ABADAZAD v2 by DeMatteis/Ploog

Ages ago I mentioned reading the first volume of ABADAZAD in its new prose/comics hybrid format. It was enjoyable stuff, and I was eager to get around to reading the second book, THE DREAM THIEF, which continues the story beyond what appeared in the original comic book format. I'm happy to say that it was more than satisfactory after all this time.



The first half of the book finishes up what appeared in the comic, although with a few major changes that I think really improve from the previous version. Kate's departure from the Floating City with Wix felt a bit unsatisfactory and abrupt in the comic, as if the creators were just in a hurry to get along with the big quest, and it all works a lot better with some of the additions made in the new version.

After that we get some new stuff, as Kate finally has her meeting with the Waterlogged Warlock and we get some interesting background on what's really going on in the larger story and start Kate on the heart of her quest right. Lots of interesting goofiness, and some more great designs of the characters by Ploog.

The next book, THE PUPPET, THE PROFESSOR AND THE PROPHET, should be out in the not too distant future, and finally introduces Professor Headstrong, one of the most intriguing looking characters (as presumably DeMatteis and Ploog also think, since he was on the first cover of the comic series way back when). Should be good.