ONE FOR THE ALIENS: If aliens came to earth and could only take one book about comic book art back to their planet, I would give them this tome, that arrived today like a gift from the Art Gods! It is beyond breathtaking, if there is such a thing, and though “only” in black and white, the literal depth of Wally Wood’s artistic masterpieces herein–his shading, his use of zipatones and craftint, remains the highwater mark in comic book history–give these giant-size pages (the classic size of the twice-up original art) an almost three-dimensional feel and look (the cover particularly, with its spot-varnished astronaut figure, had a striking dimensionality that made my jaw drop like a cartoon itself). The printing, book design, layout and typography by IDW is as gorgeous and thoughtful as this magnificent artwork deserved, and they should take a well-deserved bow for creating One For The Ages. Somewhere in Comic Art Valhalla, Woody is looking down, beaming that elfin grin of his with pride in the glorious presentation of the work he bled sweat and tears for, and perhaps wistfully wondering, had a book of this scope and scale been produced in his lifetime, he might not have taken his own life. Now you can truly rest in peace, Wallace Wood. Your legacy is safe for eternity!
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