I must confess, I’ve never actually read L. Frank Baum’s book, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. I have, however, seen the movie: one of a series of silent pictures, produced by Baum himself in the very early days of film. I really like the movie. It’s got a visual style that gives it a very Baum-like feel—as opposed to the MGM feel that tends to go hand in hand with Oz stories since the 1939 movie. (Not to disparage the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie either, of course. It may not be the original, but it is and remains the best.)

This comic’s aesthetic has a bit of both Baum and MGM in it, but, mostly, it’s its own unique style. There’s a lot of great detail and a lot of vivid color that really help make this Land of Oz different from others you may have seen—particularly as we explore parts of it that many people aren’t as familiar with. The character designs are great, too, allowing us get to know our protagonists right from the start.

Ojo and Unc Nunkie live in a small cottage, deep in the woods, far from anyone else. Ojo is young and talkative; Unc is older and can only speak in single words—occasionally two. They’ve been there as long as Ojo can remember, but now they seem to be almost out of food. But no one starves in the land of Oz… do they?

After reading this comic, I actually looked up the original book online. (It’s in the public domain and so freely available on Project Gutenberg.) So far, it’s a very faithful adaptation—almost line for line, in fact. The only difference is that the language in the comic has been updated and sounds more modern. I’m not sure how I feel about that, to be honest—especially since the language in the original isn’t particularly outmoded or difficult to understand.

Still, the comic manages to be very entertaining, and, as I said, the visuals are great. Everything else aside, that fact alone makes it worth reading.

Creative Team: Otis Frampton (adapted and illustrated by), L. Frank Baum (original novel by), Kate Frampton (color flats)
Publisher: Image Comics
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