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Mage - The Hero Discovered

Started by Kevin Boyd,

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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I'm excited to see the hardcover collection of Matt Wagner's excellent copper age series MAGE is on the schedule for this week.

 

If anyone hasn't read Mage I highly recommend it. It's a 15-issue maxi-series that was published by the late Comico and details the adventures of reluctant hero Kevin Matchstick, who may or may not be the reincarnation of an ancient hero. Kevin wears a lightning bolt t-shirt because he's a big fan of the original Captain Marvel (shazam). Along the way he meets up with the Mage Mirth, Edsel (who drives, coincidentally an Edsel) and Sean the Ghost as they wage a cover war against the Grackleflints and their dark master. Sam Keith joined as Wagner's inker mid-way thru the series.

 

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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Love Grendel!

 

#3 came out around the same time as Mage #1 and I thought it was awesome. It's too bad Wagner really despises his work on Grendel 1-3 and Comico Primer. Then again, DEVIL BY THE DEED is a work of genius.

 

I met Wagner back on the Mage Tour in 1985, when he was visiting the Silver Snail comic shop here in Toronto. I still have the Comico Mage/Evangeline mobile that he gave to me for coming down to the event. My friends and I listened and talked to Matt for close to three hours and it's one of my fondest comic book memories from my teen years. The guy just loved that he was making his own comics and talking about them, and the exhuberance he showed for the medium was extremely contagious - it sparked my friends and I to work harder on our own comic book ideas.

 

I'm curious to come back to the work nearly 20 years later in the hardcover and re-read it. I don't know if it will hold up as well, but for a fifteen year old kid in 1985 it was a real eye-opener and a hell of a ride.

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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Here's what the hardcover looks like:

 

MAGE VOLUME 1: THE HERO DISCOVERED

By Matt Magner. Just in time for its 20th anniversary, the entire MAGE: THE HERO DISCOVERED saga is finally collected in one colossal volume FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Featuring an all-new painted cover by MATT WAGNER, this handsome hardcover edition is a must-have not only for long-time fans of this classic tale, but for anyone who has thrilled to Wagner's award-winning work on Grendel, Trinity and Sandman Mystery Theater. PLUS: A comprehensive of gallery of MAGE covers, development artwork and merchandise! HC FC 464pg.

 

comicfusion_1821_13692887.jpg

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shadroch

shadroch

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I had Matt at my shop for the same tour. The double sided signed mobile he gave me sits in my "art room" with original pieces by Dali,Max,and Schomburg. I thought the first 2/3s of Mage was the finest comic published to that point. Sort of fell apart for me,but those first ten issues.......

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nearmint

nearmint

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I had Matt at my shop for the same tour. The double sided signed mobile he gave me sits in my "art room" with original pieces by Dali,Max,and Schomburg. I thought the first 2/3s of Mage was the finest comic published to that point. Sort of fell apart for me,but those first ten issues.......

 

I gotta ask...what's your original Schomburg?

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helionaut

helionaut

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One of my favorite books of all time. IIRC, Keith also took over coloring, and there's an uptick in quality there, too. I remember issue #8 was a highlight where Sean really starts to get into his powers and then you go back and look at the cover and get the joke. This book is on my X-Mas list even though I still have my treasured originals. I grew up in Philadelphia and I still wince when I think about the time a couple friends decided on a whim to go to the Comico office but went without me. They just showed up and whoever was there was like,"You really should call first" but gave them a quick tour and sent them home with mobiles and promotional posters. I still covet one of those Mage posters.

 

This was also supposed to be a trilogy. The hero discovered, defined, and something else (it's in one of the letter columns). I'm still waiting for Mage III, though. Maybe around 2020 it'll happen.

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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He's currently doing the covers on Batman and he's got a big year-long project coming up next spring/summer involving Batman. I'll see if I can get some more details for you, but it's supposed to take place in Batman's 2nd or 3rd year.

 

Recently he did a comic called "The Ride: The Hire" for Dark Horse based on the BMW films short film. Last year he did a three-issue mini for DC with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman called "Trinity".

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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BATMAN: DARK MOON RISING by Matt Wagner is a 12-part maxi-series. The story involves some of Batman's first encounters with his famous rogues gallery and it will start (in theory) around the time that Batman Begins is released in theatres. It has been referred to, jokingly, as "Batman Year 1.5".

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chrisco37

chrisco37

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I had Matt at my shop for the same tour. The double sided signed mobile he gave me sits in my "art room" with original pieces by Dali,Max,and Schomburg. I thought the first 2/3s of Mage was the finest comic published to that point. Sort of fell apart for me,but those first ten issues.......

 

I gotta ask...what's your original Schomburg?

 

I gotta ask.....what's your original Dali? 893whatthe.gifhail.gif

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mrwoogieman

mrwoogieman

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I had Matt at my shop for the same tour. The double sided signed mobile he gave me sits in my "art room" with original pieces by Dali,Max,and Schomburg. I thought the first 2/3s of Mage was the finest comic published to that point. Sort of fell apart for me,but those first ten issues.......

 

I gotta ask...what's your original Schomburg?

 

I gotta ask.....what's your original Dali? 893whatthe.gifhail.gif

 

What the Hell....what's your original Peter Max? takeit.gif

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shadroch

shadroch

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I had Matt at my shop for the same tour. The double sided signed mobile he gave me sits in my "art room" with original pieces by Dali,Max,and Schomburg. I thought the first 2/3s of Mage was the finest comic published to that point. Sort of fell apart for me,but those first ten issues.......

 

I gotta ask...what's your original Schomburg?

 

I gotta ask.....what's your original Dali? 893whatthe.gifhail.gif

 

What the Hell....what's your original Peter Max? takeit.gif

 

okay,sorry for he extended delay but hadn't been following this thread.

I have several Schomburgs. Four are recreations of golden age covers. He started doing these in the mid 70s before he realized how big the market for his stuff was. He then went to s/n prints ala Barks,but for awhile you could commision him for a peice.I also have a rough sketch he did as a concept for a sci-fi magazine cover.

My Dali-I have a set ofwoodcarvings of Dantes Inferno,and what I consider the ultimate Dali original- a blank canvas with Dalis signature and provence on it.

Peter Max-bunch of peices I picked up in the mid-80s when he wasn't in vogue anymore. Nicest is a later work-Beautiful Day,a work he did for the Rainforest foundation. He started with a 16x24 seriolithograph,matted it and then created 400 unique and individual items that he auctioned off for the foundation.. Bono bought #1 for somewhere close to $100,000. mine(#387) sold originally for about $20,000 but I picked it up for much,much less when the owner went bankrupt.

Now ask me about my Roy Krenkels and my Wally Wood sketchbook. devil.gif

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Bonds25

Bonds25

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Here's what the hardcover looks like:

 

MAGE VOLUME 1: THE HERO DISCOVERED

By Matt Magner. Just in time for its 20th anniversary, the entire MAGE: THE HERO DISCOVERED saga is finally collected in one colossal volume FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Featuring an all-new painted cover by MATT WAGNER, this handsome hardcover edition is a must-have not only for long-time fans of this classic tale, but for anyone who has thrilled to Wagner's award-winning work on Grendel, Trinity and Sandman Mystery Theater. PLUS: A comprehensive of gallery of MAGE covers, development artwork and merchandise! HC FC 464pg.

 

comicfusion_1821_13692887.jpg

 

bumpit.gif Just bought the hardcover and loved it - very well worth the value! thumbsup2.gif

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