Exclusive: BOOM! Studios Announces ‘The Great Wiz and the Ruckus’

We’re breaking some great graphic novel news this morning: BOOM! Studios will publish the original graphic novel The Great Wiz and the Ruckus by animator Joey McCormick, with colors by Whitney Cogar, under their KaBOOM! imprint in February 2019. Get a load of that cover!

Here’s what the story is about:

Red, a blind Wiz is tasked with finding the Wiz’s of the realm so that they can destroy the Ruckus, a darkness that is threatening to take over the world once again! On this journey, he brings together some of the strongest Wiz’s around, Bog Wiz, Sad Dad, and Feather Duster but soon they realize that their fate will fall on the shoulders of a young Wiz named Bean who is too strong, too hot-headed, and completely untested to be any real help.

But even if Bean isn’t quite ready to be the hero the world needs, Red must bring the young Wiz and an odd group of heroes together to save the day or the Ruckus will plunge the world into darkness! Now if only these heroes can find a way to get along…

We asked Joey to explain a bit more about how he came up with the story. The full press release is after the interview.

What’s a Wiz, and how are they different from you and me?

A Wiz is a magical being whose mission is to protect the realm from things in the world that are a bit too much trouble for mortals to deal with. It’s the story of a young, hot-headed hero who must conquer a great evil.

What sets your story apart—or are you aiming for a classic feel?

I’m definitely going for a classic story feel. What sets this apart is the relationship of a former apprentice having the responsibility of a master thrust upon him and having to step up to train this cocky young Wiz. How is this young Wiz, Bean, going to listen to some guy that might not really know what he’s talking about?

How did your experience as an animator inform your work?

What’s nice about working in animation is that you get to draw all day, every day. Since I’m mainly a background designer, currently at Disney TVA on Amphibia, I draw all kinds of interesting scenes. When approaching this story, I wanted the opportunity to explore different and exciting locations. Animation in general lets you explore different styles. Each time I work on a show I try to pick up new tricks and techniques that keep things fresh.

You mention games as an inspiration. How did they help you create this story?

When coming up with The Great Wiz and the Ruckus I wanted to capture that feeling of starting up a fresh RPG for the first time. I loved being thrown into a new world, with a new cast of characters and an impossible task to overcome. Step by step the character, with the player, learns how to tackle problems and gets closer to being able to complete that impossible task. Usually by the end of the story they don’t seem like the same character…they’ve grown.

Is this your first original graphic novel? If so, can you talk about the experience of writing and drawing a story from beginning to end?

Yes, this is my first. It’s a daunting task. Once the ball started rolling it felt weird that this thing that’s been in my head for so long needed to be fleshed out. Writing the script has been the most fun so far. It’s something totally new to me and I’ve never been a confident writer. I spoke with some of my writer friends and they gave me some advice. The best was to treat the script like an illustration. Start with a thumbnail (the synopsis), then the rough (the outline) and then the clean-up (the final script). Once the script was finished I felt a wave of relief because then I just had to draw, that’s what I do! And for once when I have issues with a script I have no one to blame but myself. It’s definitely been a humbling experience.

BOOM! Studios Announces THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS Original Graphic Novel

Discover The Epic Team Up of Wizards to Battle Evil in February 2019

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 29, 2018) – BOOM! Studios is proud to announce THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS, an all-new original graphic novel by cartoonist Joey McCormick (Adventure Time), with colors by Whitney Cogar (Steven Universe) and arriving in stores February 2019.

Red, a blind Wiz is tasked with finding the Wiz’s of the realm so that they can destroy the Ruckus, a darkness that is threatening to take over the world once again! On this journey, he brings together some of the strongest Wiz’s around, Bog Wiz, Sad Dad, and Feather Duster but soon they realize that their fate will fall on the shoulders of a young Wiz named Bean who is too strong, too hot-headed, and completely untested to be any real help.

But even if Bean isn’t quite ready to be the hero the world needs, Red must bring the young Wiz and an odd group of heroes together to save the day or the Ruckus will plunge the world into darkness! Now if only these heroes can find a way to get along…

“The Tower on the Edge is lit, the Ruckus has returned, and no one knows why. The Great Wiz and the Ruckus is a story about good versus evil as well as becoming part of something more than yourself,” said Joey McCormick. “Games like the Final Fantasy series, Earthbound, and Kingdom Hearts were huge inspirations. I always loved the epic tales that could be cut with comedy, personal stories and the relationships that drive us. Taking the time to get to know the full cast so you can feel the weight of their journey. With THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS I hope to capture a small sense of that feeling. Even if you’re just a little Bean, through your friends you can do great things.”

THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning KaBOOM! imprint, home to comics for middle grade and younger readers including licensed series such as Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Rugrats, Peanuts, and Garfield, along with original series like Mega Princess by Kelly Thompson and Brianne Drouhard, Bodie Troll by Jay Fosgitt, and The Deep by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer.

“THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS is a refreshing tale on good versus evil, about working together to achieve your goals, and about the sacrifices you might have to make on the way,” said Whitney Leopard, Editor, BOOM! Studios.” This story is fantastic and it’s something any reader, young and old, will enjoy. Joey has created a cast of heroes that will find their way into your hearts, terrifying villains that seem too strong to handle, and an unexpected adventure that brings all these amazing characters together in an action-packed story that will have you hooked”

Print copies of THE GREAT WIZ AND THE RUCKUS will be available for sale in February 2019 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one), bookstores or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

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