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Wicked: The Graphic Novel #1
Wicked: The Graphic Novel, Part 1
Experience the magic of Oz as you’ve never seen it before with this brand-new graphic novel adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s masterpiece Wicked, the inspiration for the Broadway show and major motion picture—the first in a two-part series featuring gorgeous full-color illustrations by Scott Hampton.
Like Dorothy when she crash-landed all those years ago, prepare to be swept into a new and colorful world in this first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Wicked. While the long-running Broadway musical and major motion picture take inspiration from this iconic novel, this is Oz as Gregory Maguire wrote it—a fantastical story with dark edges that explores morality and ambition, love and friendship, and discovering one’s inner power.
Elphaba was born with emerald-green skin—no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens.
But Elphaba’s Oz is no utopia. The Wizard’s secret police are everywhere. Animals—those creatures with voices, souls, and minds—are threatened with exile. Young Elphaba, green and wild and misunderstood, is determined to protect the Animals—even if it means combating the mysterious Wizard, even if it means risking her single chance at romance. Ever wiser in guilt and sorrow, she can find herself grateful when the world declares her a witch. And she can even make herself glad for that young girl from Kansas.
Like Dorothy when she crash-landed all those years ago, prepare to be swept into a new and colorful world in this first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Wicked. While the long-running Broadway musical and major motion picture take inspiration from this iconic novel, this is Oz as Gregory Maguire wrote it—a fantastical story with dark edges that explores morality and ambition, love and friendship, and discovering one’s inner power.
Elphaba was born with emerald-green skin—no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens.
But Elphaba’s Oz is no utopia. The Wizard’s secret police are everywhere. Animals—those creatures with voices, souls, and minds—are threatened with exile. Young Elphaba, green and wild and misunderstood, is determined to protect the Animals—even if it means combating the mysterious Wizard, even if it means risking her single chance at romance. Ever wiser in guilt and sorrow, she can find herself grateful when the world declares her a witch. And she can even make herself glad for that young girl from Kansas.
176 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2025
71 people are currently reading
6092 people want to read
About the author
Scott Hampton
229 books37 followersA freelance comic book artist known for his diversity, Hampton has illustrated such iconic properties as Batman, Sandman, Black Widow, Hellraiser, and Star Trek in addition to work on his creator-owned projects such as The Upturned Stone.
He began his career following in the footsteps of brother and fellow comic book creator Bo Hampton. Both Scott and Bo studied under Will Eisner in 1976. Scott's first professional comics work was the three-page story "Victims" published in Warren Publishing's Vampirella #101 in 1981. Scott's work on Silverheels from Pacific Comics in 1983 is regarded as the first continuing painted comic. His latest works include "Spookhouse," released in 2004 by IDW Publishing, in which he adapted his favorite ghost stories into sequential form, and Batman: Gotham County line from DC comics in 2005. Scott is currently working full time on the creator-owned series "Simon Dark" with writer Steve Niles for DC Comics.
"The Upturned Stone" was optioned in Summer of 2005 for film production by David Foster, but the studio lost the option and the story was recently optioned by another producer. Scott is also pursuing a passion outside of comics: film making. He completed his first short independent film "The Tontine" in April, 2006. It's his loose adaptation of a 21 page comic piece that he worked on and appeared by the same name in the Hellraiser comic series. The 29 minute film was shot at the same cabin used in Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever (film)". There are versions of it available to view on Myspace (partial), Google Video (full), and Youtube (split into 3 parts).
Scott lives with his wife Letitia in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
He began his career following in the footsteps of brother and fellow comic book creator Bo Hampton. Both Scott and Bo studied under Will Eisner in 1976. Scott's first professional comics work was the three-page story "Victims" published in Warren Publishing's Vampirella #101 in 1981. Scott's work on Silverheels from Pacific Comics in 1983 is regarded as the first continuing painted comic. His latest works include "Spookhouse," released in 2004 by IDW Publishing, in which he adapted his favorite ghost stories into sequential form, and Batman: Gotham County line from DC comics in 2005. Scott is currently working full time on the creator-owned series "Simon Dark" with writer Steve Niles for DC Comics.
"The Upturned Stone" was optioned in Summer of 2005 for film production by David Foster, but the studio lost the option and the story was recently optioned by another producer. Scott is also pursuing a passion outside of comics: film making. He completed his first short independent film "The Tontine" in April, 2006. It's his loose adaptation of a 21 page comic piece that he worked on and appeared by the same name in the Hellraiser comic series. The 29 minute film was shot at the same cabin used in Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever (film)". There are versions of it available to view on Myspace (partial), Google Video (full), and Youtube (split into 3 parts).
Scott lives with his wife Letitia in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
May 17, 2025
1.5 stars--rounded up for the novelty of having the book adapted into a different medium.
A disappointing, lackluster adaptation that misses the mark in numerous ways.
Visually, it's a difficult book to get through.
The font is very small and because much of the text is several sentences long, whether it's taking narration from the book or the character dialogue, I was often left to bring the book up to my nose to read it. Somewhere along the line, this should have been noticed and corrected. It was simply not enjoyable to read like this.
The art style is almost universally drab, and not in a stylistically satisfying way. Numerous characters show up and just.. have barley-there muddled features in almost every panel.
But most notable is the fact that there are numerous illustrations that are literally cut-and-pasted multiple times throughout the book, which feels lazy and gives an overall impression that the illustrator simply didn't care. Why should I take notice of any particular panel, or invest in this adaptation at all, when they are simply pasting the same illustration in repeatedly with different bits of dialogue?
An example of this, below a spoiler cut
This is just one example... it happens with just about every character, multiple times. (Elphaba in the last example is another one which is copy-pasted at least twice in the book. The third time, the illustrator changed the mouth... that's something, at least.)
Another issue is the lack of care in adapting the source material. Especially elements of the source material that are largely misrepresented in the musical adaptation and its subsequent film. (I love the musical, and the movie adpatation--but "Fiyero" in the musical/movie is not Fiyero from the book.)
This is the first time that we've had an opportunity for a book accurate Fiyero. So naturally, we didn't get book accurate Fiyero, nor does the book emphasize that he was just as much an outcast as Elphaba due to his skin color and culture.
Instead of having diamonds on his face, Fiyero--rather bizarrely, and pointlessly--has stars on his back. One of the book's most iconic phrases--"blue diamonds on a green field"--is changed to "blue stars on a green field." The art, not surprisingly, does nothing to emphasize this iconic moment.
Why the change? I can only assume, based on the artist's decision to copy-paste numerous expressions throughout the book, that he didn't want to bother having to illustrate Fiyero with anything distinct on his face.
The adaptation itself is similarly hollow. I did appreciate that it fleshed out the relationship between Galinda/Glinda and Boq, but it seemed to do so as the expense of Elphaba and Galinda. Or rather, we're left with gaps in the narrative, and you have to fill in the blanks yourself. While a graphic novel adaptation is naturally going to have things missing and have 'gaps,' the book doesn't really bridge them in a way that made sense for me.
Overall, a huge miss.
I adore Maguire's writing and "The Wicked Years." I have physical copies of each book along with the 'Another Day' triology; I even tracked down a copy of the "Tales Told From Oz." But I will not be bringing myself to buy a copy of this hollow adaptation. Will I read part 2? Yes, certainly--like this copy, it will be a library-only read. But unless something drastic changes, I can't see that I'll be liking it very much.
Maybe one day we will get an adaptation in another medium that this book deserves.
A disappointing, lackluster adaptation that misses the mark in numerous ways.
Visually, it's a difficult book to get through.
The font is very small and because much of the text is several sentences long, whether it's taking narration from the book or the character dialogue, I was often left to bring the book up to my nose to read it. Somewhere along the line, this should have been noticed and corrected. It was simply not enjoyable to read like this.
The art style is almost universally drab, and not in a stylistically satisfying way. Numerous characters show up and just.. have barley-there muddled features in almost every panel.
But most notable is the fact that there are numerous illustrations that are literally cut-and-pasted multiple times throughout the book, which feels lazy and gives an overall impression that the illustrator simply didn't care. Why should I take notice of any particular panel, or invest in this adaptation at all, when they are simply pasting the same illustration in repeatedly with different bits of dialogue?
An example of this, below a spoiler cut
This is just one example... it happens with just about every character, multiple times. (Elphaba in the last example is another one which is copy-pasted at least twice in the book. The third time, the illustrator changed the mouth... that's something, at least.)
Another issue is the lack of care in adapting the source material. Especially elements of the source material that are largely misrepresented in the musical adaptation and its subsequent film. (I love the musical, and the movie adpatation--but "Fiyero" in the musical/movie is not Fiyero from the book.)
This is the first time that we've had an opportunity for a book accurate Fiyero. So naturally, we didn't get book accurate Fiyero, nor does the book emphasize that he was just as much an outcast as Elphaba due to his skin color and culture.
Instead of having diamonds on his face, Fiyero--rather bizarrely, and pointlessly--has stars on his back. One of the book's most iconic phrases--"blue diamonds on a green field"--is changed to "blue stars on a green field." The art, not surprisingly, does nothing to emphasize this iconic moment.
Why the change? I can only assume, based on the artist's decision to copy-paste numerous expressions throughout the book, that he didn't want to bother having to illustrate Fiyero with anything distinct on his face.
The adaptation itself is similarly hollow. I did appreciate that it fleshed out the relationship between Galinda/Glinda and Boq, but it seemed to do so as the expense of Elphaba and Galinda. Or rather, we're left with gaps in the narrative, and you have to fill in the blanks yourself. While a graphic novel adaptation is naturally going to have things missing and have 'gaps,' the book doesn't really bridge them in a way that made sense for me.
Overall, a huge miss.
I adore Maguire's writing and "The Wicked Years." I have physical copies of each book along with the 'Another Day' triology; I even tracked down a copy of the "Tales Told From Oz." But I will not be bringing myself to buy a copy of this hollow adaptation. Will I read part 2? Yes, certainly--like this copy, it will be a library-only read. But unless something drastic changes, I can't see that I'll be liking it very much.
Maybe one day we will get an adaptation in another medium that this book deserves.
March 24, 2025
The art style grew on me as I read this and while it is heavily sanitized from the original book, I did find this enjoyable to read.
Some of my favorite lines were missing but I am happy they included Elphaba’s sandwich blowing up.
Feels like I need to do a re-read.
Will definitely read Part 2.
Also Gelphie kiss in full color illustration!?! My Gelphie shipper heart is beyond happy and full.
Some of my favorite lines were missing but I am happy they included Elphaba’s sandwich blowing up.
Feels like I need to do a re-read.
Will definitely read Part 2.
Also Gelphie kiss in full color illustration!?! My Gelphie shipper heart is beyond happy and full.
March 31, 2025
Having NOT read the book ..I found this very engrossing....art kind of crept up on you and took hold....and story was great.
March 13, 2025
after just finishing the novel and then finding out this is being made i'm VERY interested to see what scenes they choose to adapt & illustrate and which are gonna be outright cut from the story
edit after finishing: it was very sanitized unsurprisingly.
edit after finishing: it was very sanitized unsurprisingly.
April 18, 2025
When books are adapted to graphic novels, a lot of Thought goes into who the illustrator/adapter should be. I thought long and hard about why Scott Hampton was ultimately selected for Wicked: The Graphic Novel, Part 1, and whilst I don't "get" it, I think I can take a stab at the actual reasoning:
All beauty is removed.
To understand this, some key features of the visual design: Elphaba's greenness is downplayed - it could just be a trick of the light. (This repeats itself in Fiyero's entrance - he is no longer a blue stranger decorated with diamonds - just another anonymous student). Galinda/Glinda's face is drawn with sharp contrasts and harsh lines. Taken together, there is no longer a storyline about masses being drawn to people who are outwardly beautiful. Instead, they must focus on something else.
But what should you focus on?
Take away physical beauty, and what are you left with? Both characters have generational wealth, an influential family, and a fleeting connection to blood relatives. They are both acknowledged as "witty" in text (by multiple characters). Elphaba remains semi-devoted to Nessa, just as Galinda is annoyed by the mere presence of her Ama, but then doused with guilt when her disregard catches up.
Costumes hint what that "something else" might be. A casual eye can see that the entrance to Shiz has more to do with Bridgerton and early Downton Abbey if we're being scandalous, but as in-universe time progresses, the styles become more and more recognizable until we land in the 20s and 30s alongside the Wizard's more repressive policies. This is the point where Glinda starts to voice her opinions about how she's "not really involved," and "doesn't really support," etc, etc. This is also the point where you might realize that the vast majority of the storytelling (compared to the book), has been about Glinda, and what it means to be a privileged Miss (who might, cautiously, carry opinions of her own) in the milieu of a fascist regime that is all too ready to reward her for toeing the party line.
So, Glindas, what are you doing? Dropping a "Ga" isn't enough.
Now, the story abruptly snaps back to Elphaba, but only in the context of shame and waiting and a desire to be hidden.
Overall, the adaptation has very little to imply about Elphaba in general. It's merely how others experience her.
tl;dr: I thought it was ugly. I didn't like the art, even if it faithfully stuck to the original text, even down to the lines used. There was also a heavy editing pen, and it chose to promote Galinda/Glinda as the MC and erase the storylines of Tibbett and Crope (and by extension, many other Animals) by using only oblique references. (This couple was an avatar for the gay community during the AIDS crisis.)
All beauty is removed.
To understand this, some key features of the visual design: Elphaba's greenness is downplayed - it could just be a trick of the light. (This repeats itself in Fiyero's entrance - he is no longer a blue stranger decorated with diamonds - just another anonymous student). Galinda/Glinda's face is drawn with sharp contrasts and harsh lines. Taken together, there is no longer a storyline about masses being drawn to people who are outwardly beautiful. Instead, they must focus on something else.
But what should you focus on?
Take away physical beauty, and what are you left with? Both characters have generational wealth, an influential family, and a fleeting connection to blood relatives. They are both acknowledged as "witty" in text (by multiple characters). Elphaba remains semi-devoted to Nessa, just as Galinda is annoyed by the mere presence of her Ama, but then doused with guilt when her disregard catches up.
Costumes hint what that "something else" might be. A casual eye can see that the entrance to Shiz has more to do with Bridgerton and early Downton Abbey if we're being scandalous, but as in-universe time progresses, the styles become more and more recognizable until we land in the 20s and 30s alongside the Wizard's more repressive policies. This is the point where Glinda starts to voice her opinions about how she's "not really involved," and "doesn't really support," etc, etc. This is also the point where you might realize that the vast majority of the storytelling (compared to the book), has been about Glinda, and what it means to be a privileged Miss (who might, cautiously, carry opinions of her own) in the milieu of a fascist regime that is all too ready to reward her for toeing the party line.
So, Glindas, what are you doing? Dropping a "Ga" isn't enough.
Now, the story abruptly snaps back to Elphaba, but only in the context of shame and waiting and a desire to be hidden.
Overall, the adaptation has very little to imply about Elphaba in general. It's merely how others experience her.
tl;dr: I thought it was ugly. I didn't like the art, even if it faithfully stuck to the original text, even down to the lines used. There was also a heavy editing pen, and it chose to promote Galinda/Glinda as the MC and erase the storylines of Tibbett and Crope (and by extension, many other Animals) by using only oblique references. (This couple was an avatar for the gay community during the AIDS crisis.)
December 6, 2025
I really enjoyed the graphic novel version of the Wicked novel. I thought it was a great representation of the most important beats of the book. That being said some scenes were cut and I felt some characterization was lost from the novel. But generally it was a great way to get the gist of the story without reading the whole book.
I thought the watercolor like art style was very pretty and appropriate for the novel. It was interesting to see how characters were imagined here different from how I imagined them. I will definitely be reading the second one when it comes out and I hope they do this for the sequel books as well!
I thought the watercolor like art style was very pretty and appropriate for the novel. It was interesting to see how characters were imagined here different from how I imagined them. I will definitely be reading the second one when it comes out and I hope they do this for the sequel books as well!
March 9, 2025
even though the art style is not really my taste it’s just so cool to see more interpretations of wicked ugh it was so cool i need the next part now😭
March 1, 2025
This was a wonderful adaptation of Wicked. It’s been a few years since I read the written novel of this book, so this was a nice refresher. The illustration style captured the story perfectly and really brought the story to life. Any fan of Wicked is going to need this in their collection.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted copy of the book.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted copy of the book.
April 11, 2025
I'm afraid I was somehow more bored with this than the original novel, with choppy editing down the story to fit the format and the addition of stiff and wooden illustrations, and lettering that liked like it was added in MS Word.
October 27, 2025
This was just ok for me. As happens with so many graphic novels adaptations...this is just far too wordy instead of letting the artwork do the heavy lifting in telling the story. It's really a shame because I feel like a graphic novel adaptation of the novel here could have been so good. The original text is so dry and artwork could have breathed such life into these characters and shown so much emotion. But...it just didn't. The artwork style wasn't my favorite either. Some images were stunning but most just were not to my taste...so that didn't help either. Not sure I would recommend this...although I guess I liked it better than the novel version. In both cases it's a wonderful story...but the telling of the story is just missing all emotion for me on a personal level.
March 11, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book; I am excited to share my honest feedback!
Have you jumped on the Wicked craze? I first saw this musical on Broadway fifteen years ago and every time I hear the music and immerse myself in this story, something new resonates with me. This beautiful new adaptation was absolutely no exception! With detailed and vibrant illustrations and rich language, this graphic novel stuns and delivers a multitude of layers and depth to this timeless tale. As the whimsical and infamous Oz is overrun by secret police and a nefarious wizard who has conned almost everyone, Wicked is the adventure of a lifetime filled with a moral we all could use right now and an unlikely hero who just happens to be green.
Have you jumped on the Wicked craze? I first saw this musical on Broadway fifteen years ago and every time I hear the music and immerse myself in this story, something new resonates with me. This beautiful new adaptation was absolutely no exception! With detailed and vibrant illustrations and rich language, this graphic novel stuns and delivers a multitude of layers and depth to this timeless tale. As the whimsical and infamous Oz is overrun by secret police and a nefarious wizard who has conned almost everyone, Wicked is the adventure of a lifetime filled with a moral we all could use right now and an unlikely hero who just happens to be green.
May 4, 2025
3.5 rounded to a 3 for Goodreads
I read the original book when I was 12 (so a WHILE ago) and was wondering if this would follow that or the musical more. Definitely the book, although less graphic than I remember the book being.
Not going to lie, the art is pretty ugly a lot of the time. There are parts where some elements look straight up cut and paste into scenes. But the story was streamlined enough to follow easily and was enjoyable enough I would pick up volume 2.
I read the original book when I was 12 (so a WHILE ago) and was wondering if this would follow that or the musical more. Definitely the book, although less graphic than I remember the book being.
Not going to lie, the art is pretty ugly a lot of the time. There are parts where some elements look straight up cut and paste into scenes. But the story was streamlined enough to follow easily and was enjoyable enough I would pick up volume 2.
August 27, 2025
FINALLY got through this. If you know me - The Wizard Of Oz is my favorite thing on this planet. Especially the Baum books. And while I LOVE the musical of Wicked... I sadly have not been a fan of the novel adaptations. That being said, I did enjoy this version quite a bit more. The art was very nice :)
June 5, 2025
After reading this I’m excited to read the books.
September 25, 2025
Recommend reading this over the novel if you want to read the original story.
December 14, 2025
3.5 ★
I cant wait to see the rest of this story adapted into a graphic novel.
I cant wait to see the rest of this story adapted into a graphic novel.
March 22, 2025
Ngl, i was really hoping they’d keep in some of the weird scene. They sanitised a lot of the graphic scenes so like I get it, but I wish they put them in!
Still really fun. Looking forward to the next part.
Still really fun. Looking forward to the next part.
March 27, 2025
This was definitely a lot easier to read and understand than the novel. I enjoyed this. It is very very different from the movie, but I knew that before I started it. It was definitely an interesting read, that's for sure.
July 17, 2025
Beautiful illustrations to complement such a wonderfully complex story. There's a lot that seems to be glossed over here, but I still enjoyed it.
March 18, 2025
*2.75 stars*
I am so disappointed with this graphic novel. Firstly, I didn't really like the art style. I felt like it didn't really match the story. I also understand that they had to cut out scenes from the graphic novel unless they wanted it to be huge, but I kind of hated how much was cut out. I love the complexity of Wicked, so condensing it down kind of ruined the story. Finally, they changed some details of the story, and some of the details changed were definitely to make the story less gross. However, they changed Fieryo's tattoos from diamonds to stars, and I didn't understand the point of that. I'm probably still going to read the second part when it comes out, but I wish this adaptation was better overall.
I am so disappointed with this graphic novel. Firstly, I didn't really like the art style. I felt like it didn't really match the story. I also understand that they had to cut out scenes from the graphic novel unless they wanted it to be huge, but I kind of hated how much was cut out. I love the complexity of Wicked, so condensing it down kind of ruined the story. Finally, they changed some details of the story, and some of the details changed were definitely to make the story less gross. However, they changed Fieryo's tattoos from diamonds to stars, and I didn't understand the point of that. I'm probably still going to read the second part when it comes out, but I wish this adaptation was better overall.
March 31, 2025
I’d consider this to be a companion to the original novel, rather than an alternative, due to cuts made to simplify and sanitize the story. That being said, it adds a lot to have this story translated into visual form, especially for the relationships between Elphaba and Glinda and Elphaba and Fiyero.
It’s regrettable that the printed edition is a bit smaller than it really should be for comfortable reading.
It’s regrettable that the printed edition is a bit smaller than it really should be for comfortable reading.
May 12, 2025
DNF @ 68% but I am counting it towards my reading stats anyway. I deserve it after slogging through this much of it.
I think Wicked just isn’t good. You’d think it be easier to read in a comic format but no. It’s just bad.
I think Wicked just isn’t good. You’d think it be easier to read in a comic format but no. It’s just bad.
July 31, 2025
im a wicked fan at heart what can i say
May 6, 2025
Definitely not appropriate for children! I bought this book for my granddaughter, age 10, who had seen the movie, and who loves graphic novels, but I decided it is not for her. You have to remember that the story by Maguire was written for adults. It is dark and gloomy in parts, and there are many references to sex. Elphaba's mother, Melena admits to consorting with a tinker who gave her a "heady brew from a green glass bottle." Later in the book, adult Elphaba has a lusty affair with Fiyero and there are many scenes (and illustrations) in the bedroom. "He ran his hands along her ribs, down the tight plane of her stomach, she always brought his hands to her thin expressive breasts..."
It is also very wordy and uses vocabulary that will even bring the smartest adult running for a dictionary. Sometimes I had to read and re-read a section to understand. As an adult, I don’t mind this, but it would be off-putting to a child. The author, Scott Hampton does a less than adequate job of following the book and if I hadn't read the original book, or seen the recent movie adaptation I would have been totally lost. It skips around and is very choppy. I'm sure it was a difficult task turning the very long book into a graphic novel, but this one really misses the mark. The illustrations are poor throughout and I didn't like the way he portrayed the characters. The tin man looks like a robot in a science fiction book, many of the faces are bony and haggard looking, or downright, bizarre. Most of the pictures are dark, or in shadows, with the primary colors being black or gray. From time to time there is a bit of washed-out blue, light red, yellow, and of course, green (for Elphie). The print is very, very small and difficult to read. Very disappointed with this author/illustrator's interpretation of this book.
It is also very wordy and uses vocabulary that will even bring the smartest adult running for a dictionary. Sometimes I had to read and re-read a section to understand. As an adult, I don’t mind this, but it would be off-putting to a child. The author, Scott Hampton does a less than adequate job of following the book and if I hadn't read the original book, or seen the recent movie adaptation I would have been totally lost. It skips around and is very choppy. I'm sure it was a difficult task turning the very long book into a graphic novel, but this one really misses the mark. The illustrations are poor throughout and I didn't like the way he portrayed the characters. The tin man looks like a robot in a science fiction book, many of the faces are bony and haggard looking, or downright, bizarre. Most of the pictures are dark, or in shadows, with the primary colors being black or gray. From time to time there is a bit of washed-out blue, light red, yellow, and of course, green (for Elphie). The print is very, very small and difficult to read. Very disappointed with this author/illustrator's interpretation of this book.
December 31, 2025
I really wanted to love this.
I picked up the graphic novel because I’m currently halfway through the audiobook and was genuinely excited to see a more book-accurate visual interpretation of Wicked especially Elphaba, Fiyero, and their broader circle, and particularly the early sections where the worldbuilding is still strange, dense, and unsettling.
I understand that graphic novel adaptations have to condense material, especially for a book that is so interior, philosophical, and heavy on internal monologue. I went in expecting cuts. What I didn’t expect was how much of the substance would be smoothed over or skipped entirely.
Major thematic moments and deeper, more uncomfortable sections are either rushed or omitted, which makes the story feel hollowed out. Parts I was especially looking forward to seeing interpreted visually simply aren’t there. What remains feels like the narrative spine without the moral or emotional weight that makes Wicked what it is.
The art style also didn’t work for me. It often feels flat and stiff, almost rotoscoped, with repeated or copy-and-pasted images that pulled me out of the story rather than immersing me in it. For a world as textured and morally murky as Oz in Maguire’s version, the visuals felt oddly lifeless.
I read the entire volume in about an hour and a half. For context, the point where this volume ends corresponds to roughly ten hours into the audiobook. That level of compression made the experience feel less like an adaptation and more like an illustrated summary.
I don’t regret trying it, and I can see it functioning as a visual companion or reference for fans, but as a standalone adaptation, it left me disappointed. Wicked is challenging, strange, and dense for a reason, and this version feels like it sands down exactly the parts that matter most.
I picked up the graphic novel because I’m currently halfway through the audiobook and was genuinely excited to see a more book-accurate visual interpretation of Wicked especially Elphaba, Fiyero, and their broader circle, and particularly the early sections where the worldbuilding is still strange, dense, and unsettling.
I understand that graphic novel adaptations have to condense material, especially for a book that is so interior, philosophical, and heavy on internal monologue. I went in expecting cuts. What I didn’t expect was how much of the substance would be smoothed over or skipped entirely.
Major thematic moments and deeper, more uncomfortable sections are either rushed or omitted, which makes the story feel hollowed out. Parts I was especially looking forward to seeing interpreted visually simply aren’t there. What remains feels like the narrative spine without the moral or emotional weight that makes Wicked what it is.
The art style also didn’t work for me. It often feels flat and stiff, almost rotoscoped, with repeated or copy-and-pasted images that pulled me out of the story rather than immersing me in it. For a world as textured and morally murky as Oz in Maguire’s version, the visuals felt oddly lifeless.
I read the entire volume in about an hour and a half. For context, the point where this volume ends corresponds to roughly ten hours into the audiobook. That level of compression made the experience feel less like an adaptation and more like an illustrated summary.
I don’t regret trying it, and I can see it functioning as a visual companion or reference for fans, but as a standalone adaptation, it left me disappointed. Wicked is challenging, strange, and dense for a reason, and this version feels like it sands down exactly the parts that matter most.
March 26, 2025
This felt like the artist was asked to turn Wicked into a PG-13 comic (quite the task, considering the novel would probably get a M rating), but despite the cuts, this ended up being an amazing adaptation.
Some of the designs were not exactly how I imagined them (especially Fiyero and his blue diamonds ended up being a sore disappointment), but most of them were amazing and worked well for the characters.
The most commendable part of this graphic novel is probably the way it managed to strike a balance between narration in writing and showing by telling. Some parts, like the religious aspects, would not have been possible to show in images, whereas the portion with the bear cub would not have been nearly as impactful if it hadn't been fully without narration, and the visit to the Wizard was beautifully done.
All things considered, while this is obviously not a replacement for the original novel, it's an amazing adaptation that does a great job at incorporating the story and themes of Wicked in a relatively short amount of pages. I very much look forward to Part 2.
Some of the designs were not exactly how I imagined them (especially Fiyero and his blue diamonds ended up being a sore disappointment), but most of them were amazing and worked well for the characters.
The most commendable part of this graphic novel is probably the way it managed to strike a balance between narration in writing and showing by telling. Some parts, like the religious aspects, would not have been possible to show in images, whereas the portion with the bear cub would not have been nearly as impactful if it hadn't been fully without narration, and the visit to the Wizard was beautifully done.
All things considered, while this is obviously not a replacement for the original novel, it's an amazing adaptation that does a great job at incorporating the story and themes of Wicked in a relatively short amount of pages. I very much look forward to Part 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
⭐️ 3 STARS
i think i can say with complete confidence that while i don’t entirely dislike the original story of wicked, i’m most definitely more a fan of the musical…
i soft dnfed (i’d like to think i’ll give it a shot at another time!!) the novel some months ago, but i thought that i could give that same story another shot through this graphic novel!
i didn’t hate it! but i didn’t love it either!
i enjoy the general story of it, but there are some weird and wacky parts of it that throw me off…. but i still appreciate it very much because it is obviously inspired the musical, and subsequent musical movies, of which i adore more than words could explain!!!!!!!
and i liked the art style of it as well!
this is also only a part one graphic novel, and i certainly have any future parts on my radar! so i clearly did like it in some way! :)
(me also reading this now is perfect timing bc 1) happy pride month!!!, and 2) the wicked: for good trailer comes out tomorrow, so despite my indifference about this graphic novel specifically, this was still a great reading experience!)
i think i can say with complete confidence that while i don’t entirely dislike the original story of wicked, i’m most definitely more a fan of the musical…
i soft dnfed (i’d like to think i’ll give it a shot at another time!!) the novel some months ago, but i thought that i could give that same story another shot through this graphic novel!
i didn’t hate it! but i didn’t love it either!
i enjoy the general story of it, but there are some weird and wacky parts of it that throw me off…. but i still appreciate it very much because it is obviously inspired the musical, and subsequent musical movies, of which i adore more than words could explain!!!!!!!
and i liked the art style of it as well!
this is also only a part one graphic novel, and i certainly have any future parts on my radar! so i clearly did like it in some way! :)
(me also reading this now is perfect timing bc 1) happy pride month!!!, and 2) the wicked: for good trailer comes out tomorrow, so despite my indifference about this graphic novel specifically, this was still a great reading experience!)
October 20, 2025
The world that Gregory Maguire has built through his Wicked series is wonderfully imaginative, raw, and complex. I was excited to read a graphic novel adaptation to see how an artist would visually capture the world he expanded from Baum's original novels. The graphic novel has A LOT to live up to, and Hampton's illustrations attempt this ambitious feat, often with mixed results.
The art style was one that really was hit or miss for me. I often felt there was inconsistency with the appearances of Elphaba and G(a)linda throughout which threw me off a bit. The content is heavily sanitized, which given the complexity of Maguire's writing is necessary but still left certain details out that could've coloured the story a bit more. There were certain illustrations which took my breath away and made me wish for similar type illustrations, but as I said, not as consistent as I would like.
Regardless, I was happy to read this one and will definitely read Part 2 when it comes out. I just think it's really tough to fully encapsulate what Gregory Maguire has built in his version of Oz.
The art style was one that really was hit or miss for me. I often felt there was inconsistency with the appearances of Elphaba and G(a)linda throughout which threw me off a bit. The content is heavily sanitized, which given the complexity of Maguire's writing is necessary but still left certain details out that could've coloured the story a bit more. There were certain illustrations which took my breath away and made me wish for similar type illustrations, but as I said, not as consistent as I would like.
Regardless, I was happy to read this one and will definitely read Part 2 when it comes out. I just think it's really tough to fully encapsulate what Gregory Maguire has built in his version of Oz.
January 3, 2026
This is a graphic novel of the book. So if you’re expecting the plot of the stage show or the new movies you will be very disappointed!
This is great intro to those who haven’t read the book, however there’s quite a lot of narrative gaps or things solely from the book aren’t explained/gone into enough for depth maybe to make total sense (eg, turtle heart stuff was quite lengthy & in depth in the book, the graphic novel doesn’t give the reader the best intro to him etc)
The art was okay, didnt love it or hate it. Baffled as to why Fiyero has stars on his back… it should be diamonds?? he is visually meant to be an outcast like Elphaba, so atleast get the shapes right?! I did enjoy the different form of the story, some relationships are fleshed out quite nicely. I will continue when the second comes out just to complete the set and have a nice refresher of the actual stories as so much got scrapped/changed for the show/movies!
This is great intro to those who haven’t read the book, however there’s quite a lot of narrative gaps or things solely from the book aren’t explained/gone into enough for depth maybe to make total sense (eg, turtle heart stuff was quite lengthy & in depth in the book, the graphic novel doesn’t give the reader the best intro to him etc)
The art was okay, didnt love it or hate it. Baffled as to why Fiyero has stars on his back… it should be diamonds?? he is visually meant to be an outcast like Elphaba, so atleast get the shapes right?! I did enjoy the different form of the story, some relationships are fleshed out quite nicely. I will continue when the second comes out just to complete the set and have a nice refresher of the actual stories as so much got scrapped/changed for the show/movies!
June 27, 2025
Have I read the og book? No. Have I even watched The Wizard of Oz? Also no. But I have watched part 1 w/ lei (<3) so I assumed I knew everything story-wise about this graphic novel
I was honestly bored for a lot of this book, it is too smart for me I think :( I'll admit I'm not too into wicked as a whole, so maybe serious die-hard fans would appreciate it more than I would, nothing wrong with that!!!! I did enjoy the gelphie kiss though, big fan of that
I do think the art is gorgeous though idk what you guys are hating about it. I think it fits the theme/story quiet nicely and I'm honestly a sucker for watercolors/watercolor-adjacent style (IDK WHAT IT IS SORRY LMFAO)
Also the font size was way too small for me :(( I already wear glasses but omg I was squinting the whole time + had to genuinely bring the novel to my face to the point that my nose was touching the pages.
I was honestly bored for a lot of this book, it is too smart for me I think :( I'll admit I'm not too into wicked as a whole, so maybe serious die-hard fans would appreciate it more than I would, nothing wrong with that!!!! I did enjoy the gelphie kiss though, big fan of that
I do think the art is gorgeous though idk what you guys are hating about it. I think it fits the theme/story quiet nicely and I'm honestly a sucker for watercolors/watercolor-adjacent style (IDK WHAT IT IS SORRY LMFAO)
Also the font size was way too small for me :(( I already wear glasses but omg I was squinting the whole time + had to genuinely bring the novel to my face to the point that my nose was touching the pages.
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