Wicked: The Graphic Novel Part 1 Review: A Darker Oz Reimagined
If you're a fan of Wicked, The Wizard of Oz or anything to do with the Emerald City, then Titan Comics has a treat for you. Wicked: The Graphic Novel Part 1, by Gregory Maguire and adapted and illustrated by Scott Hampton. It's one of the finest-looking adaptations of any Oz-based story you'll find.
Growing up, I watched The Wizard of Oz more times than I can count. The technicolour dreamscape, the Wicked Witch, the Emerald City, flying monkeys. It all fascinated me. Musicals, though, never really grabbed me. Never have, never will. So when I saw Wicked adapted into a graphic novel, especially with Scott Hampton illustrating, I was immediately interested. This isn't the Broadway spectacle; it's Gregory Maguire's darker, more layered vision of Oz, reimagined with artwork that adds a whole new dimension.
Starting with the art, like usual, and Hampton's art is highly impressive. It leans toward painterly pastels, setting a tone far removed from the film's bright emerald hues. Elphaba's skin, for instance, is a much paler shade of green. So subtle that one of my step-daughters looked over my shoulder and questioned why she wasn't green. She is. It's just subtle enough that, at times, her "otherness" almost fades into the background. It's a deliberate choice, one that matches the muted palette and reinforces this Oz as a world in turmoil, not a glittering fantasy.
For the lettering, it's as clean as you would like. Easy to read, which is exactly what you want. One stylistic decision comes in the lettering, though. Early on, a note explains that when "animals" appears in italics, it denotes creatures with language - distinct from ordinary animals. Unlike the novel, which capitalises "Animal" and names specific species (like Dr. Dillamond the Goat), the comic avoids such labels. Instead, all creatures are grouped together. Their plight is made universal. It's a subtle but powerful shift.
As for the story, rather than following the musical's streamlined plot, this graphic novel stays close to Maguire's original prose. Artist Scott Hampton takes on double duty here, both writing and illustrating. We follow Elphaba from her unusual birth through her schooling at Shiz and into her rebellious years in the Emerald City. It's only Part 1, so there's plenty left for the next instalment, but already it feels like a rich introduction to the shadowy corners of Oz.
There's a lot of text that, from my memory, seems lifted directly from Maguire's prose. Hampton weaves it into the panels with care, letting narration shift between characters like Boq and Fiyero. This keeps Elphaba herself at the centre of the story but still elusive, never fully revealing her inner self. It's a clever way to preserve her mystery while keeping the narrative flowing.
This adaptation is not for the faint of heart. Like the novel, it's steeped in adult themes like politics, racism, violence, and sexuality. It's far grimmer than the musical most people know. But for fans of Maguire's book, or for anyone curious to see Oz through a darker lens, it's essential reading. For me, someone who grew up enchanted by The Wizard of Oz, this graphic novel offers a fascinating new way to revisit that world. It's one that trades spectacle for substance and asks what it really means to be moral rather than good. And it looks incredible whilst doing so. Check out Titan Comics website for buying options/
Rating: 4/5.
