One of my favorite things in comics over the last few years has been the adaptations of the work of L Frank Baum from Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. As a completely anal fan of the original works I’m someone, skeptical whenever a new adaptation comics along. I loathed the movie, I wanted to punch the Wiz, and really the idea of ruby red slippers throws me into a blinding rage the likes of which you have never seen. Ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but in reality the only adaptations I’ve ever truly enjoyed have been the previous Marvel books from these 2. I’m happy to say with the release of the first issue of Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz that this hasn’t changed a bit.
Normally when I write a review I’ll spend a whole lot of time on the story and the writing. In this case though I have to start with what really makes the book work. The art from Skottie Young. This is everything I love about comics, it’s kinetic, energetic, and fun. It’s impossible for me not to put a huge grin on my face as I look at Eureka the cat’s facial expressions and the emotion that is clearly conveyed from every character. It feels alive and continues to be the best work of his career. The designs feel like they were torn straight from my imagination and thrown straight onto the page. I love everything about what he’s done with the series thus far. The coloring from Jean-Francois Beaulieu adds even more to the book giving it a storybook vibe that feels like a book I would read as a kid. It brings me back, it makes me happy, and I’m in a place where I reember the feeling I got as a kid when I would sit and read for days on end.
One of the things the art really does for me is this, it makes me really like Dorothy who up until this point was my least favorite character from the original works. I don’t know why, but I never really found Dorothy that interesting. I think it might be the fact that up until now whenever I saw her I only ever saw the version from the film. Now the picture in my head is a vivacious and strong young girl with a great sense of adventure that loves life. That’s the thing, this book hasn’t just been an enjoyable adaptation, in the case of one character, it’s actually made my views on the original works far more positive than they already were.
I guess I should talk about the rest of it now too shouldn’t I. Eric Shanower does a fantastic job of making the books feel like they should. I’m given the same feeling I had when I read the original works. The characters are spot on the stories are what I remember and I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
There is a joy here from everyone working on this book. You can see in the work itself how much fun and joy the people making this book are feeling while they make it. It’s alive and it shouts out that they are all having fun and honestly, I hope it never ends. Buy this book, if you haven’t bought the previous series’ yet, buy those books. You and any children you might have will be more than happy with what you will be presented with.
