Writers: George Khoury & Eric Nolan-Weathington
ISBN: 978-1-893905-66-5
Publisher: TwoMorrows
Another Modern Masters volume arises on the horizon, and I am there to meet it. Sometimes we at silverbulletcomicbooks are lucky enough to get freebies. This was a book I wanted to buy. This time the TwoMorrows interviewers focus on the elusive Kevin Maguire.
Kevin Maguire was one of the artists instilling hope that the post-Crisis just might work out after all. Maguire was one of the architects. He re-established Batman with "one punch." He continued and in many ways exceeded DC's tradition for art celebrating human physiology. He became integral in ushering in the new Justice League, a team comprised of heroes from different earths. Batman, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Gardner, Mister Miracle all originally hailed from earth one. Dr. Light was created during The Crisis of Infinite Earths. Dr. Fate manifested from Earth-Two. Captain Marvel came from Earth-S, and Blue Beetle arrived from Earth-Four.
Ironically the art in Modern Masters, though a nice collection, isn't the main draw. The book in truth offers few surprises. A Maguire fan is likely to have most of what's seen, in one form or another.
There are a few gems in the volume. For me, she's right on the cover. Inside, the original pencils to the "one punch" sequence can be found. Covers without logos obscuring the art reveal previously unseen details. Pin-ups of Rogue and Black Widow exemplify Maguire's fine recipe for super-hero cheesecake. The Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! moment arrives in the form of Blue Beetle, Batman and Power Girl posing together in an unexpected way, and yes, Umar was indeed supposed to be tastefully nude in The Defenders. It's confirmed in the pencils.
The interview corroborates the pencils of the Umar incident, and it is actually the interview that will be the source of the fan's fascination. Maguire gives his opinion of the way certain Big Stupid Events were carried out using characters with which he became intimately familiar. The interviewers seem to make a number of assumptions that will likely be reflected in the fan's assumptions. Maguire surprises. He explains his technique, and it turns out to be nothing like you expected. He opines on other artists' techniques, artistic triumphs, and he's honest about failures and his perfectionism.
The interview can only be called "juicy." Maguire is very taciturn in the beginning, and it's only when his answers start to amusingly flounder the interviewers that he begins to open up. If you're a Maguire fan the interview is a rare treat not to be missed. The art is merely "sauce for the goose."
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