Tom Gauld’s debut graphic novel retelling of a classic myth, now in paperback
Since the 2011 release of Goliath, Tom Gauld has solidified himself as one of the world’s most revered and critically-acclaimed cartoonists working today. From his weekly strips in
The Guardian
and
New Scientist
, to his lauded graphic novels
You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack
Mooncop
, Gauld’s fascination with the intersection between history, literary criticism, and pop culture has become the crux of his work.
Now in paperback, with a new cover and smaller size,
Goliath
is a retelling of the classic myth, this time from Goliath’s side of the Valley of Elah. Goliath of Gath isn’t much of a fighter. He would pick admin work over patrolling in a heartbeat, to say nothing of his distaste for engaging in combat. Nonetheless, at the behest of the king, he finds himself issuing a twice-daily challenge to the Israelites: “Choose a man. Let him come to me that we may fight.”
Quiet moments in Goliath’s life as an isolated soldier are accentuated by Gauld’s trademark drawing style: minimalist scenery, geometric humans, and densely crosshatched detail. Simultaneously tragic and bleakly funny,
displays a sensitive wit and a bold line—a traditional narrative reworked, remade, and revolutionized into a classic tale of Gauld’s very own.