Fantagraphics Books has published a gem just in time for the holidays! Wallace Wood was a terrific artist whose work appeared in the early MAD Magazine, GALAXY, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, and DARE-DEVIL. This over-sized volume includes 256 pages of great color and black & white artwork from Wood’s thirty-year career. The informative “Introduction” by Howard Chaykin and Maria Reidelbach detail Wood’s troubled life. Additional essays by Bhob Stewart, Roger Hill, Bill Mason, and others discuss Wallace Wood’s technique and provide context to his artwork. If you’re a fan of Wallace Wood, this is a must-buy! GRADE: A
I remember Wally’s work in MAD and of course those SF pictures were a delight too!
A bit OT:
Many years ago I bought not only a series of MAD and EC books but also MAD magazine on a CD collection – sometimes I watch these with fond memories …
Wolf, I love that CD MAD collection. Back in the 1960s and 1970s MAD was my favorite humor magazine! The artwork is classic!
“Good Lord!”
Dan Fantagraphics has hit two Home Runs with THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WALLACE WOOD and IT’S ALL ONE CASE: THE ILLUSTRATED ROSS MACDONALD ARCHIVES. Beautiful books!
I was just channeling Wood’s delicious “Flesh Garden”from MAD comics.
Dan, Wally Wood produced plenty of great work like “Flesh Garden” when he was at the height of his powers.
Sorry, George!
On a political Hungarian forum I was just ranting against ” anti-gay, anti-Muslim idiocy” and somehow this got inserted in my reply. Could you please delete this?
I just installed Firefox on my new laptop – there are still a few things to iron out …
Wolf, I use FIREBOX as well as GOOGLE CHROME.
Wood’s work has always fascinated me and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS has been a favorite since it appeared. (Wood, btw, along with Gray Morrow and others was once considered to take over the reins of the PRINCE VALIANT comic strip from Hal Foster. He lost out to John Cullen Murphy, which was probably for the best.)
Jerry, as THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WALLACE WOOD clearly shows, Wood had plenty of personal problems. At the end, his health failed him. But Wood was a great, original artist!
Looks great even if I never get to read it.
Patti, for fans of comic books and SF artwork, THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WALLACE WOOD is the Mother Lode!
I love Wood’s work. I remember it well from MAD and GALAXY.
Bill, plenty of those panels from MAD and illustrations from GALAXY are included in THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WALLACE WOOD. This is a terrific volume!
MAD is the one I remember too. I like that dinosaur pic.
Jeff, dinosaurs were one of Wally Wood’s specialties!
He did a good amount of soft porn artwork too, which I’ve seen collected.
Rick, Wally Wood enjoyed drawing women as well as dinosaurs.
He was also a standout in the EC science fiction comics! I met him very briefly after a NY comic convention. He looked pretty bad but by then was an alcoholic and needed dialysis treatment! A very sad end to a talented man. His “My World” comic story blew me away the first time I read it!
Bob, you’re right about that being a sad end to a talented artist. “My World” is a classic.
George, I’d love to get hold of this book and the next volume as well. I have enjoyed reading about his artistic creations, and especially the somewhat underrated Daredevil.
Prashant, I admire Wallace Wood’s work on DAREDEVIL. Like you, I can’t wait until VOLUME 2 appears!
I will be adding it to my list. That looks great.
Carl, Fantagraphics does a great job with all their books. THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WALLACE WOOD is one of their best!