Over The Wall

"One of 10 Best Comics and Graphic Novels of the year."--The Onion "Great Graphic Novel for Teens"--Young Adult Library Services Association "Above all of the book's technical virtuosity is a loving eye for charismatic characters who earn their charm--especially the girl and the demon she encounters as she enters the city, whose wary relationship winds up making for a simple, stunning payoff at the end that's as heart-piercing as the greatest moments of Jeff Smith's Bone."--The Onion AV Club "[The heroine's] venture into the city [is] presented by Wartman in lavish inks and detailed haunting, labyrinthine architecture. Wartman's use of silent panels, distance, and scale suggest the overwhelming revelations facing his youthful challenger, and his visual focus on the role of storytelling is often ingeniously presented through stone inscriptions and statuary that expand upon the story. [Over the Wall is] a highly approachable adventure tale that explores the nature of quests and the motivations behind them."--Publisher's Weekly "Middle-school readers will love this strong young woman and her dramatic fantasy-adventure."--Booklist "Like the old fairy tales, the story is dark, but our heroine is plucky and determined. Unlike the old tales, there is no clean sweep of an ending. Over the Wall breaks the mold by reminding us that life is not a fairy tale. Things are still unresolved, still broken, despite our best effort."--Sequential State "I can barely believe this is Peter's first graphic novel. He's arrived on the published page fully formed with exceedingly attractive cartooning skills and the most extraordinary ability to propel his protagonists through a completely credible, solid labyrinthine environment shown from multiple and thrilling camera angles."--Page 45 "Wartman arrives like a bolt-out-of-the-blue into the world of all-ages and young adult comics. It's less a question of 'where has this guy been hiding?' -- Minnesota, apparently -- and more a sense of relief at the arrival of such a talent. [...] Over The Wall is a wool sweater sort of a comic; it envelops and comforts, but also prickles with reality. "--Comics Bulletin "There's more than a little Jeff [Bone] Smith flavor in these proceedings, which means that the DNA of Smith's influences (Carl Barks and Walt Kelly) can also be seen."-High Low Comics "Over the Wall succeeds most in its lavish illustrations of the mythological city. I'm a nut for maps, world building, and architecture, and Over the Wall creates a fully-imagined place that inspires exploration of every panel. It's a great book about friendship and family and coming-of-age, and one that will fit comfortably on any readers shelf next to the Bone and Amulet books."--iFanboy "Over the Wall is a wonderful book. A rescue mission and accidental vision quest set in a pertly realized dark and derelict land. A humble totem to remember what is important... family, friends and sincerity."--Aaron Renier, author of The Unsinkable Walker Bean