“Return to the Emerald City”

 

Looks like our cast has completed their journey …  only to end up (as in many Oz books) back where they started!

(As with the other double-page spreads in this story, this episode can be viewed at a larger size if you’re interested (or want to read the text easier)– just click on the image.)

“Hearts & minds”

People often assume that my all-ages comics are meant to teach kids “values”; while that’s not my intention (and shouldn’t that be their parents’ job?), I guess there might be a lesson to be found in them from time to time anyway…

“Let’s do it again”

Needless to say, Jinjur and the Scarecrow share a rather contentious history. Baum wrote a whole book about it, in fact: The Marvelous Land of Oz, which you can read here courtesy of classics-illustrated.com.

(As with the other double-page spreads in this story, this episode can be viewed at a larger size if you’re interested (or want to read the text easier)– just click on the image.)

“First-paw knowledge”

One more stop (and guest star intro) before Emerald City!

“Old home walk”

While Baum created too many characters for me to include them all in this story, I wanted to find some place for the Patchwork Girl. A big thank you goes out to Kevin Williams for helping me find an approach for the character beyond just “Scarecrow’s love interest”. Thanks, Kevin! By the way, Kevin and I are working on a collaboration that (pandemic willing) will see print later this year…

(As with the other double-page spreads in this story, this episode can be viewed at a larger size if you’re interested (or want to read the text easier)– just click on the image.)

“The turning tide”

Next time: some characters who we actually know the names of!

“Tough crowd”

One of the things about this story I regret not playing up more is the fact that dogs are not a native species to Oz, and so Watusi should’ve enjoyed more of a celebrity status than he did. Guess that’s price he paid for trying to keep a low profile while on the lam …

(As with the other double-page spreads in this story, this episode can be viewed at a larger size if you’re interested (or want to read the text easier)– just click on the image.)

“Naming the stars”

My apologies for any of you readers who find this gag too similar to one I did back in Watusi #5 … but thank you for still reading my comics over these past 17 years!

“By the light of the silv’ry moon”

A welcome moment of respite for tired feet, I bet!

(As with the other double-page spreads in this story, this episode can be viewed at a larger size if you’re interested (or want to read the text easier)– just click on the image.)

“Hold on to your hat!”

Run fast, Scarecrow! I don’t want to have to write mirrored dialog any more than you want to read it!!