Graphic Novel Friday: Matt Kindt's "3 Story"
Without real world repercussions, superpowers are a fun idea. Flight and invisibility, for example, are generally under the control of their respective users, and hey, if things get too out of control, there's usually a pack of super-friends to act as a safety net. Rarely do readers glimpse what it must be like to wield a power that isn't so "super."
Cue Matt Kindt's 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, due in October from Dark Horse Books. In this original graphic novel, Craig Pressgang experiences an ever-increasing condition that is less of a growth spurt and more of a long, painful stretch. He outgrows his clothes, car, and childhood home until he can no longer even hear normal speech, given how far removed his ears are from human sounds. In a clever dose of reality in an otherwise oft-used superpower, a doctor explains to Craig that because his nerve endings are so long, "There's a delay" in everyday sensations, like a kiss or a pin-prick.
The three women in Craig's life--his mother, wife, and daughter--tell their versions of living with (and without) the Giant Man, as his condition alienates then endears him in the eyes of the general public. At first co-opted as an attention-getter at a protest rally, Craig soon turns his "power" into something a little more lucrative, like shilling cigarettes ("Giant flavor!") and creating original pieces of art by using his handprints. Unlike a superhero, Craig cannot turn "off" his power, and he continues to grow long after the novelty is over, and he and his wife must deal with physical logistics in their relationship and living conditions.
It's a somber tale despite the wealth of cheap-shot opportunities, but Kindt keeps 3 Story from settling too far into woe-is-me fare with his autumnal watercolors and pleasant, easy-going artwork. His characters look almost approachable, and the panels range from measured to wide-open. Near the end, I really took my time with the pages, as the panels grew richer, and the story slows to match Craig's exhaustion.
Kindt is also credited with the design of 3 Story, and it feels very much like a creator-run project. Bits of pop culture litter the narratives via newspaper clippings, ads, childhood drawings, architectural blueprints, and more. The cover of the book features a cut-out window, which, when opened, reveals Craig to be reflecting on exactly the type of mundanity we all take for granted, but it's one the Giant Man can no longer have. These small touches build in the life and packaging of a character too large for even himself.
rca on September 18, 2009 at 06:39 AM
WOW this is simply a great novel.Actually I had few collection of articles regarding the giant man and its really interesting to me.
Thanks for the review.
vga-kabel on September 18, 2009 at 08:25 PM
GREAT strip! i love matt’s artwork and his star wars/star trek observation is dead on. i’ll definitely be picking up 3 Story.