Over the Garden Wall: Hollow Town

Over the Garden Wall: Hollow Town #1-5

by Celia Lowenthal, Jorge Monlongo (Illustrator), Pat McHale (Creator)

When Wirt seeks work to replace Greg’s lost shoe, Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice stumble upon the seemingly pleasant Hollow Town inhabited by wooden doll people more sinister than they first appear.

When Greg loses a shoe, Wirt must find a way to replace it, and fast if they want to avoid a repeat of the summer camp splinter incident. Luckily, it’s not long before they stumble upon Hollow Town, a hamlet populated entirely by wooden doll people, where Wirt finds work as a babysitter for the enigmatic Mrs. Clemence. However, the longer they stay in Hollow Town, the more it becomes clear that Hollow Town holds a sinister secret… The Emmy Award-winning series continues further into the Unknown with this brand-new Over the Garden Wall graphic novel. Join writer Celia Lowenthal (Jim Henson’s The Fairies) and artist Jorge Monlongo (Adventure Time Comics) on a new adventure-filled journey with Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Middle Grade, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2019

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINALLY - one of these books gets it right!

This is the first OTGW I've read since volume one that manages to capture the magic of the show.

We have Wirt and Greg together, but each on their own separate quests: Wirt in the endless search for home, and Greg, well . . . he'd like the get a fine suit of clothing for Sir Hopsalot, the bravest knight/frog in the land. (This is indeed the frog formerly known as Sheriff Funderberker. Did I mention Greg has the best imagination?)

The boys, accompanied by the talking bluebird known as Beatrice, hitch a ride, and end up in a drab and creepy village by the name of Hollow Town. Here, the predominant color is gray, and the residents are eerie doll-like creatures made outta wood.



Best of all, the entire tale is told within these pages - no cliffhangers.

And, no splinters!

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I have a fancy-pants friend who needs some fancy pants!"

Over the Garden Wall is one of my favorite cartoon shows. It's morbid and very bizarre. I just love everything about it. I wish they had shows like this when I was a kid.

This graphic novel is a great addition to OTGW. This story follows along the lines of something that would be in the show. A town full of weird dolls brainwashes Wirt to become one of them and things get crazier from there.

Hollow Town was very entertaining and Greg is just the cutest. I'm glad that I added this one to the Library collection.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nearly gave up on Over the Garden Wall comics after being let down by the ongoing series. The stories became stale and almost too juvenile. Then, out of nowhere came Jonathan Case’s Distillatoria, a wonderful standalone comic that captured the quirkiness, creepiness, and warmth of the show perfectly. Three OTGW comics have been announced in its wake, with more to hopefully come. Hollow Town is the first of those books, and it’s decent. It reminds me of the Huskin’ Bee episode where Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice happen upon a creepy town only to become involved in its weird goings-on. The art by Jorge Monlongo (with Kike J. Diaz on colors) is pretty great, appropriately woodsy and adorable - the splash pages are particularly impressive. Writer Celia Lowenthal does a fair job capturing the characters’ voices, though I think some of her large text blocks could’ve been trimmed down, if only to showcase more of the art. My biggest complaint, however, is a spoilery plot point in the fourth issue: When Beatrice and Greg see doll-Wirt, they think he’s still regular Wirt. But when they first see the doll people in issue one, they immediately notice that they are wooden dolls. This struck me as a glaring plot hole.

While not as lovely as the first miniseries or Distillatoria, Hollow Town is a solid read that still has me excited for more OTGW comics. I think the show is a perfect little story and doesn’t need any more episodes. But I’m glad the property has been able to continue in this format if we get occasional gems. This one falls just short of gem territory.

[Iben Frederiksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the world of Over the Garden Wall. The art is different from the show, but very great and true to the original style. A cool and creepy adventure, worth a read.

[Kevin Warman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular. Over the Garden Wall is as creative as they come, with many gems for the reader to marvel in. I loved the escapism that I found in this artwork.

[Nothing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only these three can get into so much trouble looking for a pair of shoes and I admire that honestly

[howie · Rating 4 out of 5]

always fun to pick up an over the garden wall comic. the art style in this is so fluid and dynamic while still feeling true to the original style. im a big fan

[Alexander Lisovsky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Компания главных героев снова возвращается домой через лес, попадает в передрягу и вынуждена искать помощи в городе, населённом странноватыми деревянными куклами, крайне вежливыми и организованными. Что же может пойти не так?

Первый комикс серии, который нам совершенно не понравился. Весь сюжет ясен сразу после завязки, и его запросто можно было бы уместить в один выпуск, но он тянется и тянется на протяжении пяти, а несуразно гигантские диалоги лишь подчёркивают неопытность сценаристки. Бессмысленная перепалка "ты дурак", "нет, ты дурак" вместо двух панелей здесь запросто может продолжаться три страницы. Арт неплохой, но в основном порадовали лишь обложки в конце.

В общем, похоже, пора завязывать с серией (вслед за автором) и подождать, пока Патрик Макхэйл не придумает чего-нибудь новенького (а, желательно, снимет, потому что оригинальный мультсериал всё же был куда лучше, чем все последовавшие за ним комиксы). Прикладываю мини-галерею.

[☮ morgan ☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

spooky

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can never get enough of anything Over the Garden Wall-related, so I pre-ordered Hollow Town a couple of months ago on ebooks. As expected, it was fantastic! I love that the artists aren’t confined to the show’s style, so they can draw the characters in their own way. The art for this one was really cool-I especially enjoyed the big, double-page pieces.

I also really like how this one further explored Wirt’s feelings about being responsible for Greg’s safety, especially in the Unknown. He’s only 14-15, so naturally he feels some frustration and resentment sometimes, but he still loves his little brother and would do anything to protect him.

[Grey Liliy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the television mini-series, I was excited to find out there were continuing adventures in the comics.

This story was an absolute delight start to finish with wonderful art work, the touching (and funny) moments with the main characters, and of course a fun, weird, story in the Unknown.

I loved the citizens of Hollow Town and Wirt feeling appreciated as the responsible one. The brotherly moments were as heartwarming as expected and of course Beatrice makes everything better.

A wonderful comic. A wonderful series. And I look forward to reading more. :D

[Remas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay listen...these 5 stars are probably overrated, but let me remind you that reading is a personal experience. So these 5 stars are for my experience, i always say "this so nostalgic", but i ACTUALLY felt nostalgia while reading this. The same feeling i felt while watching the cartoon after breakfast, i almost smelled the tea with milk (yes, we add milk to the tea in my country)my mom used to make me.
Apart from that, the story is really good, i read it for my younger sister (who never watched the show)and she got scared(she kept asking how would they go back home...)

[Emma (littledollreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story in the Over the Garden Wall universe. It had a great art style that was able to bring the strangeness of the story to life.

This story takes place over several days that Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice spend in Hollow Town. A town populated by overly polite wooden doll people. While in the town Wirt is trying to get enough money to buy Greg a new pair of shoes to replace the one that he lost earlier in the comic all the while Greg continually gets himself into bad graces with the townspeople.

The character dynamics featured in this comic are as great as they are in the show. This comic also gives us a more in-depth look at the relationship between Wirt and Greg that the show only got to dive into briefly.

Overall a great comic that I enjoyed for its creative storyline and overall message.

If you enjoyed the creepy doll town aspect of this book I think you will enjoy:Bizenghast, Volume 1

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

Delightfully spooky. After a series of unfortunate raft troubles, Wirt, Greg, Beatrice, and everyone's favorite frog seek refuge in a quiet town filled with polite inhabitants. However, the longer they stay, the more sinister the town seems. Can they unlock its dark secrets, and if they do, will they make it out again?

A captivating adventure that perfectly captures Greg's whimsy, Wirt's anxiousness, and Beatrice's snark.

Great artwork that, while different from the show, fits the characters and story well. At the back is a Cover Gallery. I absolutely adore Lowenthal's realistic-esque covers for the series. It was cool to see the characters in that art style. And Miguel Mercado's cover art for this volume is amazing.

An engaging adventure that delivers on the humor and creepiness of the Over the Garden Wall universe.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discuss each of the Over the Garden Wall Original Graphic Novels in the latest entry of my book review essays, Harris' Tome Corner, focusing on Halloween-friendly Kid Horror.

This series of stand-alone graphic novels do a good job recapturing the show's ambiance, taking its characters and setting to some new and interesting territory while still retaining the voice and mood. Hollow Town by Celia Lowenthal was a nice, self-contained story for Wirt, Gregg, and Beatrice, written with some interesting insights into the world, along with some creepy doll people and fun diagrams of old fashioned work tools. I really enjoyed Jorge Monlongo’s more subdued interpretation of the setting as well.

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artwork on par and would give it 5 stars. As a OTGW piece, it was dragging and the dialogue/tropes can be repetitive at times. It doesn't work as a standalone because you have to know the context of this story, but as a companion piece to the TV series, it doesn't hold up. We are given the same dynamics of the trio as they are in the school episode, so it doesn't really add much to the story and characters except this time, they're in a cool town populated by wooden dolls (reminiscent of Pottsfield). What made the series so compelling is it felt fresh every episode and more is revealed as we go along, plus the music - it's not as tangible when you're only reading a graphic novel. I am still very grateful I was able to read the companion comics and for that, i gjve it 3.5 stars

[ReadWithKate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is passed during the TV show, before the characters arrive at Adelaide's home.
Wirt's feeling of guilt strikes again. His guilt is a focal point during the show, he tries to lie to himself, to believe that they're lost because of Greg, even though it's his own fault. Here that same guilt shows up: once again, Wirt blames Greg for his mistakes.
Wirt is incredibly anxious, but also eager to please. That makes him a target to the dolls of Hollow town, since he'll comply with all their demans.
Wirt's journey is a foreshadowing of the end of the TV show, where Wirt breaks free from his guilt and accepts his mistakes.

[TrashKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow . I loved this! Over the Garden Wall is such a unique cartoon that I snapped up the graphic novel as soon as I discovered it. And I was not disappointed. I've read other graphic novel additions to this story, but this was such a surprise. The art is ridiculously beautiful and the panelling and page set up as so fun and unique.
The story itself felt so true to the original ideas of the tv show, that it really just felt like a continuation.
If you're a fan of the cartoon, this is a must-read and a super fun addition to Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice.

[Carolina Urquidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

AME

Sabían que existían comics y novelas gráficas de Over the Garden Wall,.pero salieron hace años y son difíciles de obtener. Tuve suerte de encontrar este tomo y no me había dado el tiempo de leerlo. Me fascinó como tiene la misma esencia de la serie, los personajes son fieles a su personalidad y su historia. Además, los dibujos son muy bonitos, con un diseño con ligeras diferencias a los dibujos originales de la serie, y el manejo de color está muy bien pensado. Mi parte favorita son los paneles completos, con composiciones muy bien trabajadas.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Over the Garden Wall cartoon is one of my favorite pieces of media ever so of course I'd check out some of the comics. This little 5 part story is pretty good. The dialogue, general atmosphere, and subtle creepiness all work to make this feel authentically like an episode of the cartoon. It's a filler episode if anything though. It's nice to see more of these characters and this world, but Hollow Town doesn't do much to develop them further than the source material already did.

[Amory Blaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

GORGEOUS art! My standards might be a little off due to the lack of new content while in quarantine, but I've been rationing my library books for the past two months and this was the last graphic novel left. What a beauty! The colors, the characters, the inconsistent paneling! All so dynamic and detailed! The story felt like filler, and a rehash of the themes of the show in general, but the art - especially while book-starved in lockdown - was stellar.

[Kate]

I’m a fan of the Over the Garden Wall limited series from Cartoon Network. The show is weird and dark in a lighthearted way. I realize that’s a contradictory statement, but those who’ve seen the show will understand.

This graphic novel would easily fit in as a story in the limited series. It’s a completely nonsensical deviation from Greg and Wirt trying to get home. I only wish Greg had said, “Ain’t that just the way” at least once.

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An above-average "Over the Garden Wall" comic outing: maybe less revelatory than "Distillatoria" but still a cut above the rest. The slightly choppier visual style works well with the themes and setting, though in early chapters the distinction between people and doll-people isn't ENTIRELY clear. But the mix of folk mysticism and gently surreal horror is always present, and that's what makes OTGW so special.

[Scott Waldie · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far one of the better Over the Garden Wall comic rubs, the autumnal beauty of the setting is in full swing, the story does justice to the brand, on the level of several of the TV episodes, and Jorge Monlongo’s artwork is stunning, even alone it would be worth the price of admission. So happy that this universe gets to continue in one form or another.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep thinking I’ll tire of the Over the Garden Wall comics, but they match the tone of the show so well. Hollow town maybe my favorite storyline, perfectly capturing the shows blend of spooky and cute. Great for anyone who’s finished the television series and wants to spend more time with these characters.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! While the artstyle wasn't my favorite compared to some of the other OTGW books, it still fit nicely with the characters.

The story definitely reminded me of a classic OTGW episode! It could have easily been an added episode in the middle of the show if the creators wanted to.
I'll always wish there were more episode of this show anyway. ;)

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good!! Hollow Town really captured such a specific feeling of horror and creep but was also funny and so fun at the same time?? Even though their wasn't a ton of Autumnal scenes it still feels so routed in that season. I love our main characters and I feel like I can relate and understand their though processes. I now want to read all the other Over the Garden Wall comics!!

[Dylan Zucati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could have been an episode of the TV show.

It's weird and creepy until it gets straight up scary, almost not meant for children at times. I loved the ominous nature of the woods and how close things came to really breaking bad before the boys pulled back from actual, life threatening danger.

A good comic whether you're a fan of the series or not.

[Samantha Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review coming to The Convention Collective soon. As a long time fan of the show, I absolutely loved this addition to the OtGW universe. Equal parts adorable, creepy, heartwarming, and terrifying. If you love the show, don't skip it!

[asmaa☁️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shame, the artwork is beautiful but wasn't successful in conveying character emotions and I'd rather read OTGW by Jonathan Case🤷‍♀️ The characters don't sound like themselves & their expressions weren't drawn right in many parts.