WonderCon 2019 : NOS4A2

WonderCon 2019 : NOS4A2 Screening and Panel

by Veronica Nunez

On Saturday of WonderCon 2019 we were treated to a screening of the full first episode of the new AMC show NOS4A2 which is based on the novel by the same name written by Joe Hill.  I hadn’t heard of the book prior to the WonderCon panel, but I had heard of Joe Hill as he’s no stranger to the world of comics and comic cons.  Joe Hill also wrote an Eisner winning comic series for IDW Publishing called Locke & Key.  Locke & Key is currently being adapted as a series by Netflix.

I watched the episode with only a vague idea about the show’s premise based off of the title, and I’m not going to recap the episode here.  Here’s a trailer for you to give you an idea of what the show is about.

I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, and it introduces the story and characters quite well while leaving a lot to be discovered.  Zachary Quinto is unrecognizable when we first see him as Charlie Manx.  The panel with the cast creators followed the screening.  There wasn’t much information given except to say that Ólafur Darri Ólafsson’s character, Bing, plays an important role.

After WonderCon I bought a copy of the NOS4A2 book to read before the show premieres on AMC on June 2.  I read the book in about one week, and fans of the novel will immediately notice a huge change in the show.  The age of Victoria, our protagonist, was changed from a child in the book to a teenager in the show.  Ignoring logistical reasons for the change, I feel the change allows for the show to be more accurate in other ways.  Reading about an 8 year old child experiencing these somewhat dark events is easier to stomach for most audiences, but seeing an 8 year old in these situations would keep many people from watching.  The book also makes a few time jumps of a few years each, and time jumps in television and film usually feels clunky or just plain lazy.

The book is great, and I hope that the series continues the quality of storytelling seen in the first episode.  Will we be seeing you in Christmasland on June 2^nd?