Posted By Dan Greenfield on Aug 13, 2024 | 1 comment

A 13 COVERS birthday salute…

By PETER BOSCH

Michael Wm. Kaluta was born 77 years ago, on August 25, 1947. For this year’s 13 COVERS (and illustrations) birthday salute, we’re looking at the extraordinary art he did for Madame Xanadu. But I have to tell you now, “extraordinary” barely describes it. There are just a handful of artists whose work gets better the older they get. Kaluta is in that very select group. For proof, witness below as you meet Madame Xanadu as we did in 1978, almost 50 years ago, when Kaluta’s work was already amazing. Then be astonished at his more recent art for the same DC character. Truly incredible!

Thank you, Michael, for all you have brought to comics. We wish you a very, very happy 77th birthday and many more!

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Doorway to Nightmare #1 (Jan.-Feb. 1978). First appearance of Madame Xanadu.

Doorway to Nightmare #2 (Mar.-Apr. 1978)

Doorway to Nightmare #3 (May-June 1978)

Doorway to Nightmare #4 (July-Aug. 1978)

Doorway to Nightmare #5 (Sept.-Oct. 1978)

The Unexpected #192 (July-Aug. 1979)

Madame Xanadu #1 (1981)

The Spectre #2 (May 1987)

Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Vol. XIV (Apr. 1986)

Madame Xanadu #11 (July 2009)

Madame Xanadu #11 (July 2009). Script by Matt Wagner.

Madame Xanadu #13 (Sept. 2009). Script by Wagner.

Madame Xanadu #15 (Nov. 2009)

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MORE

— MICHAEL WILLIAM KALUTA: An Artist in Nobody’s Shadow. Click here.

— MIKE KALUTA Recalls the Moment He ‘Got’ JACK KIRBY. Click here.

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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. A sequel, about movie comics, is coming soon. Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.