And over the years I’d certainly considered the idea of adapting Wizard for comics, as well as doing my own illustrated version of Baum’s text. When I was in fourth grade I did a series of pop-up illustrations that told the story. I was wondering how the transition was to getting back to basics and in doing so did you find something, perhaps during research or rereading, about the story that perhaps stuck out at you more this time around than prior?Įric Shanower - This project for Marvel is my first professional attempt at adapting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever get out of Oz altogether.Įven with those numerous prior OZ related projects behind you, if I am not mistaken your forthcoming Wonderful Wizard of OZ project with Marvel is actually your first attempt at an adaptation of the work. In the ealry 1990s I tried to call it quits, but that didn’t work. At one point “my own Oz books” turned into “my own Oz comics.” There’s never been any major stretch of time since I was eight that I haven’t been involved in some sort of Oz project or another. I actually did write and illustrate my own Oz books, starting at about eight years old. It was about that time that I decided I wanted to write and draw my own Oz stories. I loved it so much that I wanted all the rest of the Oz books. My parents read my sister and me a chapter every night. Frank Baum’s Oz books in a bookstore, I got one. I really liked it, so when I found some of L. You’ve written numerous books in the OZ setting and I was wondering if you can speak on your first experience with or the experience that made OZ something that you’d want to dedicate your creativity and time to.Įric Shanower - My first experience with Oz was seeing the movie version on television, the version with Judy Garland playing Dorothy. I don’t know where the impetus came from at Marvel to do the project. I believe Skottie Young was already attached as the artist. How did the current Marvel project come together? Was this pitched by you or was Marvel just looking to expand the Marvel Illustrated line in general, or was an OZ project something specifically they were looking to retell?Įric Shanower - One day I received an e-mail from Chris Allo at Marvel asking whether I’d be interested in writing the script for a Marvel Illustrated adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I present Eric Shanower as we talk OZ, Troy, faith and accidental deaths . . . Then, I found out Eric Shanower was writing it and it became the #1 comic series I was most looking forward to at the end of the year and continuing in 2009. Young has been doing excellent work for awhile now but he seems primed with this project to ascend to even greater heights.

Wonderful wizard of oz eric shanower