We all know the story–girl falls down a rabbit hole, discovers various potions to change her shape, makes strange new acquaintances, and finally escapes the despotic government. But what of the people left behind? What of the little people of Wonderland, the cards, the rabbits, the maids? This is the story of Mary Ann, the maid of the White Rabbit, and her adventures in Wonderland.
Is Wonderland really Wonderland without Alice? In the hands of Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew it is! They’ve opted to create a Wonderland tale that doesn’t show Alice as anything more than a shadow in one scene, though her presence is all over the story, looming as large as she ever did after drinking from a mysterious bottle. Mary Ann is a nice stand-in for Alice, though, without being anything other than her own person. She’s fussy and fidgety, quick to get annoyed, but also quick to defend the hard work done by maids everywhere. The Wonderland regulars all turn out. The White Rabbit is a silly caricature of British gentry, the Mad Hatter is…well, mad, and the Cheshire Cat is frankly a little creepy. All much as they were when Lewis Carroll first created them, even down to the dry British humor. But the magic in Kovac’s writing is that he carefully stays on the side of homage and sequel, rather than just making his tale a rehash of Carroll’s work.
Liew’s art is a wonder to behold in itself….
This review was originally posted at Good Comics for Kids. Please visit the original post to see the rest of the review.
Wonderland
Written by Tommy Kovac; illustrated by Sonny Liew
ISBN (hdbk): 978-142310451-3
Disney Press, 2008
