New Avengers: Illuminati (2006) #1, p.32 (& 2nd Printing Cover)

I don’t think any other artist explodes my brain quite like Alex Maleev. In a good way. The best way. It may be his Eastern European viewpoint or his background in fine art, but what he does on a comics page - how he renders a scene or punctuates a narrative with an unexpected image or angle - always results in a very unique and rewarding viewing experience.

His unique command of color and its application is readily apparent in any of the superb paintings displayed in other galleries here on CAF, and that sensibility is on full display here as well. Utilizing a single black and white image with only three elements - a person, a chair, and a shadow - he has subverted the usual bombast synonymous with an issue’s ‘final page’ and instead given the reader an unforgettable, cut-to-the-bone image of silence, isolation, and defeat.

It also stands on its own as a piece of art in its own right. Even completely removed from the context of the story (or the medium itself!), anyone looking at the piece is left with no question as to what it’s about, or what the subject is experiencing. In this very human and vulnerable moment, the armor looks as ridiculous as it is ineffective. Person, chair, shadow. Razor sharp focus bottom left fading to wispy shadow top right. All that, coupled with the fact that the piece’s subject is Iron Man, makes for a very Stark image, indeed. (sorry.)

This page was also used as the cover for the second printing of the book.

Ironically, three paragraphs on a minimalist piece.
Steve, I can’t thank you enough for allowing me the opportunity to add this to my collection and display it here - thank you again.