Broken Frontier

Despite having several relatively short runs, The Maze Agency is the second longest running English language PI series (following behind Ms. Tree). Not only is the book a career highlight for creator/writer Mike W. Barr, it also was the book that launched the career of artist Adam Hughes.

Barr had long wanted to write a detective comic book series. He created several memorable adventures for DC’s Dark Knight Detective, Batman, but as a genre convention, was obligated to include a large focus on physical action. A lifelong fan of Ellery Queen mysteries, Barr wanted to adopt the “fair play” mystery – a whodunit style mystery where readers were given all the clues they need to solve it. Working in collaboration with Detective Comics artist, Alan Davis, Barr produced a pitch book for The Maze Agency. Sporting an eye-catching logo created by Todd Klein, The Maze Agency ashcan was sent to many publishers. Initially, Archie Goodwin, editor for Marvel’s creator-owned property line (Epic), expressed interest in the book, but ultimately passed. Similarly, many of the then booming small press publishers of the late 1980’s also passed on the book. At this point, Davis bowed out of the project, preferring the security of working for “The Big Two”, to entering the small press arena. Only Comico – publisher of titles such as Robotech, Grendel, Mage and Jonny Quest – made a serious offer to Barr.

As this was occurring, Adam Hughes was just breaking into the industry, having contributed a few pin-ups and black-and-white stories. At the time, the young artist was primarily interested in superhero comics. At one convention in Philadelphia, Hughes’ girlfriend passed some of the artist’s work to Comico Editor-in-Chief, Diana Schultz (legend goes that Hughes was busy trying to find the back issues to complete his run of Nexus at the time). Schultz was impressed with the samples, and asked Hughes to contact Comico.

Barr and Comico had already selected an artist for The Maze Agency, but when pencils for the first issue came in they discovered the art was too stylized for the project. Hughes was asked to do samples for two Comico titles – The Maze Agency and the super-team book, Justice Machine. Despite his initial leanings, Hughes earned The Maze Agency job. Rick Magyar, inker and long time friend of Barr, was impressed with the young artist’s work, and asked to be inker on the series. While Magyar helped Hughes refine his work, Barr coached him in the subtleties required for a mystery comic.

The Maze Agency debuted from Comico in late 1988, introducing readers to the duo of Jennifer Mays and Gabriel Webb. Barr’s fondness for male/female detective teams led him to the creation of the former CIA agent turned detective (Mays) and the true crime writer (Webb). They embodied the classic opposites attract mold, as she was a well-dressed, ready to get her hands dirty investigator, while he was usually wearing a sweatshirt and would prefer calling the cops over fisticuffs. Initially, Mays and Webb were just friends (although there was a clear romantic undertones), but several stories in the two became an actual couple. Barr gave the pair wit and charm, while Hughes and Magyar embodied them with emotion and life.

The Maze Agency debuted to both critical and popular acclaim (at least popular for small press). Unfortunately, not long after the series debuted, the creators were informed that the book was being placed in hiatus. Comico was facing major financial difficulties, which not even a distribution deal with DC Comics was able to solve. The June 1989 issue (#7) proved to be the final Comico issue. Barr was offered the choice of either leaving the title with Comico for 6 months – for only the possibility of a return after renegotiation contracts – or to shop the title to other publishers. Barr made the later choice, although he was ultimately forced to resort to legal tactics to regain his title after Comico higher-ups argued that the title was still theirs (by their logic, the title was only “on hiatus”, but not actually “cancelled.”)

During this time, Hughes started work on some DC Comics projects, even as Barr discussed the possibility of bringing The Maze Agency to them. Ultimately, the book landed at Innovation, a publisher that actively pursued the title. Hughes, stepping back his involvement, took on new challenges at DC. The bulk of The Maze Agency’s run occurred at Innovation, running issues #8-23 (December 1989 to August 1991), as well as one special and an annual. The series returned in 1997/98, this time for three issues from Caliber, featuring the art of Gene Gonzales. 

Now The Maze Agency is back in business, this time under the IDW Publishing banner. Mike Barr, along with Ariel Padilla, are helming a new 4-part Maze Agency mystery – “The Crimes They Are a’ Changin’.” As in the case of previous tales, this will be a “fair play” mystery and will feature Jennifer and Gabe juggling romance and sleuthing. To celebrate the return of the series, IDW is also releasing The Maze Agency Volume I, a trade paperback collecting early stories, including the rare pitch featuring Alan Davis art.