Comic Review: Over the Garden Wall #1

By Svetlana Fedotov

Cartoon Network has always been known for innovative, fun, and fantastical cartoons that stay true to the epithet “all-ages.” From front-runners Adventure Time and Steven Universe, to the low-flying magical realism of Regular Show, they have been steadily pumping out cartoons that both adults and children can watch together. In the week of November 3-7 2014, viewers sat glued to their television sets as a new mini-series swept the network titled Over the Garden Wall. A dark fairy tale type work, it stayed true to its mini run by only having ten, fifteen minute episodes, but its impact lasted far longer than anticipated. Thanks to BOOM! Studios imprint, KaBoom, we can once again hop back in to the adventure that was started last fall.

The comic is set between episodes three and four of the original show and once again features our heroic leads, brothers Writ and Greg. Writ is smart, cautious, and a tad bit anxious while Greg, who wears a pot on his head and carries a frog, is as wild as he is spontaneous. In the show, Greg and Writ get lost in a forest called the Unknown and attempt to make their way home in the company of a bluebird named Beatrice. The comic picks up on their adventures, following after the third episode where the pair find themselves coming across a couple of strange little girls who just can’t seem to get their chores done. Threatening to tell their father (who shakes the house every time he yells), Writ is forced to do the chores himself but with unclear instructions, he just keeps getting everyone further into trouble.

I admit, the premise doesn’t sound like something that would fit into a horror website, but the overall concept of the show is perfectly tailored to the weird kid in all of us. The television series is absolutely dripping with that dark Grimms brother vibe that can only happen when a couple of oddball shaped children get lost in the woods. The creatures they come across are just as fantastical as they are, such as giant walking pumpkins that have barn dances at night and blood thirsty Aunties with a taste for blood, and even teaches little lessons, much like the fairy tales they are. Thanks to the limited run, the production was top notch as well, bringing big screen magic into small screen existence. By not having to stretch their budgets over an uncertain amount of time, the creative team was allowed to sink their money into a beautifully colored, smoothly animated work that pulled out all the stops. This show is a must-watch for not only animation fans, but fans of good stories.

So how does all this translate into comic form? Obviously, there is a bit of a setback going from an animated medium to a static one such as comics, but KaBoom does what it can bringing the work to paper. Luckily, unlike Adventure Time, OtGW doesn’t rely on wacky body movements to bring its animation to life, which makes the adaption much easier visually. The artist/writer team Pat McHale and Jim Campbell do a great job of capturing the original vibe of the show, bringing over the subtle color pallet and the round-headed weirdos that roam the forest. The story is fun and quirky and fits perfectly into the OtGW universe. I do recommend watching the show first, at least until episode three to catch up on who the boys are and where they’re going, but trust me, it’s worth the watch and the read.

Over the Garden Wall #1 is out now!