Within the first dozen pages of the graphic novel, the reader is treated to multiple pages that visually expand on the idea of Maureen and Francine as foils to one another, with the two twins alternating between symmetrical panels, creating excellent and engaging interplay between the characters. One of the tools that Wright relies on repeatedly, and to great effect, is symmetry. Wright clearly approached the layout of each page of this comic with care, and the thoughtfulness that went into the design of every panel is evident. Visually, every page of Twins is a delight. The amount of effort put into finding the right creative team for Twins pays off in a big way for readers, and an integral part of the reason you are about to hear a lot about this book – and considering the popularity of middle grade graphic novels, it is certain poised to make a splash.

The story of Twins concerns a Black family, and during that panel, Johnson noted that he and his editors agreed that it was important to have a co-creator who was Black.Īs Wright elaborated on the topic during the panel, she explained that Maureen and Francine gave her a chance to see herself in comics in a way that she hadn’t before. And just like the eponymous Twins of the graphic novel, their school schedules were identical, too – until middle school, at least. As Johnson explained in the SDCC ’20 Graphix panel, like Maureen and Francine, he himself is a twin, with his identical brother being born five minutes before him. In part, this is likely due to the personal nature of the narrative. Is an administrative error the actual reason their schedules are such that they don’t have any classes together, or is there some other reason for the division? Realistic, complex charactersĪll of the characters in Twins feel so alive that they might walk off the page (at the very least, one gets the sense that their lives continue when you close the book). Historically inseparable, when they arrive at O’Conner Middle School for the first day of school it quickly becomes clear that something is amiss.

In Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright, identical twin sisters Maureen and Francine have just entered sixth grade.

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