Oz (comics)

Oz is a comic book series created by Ralph Griffth (plotter), Stuart Kerr (scripter), and Bill Bryan, artist. The series was begun by Caliber Comics. It ran for twenty issues, six specials, and two three-issue limited series detailing the romance of the Scarecrow and Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, who create a child using the Powder of Life, in spite of Scraps's discomfort with the Scarecrow's new personality. Jack Pumpkinhead was possessed and destroyed in the Daemonstorm company-wide crossover. After twenty issues, the series was revived by Arrow Comics as Dark Oz for five issues, climaxing the story arc. Nine issues followed titled The Land of Oz which presented a more orthodox vision of Oz, which was also shown in Oz issue zero.

Plot

Beginning with a tribute to the original story, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the tale begins with three 1990s era twenty-somethings being swept away from our Earth to the land of Oz via tornado. There they discover that sinister forces have been at work, and the evil Nome King now rules the land with an iron fist, backed up by his army of rock-dwelling minions. Having become unwilling freedom fighters in a world not their own, Earthlings Peter, Kevin, Mary, and Kevin’s dog Max soon play a central role in ridding the once-beautiful Oz of the Nome King’s dark influence.

The trio are first separated in a battle with nomes and Mary is saved by the stick-figure Jack Pumpkinhead. She then meets Sawhorse, Amber Ombi (Ombi Ambi's nephew), General Jinjur, Hektor Hammerhead and Wogglebug: the Freedom Fighters of Oz. Kevin and Peter barely escape from a Kalidah, a creature half tiger and half bear. Many adventures occur before the three Earthers are reunited. They must face Witch Mombi and her Ladies Auxiliary Brigade, an army of enslaved Winged Monkeys, and giant spiders in an underground cavern. They must also find a way to defeat the Three Evil Kings of Oz: Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman, and Lion! And if that weren't enough, they still have to defeat the Nome King and all his magical devices, and save Queen Ozma to return Oz to its former glory! Adventure and danger are mixed with whimsy and humor in a totally unique version of a classic fairy tale land.

The three rulers were restored by issue 10. In issue 14, Princess Ozma, who has been under a spell keeping her in a near vegetative state on the queen's throne next to Ruggedo, is restored and the Wizard found. A new artist took over with issue #16, though Bryan was back with Arrow—he had been drawing the prequel comics. The remainder of the run of Oz climaxes in Dark Oz, though Ruggedo remains around to be a villain in The Land of Oz.

Dark Oz was optioned for a movie trilogy in 2008. The movie is in development with Pearry Teo attached to direct.

See also

• Oz Squad

External links

• Bill Bryan interview