How to Read the Looking Glass Wars Universe: Recommended Paths
The Looking Glass Wars universe, created by Frank Beddor, is a dark and action-packed reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland. The franchise is split between a core trilogy of traditional prose novels and a parallel spin-off graphic novel series called Hatter M, which chronicles the thirteen-year search of royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan across Earth. To get the most out of the story, readers can choose between two primary paths.
Path 1: The Chronological / Parallel Order (Recommended)
In the opening chapters of the first novel, Alyss Heart and Hatter Madigan are forced to escape Wonderland through the Pool of Tears after a bloody coup by Alyss's tyrannical aunt, Redd. They become separated in the portal, landing in different parts of our world. While Alyss is adopted into Victorian London, Hatter embarks on a globe-spanning quest to find her. The Hatter M graphic novels detail his journey, which takes place entirely within the timeline gap of the first novel's opening chapters. Reading chronologically offers a deep dive into the world-building, showing Hatter's trials before Alyss returns to Wonderland.
- The Looking Glass Wars (Trilogy Novel 1) – Read the beginning chapters up until Alyss and Hatter are separated in the Pool of Tears. Alternatively, you can read the entire first novel to establish the full context of the universe, which makes the graphic novel series much easier to understand.
- Hatter M, Volume 1: Far From Wonder (Graphic Novel) – Hatter arrives in Paris in 1859 and begins his search.
- Hatter M, Volume 2: Mad With Wonder (Graphic Novel) – Hatter's search leads him to Civil War-era America in 1862.
- Hatter M, Volume 3: The Nature of Wonder (Graphic Novel) – Hatter travels to the American West in 1865, confronting shamanic visions and personal ghosts.
- Hatter M, Volume 4: Zen of Wonder (Graphic Novel) – Hatter searches through Asia in 1869, seeking mystical guidance.
- Hatter M, Volume 5: Love of Wonder (Graphic Novel) – The dramatic conclusion of Hatter's thirteen-year quest on Earth, ending in 1872.
- Seeking Wonder (Companion Book) – A collection of ten short 'webisodes' detailing additional adventures during Hatter's deep travels. Can be read at the end of the graphic novel run.
- The Looking Glass Wars (Trilogy Novel 1) – Continue or finish the novel from the point of Alyss's return.
- Seeing Redd (Trilogy Novel 2) – The second novel in the main trilogy.
- ArchEnemy (Trilogy Novel 3) – The final book in the main novel trilogy.
- The Looking Glass Wars: Crossfire (Sequel Graphic Novel) – Set after the events of ArchEnemy, following Alyss's struggle to maintain peace.
- The Looking Glass Wars: Underfire (Sequel Graphic Novel) – The direct sequel to Crossfire, continuing Alyss's defense of her queendom.
Path 2: Publication Order
If you prefer to experience the franchise exactly as it was released to the public, you should begin with the main novels and read the graphic novels as they were published. This approach prevents any potential spoilers and allows you to appreciate how the spin-offs expand upon the lore established in the novels.
- The Looking Glass Wars (Novel) (2004)
- Seeing Redd (Novel) (2007)
- Hatter M, Volume 1 (Graphic Novel) (2008) – Originally published as a four-issue mini-series and later collected. Often listed under the title The Looking Glass Wars or Far From Wonder.
- Hatter M, Volume 2: Mad With Wonder (Graphic Novel) (2009)
- ArchEnemy (Novel) (2009)
- Hatter M, Volume 3: The Nature of Wonder (Graphic Novel) (2010)
- Hatter M, Volume 1: Far From Wonder (Expanded Edition) (Graphic Novel) (2010) – An updated, expanded hardcover edition of the first volume with bonus chapters.
- Hatter M, Volume 4: Zen of Wonder (Graphic Novel) (2013)
- Hatter M, Volume 5: Love of Wonder (Graphic Novel) (2015)
- Seeking Wonder (Companion Collection) (2015)
- Crossfire (Graphic Novel) (2016)
- Underfire (Graphic Novel) (2017)
Understanding the Hatter M Volumes and Editions
When tracking down the physical editions of the Hatter M graphic novels, you may notice some inconsistencies in release dates and titles. This is primarily due to the publication history of Volume 1. In 2008, the comic was first collected under the title Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars (with art by Ben Templesmith). In 2010, after the second volume was released, the creators issued an updated and expanded edition of the first volume under the official subtitle Far From Wonder. This updated edition includes bonus story content and matching cover art designs that align with the rest of the series.
Starting with Volume 2, Finnish artist Sami Makkonen took over the illustration duties from Ben Templesmith. Makkonen's dynamic, surreal, and frenetic style defines the visual tone for the remainder of Hatter's journey. Additionally, Seeking Wonder, published in 2015, is not Volume 6 but rather a compilation of short stories, or webisodes, that flesh out the gaps in Hatter's travel log across the globe.
The Main Trilogy and its Graphic Novel Sequels
For readers who want to follow the complete story of the queendom of Wonderland, the narrative extends beyond the prose trilogy. The original books — The Looking Glass Wars, Seeing Redd, and ArchEnemy — were written by Frank Beddor as standard novels. However, when Beddor decided to continue Queen Alyss's story, he chose to transition back into the graphic novel medium. Co-written with Curtis Clark, the graphic novels Crossfire (2016) and Underfire (2017) serve as direct sequels to ArchEnemy, exploring the political challenges Alyss faces from internal rebellions and external threats, such as the fish people of Unterlan.
What to Know Before You Start
The Looking Glass Wars and Hatter M series are significantly darker and more action-oriented than Lewis Carroll's classic children's stories. Hatter Madigan is depicted not as a whimsical tea-drinker, but as a stoic, blade-wielding elite bodyguard whose signature weapon is a deadly, multi-bladed top hat. The setting blends high fantasy, steampunk technology, and historical fiction. Throughout the graphic novels, Hatter interacts with real-world events, historical figures, and geographic landmarks, including Victorian Paris, Civil War-era America, and the expansion of the American Wild West, making it a unique genre-blending adventure.