This interlude between The Hero Discovered and Mage 2: The Hero Defined. First This gorgeously rendered account of Matchstick clearly coming into his own was originally published in the back of Grendel. Second This interlude sets the stage for Mage 2: The Hero Defined.
Matt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist. In addition to his creator-owned series' Mage and Grendel, he has also worked on comics featuring The Demon and Batman as well as such titles as Sandman Mystery Theatre and Trinity, a DC Comics limited series featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
Nicely done, with the exception of the final panel, which hits a very different tone from all of the preceding issues of Mage - patronising, and ever so slightly misogynistic.