Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Graphic Novel: The Forgotten Forest of Oz

Little Adventures In Oz: Volume 2 by Eric Shanower, IDW Publishing, San Diego, CA, 2010.
This is one of five graphic novels written and illustrated by Eric Shanower.  They were first published separately before 2010.  The five are:
The Forgotten Forest of Oz
The Forgotten Forest of Oz deals with a wood nymph, who is banned from the forest for having kissed a man.  The Law of the forest is very strict.  She is taken in by the King of the Trolls, and becomes the Queen of the Trolls when they marry.  Over time our Nymph, now made mortal when she was banished, becomes bitter with the wood nymphs.  She seeks revenge, and with her encouragement, the Troll King goes to war with the Nymphs.  The recruit the dragons to help as the nymphs have great magic.  They hope to attack at night, and conquer the Nymphs before the can mount a defense.  Our queen is still not happy, and determines to drink of the Waters of Oblivion from the Emerald City.  She sends a large flying bat.  However Toto and Dorothy notice the bat and hitch a ride.  They are flown over the desert to the land of the trolls.  The scare crow and the wooden horse notice their plight, and take off after them.  Fortunately nether of them breath, nor is made of flesh, so they are able to travel through the desert.  They arrive to save Dorothy and Toto who are now prisoners of the Queen.  However they make good their escape.  They have heard the plans to invade the forest, and they are off, pursued by the queen aboard her bat.  The Queen realizes she has been tricked by the Troll King, first into kissing a man (who turns out to have been the Troll King in disguise) and then used to spark an invasion.  She finally realizes her love is for the forest.  Now how does she stop an invasion she started?  Dorothy and the wooden horse play into the solution, as they hurry to warn the forest queen.  Our wood nymph sews confusion and doubt amongst the dragons.  When they see the lights of the wood nymphs coming towards them, they are convinced the Troll King is leading them into a trap.  Only the Nymph Queen can restore the nymph, who realizes her love is the forest. 

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