In the broad roll-out of all of the four realms of Grimm Fairy Tales, that of Oz lagged far behind.  For a long time there was no direction at all, as it was spoken of, but as the adventures in the kingdom were undocumented.  After the introduction of the stories it might have been wise to wait even longer to create something solid like the stories from Wonderland versus what is on hand at the moment.  Tales from Oz tells stories based on the secondary characters in the kingdom, hoping to build the background for characters and the relevance of bigger story plots.  This issue focuses on the story of Glinda, the good witch, and her attempts to save Zamora, the victim of a plot by the Dark One.

First of all, this does not feel like Oz as Wonderland and even Neverland from Grimm Fairy Tales feel like those actual realms from literature.  While this is an inherent problem with the series, the story could have been saved by an adequate control of the characters, but it doesn’t work either.  The most entertaining parts of this story are those which focus on things which are not relevant to the plot overall.  In one scene Glinda and her companion are afflicted by hex magic, which turns them into the form of how Zamora perceives them.  Glinda in the process gets a larger bust and skimpier clothing, in what is maybe an unnecessary attempt to explain the proportions of comic book heroines and their clothing.  In another scene, the two engage in a series of adventures while trying to retrieve the components of a potion.  Unfortunately although this could have been a fun part of the story, it is reduced to a montage leaving the reader wondering why they are reading through this maze of inanity while the writer conceived of something more interesting.

By the end of the issue there is little left to discern from.  The plot as it stands could have been presented in about two pages without all the inside jokes (including two for the Princess Bride) and ridiculous conversation.  This is a series that I would like to like, but the presentation here creates a huge mess of an issue.

Story: Jeff Massey Art: Noah Salonga
Story: 4.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 4.0 Recommendation: Pass