History ComicBook / MageTheHeroDiscovered

* BigBad: Emil Grackleflint [[spoiler: and returning BiggerBad, the Umbra Sprite.]]

** The Bear-Wulf is Literature/{{Beowulf}} (his t-shirt symbol is the mask of Matt Wagner's Grendel, named after the moster from ''Beowulf''. Comic creator unidentified.

** The Ulster Hound is both Cú Chulainn (from the Irish epic ''Literature/TainBoCuailnge''), and famed comics writer Creator/{{Alan Moore}}. His "warrior women" are the two women Moore had a polyamorous relationship with for a time.

** Although she's much nicer and less morally ambiguous, Isis's hippie-esque character design with long straight hair, a long dress, and huge round glasses shows obvious similarities to Thessaly from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''.[[note]]Alternatively, this could be ComicBookFantasyCasting to fantasy comics writer/artist Jill Thompson, who based her character-defining version of Thessaly [[AuthorAvatar on herself]][[/note]]

** The three witches, Isis, Magda and Ishtar, are former ''Grendel'' editor. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Schutz Diana Schutz]] and her sisters Barbara (who married Matt Wagner in real life) and Trish (her ill-fated relationship with Joe Matt is depicted in ''Peep Show''). Isis's husband Bart Gretch is former Dark Horse and DC editor, and Diana Schutz's former husband, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Schreck Bob Schreck]].
** Kim Song is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_King Monkey King]] from the Chinese ''Literature/{{Journey to the West}}, but which comic creator he's based on I don't know.

** The Dragonslayer is Siegfried from the ''Literature/{{Nibelungenlied}}'', and ''ComicBook/Cerebus the Aardvark'' creator Dave Sim. His chauffeur Schnobble is ''Cerebus'' background artist Gerhard, via a reference to Creator/{{Will Eisner}}'s "The Story of Gerhard Schnobble".

* AllMythsAreTrue: The second volume introduces modern reincarnations of culture-heroes from many other mythologies.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: The Dragonslayer is a complete self-satisfied asshole.

* BatterUp: Kevin spends the first two volumes using an enchanted baseball bat as Caliburn before discovering after its destruction that it was a MagicFeather.
* BigBad: Volume one has the Umbra Sprite. Volume two has Emil Grackleflint [[spoiler: and returning BiggerBad, the Umbra Sprite.]]
* BodyHorror: The Hound of Ulster has his mythological original's tendency to undergo horrific body distortions when he hulks out.
* ComicBookTime: Averted, as the settings and fashions of the second and third volumes retain their respective eighties and nineties nature despite being published in later decades.

* DivineRaceLift: Discussed when Kirby is bemused by Coyote, a Native American culture-hero, being African-American in this incarnation. Kevin says that it seems to be pretty random and points out that he isn't British and Kirby isn't Greek.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: A throwaway line early in ''The Hero Defined'' implies that Joe Phat's status as Coyote is one of many classical heroes he's claimed. [[spoiler: For instance, his speed, fear of giants, and ability to fix anything quickly suggests he might be Jack.]] Though laughed off at the time, this foreshadows that Kevin and Kirby are not only the Pendragon and the Olympian, but also [[Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh Gilgamesh and Enkidu]].
* GenderBender: In ''The Hero Denied'', the male Umbra Sprite and Grackleflints are reborn as the female Umbra Sprite and the Gracklethorns.
* HeadbuttingHeroes: Happens an awful lot in ''The Hero Defined'', as many of the culture-heroes, accurate to their mythological personalities, are driven by ego or other personal drives rather than any idealistic concept of "good".
* HerosClassicCar: Kevin drives a succession of classic Edsels in tribute to his former ally.
* HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs: Isis sends Kevin, Joe and Kirby to the fairy realm with a magic joint.
* IHaveYourWife: The Umbra Sprite kidnaps Magda and Hugo in ''The Hero Denied''.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Kevin Matchstick is a pretty atypical reluctant hero. Subverted in ''The Hero Defined'', as he's grown to accept his responsibility, and seems to enjoy kicking supernatural ass. Double-subverted in ''The Hero Denied'', in which he's attempting to retire and raise a family (but TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive).
* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Each chapter in each of the three volumes is titled with a phrase from a specific Shakespeare play: ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' in ''The Hero Discovered'', ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' in ''The Hero Defined'', and ''Theatre/TheTempest'' in ''The Hero Denied''.

* IneptMage: Wally Ut.
* LeeroyJenkins: Kirby has a tendency to throw himself into battle without concern for himself, his allies, or innocent bystanders.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Kevin suffers extreme guilt when [[spoiler:he sends the Hornblower to stake out a cemetery just to get rid of him, only for him to be attacked and killed by Redcaps]].
* PunnyName: Coyote's mundane name in this era is Joe Phat, which leads him to nickname himself "Jumpin' Joe Phat", a pun on the minced oath "Jumpin' Jehosephat".

* ShoutOut:
** The beginning of the first chapter proper of ''The Hero Defined'' has Kevin and Joe driving into Montreal and singing along to Music/TheJam's "A Town Called Malice" on the car cassette player.
** A self-Shout Out combined with a VisualPun when the Bear-Wulf is seen wearing a ''ComicBook/{{Grendel}}'' T-shirt.
** Kirby Hero is named in a very obvious tribute to Creator/JackKirby, who co-created the Marvel version of him.
** Although she's much nicer and less morally ambiguous, Isis's hippie-esque character design with long straight hair, a long dress, and huge round glasses shows obvious similarities to Thessaly from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''.[[note]]Alternatively, this could be ComicBookFantasyCasting to fantasy comics writer/artist Jill Thompson, who based her character-defining version of Thessaly [[AuthorAvatar on herself]][[/note]]
** The beginning of ''The Hero Denied'' has Kevin singing Music/NickLowe's (although CoveredUp by Music/ElvisCostello) "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding".
* SuperSpeed: Coyote's most visible power in this story.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: A throwaway line early in ''The Hero Defined'' implies that Joe Phat's status as Coyote is one of many classical heroes he's claimed. [[spoiler: For instance, his speed, fear of giants, and ability to fix anything quickly suggests he might be Jack.]] Though laughed off at the time, this foreshadows that Kevin and Kirby are not only the Pendragon and the Olympian, but also [[TheEpicOfGilgamesh Gilgamesh and Enkidu]].

The first volume, ''The Hero Discovered'', was released by Comico from 1984-1986. ''The Hero Defined'' was released almost a decade later by Creator/ImageComics, as Wagner needed to reclaim the rights after Comico went bankrupt. The final volume, ''The Hero Denied'', was published in 2017-8.

* ComicBookTime: Averted, as the settings and fashions of the second and third volumes retain their eighties nature despite being published in later decades.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Kevin Matchstick is a pretty atypical reluctant hero. Subverted in ''The Hero Defined'', as he's grown to accept his responsibility, and seems to enjoy kicking supernatural ass.

** Although she's much nicer and less morally ambiguous, Isis's hippie-esque character design with long straight hair, a long dress, and huge round glasses shows obvious similarities to Thessaly from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''.

The first volume, ''The Hero Discovered'', was released by Comico from 1984-1986. ''The Hero Defined'' was released almost a decade later by Creator/ImageComics, as Wagner needed to reclaim the rights after Comico went bankrupt. The final volume, ''The Hero Denied'', has been announced with a release date of Summer 2017.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: For artistic rather than legal reasons, but most of the culture-heroes are named by allusions or lesser known names for them rather than their best-known names. For example, Kirby Hero is known as "the Olympian" instead of [[spoiler:Hercules]], the Dragonslayer could be any random dragon-killing hero until a throwaway line of dialogue reveals to people who know his story that he's [[spoiler:Siegfried]], and Kevin himself is only known as "the Pendragon" rather than Myth/KingArthur. Averted with Coyote and the Monkey King, who don't seem worried about having their best-known names used.

** Although she's much nicer and less morally ambiguous, Isis's character design with a hippie look and huge round glasses shows obvious similarities to Thessaly from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: For artistic rather than legal reasons, but most of the culture heroes are named by allusions or lesser known names for them rather than their best-known names. For example, Kirby Hero is known as "the Olympian" instead of [[spoiler:Hercules]], the Dragonslayer could be many dragon-killing heroes until a throwaway line of dialogue reveals to people who know his story that he's [[spoiler:Siegfried]], and Kevin himself is only known as "the Pendragon" rather than Myth/KingArthur. Averted with Coyote and the Monkey King, who don't seem worried about having their best-known names used.

The first volume, The Hero Discovered, was released by Comico from 1984-1986. The Hero Defined was released almost a decade later by Creator/ImageComics, as Wagner needed to reclaim the rights after Comico went bankrupt. The final volume, The Hero Denied, has been announced with a release date of Summer 2017.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: For artistic rather than legal reasons, but most of the culture heroes are named by allusions or lesser known names for them rather than their best-known names. For example, Kirby Hero is known as "the Olympian" instead of [[spoiler:Hercules]], the Dragonslayer could be many dragon-killing heroes until a throwaway line of dialogue reveals to people who know his story that he's [[spoiler:Siegfried]], and Kevin himself is only known as "the Pendragon" rather than Myth/KingArthur.

* BigBad: Volume one has the Umbra Sprite. Volume two has Emil Gracklefint [[spoiler: and returning BiggerBad, the Umbra Sprite.]]

* BigBad: Volume one has the Umbra Sprite. Volume two has Emil Gracklefint.

An UrbanFantasy comic-book by Matt Wagner, taking influence from ArthurianLegend and [[TheHerosJourney The Monomyth]].

* TwiceToldTale: Mage is a (loose) retelling of ArthurianLegend, though it includes other mythological inspiration too.

The first volume, The Hero Discovered, was released by Comico from 1984-1986. The Hero Defined was released almost a decade later by Creator/ImageComics, as Wagner needed to reclaim the rights after Comico went bankrupt. The final volume, The Hero Denied, is planned but has no scheduled release.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Volume one tends to do this at times, with Edsel's '80s clothing and Kevin's attachment to Cherry Coke.

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->"Until the next issue, always remember that magic is green."
---> ''The Hero Discovered #2'', Foreword

[[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife Disaffected every-man]], Kevin Matchstick is thrust into a world of superhuman abilities, mythological creatures and magic baseball-bats after being discovered by [[Characters/{{Merlin}} Mirth]], ''The World Mage''. The comic-book follows his character arc, as he grows to accept and understand his powers and role as a hero.

!!This comic book series provides examples of:

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Keven tends to do this with Excalibur. Backfires dramatically in Volume 2 when [[spoiler: this causes Excalibur to break, and Kirby is then almost killed]].