Jack Kirby

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby

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On August 28, 1917 Jacob Kurtzberg, better known as Jack Kirby, the King of Comics, was born.  As everyone should know Kirby was at least partly responsible for most of Marvel’s superheroes and for innumerable characters for many other comic companies.  From Captain America to the Fantastic Four to the New Gods, Jack Kirby is responsible for more characters that have appeared in comic books than anyone else.  To commemorate his birthday I am posting one of my favorite images ever from Jack Kirby.

Click to view it in all its glory, with its Wild Human Preserves and Orangutan Surfing Society and the Mad Hole, Country of the Screamers. This is the map of the world of Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth.  It is a world where men are the animals and animals rule.  Like planet of the apes but with tigers and dogs.  There is enough wild imagination in this image to keep me marveling over it forever.

I love this map.  I love it so much.  DC is putting out a Kamadi Omnibus next month and you can be sure I am down for that.  Dynamite is currently publishing a series of comics called Kirby Genesis, which focus on unused Kirby concepts.  It is a pale imitation, like a glow in the dark neon tie-dyed shirt is pale, but it is as close as you get to new Kirby these days.  I like it a lot so far. With time and the inclination I could post hundreds of  amazing Kirby drawings, but I think this one is enough.

 

Biweekly Comic Reviews 8-22-11

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Time for another set of comic reviews, though only 4 reviews this time. Most of my stuff didn’t ship and I’m saving the Flashpoint stuff for the end of the month.

  • Mega Man 3. Ian Flynn and Patrick Spaziante.

This has been everything a person could want in a Mega Man comic. It is a brightly colored action packed all ages comic that also touches on themes like the horrors of war. Mega Man nearly loses himself to robot killer he has become, but he is pulled back from the brink by Dr. Light and Roll. I could read this book forever.   [****1/2]

 

  • Kirby Genesis 2. Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross and Jack Herbert

It is not often I wish a comic contained less than it does, but I feel that way with Kirby Genesis. It seems like Busiek and Ross have lost control a bit trying to flood all of these Jack Kirby characters onto the page. The mass confusion appears to be intentional and I have faith that they can rein it in or explain it sufficiently to ease the confusion and construct a satisfying story. It’s just that after 3 issues the plot is still lost in the cacophony of noise color and Kirby Dots. Still, this is a comic where a Sasquatch is abducted by aliens. That’s hard to top.  [***1/2]

  • Justice Society of America 54. Marc Guggenheim and Jerry Ordway.

I never learn my lesson with the JSA. The Johns/Goyer run is my favorite comic, ever. The relaunch was good even when it meandered. Then Willingham and Sturges took over and it took until they split the team for them to find their footing. Then came Guggenheim, who was terrible. Every time I picked up the book, it was terrible. But every three months or so I would try it again and it would still be terrible. Here we have some nice Jerry Ordway art, some actually snappy dialogue and as brain dead a plot as was ever thrown in the garbage in disgust. I’m a little sad that the JSA is not coming back (immediately) with the re-launch, but if it is going to be like this then good riddance. [*1/2]

  • Daredevil 2. Mark Waid and Paola Rivera

Continuing from last month’s stellar issue is another stellar issue. Few can craft a superhero comic like Mark Waid does. The fight with Captain America to start is a joy, and it is followed by advancing the other plots introduced in the first issue. The art by is as good as you can find on the shelves right now. Even for a Daredevil hater like me this book is an absolute delight. [****]

Quick Shot Reviews:

  • Superman 714.  Chris Roberson made some fine lemonade out of some rotten lemons. [***]
  • War of the Green Lanterns 2. Utterly pointless. A waste of time and money.  [**]
  • Xombi 5. Ethereal and odd, it is sad that there is only one more issue. [****]