Giant Days

Studios first as a six-issue miniseries and then as a monthly ongoing series. In 2016 Giant Days was nominated for two Eisner Awards and four Harvey Awards. In 2019, it won two Eisner awards, for Best Continuing Series and Best Humor Publication.

• Schedule — Monthly • Limited — Y • Genre — Varsity comedy • Publisher — Boom! Studios • Date — 2011 (webcomic) 2015–2019 (comic book) • Issues — 54 +3 webcomics +4 specials • Writers — John Allison • Artists — John Allison (webcomic, issue 48) Lissa Treiman (issues 1–6) Max Sarin (issues 7–37, 40–47, 49–54) Julia Madrigal (issues 38–39) • Inkers — Liz Fleming (issues 13–35) • Colorists — Whitney Cogar (Boom) • Letterers — Jim Campbell (Boom) • Creators — John Allison

Giant Days is part of the same universe as Allison's previous series Bobbins and Scary Go Round. When Scary Go Round came to an end in 2009, Allison followed it with the series Bad Machinery. However, Bad Machinery – a mystery series about school-aged sleuths – was a departure from Scary Go Round, which had focused on a group of twenty-somethings, and Allison worried that the new series might alienate his audience. In case Bad Machinery failed, Allison began planning a second series based on the character of Esther de Groot from Scary Go Round. Although Bad Machinery ultimately proved to be a success, he produced three short Giant Days stories between chapters of Bad Machinery. These were subsequently printed and sold by Allison.

In 2013, Boom! Studios launched "Boom! Box", an imprint for experimental comics from established artists outside the comics industry. Allison, who was friends with Boom! editor Shannon Watters after catching her when she fell at a convention, saw Boom! Box as a good fit for continuing the Giant Days story and pitched it. The series was initially picked up as a six-issue limited series with pencilling by Disney animator Lissa Treiman (who had previously written a guest comic for Scary Go Round). This was Allison's first time writing a comic but not drawing it. Giant Days was a success, and after the final issue of the miniseries was picked up as an ongoing series, with Max Sarin replacing Treiman (although Treiman remained the cover artist until issue 24). Allison announced the end of the series at issue 55. Later this was clarified as ending at issue #54, with a special over-sized issue As Time Goes By wrapping up the series.

Giant Days is set at the University of Sheffield and has a more realistic, less paranormal atmosphere than Allison's other comics, which take place in the fictional town of Tackleford. The series begins with Scary Go Round character Esther de Groot, a melodramatic goth, moving into her hall of residence and befriending her new neighbours: the cheerful homeschooled Daisy Wooton and the prickly but grounded Susan Ptolemy. The three webcomic storylines focus on Esther, as she is targeted by a gang of private school head girls, breaks up with her school boyfriend, and joins a black metal society. In the comic book series, Susan initially was the viewpoint character although the series remains an ensemble. The series takes place over three years of university, with roughly every six issues corresponding to a single semester—the hardcover "Library Edition" releases of the series are titled based on the semesters, but their contents do not correspond exactly, as they collect the nine semesters across just seven volumes. Special issues are written to slot in at various points in the timeline. Allison stated that the definitive timeline was to "lend structure to it. Because you never see them at university really. They only attend a few classes in the course of 54 issues. In 1,200 pages or whatever, you never really see them doing any serious book learning. The series is about domesticity. In order to move them through the different phases of their domesticity, the dorms in the first year, co-living in the second year, them being split apart in the third year. It was a way to explore three different ways of a college friendship existing."

Esther is tall, slim, pale, and goth. She is an English Literature student who loves black metal. She is proficient in boxing and is often seen falling in and out of love with various young men. Her friends consider her to be a drama queen, but she is also a very loyal and protective friend.

Susan is shorter and more of a tomboy than the other women. She grew up in Northampton, smokes a lot and adopts a tough attitude but is secretly very sensitive. Though she is a medical student, Susan also has a reputation for being very careless and her roommates are constantly trying to get her to clean her filthy room and laptop. At the beginning of the series, she is secretly in love with her childhood friend McGraw, whom she later dates. She is very caring for her friends.

Daisy is biracial and tall with curly/frizzy orangish hair and glasses, studying Archaeology. She is an orphan whose parents disappeared in a plane crash in the Bermuda Triangle while returning from a Doctors Without Borders mission in Haiti, after which she was raised and homeschooled by her British West Indian grandmother, to whom she struggles to come out as a lesbian, but eventually does. Daisy struggles with her sexuality and eventually finds a steady female partner. Her friends see her as an innocent, wide-eyed optimist. She is very sweet and always tries to see the best in people, but has a violent side (especially when drunk).

A fellow student and childhood friend/enemy of Susan's from Northampton who eventually dates her. He is very serious, mature, and an excellent handyman who often helps the girls do odd jobs around their apartment when they move off-campus.

A fellow student who harbours an unrequited crush on Esther. He is also a friend and roommate of McGraw's.

• Issue — Publication date — Pencils — Inks — Cover — Year — Semester • Webcomics • Self-published #1 — 2011 — John Allison (including colors) — First — Autumn • Self-published #2 — 2013 • Self-published #3 — 2013 • Boom! Box • #1 — 18 March 2015 — Lissa Treiman — First — Autumn • #2 — 5 April 2015 • #3 — 13 May 2015 • #4 — 17 June 2015 • #5 — 15 July 2015 • 2016 Holiday Special — 26 October 2016 — "What Would Have Happened If Esther, Daisy, and Susan Hadn't Become Friends (And It Was Christmas)?" Lissa Treiman Set in October to match month of publication. — Lissa Treiman • "How the Fishman Despoiled Christmas" Caanan Grall Colors: Jeremy Lawson — Christmas • #6 — 19 August 2015 — Lissa Treiman • #7 — 21 October 2015 — Max Sarin — Lissa Treiman — Winter • #8 — 18 November 2015 • #9 — 9 December 2015 • BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2015 — 16 December 2015 — "Fridge Raider" John Allison — N/A — Unconfirmed • #10 — 6 January 2016 — Max Sarin — Lissa Treiman — Winter • #11 — 3 February 2016 • #12 — 2 March 2016 • #13 — 6 April 2016 — Max Sarin — Liz Fleming — Easter • #14 — 4 May 2016 — Spring • #15 — 1 June 2016 • #16 — 6 July 2016 • #17 — 3 August 2016 • #18 — 7 September 2016 • #19 — 5 October 2016 — Summer • #20 — 2 November 2016 — Second — Autumn • Self-published #4 — 7 February 2022 — "Snooker Could Be Better" John Allison Originally pitched as a Giant Days/Batman crossover in 2016. Later given a special limited run in October 2023. • BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2016 — 7 December 2016 — "Music Is Important" John Allison — N/A • #21 — 7 December 2016 — Max Sarin — Liz Fleming — Lissa Treiman • #22 — 4 January 2017 • #23 — 1 February 2017 • #24 — 1 March 2017 • 2017 Holiday Special — 22 November 2017 — "Love? Ack, Shelly!" Jenn St-Onge Colors: Sarah Stern • #25 — 5 April 2017 — Max Sarin — Liz Fleming — Max Sarin — Christmas • #26 — 3 May 2017 — Winter • #27 — 7 June 2017 • #28 — 5 July 2017 • #29 — 2 August 2017 • #30 — 6 September 2017 • #31 — 4 October 2017 — Spring • #32 — 1 November 2017 • #33 — 6 December 2017 • #34 — 3 January 2018 • #35 — 7 February 2018 • #36 — 7 March 2018 — Max Sarin • #37 — 4 April 2018 — Summer • #38 — 2 May 2018 — Julia Madrigal — Max Sarin — Third — Autumn • #39 — 6 June 2018 • #40 — 4 July 2018 — Max Sarin • #41 — 1 August 2018 • #42 — 5 September 2018 • #43 — 3 October 2018 • 2018 Holiday Special — 5 December 2018 — "Where Women Glow and Men Plunder" John Allison — Christmas • #44 — 7 November 2018 — Max Sarin — Winter • #45 — 12 December 2018 • #46 — 2 January 2019 • #47 — 6 February 2019 • #48 — 6 March 2019 — John Allison — Max Sarin • #49 — 3 April 2019 — Max Sarin — Easter • #50 — 1 May 2019 — Spring • #51 — 5 June 2019 • #52 — 3 July 2019 • #53 — 7 August 2019 • #54 — 4 September 2019 — Summer • As Time Goes By — 30 October 2019 — Epilogue

• Title — Material collected — Publication date — ISBN • Giant Days – Volume One — * Giant Days #1–4 — 18 November 2015 • Giant Days – Volume Two — * Giant Days #5–8 — 30 March 2016 • Giant Days – Volume Three — * Giant Days #9–12 — 28 September 2016 • Giant Days – Volume Four — * Giant Days #13–16 — 1 March 2017 • Giant Days – Volume Five — * Giant Days #17–20 — 7 June 2017 • Giant Days – Volume Six — * Giant Days #21–24 — 11 October 2017 • Giant Days – Volume Seven — * Giant Days #25–28 — 14 March 2018 • Giant Days: Extra Credit – Volume One — * Giant Days: 2016 Holiday Special * Giant Days: 2017 Holiday Special * "Fridge Raider" (BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2015 short story) * "Music Is Important" (BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2016 short story) * Destroy History (webcomic strips) — 13 June 2018 • Giant Days – Volume Eight — * Giant Days #29–32 — 15 August 2018 • Giant Days: Early Registration — * Giant Days #1–3 (webcomic) — December, 2018 • Giant Days – Volume Nine — * Giant Days #33–36 — 6 February 2019 • Giant Days – Volume Ten — * Giant Days #37–40 — 12 June 2019 • Giant Days – Volume Eleven — * Giant Days #41–44 * Giant Days: 2018 Holiday Special — 25 September 2019 • Giant Days – Volume Twelve — * Giant Days #45–48 — 29 January 2020 • Giant Days – Volume Thirteen — *Giant Days #49–52 — 3 June 2020 • Giant Days – Volume Fourteen — *Giant Days #53–54 *Giant Days: As Time Goes By — 14 October 2020

• Title — Material collected — Publication date — ISBN • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 1 ("Fall Semester, First Year") — * Giant Days #1–8 * Giant Days #1 (webcomic) * "Fridge Raider" (BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2015 short story) — 5 September 2023 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 2 ("Winter Semester, First Year") — * Giant Days #9–16 * Giant Days #2 (webcomic) * "Music Is Important" (BOOM! Box Mix Tape 2016 short story) — 19 September 2023 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 3 ("Spring Semester, First Year") — * Giant Days #17–24 * Giant Days #3 (webcomic) — 17 October 2023 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 4 ("Fall Semester, Second Year") — * Giant Days #25–32 * "What Would Have Happened If Esther, Daisy, and Susan Hadn't Become Friends (And It Was Christmas)?" * "How the Fishman Despoiled Christmas" — 7 November 2023 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 5 ("Spring Semester, Second Year") — * Giant Days #33–40 * "Love? Ack, Shelly!" — 12 December 2023 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 6 ("Fall Semester, Third Year") — * Giant Days #41–48 * "Where Women Glow and Men Plunder" — 9 January 2024 • Giant Days: Library Edition - Volume 7 ("Spring Semester, Third Year") — * Giant Days #49–54 * Giant Days: As Time Goes By * "Destroy History" — 13 February 2024

A prose novel based on the series, also titled Giant Days, and written by Non Pratt, was released in 2018.