Magnum Opus

Mickey Schwaberow and Steve Kelez self published their amateur comic book, MAGNUM OPUS, in 1965. Despite some derivative artwork I looked forward to the next issue. I saw raw talent and energy in those pages. My thinking was, these guys can only get better. I never saw another issue, and if it was published I missed it. However, 12 years later I bought Mike Freidrich's "groundlevel" comic, STAR*REACH #9, and was happy to see a strip by Mickey Schwaberow. Apparently he had gotten a lot better in the time between my own artist spottings. The decorative pages of "Sariah and Damon" are done as stained glass windows. At the time Friedrich described Schwaberow as living on the Northern California coast, hand-making toys.

I never saw any more work by Mickey Schwaberow. I hope he found some means of creative expression.

MAGNUM OPUS Copyright © 1965 Mickey Schwaberow and Steven Kelez

"Sariah and Damon," from STAR*REACH #9, June 1977 Copyright © 1977 Mickey Schwaberow