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Oz Continued #Comic
Adventures in Oz Signed & Numbered HC
In the marvelous Land of Oz, magic is always around the next corner. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and their many Oz friends can't stop plunging into one adventure after another. Come journey over the rainbow to help save Oz from the Wicked Witch of the South, to ride an enchanted whirlpool that leads to a hidden island, to explore the spooky Great Gray Gillikin Swamp, to prevent a war between dragons and wood-nymphs, and to soar in an emerald unicorn to the frozen land of the mysterious Ice King.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
January 3, 2024
Are you a fan of "The Wizard of Oz"? Do you appreciate beautiful artwork? Then you will enjoy this HC collection of Eric Shanower's ode to that famous book.
Originally written over the period of 1986 through 1992, this HC collects all of the stories. Each story is set in the Land of Oz and features your favorite characters and some new ones. Collecting the stories: " The Enchanted Apples of Oz (1986)", " The Secret Island of Oz (1986)", " The Ice King of Oz (1987)", "The Forgotten Forest of Oz (1988)", and " The Blue Witch of Oz (1992)".
While the stories are enjoyable for Oz fans and keep faithful to the original characters, its gorgeous artwork makes this a stand-out volume. Each page is a visual treat and the large panels are breathtaking. A very visually impressive effort.
Thus the wonderful setting, the faithfulness to the source material, and the gorgeous artwork make this a very cool addition to my collection.
Originally written over the period of 1986 through 1992, this HC collects all of the stories. Each story is set in the Land of Oz and features your favorite characters and some new ones. Collecting the stories: " The Enchanted Apples of Oz (1986)", " The Secret Island of Oz (1986)", " The Ice King of Oz (1987)", "The Forgotten Forest of Oz (1988)", and " The Blue Witch of Oz (1992)".
While the stories are enjoyable for Oz fans and keep faithful to the original characters, its gorgeous artwork makes this a stand-out volume. Each page is a visual treat and the large panels are breathtaking. A very visually impressive effort.
Thus the wonderful setting, the faithfulness to the source material, and the gorgeous artwork make this a very cool addition to my collection.
April 21, 2012
Eric Shanower is the best contemporary narrator of Oz and a worthy heir to authorship in the body of works started and defined by L. Frank Baum and John R. Neil. In this 1993 series of graphic novels now back in print in a single volume Shanower is at his best! Others have done Oz comics with more edge and in a more contemporary style, but none have been truer to the spirit of Oz. His color illustrations bring the land and its characters to life as no other illustrator has ever done.
The Enchanted Apples of Oz introduces the Ozophile to four new enchanting inhabitants of this magical land who are truly memorable: Valynn (the Guardian of the Enchanted Apples), Bortag (the love-struck but inept Magician), Drox (Bortag's friend the flying swordfish), and the Evil Witch of the South. How these four interact with other well-known inhabitants of Oz makes for an enchanting story.
The Secret Island of Oz is an outstanding story in the classic Oz style with Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow going on an adventure. Along the way they meet Knot Boy, a living doll made of wood, and Princess Trinkarinkarina, who feels she has outgrown her childhood friend/toy. Of course there is excitement and danger as they explore under, over and through the Secret Island of Oz.
In The Ice King of Oz Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman set off on an epic adventure to the Antarctic kingdom of the Ice King. Their new friend Flicker, a human candle, saves the day and almost loses his life in the process.
In The Forgotten Forest of Oz Eric Shanower tells us the story of Nelanthe, one of the wood-nymphs of the Forest of Burzee. Burzee with its wood-nymphs is one of the most magical places ever imagined by L. Frank Baum. And Eric Shanower exceeds all his other work to bring this forest to us in all its primordial majesty. His artwork also breathes life into the underground kingdom of the trolls as the trolls and the wood-nymphs go into battle over Nelanthe. When Dorothy and the Scarecrow are drawn into the drama, they help save the day with the help of the Wooden Sawhorse. Oz doesn't get any better than this!
The Blue Witch of Oz tells the story of Abatha, the Good Witch of the East. Dorothy and the Scarecrow set off to break the enchantment that has kept Abatha imprisoned in the Great Gray Gilliken Swamp for countless years. Abatha's story and Dorothy's adventures finding her make great reading. Eric Shanower's drawings, as they are throughout this series, are superb. Eric Shanower brought Oz to life in a daring new way with this series. If you have ever loved Oz, this book is for you.
The Enchanted Apples of Oz introduces the Ozophile to four new enchanting inhabitants of this magical land who are truly memorable: Valynn (the Guardian of the Enchanted Apples), Bortag (the love-struck but inept Magician), Drox (Bortag's friend the flying swordfish), and the Evil Witch of the South. How these four interact with other well-known inhabitants of Oz makes for an enchanting story.
The Secret Island of Oz is an outstanding story in the classic Oz style with Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow going on an adventure. Along the way they meet Knot Boy, a living doll made of wood, and Princess Trinkarinkarina, who feels she has outgrown her childhood friend/toy. Of course there is excitement and danger as they explore under, over and through the Secret Island of Oz.
In The Ice King of Oz Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman set off on an epic adventure to the Antarctic kingdom of the Ice King. Their new friend Flicker, a human candle, saves the day and almost loses his life in the process.
In The Forgotten Forest of Oz Eric Shanower tells us the story of Nelanthe, one of the wood-nymphs of the Forest of Burzee. Burzee with its wood-nymphs is one of the most magical places ever imagined by L. Frank Baum. And Eric Shanower exceeds all his other work to bring this forest to us in all its primordial majesty. His artwork also breathes life into the underground kingdom of the trolls as the trolls and the wood-nymphs go into battle over Nelanthe. When Dorothy and the Scarecrow are drawn into the drama, they help save the day with the help of the Wooden Sawhorse. Oz doesn't get any better than this!
The Blue Witch of Oz tells the story of Abatha, the Good Witch of the East. Dorothy and the Scarecrow set off to break the enchantment that has kept Abatha imprisoned in the Great Gray Gilliken Swamp for countless years. Abatha's story and Dorothy's adventures finding her make great reading. Eric Shanower's drawings, as they are throughout this series, are superb. Eric Shanower brought Oz to life in a daring new way with this series. If you have ever loved Oz, this book is for you.
June 12, 2015
Perfection! This was amazing, I need to run out and buy this so I can revisit it often. Eric Shanower does a fantastic job of capturing the heart and soul of the Land of Oz in these original tales, The Enchanted Apples of Oz and The Ice King of Oz. I absolutely adore his original character Flicker, a candle maker transformed into a candle man.
His recreation of classic characters is spot on and the whimsy and magic he conjures would make L. Frank Baum proud.
As an added bonus this also included an issue of a DC comic that was cancelled and never completed entitled "General JinJur of Oz". Encase you don't know JinJur is kind of like the Xena of Oz AKA the original HBIC
There is also a brief illustrated history of Oz which is wonderfully done, and a bunch of sketches, covers, and concept art.
The artwork is gorgeous and brings Oz to life. I can't say enough about this beautiful, charming book!
His recreation of classic characters is spot on and the whimsy and magic he conjures would make L. Frank Baum proud.
As an added bonus this also included an issue of a DC comic that was cancelled and never completed entitled "General JinJur of Oz". Encase you don't know JinJur is kind of like the Xena of Oz AKA the original HBIC
There is also a brief illustrated history of Oz which is wonderfully done, and a bunch of sketches, covers, and concept art.
The artwork is gorgeous and brings Oz to life. I can't say enough about this beautiful, charming book!
July 1, 2016
Rating: 5
There is something about the stories from Oz that are ageless. I loved these 5 stories and the pictures that were included with them. The art was beautifully done and it left me wanting another graphic novel from Eric Shanower.
There is something about the stories from Oz that are ageless. I loved these 5 stories and the pictures that were included with them. The art was beautifully done and it left me wanting another graphic novel from Eric Shanower.
January 24, 2020
Many adventures in one book including new villains and new friends for Dorothy who has become Princess of Oz reigning with Ozma the Queen of Oz. Enchanted apples with Bortag and Drox the flying shark; a hunt for the elusive Crimson-Tailed Quipperug, a rare fish, where Dorothy meets Knotboy and Princess Trinkarinkarina; the Scarecrow and Lion must prove themselves against a snake in a contest devised by a frog; the Ice King visits Oz tricking Ozma with magic; the Wood Nymph Queen banishes one of the nymphs who breaks the law leading her to become Queen of the Trolls who want to take over the forest of Burzee, home of the nymphs; Jealousy within a family leads to heartache when Dorothy and Scarecrow must search for a missing child.
Eureka, the glass cat, Billina the hen, sawhorse, Flicker and others help Dorothy and her friends along the way in these five amazing stories. Beautifully written and drawn with an old world feel. Magic and adventure throughout make for an exciting read. Strange places and happenings keep you in a world that is not always what it seems ready to change in an instant. Dorothy leads with a sense of what's right and noble against terrible villains who use magic for evil. A great collection of stories sure to entertain.
Eureka, the glass cat, Billina the hen, sawhorse, Flicker and others help Dorothy and her friends along the way in these five amazing stories. Beautifully written and drawn with an old world feel. Magic and adventure throughout make for an exciting read. Strange places and happenings keep you in a world that is not always what it seems ready to change in an instant. Dorothy leads with a sense of what's right and noble against terrible villains who use magic for evil. A great collection of stories sure to entertain.
November 25, 2019
As a kid, I read a graphic novel based in Baum's Oz universe. I wanted to check it out again, and requested it via interlibrary loan... and ended up with a collection of Shanower's comics that didn't actually include the one I was looking for. Alas.
This collection gave me an entertaining hour or so, with lovely artwork and plot holes and inexplicable character decisions galore.
This collection gave me an entertaining hour or so, with lovely artwork and plot holes and inexplicable character decisions galore.
March 21, 2017
eric shanower is a fascinating case study: imagine if your greatest skills consisted of drawing gorgeous oz-themed illustrations and mimicking the prose style of l. frank baum. imagine, further, that you somehow fund a way to monetize this into a sustainable career. then you'd have this collection, plus shanower's marvel work (where he adapts baum's books, but doesn't write new stories or illustrate them). of course, there's also his excellent "age of bronze" trojan war stuff (my earliest introduction to shanower, years ago).
at any rate, for what these stories are, they're fantastic--arguably better than baum's original work, particularly the final story in the collection about the good witch of the east, which is a masterful story, oz theme or no (and surely the best appearance of the haughty, super-talented glass cat in any oz work).
at any rate, for what these stories are, they're fantastic--arguably better than baum's original work, particularly the final story in the collection about the good witch of the east, which is a masterful story, oz theme or no (and surely the best appearance of the haughty, super-talented glass cat in any oz work).
August 31, 2022
It was fine. I'm not sure if the stories are canon or not but they were perfectly good stories either way. Stories where literally anything could happen usually annoy me but it was somewhat entertaining in the OZ milieu.
January 4, 2020
It's sad and beautiful
July 8, 2009
I’ve never been an Oz enthusiast – except for my passing delight in Return to Oz back in the 80s, despite it being trounced by the critics – but I did enjoy returning to the Emerald City and the further adventures of Dorothy in Shanower’s cleverly mesmerizing and beautifully illustrated adaptations of five classic Oz sequels by L. Frank Baum.
After the first story, The Enchanted Apples of Oz, Shanower’s art becomes significantly better, and much closer to his remarkable delineated pen-and-inks in Age of Bronze – his current Image series for that chronicles the Trojan War in graphic format. And with the added bonus that his Oz stories are in color, as opposed to the black-and-white which he is limited to in Age Bronze. But if I were to have one complaint, it would be with the silly moralizing that lies at the heart of the source materials. Case in point: In the Ice King of Oz, the former wood nymph Nelanthe has a remarkably swift – if not ludicrous -- change of heart when confronted with the truth of her betrayal. If you ask me, Baum’s sense of evil is less banal, and more preposterous. (No doubt, the Oz books have never caught on with the adult population in the way that the Harry Potter series has due to this oversimplification of character motivation and change.)
Despite this, Shanower’s foray into the lesser-known lands of Oz is a delightful one that will easily make your inner child gasp with awe and giggle with glee.
After the first story, The Enchanted Apples of Oz, Shanower’s art becomes significantly better, and much closer to his remarkable delineated pen-and-inks in Age of Bronze – his current Image series for that chronicles the Trojan War in graphic format. And with the added bonus that his Oz stories are in color, as opposed to the black-and-white which he is limited to in Age Bronze. But if I were to have one complaint, it would be with the silly moralizing that lies at the heart of the source materials. Case in point: In the Ice King of Oz, the former wood nymph Nelanthe has a remarkably swift – if not ludicrous -- change of heart when confronted with the truth of her betrayal. If you ask me, Baum’s sense of evil is less banal, and more preposterous. (No doubt, the Oz books have never caught on with the adult population in the way that the Harry Potter series has due to this oversimplification of character motivation and change.)
Despite this, Shanower’s foray into the lesser-known lands of Oz is a delightful one that will easily make your inner child gasp with awe and giggle with glee.
January 3, 2010
When I first saw this book, I was like, "Wow! a comic book version of the Wizard of Oz!" But, imagine my surprise when I realized that this version of the Wizard of Oz is completely different from the 1939 version I was so used to. For one thing, in this book, there is a story about the wicked witch of the south and one story about a battle between the wood nymphs and the trolls.
Eric Shanower's illustrations are beautiful and detailed and they give this book a realistic yet magical feel to the characters. Also, the stories are very well written as there is action and adventure on every page in the book and Dorothy, the main protaganist, is truly a great heroine as she thinks of other people's problems before her own. Anyone who enjoys the stories of Oz will definitely enjoy this comic book!
Eric Shanower's illustrations are beautiful and detailed and they give this book a realistic yet magical feel to the characters. Also, the stories are very well written as there is action and adventure on every page in the book and Dorothy, the main protaganist, is truly a great heroine as she thinks of other people's problems before her own. Anyone who enjoys the stories of Oz will definitely enjoy this comic book!
December 28, 2019
If you enjoy L. Frank Baum's original Oz stories (I've only read Wonderful Wizard) or just want a good, all-ages adventurous book, this is the book you need to read. Collecting Shanower's five Oz graphic novels from the 80s and early 90s (four from First Comics, one from Dark Horse), this book offers five stories that offer you a decent-sized read, but won't challenge the attention-spans of your youngest children. They're beautifully illustrated stories (anybody who has read Shanower's superb Age of Bronze should expect no different!), and the scripts are strong and clear.
The last story is quite emotional also, dealing with lost children and desperate parents. Even cynical me found it quite moving. Highly recommended.
+++++++++++
Reread this - it's sweet, upbeat, and enchanting. It's better for younger readers, but not without charm for older readers.
The last story is quite emotional also, dealing with lost children and desperate parents. Even cynical me found it quite moving. Highly recommended.
+++++++++++
Reread this - it's sweet, upbeat, and enchanting. It's better for younger readers, but not without charm for older readers.
August 15, 2010
I am a huge Oz fan and always have been. I know Mr. Shanower's work from when he did the illustrations for Edward Einhorn's Oz book "Paradox in Oz". So I was very excited to discover this graphic novel version of his Oz stories. I absolutely love the artwork! It's like all the Oz book characters that I've read over the years coming to life, like Tik Tok, Professor Wobblebug, and the only soldier in Oz. That alone would give it five stars, however, the five stories inside the volume were not that good. What was up with the flying swordfish in the first story? Not to mention all the trolls, dragons and wood nymphs in the Forgotten Forest of Oz story. I did like the Ice King of Oz as it seemed the most like a true Ozian story. Therefore I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars.
April 25, 2008
Am amazed that this book received such glowing ratings by people. Yes, the art was catchy and seemed to be loyal to the original books and artwork, but I thought the stories were weakly presented. They just didn't grab me. Maybe I have become jaded in my old age.
July 13, 2009
It was really fun to revisit Oz. The illustrations were gorgeous and the stories felt like Oz, but some of the dialogue was a bit on the cheesy side. This was easily overlooked once I got into the stories. I especially liked the last tale of the Blue Witch.
April 8, 2008
This is a fun, good for all ages story full of beautiful illustrations! I enjoyed ever second.
April 15, 2008
Great, beautifully drawn stories that really capture the feel of the Oz books. Nice use of Oz history and a couple fun new characters.
December 20, 2008
I loved the illustrations. They were gorgeous! The stories were neat, but the dialogue was pretty cheesy most of the time.
February 17, 2009
nice graphic novel
November 7, 2009
I have no doubt that Baum would have approved of Shanower's takes on his vision. I credit Shanower for re-kindling my love for Oz and I thank him for it.
Want to read
January 15, 2010This and his other Oz originals
February 20, 2011
Beautiful artwork.
July 25, 2011
It was fun to read more Oz stuff, but considering how long it took for me to get ahold of this, I must say I was a little disappoionted.
February 28, 2013
Just fell in love with this graphic one!it was worth reading for me!
December 16, 2013
Beautiful illustrations that have an almost art nouveau look to them. I loved reading the Oz series as a kid and seeing the place again with new adventures is wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews