Born on this day in 1914, America's only comic book creator, Jack Kirby!
from Mighty Marvel Calendars 1976-1980 (Marvel, 1975-1979)
Today is his 105th birthday! Happy Birthday, Jack!
from Marvel Age #32, 56, 104, and 116 (Marvel, November 1985, November 1987, September 1991, and September 1992); text by Jim Salicrup (#32), Mike Carlin (#56) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#104); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Andy Yanchus (#32), Paul Becton (#56) and Renee Witterstaetter (#104)
Jack created THE UNIVERSE.
He also co-created pretty much all of the 1960s Marvel Universe plus a big slice of the cosmic DC Universe. And lots of other characters at other companies!
from Forever People #4 (DC, August 1971), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta; as reprinted in Kirby: King of Comics (Abrams ComicArts, 2002) by Mark Evanier
(Including Paranex the Fighting Fetus!)
from Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #7 (Pacific, October 1982), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Mike Thibodeaux, colors by Janice Cohen, letters by Palle Jensen
Who'd he create in the Marvel Universe? Let's ask Fred! He knows everything!
(Click picture to KING-size)
He's been in a lotta comics, too. Here's a Jack Kirby guest-starring appearance in the VERY EARLY Marvel Universe!
from "A Monster for Millie!" in Millie the Model Comics #107 (Marvel, March 1962), script by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by Stan Goldberg
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in Fantastic Four #10! (Read more about this story elsewhere in my blog, woncha?)
from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #10 (Marvel, January 1963), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek
Jack and Stan are turned away by Nick Fury from the wedding of Reed Richards and Susan Storm!
from "Bedlam at the Baxter Building!" in Fantastic Four Annual #3 (Marvel, October 1965), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek
A frantic and funny fable about how those fabulous fraught Fantastic Four forays are forged:
from "This Is a Plot?," in Fantastic Four Annual #5 (Marvel, November 1967), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Frank Giacoia, colors by Stan Goldberg (?), letters by Gaspar Saladino as "L.P. Gregory"
The Marvel Bullpen is amazed at Iron Man's rocket skates! Say, who's this?
from Iron Man (1968 series) #85 (Marvel, April 1976), co-plotted by Len Wein, co-plotted and scripted by Roger Slifer, breakdowns by Herb Trimpe, finishes, inks, and colors by Marie Severin, letters by Irving Watanabe
Not to be outdone, DC Universe Golden Age Jack Kirby bends the fabric of time and space to pull characters right out of the comic book and into his own reality.
from "Satan Wears a Swastika*" in Boy Commandos #1 (DC, Winter 1942), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe SImon, letters by Howard Ferguson
*GREATEST STORY TITLE IN THE WORLD.
Of all other comic book creators, only Grant Morrison has also been able to do this, and he did it with the help of pharmaceuticals.
L👁👁K RARE JACK KIRBY PHOTO COVER L👁👁K! Okay, now that we've gotten over the eBay style listingm here's Joe Simon (as the policeman) and Kirby (as the burglar!):
cover of Headline Comics (1943 series) v.5 #1/37 (Prize, September 1949)
Cleared on all charges, Simon and Kirby now plot the next issue of Boys' Ranch:
from Boys' Ranch #1 (Harvey, October 1950)
Say, who's that wanderin' around behind The Winter Soldier in 1973, huh? It's Stan 'n' Jack!
from Captain America (2005 series) #11 (Marvel, November 2005), script by Ed Brubaker, pencils by Steve Epting, inks by Mike Perkins, colors by Frank G. D'Armata, letters by Randy Gentile
Christmas at 30 Rock with Cyclops and Marvel Girl!
from [Uncanny] X-Men (1963 series) #98 (Marvel, April 1976), script by Chris Claremont, pencils by Dave Cockrum, inks by Sam Grainger, colors by Janice Cohen, letters by Joe Rosen
Left to right: George Perez, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Jack Kirby brainstorm the next issue of...Fantastic Four!
from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #176 (Marvel, November 1976), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by George Perez, inks by Joe Sinnott, colors by Michele Wolfman, letters by Joe Rosen.
Jack with Marvel's "Jumbo" John VerPoorten:
What If...Jack Kirby became...The Thing?!? And oh yeah, some other guys the rest of the FF.
from What If...? (1976 series) #11 (October 1978); script and pencils by Jack Kirby; inks by Mike Royer, Bill Wray, Scott Shaw!, and Dave Stevens; colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Mike Royer
IT'S KIRBYIN' TIME!
"The Mighty Sore" (tee hee) meets his makers:
from "Lo! If This Be Not My Father, My Enemy...!" in What The--?! #5 (Marvel, July 1989), script by Peter B. Gillis, pencils by Whilce Portacio, inks by Al Milgrom, colors by Gregory Wright, letters by Joe Rosen
Yeah! What Jack said!:
from "Scenes We Never Saw" in Captain America: The Legend #1 one-shot (Marvel, September 1996), script by Mark Waid, pencils by Dan Jurgens, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by John Kalisz, letters by Jim Novak
One of the most touching and lovely stories about Kirby: He's God. Well, that makes sense ta me! (Read more about this story in this blogpost!)
from Fantastic Four #511 (Marvel, May 2004), script by Mark Waid, pencils by Mike Wieringo, inks by Karl Kesel, colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Randy Gentile
1. from FOOM #8 (Marvel, December 1974)
2. FOOM #21 (Marvel, March 1978)
3. from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated January 1970
4. Marvel Comics cover-dated October 1975
Are you ready for the world of......Jack's own mini-autobiography, both humble and larger-than-life!
from Marvel Age Annual #2 (Marvel, 1986), by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby self-portrait from his Fourth World era in Jimmy Olsen:
from Jimmy Olsen (1954 series) #134 (DC, December 1970), by Jack Kirby
A dramatic b/w self-portrait:
from The New Gods (Deluxe Edition) (1984 series) #6 (DC, November 1984), by Jack Kirby
Three versions of the iconic "Kirby's the Name" pin-up. Why not indulge your inner Stan Goldberg and color that last page? Remember that neatness counts...but — especially when you're collaborating with Jack Kirby — imagination is the most important thing!
Jack Kirby is surrounded by his Fourth World creations in this self-portrait frontispiece:
from DC Graphic Novel #4: The Hunger Dogs (DC, June 1985), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Greg Theakston
From the excellent Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (highly recommdned):
from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
And, from "The Man's" point of view:
from the Stan Lee autobio graphic novel Amazing Fantastic Incredible (Simon & Schuster, January 2019), script by Peter David and Stan Lee, art by Colleen Doran
from The Comic Book History of Comics (IDW, March 2012), script and letters by Fred Van Lente, pencils and inks by Fred Van Lente
Jack meets The Simpsons Universe!
from "Obrian and the New Guards!" in Bongo Presents Radioactive Man #9 ["#197"] (Bongo, November 2004), script and layouts by Batton Lash, pencils by Dan DeCarlo, inks by Mike Royer, colors by Chris Ungar and Nathan Kane, letters by Karen Bates
Supreme meets the Supreme Being!
from Supreme: The Return #6/62 (Awesome, June 2000), script by Alan Moore, pencils by Rob Liefeld and Rick Veitch, inks by Rick Veitch, colors by Matt Yackey, letters by Todd Klein and Albert Deschesne
As does The Spirit (sorta):
from "Sweetheart" in The Spirit: The New Adventures #8 (Kitchen Sink, November 1998), script by Joe R. Landsale, art by John Lucas, colors by Lee Loughbridge, lettering by Dave Lanphear
And now it's time for...Jack TV!
A well-intentioned but somewhat-clueless television interview ("nibble at the edges of the entertainment world"?!?) with Jack. But still, it's wonderful to see Kirby draw, and talk about his work. And dig Catherine Mann's Eighties hair!
Jack Kirby on Entertainment Tonight (October 28, 1982)
Kirby interview from the documentary film The Masters of Comic Book Art:
from Masters Of Comic Book Art (1987), introduced by Harlan Ellison
The King of Comics: an aptly named documentary about Kirby (two parts):
from The King of Comics (2017), directed by Marc Azéma and Jean Pelley
Jack Kirby guest-stars on Bob Newhart's sitcom Bob (the one where Bob played a comics artist!)! Ignore the appearance of Bob Kane...I did.
Bob, "You Can't Win" (Paramount, January 22, 1993), written by Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner, and Phoef Sutton; directed by Michael Zinberg
And finally, Jack Kirby as a police artist on the TV show about his own co-creation, the Incredible Hulk:
from The Incredible Hulk, ""No Escape" (Universal, March 30, 1979), written by Ben Masselink, directed by Jeffrey Hayden
I've spent much of this post focusing on Kirby creating and participating in our favorite medium, but let's take a moment on Jack's birthday to salute this actual hero. He not only drew supers who'd punch Nazis, he'd put his money where his mouth was in real life:
from Kirby: King of Comics (Abrams ComicArts, 2002) by Mark Evanier
We need Kirby more than ever, but alas, he's departed from us. But he's left behind his work, words, art, and ideas to continue to inspire us. Now's your time to step into the shoes of the King. Imagine. Create. Write. Draw. Believe. Resist. Rebel. Defy. Be a king.
from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics
Anyway: happy birthday, Jack!
from Marvel Age #92 (Marvel, September 1990), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter
And thanks for all the wonder...
...the power...
...the humanity...
from "The Grandeur and the Glory!" in Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #124 (Marvel, January 1966), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, letters by Artie Simek
...the laughs...
And, of course...the hats.
Happy birthday, King!
from (left) Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964);
(right) Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, November 1969)
'Nuff said.
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2 comments:
Wow! That's an epic post, Bully!
Posts like this validate the Internet's existence. Thanks, Bully!
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