There are a lot Oz books on the market right now, with Marvel, Image, and IDW in the game. This is possible because Dorothy and her friends are all in the public domain. Here’s IDW’s description for the catchily titled Dorothy of Oz Prequel:

Based on the upcoming animated film Dorothy Of Oz! Building on the world created in the celebrated children’s book by Roger Stanton Baum, Dorothy Of Oz will tell the tale of Dorothy’s return to the Land of Oz. But first, read here about what events transpired to necessitate Dorothy’s return, and witness the rise of the Jester!

Dorothy’s friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion, are on their way to Candy County to find the Candy Man, who, rumor has it, can create a rainbow, which they need in order to defeat the evil Jester. Despite some humorous elements to the adventure, it mostly feels like Denton J. Tipton is spinning his wheels with the story. As the prequel to a movie, this series can’t do anything of consequence that would affect the later plot. Rather than add new elements to the story as a secret history, Tipton is content to let the characters run in circles. However, Tipton does offer some enjoyable dialogue.

I’m not completely sure, but I assume that Blair Shedd‘s art employs elements, such as character designs, from the upcoming movie. Regardless of who did the designs, they are excellent. Unfortunately, Shedd reduces them to simple silhouettes  for a number of conversation panels throughout the book. I wish he’d been able to employ a few more artistic tricks. Finally, while he makes good use of the Candy County setting to show backgrounds with trees and buildings made of sweets, he never takes maximum advantage of the scenery with a great vista or wide angle shot of the fantastic landscape.

While some parts of Dorothy of Oz Prequel #3 make it a fun read, it too often feels like a combination cash grab/marketing tool to take advantage of and promote the upcoming movie.

2.5/5