a Smeary Soapbox Press webcomic by Dale Martin
This week’s episode is my little tip of the hat to one of my favorite parts about epic movies (such as Ben Hur, GWTW, Dr. Zhivago): seeing what was a glamorous setting in the early acts revealed to be a deserted ruin in the final reel …
(To save you having to look it up, this is the strip where Watusi first arrived in the Emerald City. Of course, feel free to scroll back through the archive…)
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.)
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.)
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.)
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.)
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.)
There are times when Dale the writer doesn’t play to Dale the artist’s strengths … and a crowd scene like this is one of those times! If this goes on for too long, Dale the artist may just quit!
(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 Forbidden Fountain may seem like a deus ex machina, but at least it’s a genuine Baum deus ex machina …
