The Wizard of Oz returns to the comics medium in the form of an adaptation from Bram Stoker Award-winning comics creator Soo Lee (Maleficent, Minor Threats).
The world of Oz has had something of a resurgence in recent years, thanks most of all to Wicked; the musical that was made into a blockbuster movie in 2024, with its sequel set to drop later this year. Created by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz hit the mainstream with the seminal 1939 movie. Over the years, the story, and subsequent novels, have been at the forefront of pop vulture, being adapted into all sorts of mediums, from film and television, to stage plays and musicals.
The graphic novel from Soo Lee directly adapts the original film version of The Wizard of Oz as opposed to the original novel (which has several major differences to the movie). Published by Dynamite Entertainment, the project allowed Soo Lee to enter the movie’s “vault,” working directly from the original film screenplay by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf. Not only does this allow a faithful adaptation, but it also means that the 128-page graphic novel includes some elements from the scripts that never made the final cut.
“I’m not reinventing the wheel, but I’m adding my interpretation to the history of this legendary story,” writer and artist Soo Lee said in a statement. “I was allowed more pages to indulge in and take my time on certain scenes, so I took advantage of the comics medium. I wanted to really shine light on Dorothy and her friends’ relationships and emotions.”
The Wizard of Oz has a rich history in the comics medium. Projects date back decades, to when L. Frank Baum himself worked with illustrator W.W. Denslow on a comic strip set in Oz. In more recent years, Eric Shanower published a number of graphic novel adaptations at Marvel.
The Kickstarter launch offers fans myriad exclusive extras. The four covers by top tier artists are also showcased and offered as high-quality lithograph prints at 11 by 17 inches on premium stock. The Soo Lee, Jae Lee, and Eric Shanower prints are also offered signed.
Check out the Kickstarter page here.
Preview Pages
Check out the full press release below:
Readers of all ages are invited to follow the yellow brick road and celebrate one of the most legendary and impactful films with this special new vision of the iconic story. The wickedly talented Soo Lee (ThunderCats: Cheetara, Disney Villains: Maleficent) was granted access to the opened “vault” and worked from the original film screenplay by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf. This means though longtime fans of the story and film will get to see all their favorite moments, there may be elements included across the 128 gorgeous full-color pages that may be less familiar.
Writing, illustrating, and coloring her takes on the characters, world, and all the iconic moments, this is an artistic tour de force for Lee. She’s complemented with expert lettering by virtuoso letterer Jeff Eckleberry.
The Wizard of Oz: The Official Film Adaptation Graphic Novel features over 100 pages of story, and the Kickstarter offers readers and collectors a range of fabulous covers to choose from to put the final bow on the package. The book is also available in several formats, many of which are being offered first or exclusively through this Kickstarter.
Soo Lee herself contributes a cover featured as a standard paperback, hardcover, and a hardcover featuring her signature. Another beautiful vision of everyone’s favorite characters of Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, and the Wicked Witch of the West is presented by Jae Lee. His cover is available through a paperback, oversized hardcover, and a signed hardcover. Longtime fans will be overjoyed to see editions featuring new art by Eric Shanower, the multitalented mind behind some of the major takes on the Land of Oz in comics from the mid-1980s through the 2010s. His edition can be had as a paperback, oversized hardcover, and signed. Last and certainly not least, Alex Ross, a true juggernaut of the art form, contributes a jaw-dropping take on the Wicked Witch, available as a paperback or oversized hardcover.
Soo’s cover in paperback or hardcover is presented at roughly 7 by 10 inches and will be available in stores this fall. All the paperback and oversized hardcover editions available exclusively through the Kickstarter add an extra 14 pages to the book with behind-the-scenes content. The oversized hardcover versions are printed at an 8 by 12 inches trim size and feature a ribbon bookmark. Signed editions of the oversized hardcovers also include a bonus dust jacket.
The book is also available digitally through the Kickstarter.
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