Elton John is going from “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” to the actual source material that inspired his famous song.
He’s written the forward for a graphic novel called Ultimate Oz Universe: The Lost Lands, inspired by the universe L. Frank Baum created, starting with his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. That, of course, inspired the classic Judy Garland movie, as well as the book Wicked, which led to the Tony Award-winning musical, and the Oscar-nominated film and its upcoming sequel.
Elton says in a statement to People, “Every moment with a book is precious and I was dazzled by the first installment in The Ultimate Oz Universe, celebrating the legacy of Baum’s genius and the heritage of color, unique characters and the triumph of goodness. I am more committed than ever to shining a light on people and creators who uplift others.”
He adds, “It’s wonderful to see the love & attention [the novel’s creators] have lavished on the Baum books so few people know.” Elton is referring to the fact that Baum wrote multiple Oz books, introducing many different characters with whom readers and moviegoers might be unfamiliar.
One of those characters, an orphan boy named Tip, is the hero of The Lost Lands. He was first introduced in Baum’s book The Marvelous Land of Oz. In the graphic novel, Tip explores the mystery of his birth and encounters familiar faces along the way, like the Tin Woodsman.
Ultimate Oz Universe: The Lost Lands is out Nov. 11.
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