Adventures in Oz Vol. 1by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 4 Dorothy and Ozma help Valynn save the golden apples that provide Oz with magic. Then Dorothy and friends travel to the Ice King's domain to rescue Ozma.This all-ages graphic novel contains two main stories, an artwork gallery, and two "bonus" stories -- one of which seems like a history, and one might be a preview for the next volume, but it's hard to tell. The stories themselves are interesting, but they feel (and look) dated. The apple story gets bogged down in information and history; the witch's powers are scary, but she's easily defeated; and everything is set right very quickly. I did like Billina's part in convincing Bortag to fight the witch. There's one major fallacy in this whole story -- Bortag fell in love with the witch. Even when his declaration of love was ignored, he seems to have switched rather quickly to believing the witch is evil and must be stopped (he knew who she was when he fell in love with her). Of course, he fell in love with her while she was sleeping under a spell ... but he spent 100 years at her side, looking for a way to wake her up. Him having found someone to "like" him makes sense, but if he truly fell in love (and spent 100 years loving that person), then this ending is a cop-out. Drox, the flying swordfish, is neat, though he's relegated to the companion-steed role and is very simple. The Ice King story brings to mind a comparison to Adventure Time, and in comparison, this comic feels rather bland. Flicker (once human, now part candle) is easily the best character in this story and this volume. He's simple, he instantly likes and wants to help / protect Dorothy, and he continues to learn new positive and negative things about his being a living candle. His magic and his desire to protect Dorothy is really what saved the day, melting the Ice King's heart. I was disappointed that Ozma was so weak against the Ice King, but, looking back, all her power seems to come from using magical tools rather than having powers herself. There's no real action or sense of adventure. The quest / travel aspect of both stories in this volume are glossed over. There's more travel and danger in the Ice King story, but it just kind of happens, with no sense of danger except for the brief cliff scene. The snowstorm does make it difficult for Dorothy especially, but once they go inside the icy mountain, it's like they're not cold any more. There is no sense of freezing cold when she's plunged into icy waters, either, and she's instantly dry after that. The day is saved between the use of magic and Dorothy's appealing charm. The art is well done; I can see that it's trying to be true to the original, including the original year-setting (over 100 years ago). The characters have expressions, but they are flat, and I feel no investment or connection with any of them. Dorothy seems to take a backseat to all the other characters, making it even harder to identify with her. While I can't say that anything about this is bad, it is boring. Flicker is the only memorable thing, and he's not a main character! There are other Oz-based comics out there, and I would recommend seeking them out over this. Written: July 27, 2015
|
|
|
Home |
Features |
Columns |
Culture Vultures |
Report Card
Indicia | Contact | Archives © Sequential Tart, 1998 – 2021 |
