The friends have to face more challenges to reach Glinda’s castle but then it’s time to bid farewell.
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #8
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Eric Shanower
Artist: Skottie Young
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
Summary: The search for Glinda, Good Witch of the South, is full of danger—a giant spider-monster that eats whole animals like a spider does flies. It’s full of strangeness—a whole village of living china statues. And it’s full of both danger and strangeness—little armless folks who shoot their heads as missiles. But Glinda remains Dorothy’s final hope to reach home, so Dorothy and her friends must brave the journey.
Review: **With the holidays right around the corner, I decided to save the final issue’s review for now since the hardcover of the series is available and makes a great gift!**
For the past seven issues I have sung the praises of Marvel’s adaptation of Baum’s classic. Issue #8 wraps it up neatly. Fans of the Oz-verse, comics, or parents just looking for something nostalgic, can now get the complete volume of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
The Lion gets his chance to strut through a jungle and tackle a giant spider monster. Can’t you remember being a kid in your dark bedroom and trembling from the things in the dark? Maybe your mom gave you a special potion of nothing more than chamomile tea with green food coloring to give you courage and strength so that you could sleep through the night. The Lion got his potion and easily takes control of the wild beasts guaranteeing his position of ruler.
The troupe calls upon the winged monkeys for the final time and eventually they find a sprawling castle reminiscent of the real Sarah Winchester Mansion in California. Glinda’s castle is surrounded by fantastical landscaping and bridges and would truly be an architectural marvel if Dorothy’s experiences were real. The scene is spotlighted in yet another stunning two-page spread. The coloring drastically changes to warm shades of gold and orange leaving behind the full overlays of the Emerald City. Glinda shows the friends hospitality but the tone still exudes the sadness as the friends have to say good-bye. Dorothy clicks her heels together (silver shoes, not red!) and is magically transported with Toto back to Kansas where the sun sets on the horizons and on this glorious collection of Marvel comics. The hardcover of the series hit shelves in September;
For a delicious treat of fandom, get a peak at what’s to come in the next installment called the Marvelous Land of Oz. In this video, Skottie Young recorded his digital drawing for one of the covers.
