As an avid fantasy reader, the new graphic novel Twig caught my attention at once. Written by Eisner Award-winner Scottie Young, and illustrated by Kyle Strahm with coloring by Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Twig is a delightful adventure romp set in a vibrant and enchanting world reminiscent of something like The Wizard of Oz or The Dark Crystal.
Twig is an exceptional graphic novel, not least for its endearing characters and profoundly moving storyline. This book has a surprising thematic richness with important moral lessons about vocation that will stand out in bold relief for Christian readers. Here are just a few that I found.
Our vocations are not about recognition
Twig (the eponymous protagonist) is a being known as a Placeling. His purpose in life is to make sure things are in their proper place: “A Placeling’s job is to place an item for a Chosen to find and then they save the worlds from great evil! Sort of a hero behind the hero kind of deal.”
In the cosmic drama of Salvation History, Christ is the ultimate protagonist — the “Chosen,” as it were. As Christians, our vocations are similar to that of the Placeling. We are called to use our God-given talents in cooperation with Christ and his saving work.
We must faithfully fulfill our vocations without any guarantee of worldly acclaim or honors. Many of the saints were unremarkable in the eyes of the wider culture. But their devoted prayer, penance, and humble service in the background would ultimately bear fruit that would transform the world!
Our vocations are not always what we expect
Twig never expected to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was a renowned Placeling. Twig’s has a talent and passion for cooking. But when his father died unexpectedly without leaving a successor, Twig felt duty-bound to put aside his dreams of becoming a great chef to continue his father’s important world-saving work.
There is a lot of emphasis these days on perfectly planning out our lives: going to the right school, picking the right major, getting the right job, being successful. But God’s plans often don’t conform to our plans. Vocation is about self-gift; freely choosing to align our wills with the ultimate good — the will of God — regardless of our own ideas and priorities. When our cherished childhood dreams don’t come to fruition, we can be tempted to feel depressed or embittered. But God may fulfill these deep desires in other unexpected ways.
Our talents and interests come from God, and God never lets anything he has put into our hearts go to waste. Even though Twig did not become a world famous chef, he’s still able to use his cooking skills to craft delicious dishes out of simple ingredients that bring joy to his friends.
Our vocations are never accomplished alone
Twig could never have achieved his purpose as a Placeling without the help of devoted friends and allies. Twig is almost never without Splat, his trusty sluglike companion. Splat acts almost like Twig’s guardian angel, constantly encouraging him and lending a helping hand (er… tentacle?)
The little Placeling always finds aid where and when he least expects it. As part of his quest, Twig thought he would have to kill Lobee, the last Horned Beast, in order to obtain his “heart.” But Twig soon learns that earning the heart of a true friend does not require such dire methods
As Christians, we are never truly alone. Not only do we have the constant presence of our guardian angels to bring us aid and comfort, but we are also connected to the whole Church on earth and to the communion of saints in heaven through prayer. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our vocations can teach us perseverance
We will always experience obstacles, frustrations, and temptations in this life. We will sometimes make mistakes. Things go wrong for Twig from the very beginning of his quest! He oversleeps on the day he has to set out. In his haste and eagerness, Twig damages the gem that he must place for the Chosen. Without that gem, all the worlds are doomed!
Setback piles upon setback, difficulty upon difficulty. At first, Twig refuses to accept defeat: “I messed this thing up from the start and maybe I’ll fail. That means there’s no harm in trying.” But in a moment of deadly peril, Lobee the Horned Beast seemingly sacrifices himself to save Twig. At this point, the Placeling is ready to give up: “Lobee is dead! The heart of the last horned beast is gone and the stone can’t be mended… It’s over. All of it! There will be no Placing because I failed! …Just like I knew I would.”
But Splat will not give in to despair and continues to push on in spite of it all: “That’s the least I can do, or else Lobee sacrificed himself for nothing. Maybe you’re okay with that but I’m not. So while you wallow in self-pity, crying about how you’ve failed, I’m going to keep moving forward.” Encouraged by his friend, Twig picks himself up and continues the quest to its dramatic conclusion.
When things look darkest, remember that in the Resurrection of Christ, there is no cause for final despair. No matter what your past mistakes or sins, you are not a failure. You are a Christian, a child of God redeemed by Christ. You have been entrusted with a special mission, which may not become fully clear to you until the next life. So keep striving!
Twig: a fantasy adventure for all ages!
I fully expected Twig to be a rollicking and colorful fantasy adventure, but it’s so much more than that. As we’ve seen, it’s a timeless story with important themes of hope and friendship and determination that can inspire readers of all ages. Twig is a bright and beautiful gem in the often dim landscape of contemporary comics. The world needs more books like it.
Thomas J. Salerno
Thomas Salerno is a Catholic author, freelance writer, and podcaster born and raised on Long Island, New York. Among his many passions are dinosaurs, Tolkien's Middle-earth, Star Wars, and superheroes. His writing has been featured in numerous publications including Word on Fire, Aleteia, Amendo, Busted Halo, Catholic World Report, Empty Tomb Project, and Missio Dei. Thomas is the creator and host of the Perilous Realms Podcast and is a contributor to the StarQuest Production Network (SQPN), where he serves as co-host on the Secrets of Movies and TV Shows and the Secrets of Middle-Earth podcasts. Thomas has a bachelor of arts in anthropology from Stony Brook University. You can follow his work on his Substack newsletter thomasjsalerno.substack.com or @Salerno_Thomas on Twitter.