Mage: Kevin Matchstick and Edsel (August, 1986)
by Matt Wagner (1961-)
14 x 11 in, ink on paper
Coppola Collection

Mage: The Hero Discovered, the first third of Matt Wagner’s Mage trilogy, ran from February1984 until December 1986.

Mage: The Hero Defined(Jul 1997 – Oct 1999)
Mage: The Hero Denied(Aug 2017 – Feb 2019)

Thirty-five years in the making, The Hero Denied is the conclusion of the tale of Kevin Matchstick, who, after encountering a wizard, discovers he is the reincarnation of the legendary Pendragon and able to wield the power of the mystical weapon, Excalibur.

Matt Wagner: “The main character of Mage is Kevin Matchstick, a somewhat cynical everyman when the story first begins, he eventually meets a wily street wizard (the title character) who reveals that he is heir to a legendary power and destined to become the hero he never imagined himself to be.”

This drawing came from the August 1986 San Diego Comic Con.