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 Secret Island of Oz
The Secret Land of Oz starts with a sad gardener. He is said as he has every type of fish in his pond except one, the elusive the Crimson-Tailed Guipperug. Of course the fish is badly needed, but requires a trip to forbidden mountain, which makes awful noises. The Cowardly Lion (who is really a brave lion despite having fear when he does brave things) as King of the Quadling Country has been there many times. Scarecrow also joins Dorothy on the trip, and an uninvited guest, Eureka the Cat who would like to dine on fish. Lion talks to the fish and discovers the Crimson-Tailed Guipperug very solitary and not easily found. They go inside of a fish to continue their journey, and use a magical finding amulet given Dorothy by the Wizard. However they all pop out of the fish’s mouth in a whirlpool and end up on the other side of the whirlpool in an unexplored country. The country is inside the mysterious mountain. Dorothy and Eureka and a new friend, Knot Boy (he is made of wood) are separated from Lion and Scarecrow. In an attempt to find them they go in room locked by the King—breaking the law. The Princess catches them. The Princess and Knot Boy were once friends, but now the Princess feels too good for Knot Boy.
In the meantime Scarecrow and Lion are in a cave with a giant snake and giant frog who would like to eat them. Dorothy comes upon them in the middle of a confrontation. They use the Wizard’s shrinking potion on the snake, and Knot Boy rescues the Princess from the Frog. Now how to get out of the mysterious mountain. They are welcomed by the King as heroes, and he gives them a boat with which to ride up the whirlpool which surrounds the country. At the arrive safe. Eureka finds a Crimson-Tailed Guipperug; and when they ask it to come to the Emerald City and be admired by all, its response is classic, “No, thank you. I’d rather stay here. The Emerald City may be wonderful, but I don’t want to live in captivity and be stared at by strangers. I’m a wild fish and this is my home.” This book has two themes. The first is to know who you are and live up to that. The second is not to forget your friends.
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