Collected for the first time!
A slaphappy salute to a ‘good girl’ screwball
All 22 beautifully restored stories in an oversized format
Introduction by Steven Ringgenberg
After honing his skills through the 1940s for several comics publishers, Matt Baker’s tremendous talents came to fruition at St. John Publications, where his realistic style was showcased in western, mystery, and especially romance comics. But regardless of the comic’s genre, one quality emerged in whatever Baker drew: his naturalistically gorgeous dames. During this prolific period in his career, this master of “good girl” art latched onto one of St. John’s only recurring characters, Kate of Canteen Kate. Baker drew every installment of the candid wartime cutie, from her premiere in Fightin’ Marines (1951) to her final bow in Anchors Andrews (1953).
Unlike the jingoistic comics typically published during the Korean War, Canteen Kate tales were designed to be morale-boosting screwball fun. Without radically changing his style, Baker managed to make Kate equal parts comely and kooky in a series of stories that leaned heavily on silly hijinks in a military mess hall.
Every Canteen Kate story ever published — 22 in all — is collected for the first time in The Lost Art of Matt Baker, judiciously restored and enlarged 20 percent over their original published size. A rich introduction by veteran comics writer Steven Ringgenberg provides insightful historical and biographical context, and a bonus gallery spotlights Baker’s skills as a cover artist. Best of all, Baker and his good-time gal bring you weapons-grade guffaws as well as art that will leave you eager to see more from this master draftsman.
The next volume in The Lost Art of Matt Baker series will collect his entire output for the Wartime Romances comic, and a final volume will provide a sampling of his best war, western, and suspense stories.
color • 160 pp. • 8½”x11” • paperback • ISBN: 978-0-9829276-8-7
$24.95
A Lost Art Books Title
