Over the Garden Wall Vol. 4

Over the Garden Wall (Collection) #4

by Pat McHale (Creator), Kiernan Sjursen-Lien

It’s the hunt for the Hero Frog -- only Wirt and Greg have to find out if he’s actually a Hero...or a Villain. 

It’s the ultimate test of good versus evil as Greg continues his journey to find Jason Funderburker's father, Hero Frog. They might have finally found the right Frog...but there is something about him that just doesn’t seem very nice and Wirt is trapped between chasing a shapeshifter with Sara and helping his brother find out the truth--that Hero Frog is actually a pirate! Join these half-brothers as they experience the fantastical world that is found in the Unkown. 

The Eisner Award-winning series continues with a collection of stories from Over the Garden Wall storyboarder Jim Campbell, Danielle Burgos, Cara McGee (Clarence), and Kiernan Sjursen-Lien. Don’t miss the ongoing adventures based on the Emmy Award-winning show from Cartoon Network.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Adventure, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Childrens

112 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2018

About the author

Patrick 'Pat' McHale is a writer, storyboard artist, animator, and independent filmmaker, best known for being a former writer and creative director on the animated series Adventure Time for Cartoon Network, which he contributed to during its first five seasons. McHale also created the mini-series Over the Garden Wall.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, the overlong epic concludes and almost makes sense of its many threads. Alas, it was all a dream, but that's at least true to the cartoon source.

As with previous volumes, the art starts fine with Jim Campbell and gets progressively worse as it is handed over to lesser talents. At least they have given the art chores on the useless Miss Langtree school story at the end to someone other than George Mager, so it almost looks like it belongs to the same universe now.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hunt for the Hero Frog is finally over, and I didn't hate the Animal School story as much as I usually do, so . . . there's that.

If only, if only there could be another story as good as the one about the Woodsman's Daughter that was in volume one.

[Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hero Frog comics are still fun, but I feel like they really overcomplicated the plot in this one, while one of the real strengths of the show and some of the earlier comics is the simple, almost fairy-tale-esque plot structure.

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I really liked this one a LOT!!!!

[Irene Lázaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

No es mi tomo favorito. Las ilustraciones no me han encantado y las historias tampoco me han parecido memorables.

[Claire Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: I need to stick to my TBR for #2020ReadingRush

Also Me: IT FINALLY CAME IN!!!! I MUST READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!

Now my actual review:

As we come to a close with the Hero Frog story line, I have to say that it was very cute. Although I did feel like when the Hero Frog story line completely took over, we lost the ever present creepiness of the Unknown.

I still absolutely enjoyed it, as I do all of the Over the Garden Wall comics, because I love getting more from the world. And I finally got a Miss Langtree comic that I actually liked. All of the Langtree comics are beautifully illustrated (generally better illustrated than the main storyline), but they also tend to be too cutesy for my taste. This time, I got a comic that was the perfect amount of cuteness.

[Matt Beardmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly just really not a fan of this whole "Hero Frog" plotline. The shapeshifter was very anticlimactic and didn't have any kind of depth at all. Really disappointed. Plus the "they were dreaming" idea is so empty. It works in the show because, well it's not actually a dream. It all happens, confirmed by Greg's frog still having the ringing bell in it's stomach. It takes the "it was all a dream" trope and flips it around. This just literally says it was all a collective lucid dream, and thus muddies the idea of what the Unknown actually is. Do you go there during unconsciousness, whether that be sleeping or being knocked out?

It's still... fine. But it's not something I really recommend, or will end up re-reading in the same way I rewatch the show annually.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finishing up the story of the Hero Frog and pirate and the sugar thieves and yeah. This whole story was very strange and frankly should not have been spread over 4 volumes like this. It felt very stretched out and I was pretty bored for the most part. Maybe kids will find it entertaining? The lettering for the speech bubble was atrocious. Anyway, weird way to end the story.

[Vhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Banda, me equivoqué de tomo, así que ésta reseña fue descartada hasta nuevo aviso.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally thought this was a satisfying conclusion to the hero frog and robber frog plot line, but I agree that it definitely felt drawn out. This would have been a good one-volume story that maybe contained 12 total issues, unlike the 16 that it does.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing addition to an amazing concept and series!

[Ali-pie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the hero frog story has been dragged out for too long now, and there were no especially charming moments that stand out

[raffaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion. Also, Wirt and Sara are so cute. 😍

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frog Pirates and lots of other mayhem!

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Issue #13: Another "Schooltown Follies" story. *sigh* Why? At least it uses Miss Langtree (or "Mrs. Langtree," it switches) as the main character, since she's easier to work with than Random Animal Student Who Can't Talk, but the story is still too slight to care about. 2 stars.

Issue #14: Pretty standard. I like the Big Bad Wolf antagonist in Wirt's story (and the Big Good Wolf for contrast), though the whole story feels a bit too rushed. 3 stars.

Issue #15: Not bad, but at this point it feels like we're stretching this whole plot out and making it too convoluted—especially since, as we lampshade, Greg and Wirt + Sara are basically doing the same thing in their respective stories. I do enjoy Sara providing a nice middle ground to Wirt and Greg's extreme personalities. 3 stars.

Issue #16: We wrap up the story, finally! It's alright. 3 stars.

I think this is the end of Wirt and Greg (and Sara)'s story, and that the last four issues are about other characters and ideas (and hopefully not the Schooltown Follies cast). Overall that plotline was okay, but nowhere near as deep as the show (with Wirt, in particular, having his character development reset).

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This graphic novels features three new stories set in the world of the Over the Garden Wall cartoon series.

Stories included:
• "Hunt for Hero Frog: Greg"
• "Hunt for Hero Frog: Wirt"
• "Three Wise Men"

In "Hunt for Hero Frog: Greg," Greg, accompanied by his crush Sarah, is determined to prove that Hero Frog and Pirate Frog are the same frog.

In "Hunt for Hero Frog: Wirt," Wirt discovers that Hero Frog and Pirate Croaker are the same frog and reunites with Wirt.

In "Three Wise Men," Miss Langtree's school undergoes a surprise inspection.

This volume concludes the story "Hunt for Hero Frog," which began in volume 1.

The cover illustration features the pumpkin people of Pottsfield, who are from my favorite episode in "Over the Garden Wall," but, disappointingly, they do not appear in this volume at all.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

issues 13-16, this was good!! am I ok with the fact that Anna was only present in the first volume even if her storyline was the best one? no. but have I accepted it by now? yes, I sadly have. and this volume was all focused on Greg and Wirt + Sara perfectly concluding the dream arc with the hero frog so I really liked it :)

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Hunt for the Hero Frog - Wirt” and “Hunt for the Hero Frog - Greg.”
- The hunt for the Hero Frog comes to an end and Wirt and Greg wake up. It gets pretty convoluted.

“Three Wise Men”
- back in colorful school-animals land, everyone is enjoying winter break when Miss Langtree gets notice that the school will be inspected.

[Zaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greg and Robber are investigating all the stolen sweets frog the Frog Town. I really enjoy any parts that have Greg but Wirt is too dull.

[Freg♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha encantado como todos una monada de libro y perfecto para cualquier fan de la serie

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of the series so far.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

wasn’t a fan of the hero frog story

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wrapping up the mystery of the pirate and hero frogs. A nice wrap up (it WAS all a dream)!

[Tempy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the least fun of the series so far. Really lacking that magic element from the first volumes and a noticeable decrease in art quality.

[El librero de Angeles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fúe muy bonito volver a encontrarme con los personajes. Sin duda mis tomos favoritos son el 2 y el 4, turbios y con una historia triste detrás.

[David Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

The overly complicated hunt for Hero Frog plot is wrapped up, finally. And like the show, it was all a dream. And another weird tale of Mrs Langtree and the school.

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was my favorite by far🫶🫶💞💞💞

[Miriam Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun.

[Tiffany Lynn Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This conclusion was basically what I was expecting. I think I would have liked it more had the illustrations been better or more consistent.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars