Review Time: Ozma of Oz (Graphic Novel Adaptation)

Graphic novel adaptations of classic books seem to be very vogue right now, I've reviewed three of them this week alone. This latest is L. Frank Baum's beloved Ozma of Oz, adapted by Eric Shanower and illustrated by Skottie Young.

Ozma is the third book in the Oz series and the second one to feature Dorothy. In this one, Dorothy gets blown over the side of a ship in a terrible storm and washes up on the shores of Ev with Billina, a yellow Hen. Billina and Dorothy set off through Ev, which is separated from Oz by a deadly desert, meeting a mechanical man named Tik Tok and the Princess Langwidere, who has twenty-six interchangeable heads. Ozma, the new princess of Oz, shows up shortly after that, accompanied by Dorothy's old friends, Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, along with several new friends such as the Hungry Tiger and Ozma's army (twenty-six officers and one private). Together with friends old and new, Dorothy sets out to rescue the true Queen of Ev and her ten children, who were all sold into slavery to the Nome King by the evil King Evoldo, who then drowned himself in the sea. Hijinks ensue.

It's kind of a convoluted story and it's very difficult to summarize; I'm sure I'm leaving bits out and confusing details but that's the general gist. All good fairy stories ramble a bit, just look at Alice in Wonderland. That one's a bundle of confusion dipped in crazysauce and seasoned with a health dash of Huh? but it's great fun. Ozma is the same. You don't question it, you just hang on and try to enjoy the ride.

Ozma transitions very well to this format. In particular, Skottie Young's style was absolutely perfect for this adaptation. His drawings are a bit Tim Burton-esque, with sharp angles, trailing swirls, and exaggerated expressions but that was the perfect compliment to the kooky, fantastical story. Just take a look at some of the alternate covers. They're awesome, right?

There's also a lot of action and a lot of really interesting characters that translate well to the illustrated page, making for a very exciting read. Rather than a lot of talking heads, which you get in many classic adaptations (cough, Emma, ahem), the characters are dashing past giant robots and fighting armies of nome people armed only with chicken eggs. It's great fun that will appeal both to young readers and older readers nostalgic for the stories they loved as kids.

Final Grade: A-