Publication on Oziana was still behind its intended schedule, so the next issue, which would have been the 2008 issue, didn't come out until 2011. Hence, it is called Oziana #38 instead. But it is still a great issue, showing a lot of care and love that the magazine hadn't been getting for a few years. (Looking back at some of the later issues, it looks like this may have actually been a retroactive issue, as 2011 actually came after the publication of some later issues. Hey, I said it was a rough time for the magazine! I'll give a few more details when I get to the next issues.) The first story is one I remember reading before its publication, "Executive Decisions" by David Tai, illustrated here by Kimberly MacFarland. It concerns one of the most troubling aspects of the Oz books, the execution by liquidation of Mombi at the end of The Lost King fo Oz. This has not set at all well with many Oz fans over the decades, and Tai does an excellent job dealing with the issue here. And it all starts off with Dorothy on the throne holding court, as both Ozma and the Wizard are away. She is assisted by Betsy and Trot, and in just a few deft words Tai manages to distinguish the three girls and give them their own personalities and motives, something even the Royal Historians have not always managed successfully. The three of them are confused when the final person comes in asking for help—Mombi! This raises all kinds of questions, which confuses the poor woman as all she wants is for the mushroom people to vacate her basement. She doesn't remember ever meeting the three girls, and Omby Amby doesn't remember her at all. Something suspicious is going on, which is only confirmed when Trot "accidentally" spills a pitcher of water over Mombi, which has no effect at all. They imprison Mombi (who still has no idea why these girls would be mad at her, or even know her), and try to decide what to do. About this time, Ozma returns, and has some troubling revelations about what happened, and why, that led her to pretend to execute Mombi. Now that she's shared the secret, the three girls have a tremendous decision to make. Betsy and Trot decide to defer to Dorothy.
Yes, I'm leaving things deliberately vague here, because if I say any more I'll give away too much. And while this was less of an issue in previous entries in this series, we've now reached the era of print-on-demand issues of Oziana, so this issue can be ordered very easily if you want to read it. But in case it isn't already evident, I really liked this story, even though it is not an easy read, and let's just say it's ending is logical, but understandably a bit frustrating.
(Added December 10, 2019): It turns out David Tai has written about this story and its origins over on Jay Davis' blog, since Jay had a hand in it coming about.
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