In this graphic novel adaptation, Dorothy Gale is swept from her Kansas farm by a cyclone and deposited in the Land of Oz. To return home, she travels the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to petition the Great Wizard. Along the way, she joins forces with a Scarecrow seeking a brain, a Tin Woodman desiring a heart, and a Cowardly Lion in search of courage. Eric Shanower’s script follows L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 text closely, including lesser-known episodes like the encounter with the China Country and the battle against the Kalidahs. Skottie Young provides the visual realization, using exaggerated character proportions and a vibrant palette to distinguish the distinct territories of the Munchkins, Winkies, and Quadlings.
Readers interested in the evolution of American fairytales use this volume to reconnect with the specific details of the source material that were omitted from cinematic versions. It serves enthusiasts of sequential art who appreciate how distinct illustrative styles can recontextualize familiar literary characters. Those who finish the book obtain a clear visual map of Baum’s geography and an understanding of how the original narrative balances whimsical discovery with a darker, more precarious sense of physical danger.
Practical, outward-looking, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2009
- Language
- EN
