Matt Kindt has become rather well known for his sense of design as well as his unique storytelling style (though in my opinion he should be far more well known) and penchant for stories set in the throes of WWII. His masterful works 2 Sisters and Super Spy are collections that every serious fan of noir and espionage should immediately add to their collection if they don't already have them. But the most recent release from Kindt, (and his first from a publisher aside from Top Shelf) 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, has brought the kind of story that will generate a whole lot of buzz. 

On first look the story seems like an outlandish concept of a man who never stopped growing, but there is something far more complex and far more emotionally impactful going on with this story. The story of Craig Pressgang is one of not only the tragic circumstances of his life but also of the kind of relationships he has with the women in his life. Each chapter of the graphic novel is really the story of the women of the different stages of Craig's life. The first his mother, her tragic story of losing her husband in the Second World War, never really getting to know him, never really getting the chance to be a wife before she became a widow ... and a mother. The second chapter the story of the love of Craig's life and her struggle living in the shadow of the the biggest celebrity the world has ever known. The third chapter the story of Craig's daughter, trying to understand her father and grasp the impact he had on the world around him.

This is a really brilliant book. It grasps your heartstrings in such a delicate and subtle way that before you know you know it you find yourself emotionally invested into the plight of the man, before you find yourself feeling the tragedy of the young widow, before you find yourself understanding the struggles of loving a force of nature, before you find yourself grasping for knowledge of the mysterious giant.

I was completely taken by this book, the narrative is well crafted and the art unique. I think that anyone looking for a really great representation of the kind of brilliance and excitement that Kindt brings to the comic form would find this a great entry point. This is one of the best new graphic novels that I have read this year and think that it has a strong chance to be mentioned around Eisner and Harvey time next year.