Everyone loves a good adventure story. Those long, winding road, coming-of-age sort of tales where a good-natured, if naïve, hero must overcome odds and dastardly adversaries in order to complete some virtuous endeavour.
In a way, it’s the fantastical, exaggerated story of our lives, and, maybe, that’s why we love them so. And perhaps a somewhat cartoonified version of the hero’s journey makes the adventure eve more appealing to each of us in that the story immediately becomes more accessible – and known – to everyone.
We can easily be reminded of some of the great pop culture adventure story references of yesteryear, specifically Jim Henson’s beloved films, Labryrinth and The Dark Crystal or his television series Fraggle Rock. There’s also the film The Neverending Story, based on the novel of the same name. In comics there’s the highly praised Bone series by the award-winning cartoonist Jeff Smith.
These are all high watermark touch stones in pop culture history. They are also cherished stories, viewed and read by us, as we’ve all grown up.
Today sees the release of a wonderful new adventure story with Twig #1.
Twig is a brand new five-issue monthly miniseries from fan favourite and award winning Skottie Young (I Hate Fairyland, Middlewest) with lavishly wonderful illustrative work from Kyle Strahm (Spread, Unearth). It’s the story of Twig, a fantastical and all-kinds-of-cute cross between a buck-toothed toad and a hairy blue chipmunk, on the first day of his new job as a journeyer. Of course, he’s also a hesitant hero out to save his wonderous world.
Twig is an absolutely spellbinding story of good and evil, friendship and foes, and the learnings one has, both in self-discovery and in their knowledge of the larger world, when on the hero’s journey.
If you’re a lover of the stories of Henson or Smith, you’ll love this story, too. So go on your own journey and make the run to your local comic book shop today and pick up Twig #1!
