Matt Wagner has enjoyed a career in comics for over 27 years.  His first published work was a short story that would introduce one of comicdom's most respected creator-owned characters — the mastermind assassin, Grendel.  Best known for this epic creation and his other, more personal, allegory, Mage, Matt has also made his mark on a variety of established characters.  These include his ground-breaking work on the character of Batman villain, Two-Face, in the graphic novel, Faces, as well as a five-year stint both developing and generating the stories for the fan-favorite Vertigo title, Sandman Mystery Theatre.  He has also written the Dr. Mid-Nite mini-series and serving as the regular cover artist on the Kevin Smith-penned re-launch of Green Arrow.

Known for his character-driven stories and his obvious love of the world's mythologies, Matt has also enjoyed the distinction of being one of the few writer/artists allowed to team his own creation with one of DC's flagship characters in two successive Batman/Grendel crossovers.

Matt has also written and drawn several high profile projects for DC; a three-issue prestige series Trinity, starring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman; and a year-long, project which comprised two mini-series that chronicled some of the earliest aspects of Batman’s career, collectively titled Dark Moon Rising.

2007 saw the 25^th anniversary of Grendel and Matt returned to the characters original incarnation with an all-new, “untold” adventure of Hunter Rose, Behold The Devil.  His most recent efforts have been as a writer, penning two Eisner-nominated series; Madame Xanadu for Vertigo, and the most recent imagining of Zorro for Dynamite Entertainment.  His latest authorial duties will be defining the origins of yet another classic character, Green Hornet: Year One, also for Dynamite.

Recent Works from Matt Wagner…

Green Hornet: Year One #1 (FEB100809)	Zorro: Year One Vol. 1—Trail o/t Fox TP (FEB098598)

Matt Wagner, what are you reading?

ASTERIOS POLYP
(Pantheon Books)

The first significant sustained solo effort from one of the most respected comic creators of our times, this is a 180 degree departure from David Mazzuchelli’s more familiar efforts as the artist of the classic Batman: Year One.  In this existential narrative that examines the scope and repercussion of artistic arrogance, David manages to extract humanity and empathy for a basically unlikable main character.  His artwork is a true testament to the sequential arts, with every shape, line, word and color serving in utter and beautiful harmony to convey what feels like a highly personal tale. (MAR094389)

ALEC: THE YEARS HAVE PANTS!
(Top Shelf Comix)

The definitive collection of Scottish comics author Eddie Campbell’s years-and-years worth of autobiographical strips.  Most readers will mainly be familiar with From Hell, Campbell’s collaboration with Alan More on the history of Jack the Ripper.  In this wistful, wise and wacky memoir, Eddie chronicles his life over many years, from Scottish pub rat to dedicated father and husband.  His observations are deft and penetrating and one quickly becomes addicted to the somewhat voyeuristic aspects of watching his life unfold over time.  A sustained and powerful effort from one of comic-dom’s most unique and personal voices. (FEB098161)

LOCAL
(Oni Press)

A fabulous, 12 chapter, concept narrative that follows a year in the life of a disaffected, nomadic young woman as she wanders all over the face of North America.  Sometimes the narrative directly features her actions and internal conflicts while at other times, her presence in the story is either more of a sideline character or as an affecting relation to the central theme.  Brian Wood’s storytelling is top-notch here as he weaves different narrative viewpoints and pacing into an amazingly cogent whole.  Ryan Kelly’s art is both accurate and evocative, capturing both the titular locality of each setting as well as the rootless reality of the main character’s life.  His brushwork is lively and brings to mind the work of Paul Pope without in any way feeling like a clone of the latter’s visual stylings. (JUN084143)