In the early 1940s, Matt Baker became of one the earliest African-American comic
book artists. But it wasn't the color of his skin which made him such a signifi
cant figure in the history of the medium - it was his innate ability to draw gor
geous, exciting women and handsome, dynamic men in a fluid, graceful style. Imag
ine Dave Stevens or Adam Hughes working in the '40s, drawing a new story every m
onth, and you'll have a good idea of Matt Baker's place in the industry througho
ut his career. Yet, few of today's comic book fans know of the artist or his wor
k, because he died in 1959 at the young age of 38, just as the Silver Age of Com
ics was blossoming and bringing in a new generation of readers. Edited by Jim Am
ash and Eric Nolen-Weathington, Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour presents an impre
ssive career cut tragically short. It features a wealth of essays, interviews wi
th Baker's friends, family, and co-workers, and a treasure trove of his finest a
rtwork, including several complete stories, at last giving the wonderfully talen
ted artist his full due.
