kieron Gillen has taken us on many adventures, from modern fantasy with Britpop magic to characters in a galaxy far, far away and repurposing Arthurian Legend. This week, Image Comics has released the first volume for Gillen’s We Called Them Giants. As per usual, the writer has brought us into another fantasy world with fantastic results.

Lori wakes up to find her adoptive family has disappeared. When she leaves her house to explore the surrounding neighborhood, she finds that it’s not just her family that has disappeared. Soon, Lori runs into one of her classmates, Annette, and for the next few months, they scavenge for food and try to dodge the Dogs, a local gang who has taken over the town. When something suddenly falls from the sky, Lori follows Annette to investigate, and they find a giant who is less than friendly. What follows are their adventures through this post-apocalyptic land.

Kieron Gillen’s love for fantasy and repurposing and subverting the tropes of the genre continue to amaze me. I enjoy the use of the buddy comedy formula as the characters pushed their way across the recently barren world. It’s refreshing to watch the beginning of the wasteland rather than seeing an already crumbled setting. The mystery surrounding the giants is done well, and once we get the solution, it’s very satisfying.

Stephanie Hans’ art looks great. The soft colors work for a world starting to decay. Clayton Cowles’ lettering complements this mostly quiet story. We Called Them Giants is a great character study on trust in a world that hasn’t proven to be reliable no matter what shape it is in. I’m not a big fantasy fan, but stories like this are what make the genre interesting to me. While sword-and-sorcery tales are great, sometimes, a hockey stick with nails protruding from the blade will do just fine.

Creative Team: Kieron Gillen (writer), Stephanie Hans (artist), Clayton Cowles (letterer), Becca Carey (Designer)
Publisher: Image Comics
Click here to purchase.