Graphic Novel Review – The Emerald City of Oz (Marvel’s Oz Comics, Book 6) by Eric Shanower, Skottie Young, and L. Frank Baum (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: All Ages
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Length: 120 pages
Publisher: Marvel
Release Date: March 25th, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0785183884
Stand Alone or Series: 6th book in Marvel’s Oz series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars
This is the final book in Marvel’s Oz graphic novels series. It was a decent book in the series, not my favorite (I think Ozma of Oz was still my favorite) but still really well done. It’s a great fantasy graphic novel read that is appropriate for all ages.
Dorothy’s aunt and uncle are about to lose their farm and Dorothy decides it’s time to ask for help from Ozma. She has Ozma transport the five of them (Dorothy, her aunt and uncle, Toto, and Eureka) to Oz to live there. After their arrival they go on a tour of some of the stranger residents of Oz. Meanwhile the Nome King has decided to attack the Emerald City in hopes of recovering his magic belt. He is allying with all sorts of evil creatures. Will Ozma and her friends be able to protect Oz from the Nome King’s invasion?
I continue to enjoy the spectacular drawing in these books. I love the full color pictures and the quirky characters.
The story spends an equal amount of time between the Nome King and Dorothy. Dorothy visits a land of paper people, a land of puzzle people, and a land where everyone is edible in her parts of the story. The Nome King’s general visits many dark lands and recruits a number of evildoers to his side in his parts of the story.
I did enjoy the quirky lands and people we meet in this book. I also enjoy the irony of how the story ended, very cute and funny.
However, I didn’t find the story as engaging as say Ozma of Oz. There is a bit of a plot here, but it’s pretty straight-forward.
Overall another fun and entertaining installment in this retelling of the Oz series. This is a great graphic novel series for all ages, I have really enjoyed it and am glad I read it. Recommended to fans of fantasy graphic novels.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge
