Did you read The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz eight issue mini-series by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young? If you've read it or have seen any images from it, you probably have an idea how great this series was. If, for some reason, you missed out on it, check out the video review:

I cannot give this a higher recommendation. I'm sure there will be some out there that simply are not interested in the Wizard of Oz. As you saw, even though I purchased the individual issues, I also wanted to have this in the hardcover format. It's a great story. The artwork is amazing. It deserves to be given this prestige packaging. This is a comic that you could hand off to family members or friends. They'll be familiar with the story but it's adapted from the novel and not the movie. With all the darkness and death in comics these days, this is just a refreshing change of pace (even though there are some dark moments here as well).

Who has read this besides me? Help me get the word out on how awesome this is.

G-Man, you just made my day!  The Oz trilogy is my favorite story besides Kipling's work from my childhood.  That artwork is pretty incredible.  There's only a couple of things that I need to know: 

• Does Dorothy have silver slippers and not the stupid ruby red ones?
• Does the backstory behind all the different characters like Scarecrow disrespect Baum's original work?  I mean, all of these characters have their own separate volumes that flesh out their own backstory, and I don't know if you've personally read all those volumes or not (there's 40 Oz books total, 13 by Baum, I haven't even read them all!!!).  Particularly, the backstory you mention in the video with Scarecrow has me worried...
• Is this, in terms of art, twisted like crazy in the same way as the Macfarlane Oz stuff?  If so, I really have no interest.

what Jakob said

" G-Man, you just made my day!  The Oz trilogy is my favorite story besides Kipling's work from my childhood.  That artwork is pretty incredible.  There's only a couple of things that I need to know: 

• Does Dorothy have silver slippers and not the stupid ruby red ones?
• Does the backstory behind all the different characters like Scarecrow disrespect Baum's original work?  I mean, all of these characters have their own separate volumes that flesh out their own backstory, and I don't know if you've personally read all those volumes or not (there's about 28 Oz books total or something like that, I haven't even read them all!!!).  Particularly, the backstory you mention in the video with Scarecrow has me worried...
• Is this, in terms of art, twisted like crazy in the same way as the Macfarlane Oz stuff?  If so, I really have no interest.

 I'm still praying for the day that someone goes "PETER JACKSON, MAKE THE OZ TRILOGY PLZ!  KTHXBAI!".  I'm so sick of people using that crap movie as a crux for everything they know about Wizard of Oz...especially because I hate the sad face they get when I tell them "DOROTHY DOESN'T HAVE RUBY RED SLIPPERS!!!". "

I read it and I loved it and now you've got me thinking that I should pick up the hardcover to

" @G-Man: So what you're saying is I need to get this? "

" @jefprice said:

" @G-Man: So what you're saying is I need to get this? "

Yes. "

Besides the fact that it's a great story, I simply love Skottie Young's art.  I'm even picking up the issues that he does the covers to like Wolverine First Class#18 and Iron Man Armor Wars.  I will pick up trade paperbacks from time to time if I really enjoy a story but something like this, it's worth paying a little more for a hardcover.

" @G-Man said:

" @jefprice said:

" @G-Man: So what you're saying is I need to get this? "

Yes. "

But what you're really trying to say is "this is essential material to have in your collection"?  "

" Besides the fact that it's a great story, I simply love Skottie Young's art.  I'm even picking up the issues that he does the covers to like Wolverine First Class#18 and Iron Man Armor Wars.  I will pick up trade paperbacks from time to time if I really enjoy a story but something like this, it's worth paying a little more for a hardcover. "

" @jakob187 said:

" @G-Man said:

" @jefprice said:

" @G-Man: So what you're saying is I need to get this? "

Yes. "

But what you're really trying to say is "this is essential material to have in your collection"?  "

I think he thinks it is, I'm inclined to think it looks it.  

@G-Man said:

" Besides the fact that it's a great story, I simply love Skottie Young's art.  I'm even picking up the issues that he does the covers to like Wolverine First Class#18 and Iron Man Armor Wars.  I will pick up trade paperbacks from time to time if I really enjoy a story but something like this, it's worth paying a little more for a hardcover. "

I've been fighting back getting those. I don't care for the First Class stuff, but I as well love his work. "

G man spent the whole time trying to sell this to guys who aren't comfortable in their masculinity to appreciate pure whimsy. I mean, I'll check it out because the art looks great, but I'd like to think your general audience is capable of appreciating something without blood and boobs in it. Idunno, I'm kinda new here. Maybe they are that shallow. 
Actually, after seeing the reaction to the Marvel Disney thing, I totally get why you felt like you had to sell it this way. Its just kind of a shame is all.

This was a great series. 
 
But the people who tear down the movie for not being faithful enough to the book are pretentious nerds. Grow up.

I forgot to mention in the video that there are some "extras" in the book as well.  You get all the covers without the logo so you can enjoy the art.  You also get to see character designs and sketches.  Pretty sweet stuff.

a few months back i got some flyer/info floppy about this that had some artwork and text from the artists, the art is so fgreat!, I am planning on buying it as soon as i find it.

Never had a real affinity for the Wizard of Oz, but since its based off the novel and has impressive art, I'll pick this up for sure!!!!

Anyone who has enjoyed this series should know that Marvel is not quite done with 'Oz' yet. They are following this series with an adaptation of the second Baum book, 'The Marvelous Land of Oz'. If it's half as good as the first series was, it's well worth picking up each issue as they come out. I'm a big fan of Baum's Oz books and have been thrilled by the comics bringing this great story to a new audience. Please support these titles. The higher the success, the higher chance we can get adaptations for more of the books (here's hoping for at least the first five books.) Thanks for bringing this great series to everyone's attention.

I couldn't get the comics for this.  By the time I'd discovered it, it was impossible to get the back issues unless I wanted to part with shocking amounts of money.  If I was going to part with that kind of money then I may as well save it for the collected edition.  The sad thing is, I've pre-ordered it from Amazon (half-price, baby!!) but Amazon have the release date listed for 16 September.  I still have over a week to wait!!  And believe me, the wait is killing me! 
 
I absolutely adore Skottie Young, so this is a no-brainer for me.  And for a long time I've been trying to get my hands on the different books of Oz, because they are brilliant children's stories in that they do have dark and scary elements just like the old Brothers Grimm stories used to be.  So to me this is a perfect marriage of art & story.  In fact, I'm now torn between buying the individual issues of Marvellous World of Oz and waiting for the hardcover version of that too :)  
 
But I'm also looking forward to reading this in a 'pure' format. Without adverts for rubbish junk food or brands of 'sneakers' that aren't available over here, or video games that will be outdated when you read the story again in years to come.  I saw this in a few bookshops while in London and had a flick through.  It's great to see page after page of just pure story.  And the sketches in the back are so wonderful they convinced me to get Skottie's own artbooks.
 
Oh, and the title in emerald green is a nice touch!
 
What does it say on the White Board about Chew #4? 

It says Chew on the board because one of us will probably be reviewing it.