Artist discusses new 'Oz' comics

Artist Skottie Young has revealed details on Marvel's upcoming comic series based on L. Frank Baum's Oz books.

Young, who has previously worked on Marvel's adaptation of the original Wizard Of Oz, will reunite with writer Eric Shanower for its follow-up The Marvellous Land Of Oz.

Speaking to Newsarama, the artist explained that the artistic freedom of pencilling Oz attracted him to the project. "There are no rules or boundaries. I'm creating Baum's world of Oz as I see it," he said.

"No New York to reference, no perspective on a car to get right. It's all fun and make believe. For me, the entire project has risen above my expectations. It really has been a joy from top to bottom."

He also detailed the creative process involved in translating the series' iconic characters to the pages of a comic book. "It all comes down to shape for me. I find out as much about a character as possible and then search for shapes that will help sell that character," he added.

"The lion is a coward, but we all know the look of a lion to be fierce, regal. I ended up giving his head and hair a more round, plush look to let you know in one glance that he's soft and timid. No hard angles, just big swooping lines.

"I used this mindset for all the characters. Sometimes a bit of the movie would creep in and I'd do my best to seek it out and change it."

The eight-issue series will debut later this year.