Over the garden wall soulful symphonies

Greg, Wirt, bluebird Beatrice, and Greg’s frog are still on the road within The Unknown, searching for their way home. They stumble upon a quiet town with no citizens in sight, except for theater owner Sophie and her two dramatic sisters Mezz and Altamira. The boys are invited to audition for the theater’s upcoming production, giving them a chance to exercise their musical skills. The boys are having fun creating new musical numbers, but Beatrice discovers something dark and sinister about the sisters and their theater. The bluebird must find a way to convince them that they are in danger before something terrible happens to them all.

For readers who are familiar with the cartoon series, or earlier comic issues, this title contains the familiar fun and dark whimsy the series is known for. Illustrator Rowan MacColl uses dark shadows and linework to bring up the suspicious atmosphere within the story. Two-page panels are used for most musical performances and plot revealing scenes to enhance the exposure of something serious or charming. The mysterious sisters are drawn with a suspicious appearance to them and their flair for the dramatics is shown within their actions and dialogue, allowing the reader to estimate the reason for the towns’ silence. Writer Birdie Willis has taken the unique qualities of the show and uses them to create a story that can fit right into the original story’s universe. Readers and fans will be reminded of the show’s musical interludes, Greg’s carefree behavior, and little nods to earlier adventures. The final reveal of the sisters and their theater takes a dark and scary turn, but the story ends on a high note (no pun intended) and a segue into the group’s next adventure into The Unknown.

This newest adventure of the Over the Garden Wall series will be well liked by young fans and readers in 3rd to 6th grade. It will make a great addition to any public or school library, especially for collections that have earlier issues of the comics and other graphic novel tie-ins to Cartoon Network shows. Not only will devoted readers enjoy it, those who are looking for a comic that delves into dark fantasy or the mystery genre will be intrigued with this newest adventure.

Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies
By Birdie Willis
Art by Rowan MacColl
ISBN: 9781684155569
Kaboom, 2020
Publisher Age Rating: 9 – 12
Series ISBNS and Order

Title Details and Representation
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
Related to…: TV to Comic

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  Gloria

  Children's Librarian, Elmont Memorial Library
  She/Her

  Gloria is a full-time children’s librarian at the Elmont Memorial Library in Long Island, New York where she runs a monthly STEAM program, a graphic novel book club, and storytime for preschoolers. During her free time, she is found reading anything and everything from the classics, to poetry, to the newest best seller. Her other interests include writing, online games, exploring new areas in her home state, and spending time with friends, family, and colleagues. She has also written articles and reviews for the website Cosplay, Comics, and Geek Culture in Libraries and on her personal Goodreads page.

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Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies #1

Writer: Birdie Willis
Artist: Rowan MacColl
Colorist: Dean Stuart
Letterer: Mike Fiorentino
Cover Artist: Keezy Young
Publisher: KaBOOM!

Wirt and Greg really stepped in it this time. BOOM! Studios’ newest foray into Patrick McHale‘s Over the Garden Wall universe takes the brothers, Beatrice, and Greg’s pet frog into a mysterious town filled with stages — but no people. Or so they think. When Greg bursts into song, a young woman named Sophie appears, then reveals that she runs the Fantasma theater with her sisters, Mezz and Altimira. She claims they run successful plays with full audiences, but that’s not all that’s amiss.

Convinced by Sophie’s confidence and in spite of Beatrice’s warnings, Wirt and Greg audition to be in the sisters’ next play, and they’re cast! But “the performance of their lives” might very well be their last, if the super creepy final page is any indication. Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies #1 sets up a unique mystery that plays on specific, but common fears, including stage fright.

It’s pretty wonderful.

Perhaps the best element of this issue is Rowan MacColl‘s art, which increases the tension and suspicion through characters’ facial expressions and body language. It’s clear that Sophie isn’t being honest, but it’s also clear that whatever her sisters are planning, she’s reluctant to play along. Furthermore, Beatrice’s sharp eyes and sharper mind catch small things that Wirt and Greg don’t, and MacColl demonstrates both sides of that miscommunication beautifully.

Likewise, Mike Fiorentino‘s lettering airs on the side of the dramatic, which is appropriate for this particular title. I found Birdie Willis‘ writing in-character, if uneven in some spots, and the incorporation of song into the issue is well done. Combined with the emphasis in the lettering and art, the story is already moving at a steady pace, which is perfect for a five-issue mini-series.

Fans of this short-lived cartoon and its spin-off comic properties will find plenty of enjoyment in Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies, but new readers can also dive in without prior knowledge of the series. That said, this series seems like it might be best consumed in one sitting, so rather than buy each individual issue, my verdict is to wait for the TPB.