IT'S COLLABORATION
WORDS AND ILLUSTRATION.
OUR WORK TOGETHER WILL BE ALL THE RAGE.
A PERFECT PUBLICATION,
BINDING OUR CREATION
WHEN WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
BAUM AND DENSLOW:
MIDWEST CHARM
AND ART NOUVEAU,
WITH MY FICTION AND YOUR DEPICTIONS
SIDE BY SIDE.
COLOR PLATED.
EMERALD GATED.
LITERARY SOUL-MATED, AND WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
What in tarnation is this?
Tarnation?
Take one look at the cover of this proof and tell me what I might be irate about.
Looks great to me. I painted it. Your name is three times the size of mine. Well I did three times the work. Let's not kid ourselves. Your little story is clever, but it's my illustrations that are going to sell this book. Mr. Hill, will you please say something?
Den, make your names the same damn size, so we can get this book on the shelves by Christmas.
IT'S COLLABORATION:
WORDS AND ILLUSTRATION.
OUR WORK TOGETHER
WILL BE ALL THE RAGE.
HE'S LIKE A BLOOD RELATION:
LOVE AND AGGRAVATION,
BUT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE
In September of 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hit the shelves in a tempting, dark green cloth cover with the title announcing itself in bright red ink.
They can't keep it on the shelves, so they keep printing more! Get a load of that.
That's a lot of zeroes. They're all ours.
OZ IS A SENSATION!
I THINK YOU'VE FOUND YOUR TRUE VOCATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE,
MY DEAR MAUD GAGE.
The pleasure was mine.
YOU'RE MY INSPIRATION.
I'M IN FOR THE DURATION.
ME TOO.
GLAD WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
Congrats, Frank. What do you think of this idea George has to turn our book into a Broadway musical? Think of the money, Frank. Talk about a yellow brick road.
IT'S AN ADAPTATION
OF OUR OWN CREATION,
WITH WORDS AND COSTUMES
DIRECT FROM THE PAGE.
WRITING GREAT ORATION,
GIVING MOTIVATION,
WHEN WE'RE HERE ON THE STAGE.
Heya Frank!
Yeah Den?
What'ya say you, me, and Paul here split the royalties for this here show equally? What'ya say we split 'em according to how much work we each did?
You call this work?
GLAD WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
Heya Den!
Yeah Frank?
What'ya think that highfalutin' theatre director thought of our script? What did that highfalutin' theatre director think of your script?
Good?
No good.
THERE GOES YOUR REPUTATION.
WHERE'S MY MEDICATION?
WE'RE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE.
Heya Den!
Yeah Frank?
They'll only produce our show if we let that theatre director, Julian Mitchell, change whatever he wants, gut my original story, and fill it with a bunch of cheap jokes.
Will we make money?
A boatload.
Then I say, "darn-tootin."
But what if seeing my work gutted makes me feel dead inside?
You'll run it off climbing the stairs of your mansion.
What mansion?
The one you'll buy with all that dough!
GOT NO PALPITATION.
MENTAL CONSTIPATION.
MY HEART AIN'T TICKIN'.
DON'T FEEL LIKE A SAGE.
BUT WITH SOME LUBRICATION
AND COMIC DEVIATION
WE'LL BE A HIT ON THE STAGE.
IT'S AN ADAPTATION.
SETS WITH INNOVATION.
ROMANCE IS BLOOMING CAUSE DOROTHY'S OF AGE.
Oh, thanks boys!
Oh Imogene...
The cow!
I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!
IT'S THE SAME FOUNDATION,
BUT A GROSS MUTATION THAT IS HERE ON THE STAGE.
AHHHHHHH
AHHHHHHH
HEAR THAT MODULATION,
BIG BUDGET PRESENTATION.
A CHORUS OF GIRLIES
SURE TO ENGAGE.
WE'RE DEADLY VEGETATION
CAUSED BY POLLINATION.
THERE'S NO MODERATION.
WE WANT BIG OVATIONS,
AND THE ADORATION
FROM THE POPPY-LATION!
Ya know, the book is always better.
WHEN WE'RE HERE ON THE STAGE.