Any fans of the critically acclaimed Cartoon Network animated miniseries Over the Garden Wall will be ecstatic to know that Kaboom! Studios (a subsidiary of BOOM! Studios) has been releasing a series of comic one-shots, miniseries, an ongoing series, and several graphic novels returning the iconic characters of Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice to the spooky forest called "the Unknown." Moving beyond the main trio, the comic and graphic novel spin-offs also dive deeper into Miss Langtree's animal boarding school, the prequel story of the Woodsman's daughter Anna, and the introduction of many new and bewitching characters.
The original series - created by Patrick MacHale (Adventure Time) and starring Elijah Wood, Collin Dean, and Melanie Lynskey voice acting the three main characters - follows half-brothers Wirt and Greg as they become lost in the hauntingly beautiful and spooky Unknown, and must fight for their lives while learning to accept each other. It debuted in 2014 as a ten-episode miniseries and since then it has became a beloved series, moving beyond the concept of a "cult classic" into simply being regarded as an iconic moment in animated history that will continue to impact children's cartoons for years to come. Since it was only ten episodes, and Cartoon Network made the decision to leave it as a miniseries, fans have long been desperate for new Over the Garden Wall content, and the many comic sequels and prequels can appease their desire!
The comics first started with a 2014 oversized one-shot comic Over the Garden Wall - written by series creator Patrick MacHale with art by series writer and artist Jim Campbell - that did so well that a four-issue miniseries was ordered. The miniseries, which featured stories taking place in-between episodes of the TV show, was also done by MacHale and Campbell and has been collected into a volume titled Tome of the Unknown. After the continued success of this comic miniseries an ongoing series, also titled Over the Garden Wall, began, with twenty issues being released from 2016 to 2017, including stories and art by Jim Campbell, Amalia Levari, Cara McGee, Danielle Burgos, and Kiernan Sjursen-Lien. The first full graphic novel, released in 2018 and titled Over the Garden Wall: Distillatoria, follows Wirt and Greg's first adventure upon leaving the "Unknown." Coming from Eisner Award-winning writer Jonathan Case and Campbell, the story goes even further into the Unknown.
While fans will absolutely love seeing the continued adventures of the brothers and Beatrice, some of the most engaging and heart-wrenching stories are the ones in the comic series that feature the Woodsman's daughter Anna leaving home, before getting caught by the terrifying Beast, before the Over the Garden Wall TV show ever begins. Besides the Distillatoria graphic novel Kaboom! has also released several others that feature the main trio of Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice including: Over the Garden Wall: Hollow Town (2018), which follows the trio as they stumble on a town filled with doll-people, Over the Garden Wall: Circus Friends (2019) where the three discover a circus and must contend with the mischievous Ringmaster, and most recently 2020's Over the Garden Wall: The Benevolent Sisters of Charity showing the brothers as they "take refuge in a mysterious woodland hospital."
While one of the most compelling parts of the original TV show was the haunting music and stellar voice cast, the comics and graphic novels successfully grasp the emotional, intense, spooky, and yet altogether silly parts of the show that make it so beloved. Artist Jim Campbell continues to present a gorgeous display of classic Americana spirit throughout the issues while not shying away from the grisaille-inspired backgrounds that make the animated show so unique. If you're craving more Over the Garden Wall content make sure to get your hands on Kaboom! Studios comic adaptations of the acclaimed Cartoon Network miniseries.