By Hannah Diffey, SCREEN RANT
The Ultimate OZ Universe by AWA is set to release Volume 3 of The Wizard of Oz-inspired comic, and here is an exclusive preview of the cover.
AWA Studios is taking its modern Wizard of Oz saga into its most dangerous chapter yet with Ultimate OZ Universe: Game of Nomes, the third graphic novel in its canon-faithful inpirsed story from L. Frank Baum’s fantasy story. Arriving July 20, 2027, the new volume reunites Dorothy and Princess Ozma against one of OZ’s most formidable enemies: Roquat the Red, the Nome King.
Following The Lost Lands and Into the Outerlands, Game of Nomes pushes the story beneath the familiar kingdoms of Oz and into the subterranean domain of the Nome King. The more than 120-page graphic novel also marks the conclusion of the series’ opening story arc, per an exclusive press release from AWA, while introducing a larger threat expected to shape the next stage of AWA’s expanding Oz universe.
The newly revealed main cover by Patricia Martín captures the scale of the coming conflict, while a separate Kickstarter edition features artwork from Mike Deodato Jr. Deodato also returns as the interior artist, working with co-writers Larry King and Fred Van Lente. Ive Scorcina provides the colors, while veteran letterer Steve Wands completes the creative team for Volume 3.
The Ultimate OZ Universe story follows Dorothy and Princess Ozma as they attempt to rescue the imprisoned Royal Family of Ev. Their mission takes them underground into the Nome King’s realm, where Princess Langwidere, the default ruler of Ev, becomes their guide. What begins as a rescue mission quickly reveals itself as a carefully constructed trap, putting the heroes in unfamiliar territory.
Roquat the Red, identified as the all-powerful Nome King, stands at the center of that danger. Rather than simply revisiting familiar Oz imagery, Game of Nomes draws from Baum’s broader lore, using forgotten locations and characters to expand the world beyond the traditional yellow brick road. The conflict also places Dorothy and Ozma side by side for the first time, giving their relationship a particularly important role in the new story.
AWA describes Game of Nomes as the finale to the Ultimate OZ Universe’s initial story arc, making the third volume an important turning point for the series. The graphic novel builds directly from the events of Into the Outerlands, where Dorothy and Ozma followed separate paths that gradually moved toward the confrontation now unfolding in Ev. Their reunion comes with the fate of an entire kingdom at stake.
The Ultimate OZ Universe project is being developed by AWA, ShaggyMan Productions, and Alchemation, with material informed by Baum’s original 14 Oz novels and additional research from Oz historians. AWA’s larger Ultimate OZ Universe encompasses more than 1,000 characters, over 50 lands, and stories that continue beyond their Wizard of Oz inspiration, giving the creators an unusually large amount of lore and worldbuilding to explore.
That expansive approach is particularly important because Game of Nomes is not simply intended to close the first three-volume storyline. The book is positioned as a bridge toward the next major chapter of the franchise, with Roquat the Red serving as a main villain whose ambitions extend beyond Ev. The creators are using Volume 3 to establish consequences that could carry into future adventures.
For collectors, the release also comes with an earlier opportunity to support the project. AWA plans to launch a special Kickstarter campaign in March 2027 featuring deluxe editions and exclusive merchandise, ahead of the mass-market release on July 20. The campaign provides another way for longtime OZ fans to engage with the new interpretation of Baum’s world.
With its combination of Dorothy, Ozma, Princess Langwidere, and the Nome King, Game of Nomes represents a major escalation for the Ultimate OZ Universe. Volume 3 concludes the opening arc while widening the story, making the newly revealed cover an early glimpse at a story designed to take The Wizard of Oz’s lore somewhere considerably darker and deeper.
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