Warlord of Oz opens right up to intense heart wrenching action. Instantly you are transported back into Dorothy’s world and it feels so easy to get lost in the chaos of Oz. This was probably one of my favorite issues of this arc so far. I felt like it flew by me as the momentum is building for an epic conclusion in the next couple of issues. Last month we saw Dorothy ally with an odd creature that goes by the name of Smynth. So we catch up with them again as they are traveling to Zamora’s burial site. Dorothy tries to find her Zen so that the magic within her won’t take over. I like the play on foreshadowing; I think we are going to see Dorothy really struggle with the forces inside of her in the very near future.
Oh and I’m a sucker for mini origin/background stories, so I was pleasantly amused with the information Smynth gives about Zamora. Girl had it rough. I’m interested in knowing how Dorothy’s mother plays into all of this. I haven’t read the previous Oz arcs so all of this feels new and exciting to me but maybe veterans to the series already see where this is going. Either way I think Grimm fans will eat up this series. Rarely do I find comics such as Warlord of Oz that are so well written. This issue doesn’t falter in suspense and magical drama.
Alright, if you like me were wondering what Thora and Nicholas ( The Tinman) were up to, it’s safe to say up to no good! Although Nicholas seems reluctant about their future plans to awaken Zamora. I have a feeling Thora has ulterior motives and I’m thinking Nicholas is going to be the one to bear the brunt of her consequences. Very curious to see how their future pans out.
I always mention how well the artwork in Warlord of Oz sort of drowns out the world allowing the reader to really immerse themselves. This issue is no different. It is set up in a way where the reader can get this overwhelming sense of urgency in Oz with multiple panels depicting different perspectives. So all at once you’re hit with the magnitude of the situation while also getting a sneak peek of situations in various areas of Oz.
Score: 5/5
Writers: Jeff Massey Artist: Miguel Mendonca Colorist: Grostieta Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/27/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital