Eric Shanower

I'm no art critic -- I like the art here just fine, and it certainly doesn't detract from the story. But the amazing accomplishment here is the writing. Shanower has pulled together the entire story of the Trojan War from various sources, including the Iliad, Virgil, and Greek mythology, in order to relate the entire epic from beginning to end. Not only is this great writing, but it's good research, and a fabulous retelling of the story of the war in one narrative arc over several volumes.

He deserves particular praise for the way in which he incorporates the gods' influence without directly involving them. The result is a realistic flavor that just feels right -- much more immediate and personal, and without the sense that fate is dictating everything.

This particular volume focuses on Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia, as well as a disastrous raid in Mysia, where a young Achilles mistakes the first land he sees for Troy. I'm looking forward to continuing the story.… (altro)

Lots of great research here, some of it familiar from pre-existing articles but most of it not. The "making of" sections are actually the least interesting, although some of that may be down to layout choices. (Theater enthusiasts will probably disagree, but the sheer number of cast and crew mini-biographies presented as sidebars started to frustrate my attention.)

The absolutely essential aspect of the book is the full script of The Tik-Tok Man of Oz as performed, which has never been published, along with the earlier Rainbow's Daughter scenario. However, the seventy-page biography of composer Louis F. Gottschalk will interest anyone fascinated by musical theater of the period, or early American cinema, and the final short section on the legacy of Hank the Mule is a perfect capper.

I wish this was a hardcover; it's so big and heavy I spent my entire read trying not to break the spine. Regardless, it remains a solid read for Oz enthusiasts, and probably belongs on the shelves of anyone studying American musical theater.… (altro)