Polygondwanaland, by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard / Releases / KGLW.net

Motor Spirit

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · Song · 2023

Review of “Polygondwanaland” graphic novel (by Joe Courtney and Jorge Peña)

With their graphic novel adaptation of Polygondwanaland, Joe Courtney and Jorge Peña have crafted a wonderful addition to the ever-expanding Gizzverse. It’s a perfect example of how the bootlegger legacy can and should evolve into uncharted territory. When you’ve listened to the 2017 album as many times as I have, it was hard not to hear the text sung in my mind (fuzz) as I read the comic. Courtney transposes lyrics word for word in some contexts, but playfully rearranges them in others, keeping the reader on their toes. But if you played the album while reading, it wouldn’t match up exactly. The longest song Crumbling Castle gets covered within a few pages, with the rest of the chapters delivered in a non-linear fashion. It’s a welcome alteration. The graphic novel ends up being a mix of familiar and fresh material, populated by plenty of curveballs thrown by the artistic team.