A - Z Challenge: G is for Giant and also for Gaiman, Neal

is for

GIANT

       PART I:

        WHAT IS IT?

The official explanation is that a giant is a person or animal who is proportionally larger than others of the same species.  The unofficial explanation is that they are monsters who are as varied in their attitudes and alignments as we are.  Caution must be used, especially if your name is Jack.    

        WHERE DO YOU GET IT?

Once found all over the world but now relegated to Fairy Tales [1], Monster Manuals [2] and New York [3] 

        USING IT IN REAL LIFE:

• Would be useful for a variety of household tasks that would normally require a ladder.
• Would require the building of a specially built living area since you can't just put him out with the cat each night[4]

        USING IT IN WRITING:

• Do you need to show that a particular henchman or, if your writing the good guy, the steadfast companion is different from the others in some way?  Simply double their size and you've got a giant character who is able to aid or hinder your hero as the plot monster requires it.
• Bear in mind that a larger size is going to mean bigger bones which ultimately translates into more mass.  You'll need to take this into consideration before your giant ninja almost kills himself attempting to flit silently from rooftop to rooftop.  It's the old tradeoff between size and speed.
• People tend to think that large of body = slow of mind [5].  Can your giant take advantage of this mindset?  An example of this done particularly well is the episode of Batman Beyond called Betrayal.
  Throughout the episode the giant character pretends to be very much dumber than he really is so that he can have the power while others take the risks of being the "man in charge" [6]

        MIGHT ONE TAKE OVER THE WORLD WITH IT?

 

        PART II:

G

is also for

Gaiman, Neal

Bar none one of THE BEST authors that anyone can read.  Although there was a rumour that he was working on something more historical [7]  his work can usually be found in the fantasy and science fiction genre's.
But he has branched out into Television with Neverwhere, and the movies: Coraline and Stardust.




I would recommend his work to anyone and everyone.  The Sandman Series is one of my major arguments that comics are a legitimate artwork and is very far removed from the Batman comics of the 60's [8]


But my all time favourite book of his has got to be American Gods which follows the adventures of a man named Shadow [9] who gets out of prison and is hired by a person known to all as Mr Wednesday [10] 
Of course it's all to do with power, those who have it want to keep it and those who had it want it back.  
The book attempts to answer an ancient question: What happens to the gods when there are no more believers? [11]

        NOTES:

1. Stories about things that don't exist for the very young.
2. Games about things that don't exist for the young at heart.
3. A mystical place that nobody really believes exists.
4. His fencepost serenades will quickly lose their allure.
5. 
   
6. The reveal of this information shall be covered when I reach the V is for Villianous Monologues post (maybe)
7. This has been confirmed to be false, thank you Internet.
8. Generally I'll be arguing the point and everyone else will be backing away from the crazy man
9. That isn't his real name.  his real name never gets mentioned in the book at all
10. Which isn't his real name either.
11. With any luck I piqued your interest with this question.  Seriously, read the book you'll be glad you did  

The Goodnatured Grey Gull, who carried the Old Owl, and his Crimson Carpet-bag, across the river, because he could not swim.

The Goodnatured Grey Gull,
who carried the Old Owl, and his Crimson Carpet-bag,
across the river, because he could not swim.

5.  Wait, what did he mean slow of mind?