WALLY WOOD "MY WORD" (1975) Original Art for page 1 - Big Apple Comix #1

"My Word" original title page art for Big Apple Comix #1 (Big Apple Productions, 1975). With his own brand of scathing satire, Wally Wood parodied his early EC classic, "My World," from Weird Science #22. Appearing in the important underground/alternative showcase Big Apple Comix, "My Word" was Wood's gritty and seedy take on life in New York City in the seventies. That was just for openers, though. Deeply soured by the creative and financial restrictions imposed on him by the major publishers over the years, and in his mind, abused and abandoned by the fans, Wood turned the Al Feldstein-written classic "My World" on its ear, from science fiction to social satire, ultimately providing a summation of his career in comics. Wood's mood was darkly despondent and cynical, yet his art remained breathtaking in detail and execution -- the pure storytelling craft on display makes this story stand out in most collectors' minds as not only his most important later work, but one of the most important stories the master ever created. With the knowledge of Wood's tragic end a few years after "My Word" appeared, this story becomes even more haunting. Here is a modern fable where Wally Wood tried to exorcise some of his own demons through the magic of his comic book art, and the result is an incredibly moving and personal work of Art with a capital "A."