Sometimes you don’t need a big escape; you just want something that feels like the kind of story you used to get lost in as a kid: cozy, a little strange, funny, and somehow sincere without making a fuss about it. That’s the sweet spot writer and illustrator AC Macdonald keeps hitting with the comic series “Twistwood Tales,” which we’ve shared before here on Bored Panda.
What makes this series stick isn’t just the fantasy setting, but the perfect mix of serene forest scenes painted with a soft color palette in some comics, and chaotic or deadpan humor in others. These comics understand that humor works best when it’s rooted in something recognizable.
Scroll down for more “Twistwood Tales” and let us know which ones are your favorites in the comments!
And of course, you can check out all of the Twistwood characters’ adventures on the bytwistwood Instagram page.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
Macdonald’s tone is playful, but there’s always a steady undercurrent of kindness. The punchlines don’t come from being cruel to the characters; they come from letting them be a little messy and human in a world that’s anything but.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
That emotional balance is matched by the visual approach. The art has a storybook clarity to it: clean compositions, expressive gestures, and understimulating colors that make everything feel warm and cozy, even when the joke leans darker or more ironic.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
And while “Twistwood Tales” is often whimsical on the surface, it doesn’t feel weightless.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
Beneath the mischief and magic, familiar themes emerge naturally: self-worth, acceptance, anxiety, and the unconventional ways people attempt to shield themselves from embarrassment or disappointment.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
It’s the kind of writing that can make you laugh first, then seconds later, you realize you’ve been lightly called out.
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
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© Photo: AC Macdonald
