For fans who make an annual pilgrimage back to the Unknown every autumn, Patrick McHale's beloved miniseries Over the Garden Wall remains a cozy, eerie staple of the season. But while the finished show is packed with detail worth revisiting, the creative journey behind it is just as fascinating—and now, a new expanded art book is pulling back the curtain on how Wirt, Greg, and their world almost looked completely different.
Collider is thrilled to exclusively share five pages from Art of Over the Garden Wall: Expanded Edition, a hefty new release from Dark Horse Books that revisits the original 2017 volume with more than 30 additional pages. Written by McHale and Sean Edgar, the 240-page hardcover is set to arrive on February 9, 2027, and includes early character sketches, concept art, and a brand-new interview with Melanie Lynskey, the voice of the perpetually irritated bluebird, Beatrice.
Among the exclusive pages, readers will find early designs for Greg's frog and multiple iterations of Beatrice—including a surprising earlier incarnation as a bee. McHale offers a characteristically practical explanation for the change: "A bee wouldn't be that great for fall weather." It's a small but telling glimpse into the thoughtful decisions that shaped the show's autumnal atmosphere.
In her interview, Lynskey reflects on her first impression of McHale's script, calling it "so beautiful" and unlike anything she'd ever read. "It just had magic in it," she recalls. "It felt like it was written with care and love and like it came from a place of pure artistic expression, and not from someone wanting to get something on TV."
She also shares warm memories of working with Elijah Wood, who voices Wirt, and Collin Dean, who plays Greg. Of Wood, she says, "He brought so much to Wirt. I can't imagine anyone else playing him." And of Dean: "His authenticity really grounds the whole thing and there's a true innocence to him that made that character really special."
More than a decade after its debut, Over the Garden Wall continues to find new viewers, and Lynskey believes its appeal is timeless. "You can't go to whatever streaming service and watch something that's like Over the Garden Wall," she says. "There is only Over the Garden Wall. And the story and characters and the art and music are so timeless and eerie and gorgeous, and I really do think it will continue to be watched and cherished for years to come."
The expanded edition also boasts a new cover by art director Nick Cross and a foreword from Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch. In addition to the cast interviews, the book includes artwork from BOOM! Studios' comics and concept designs for Mondo's collectible figures. The standard hardcover retails for $54.99.
For those eager to dive deeper into the making of this modern classic, the expanded art book is a must-have. And if you're looking for more autumnal entertainment, check out our list of 90s books that prove they're perfect in just 10 pages or the recently announced Halloweentown 5 for more seasonal nostalgia.
