JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR THIRTY-EIGHT $995

IN THE US
(right) Burne Hogarth’s Jack Kirby
DYNAMIC
classic Dynamic Figure
Drawing was a revelation
to me as a budding
teenage artist, but deep
down I always wondered
what a “how-to” book by
Kirby would be like. Jack

FIGURE
never produced such a
book, and if he had, it’s a
safe bet nobody would’ve
bought it for the words
anyway. So here’s my take
on what the cover might’ve
looked like.

DRAWING
Hulk, Thing TM & ©2003 Marvel
Characters, Inc.
Big Barda TM & ©2003 DC Comics.

C O P Y R I G H T S :
Atlas, Big Barda, Boy Commandos,
Challengers of the Unknown, Darkseid,
Demon, Dingbats of Danger Street, Dr. Fate,
Forager, Forever People, Green Lantern,
Jimmy Olsen, Kamandi, Lightray, Losers,
Mr. Miracle, Negative Man, New Gods,
Newsboy Legion, OMAC, Orion, Promethea,
Pyra, Spectre, Superman, Toxl the World
Killer, Wonder Woman, Young Romance TM
& ©2003 DC Comics • Black Bolt, Black
Panther, Bucky, Capt. America, Crystal,
Dr. Doom, Dr. Strange, Dragon Man,
Enchantress, Fantastic Four, Galactus,
Gorgon, Hercules, Hulk, Human Torch, Infant
Terrible, Inhumans, Invisible Girl, Iron Man,
Karnak, Liberty Legion, Magneto, Makarri,
Medusa, Melter, Modok, Mr. Fantastic, Nick
Fury, Rawhide Kid, Red Skull, Sgt. Fury,
Silver Surfer, Spider-Man, Sub-Mariner,
Super Skrull, Thing, Thor, Triton, Two-Gun
Kid, Warlock TM & ©2003 Marvel
Characters, Inc. • Enchantra, Silver Star,
The Family, Capt. Glory, Capt. Victory,
Satan's Six, Inky, Galaxy Green TM & Spotlighting the artist of
©2003 Jack Kirby Estate • Boys' Ranch,
Police Trap TM & ©2003 Simon & Kirby • THE FOURTH WORLD TRILOGY
Thundarr TM & ©2003 Ruby-Spears
Productions, Inc. • The Fly TM & ©2003 and THE MARVEL UNIVERSE
Archie Publications, Inc.
84 pages of text & drawings
A new approach to drawing
the moving figure in deep
space and foreshortening

Contents
OPENING SHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 NEW COLUMN! KIRBY OBSCURA . . . .44 COLLECTOR COMMENTS . . . . . . . . . . .78
(be guest editor, and preserve the archives) (Barry Forshaw on more obscure Kirby) (letters on #35 which escaped us)
UNDER THE COVERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 INNERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 PARTING SHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
(a quick look this time) (spend an afternoon as Jack tells stories) (don’t peek, now; we’d rather you wonder!)
THINKIN’ ’BOUT INKIN’ . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 TECHNIQUE SECTION: Front cover inks: DON HECK
(Joe Sinnott tells all) SQUIGGLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Front cover colors: JACK KIRBY
KIRBIFYING YOUR ART . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Back cover inks/colors: JACK KIRBY
JACK F.A.Q.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 KIRBYTECH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
(Mark Evanier on Kirby misconceptions) Photocopies of Jack’s uninked pencils from
KRACKLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
published comics are reproduced here
KIRBY AS A GENRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 SWIPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
BURSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 courtesy of the Kirby Estate, which has our
(Adam McGovern goes far afield)
EVOLUTION OF THE TORCH & THING . . .72 thanks for their continued support.
GALLERY (GREATEST HITS) . . . . . . . . .32 BUTTONS OF DOOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

The Jack Kirby Collector, Vol. 10, No. 38, Spring 2003. Published quarterly by & ©2003 TwoMorrows Publishing, 1812 Park Drive, Raleigh, NC 27605, USA. 919-833-8092.
John Morrow, Editor. Pamela Morrow, Asst. Editor. Eric Nolen-Weathington, Production Assistant. Single issues: $13 postpaid ($15 Canada, $16 elsewhere). Four-issue subscriptions: $36.00 US, $60.00 Canada, $64.00
elsewhere. All characters are trademarks of their respective companies. All artwork is ©2003 Jack Kirby unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter is ©2003 the respective authors. First printing. PRINTED IN CANADA.

1
 JPEG files and backing them up to CDs/DVDs. Since 1998,
we’ve scanned about 1000 of the pages from the batch the
Opening Shot by John Morrow, editor of TJKC Kirbys loaned us (with all the work being done by our paid
employees, on company time whenever there’s a free
moment). With 3000-4000 to go, it’s a task that’ll require
huge amounts of man-hours, hard disk space, and wear-&-tear
(right) Captain Victory: ’m very grateful for the opportunities I get by producing this on our 12" x 17" scanner, and the clock is ticking as the pages
Graphite Edition is now on
sale, only by mail from
TwoMorrows. $8 postpaid US
($10 Canada, $11 Surface,
I magazine: To be exposed to so much Kirby art, as well as to so
many of his gracious fans. If you enjoy this magazine (and I
hope you do), you should thank your lucky stars that Jack and Roz
thought enough of the King’s work to photocopy his pencils before
keep fading over time (and I don’t think we have the 15-20
years left that it’d take at our current rate of scanning!). We
need to be able to pay someone to devote their time to scan-
ning this enormous batch of xeroxes.
$15 Airmail, but foreign orders sending them off to be inked. But one of the toughest parts of TJKC So, I had this idea.
get a FREE Kirby Checklist). since its inception has been getting access to those very pages. Readers have been clamoring for us to print complete

Thank Your Lucky Stars! I depleted my personal supply of Kirby art with TJKC #1. Once
word of mouth started, though, Kirby fans all over began sending
in convention sketches, fanzine repros, and various other interest-
stories in pencil for years, but copyright issues keep that from
happening. However, Jack’s original Captain Victory graphic
novel exists nearly complete in pencil form (it was drawn a
ing art tidbits; but this magazine probably wouldn’t have lasted few years before it was used in Pacific Comics’ Captain Victory
more than a half-dozen issues if not for the interven- #1-3, so it’s Prime Kirby pencils), and he
tion of David “Hambone” Hamilton. Ol’ Hammie has owned the character. So as I write this,
made a near-career out of trading pencil photocopies we’re releasing the 52-page Captain
(next page) Current list of with dozens of top comics artists and their biggest Victory: Graphite Edition,
what’s in the Kirby Pencil fans. He not only clued me in to the fact that Kirby a pencils-only reprinting of the original
Xerox Archives. Note: the page pencil copies existed (albeit in pretty poor quality, due graphic novel. It’s being produced with
numbering is based on story to their being second-or-more-generation duplicates), the approval of the Kirby family, and pro-
page (which is the number he told me there was a sort of “pencil art underground” ceeds will offset the cost of scanning and
Jack put on his actual pencils), of fans who traded this type of stuff. Hambone had archiving the pencil xeroxes. It’ll only be
not necessarily the printed
hundreds of pages, and generously sent me copies of available by mail to maximize proceeds
page number (which, as in the
them, which really got the ball rolling on TJKC. (we have to give retailers huge discounts,
case of 1970s Marvel comics,
was different due to their
During one of our first phone conversations, Roz which would keep such a niche product
including the ad pages in their Kirby suggested I contact Greg Theakston about sup- from serving its purpose—to generate
numbering). Also, unless noted plying art for the ’zine, which I promptly did. Greg had income to support the archiving of the
otherwise, these are pencil possession of around 3000 of Jack’s original xeroxes, xeroxes). So order a copy (or two) now
pages only. There are lots of and when I contacted him, he said to let him know from TwoMorrows; you’ll be doing your
animation pages in the files, what I needed, and he’d send it. This sounded great, part to make sure this incredible material
too numerous to list here. In but there wasn’t any kind of list of what actual pages is around for future generations to enjoy, appreciate, and
the case of unpublished work Greg had, so I was shooting in the dark about what to ask for. What learn from. It’s $8 postpaid in the US. (Sorry, if you’re outside
(ie. Dingbats #2 and #3) I Greg did send, however, was of amazing quality; much better than the US, you must add $2 for Canada, or elsewhere $3 Surface
included a listing of the inked the second- or more generation copies I had access to. or $7 Airmail—but we’ll include a FREE COPY of the Kirby
pages we have also.
So I was left with a dilemma: get good copies from Greg each Checklist for the extra cost).
issue (but never know if I’d get what I’d requested), or proceed with Once the 4000+ pages are digitally archived for future
(below) Cover to the fourth
Hambone’s lesser-quality copies, where I’d at least have my pick of use, the Kirbys are planning to donate sets of the disks to
volume of Pure Imagination’s art to decide what to build an issue around. I ended up using a both Duke University’s and the University of Michigan’s spe-
Complete Jack Kirby series, combination of both, along with whatever fans sent in. cial library collections, so the general public will have access
reprinting some of Jack’s Around TJKC #19 (right after Roz’s death), the Kirbys made to this wealth of material for scholarly research. Then the
earliest work. things a lot easier for us. With the help of Mike Thibodeaux, they Kirbys will decide what happens to the original photocopies
©2003 Pure Imagination dug out the remaining 2000 or so photocopies they still had in stor- (we’ll be returning them since they’re only on-loan to us).
age, and loaned them to me for use in this magazine. It was mostly Now, for the best part. Since we’ve got access to the bulk
1970s Marvel work, with much less DC and 1960s stuff of the xeroxes for the first time, I’ve compiled a master list of
included, but it sure made it a lot easier to put this mag what’s here (see next 3 pages). This probably isn’t everything
together, having a lot to pick from, and all of good quality. that exists, however. From time to time, Jack and Roz gave
I’m happy to report that things have just gotten away sets of the pencil copies when they sold the original art
easier still. Greg is in the process of sending the original to a given issue, so those may be in private collectors’ hands.
xeroxes to us (he’s sent around 2500 since the first of this And all those collectors who swapped pages as part of the
year), so for the first time in years, nearly all the xeroxes “pencil underground” may have some that aren’t listed here.
are in one place. (While I’m on the subject of Greg, let me So show your appreciation for the King’s work, and help
mention his outstanding Complete Kirby series. This project us make this digital archive as complete as possible. If you’ve
deserves every Kirby fan’s support, and I wholeheartedly got any Kirby pencil pages or photocopies, please compare
recommend it. If you’re not familiar with Greg’s series your collection to this list, and send us copies or scans of any-
reprinting Jack’s earliest work, you can order in the US by thing not listed here. I plan to post an updated list on our
sending $25 to: Pure Imagination, 516 State St., Brooklyn, website (www.twomorrows.com) at the end of this year so we’ll
NY 11215. The first four volumes are currently available). all know what exists.
All this leads to our new, wonderful dilemma: How And brace yourself; with all this new art in-house, TJKC is
to preserve and archive 4000-5000 “thermal fax” copies of about to get even better! I’ve got big plans for upcoming
Jack’s pencils before they fade away to nothing. My goal is to create issues, that I’m sure will make you—and me—even more
Captain Victory TM & ©2003 Jack
Kirby Estate. a permanent digital archive by scanning them as high-resolution thankful that these xeroxes exist. ★
2
 BOOK ORIGINAL XEROX PAGES WE HAVE Demon #13 c, 1, 4-20
2001 Treasury Edition ifc, 1-70 Demon #14 cover
2001: A Space Odyssey #1 c, 1, 2, 4-17 Demon #15 c, 1-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #2 c, 1, 4-8, 10-17 Demon #16 c, 1-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #3 1, 4-6, 8-10, 12-17 Destroyer Duck #1 1-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #4 c, 1, 4-8, 13-17 Destroyer Duck #2 c, 1-20, 2 unused pages
2001: A Space Odyssey #6 c, 1-4, 6-17 Destroyer Duck #3 c, 4-7, 10-12, 14-16
2001: A Space Odyssey #8 1-17 Destroyer Duck #4 1, 4-11, 14, 15-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #9 c, 1-17 Destroyer Duck #5 c, 1-5, unused page
2001: A Space Odyssey #10 c, 1, 3-17 Devil Dinosaur misc. Proposal 1, 2
Action Comics #638 cover Devil Dinosaur #2 c, 1, 4-17
Amazing Heroes #47 cover Devil Dinosaur #3 c, 1, 4-6, 8-17
Atlas #1 (First Issue Special #1) 1, 4-20, 2 concept pages, 1 unused page Devil Dinosaur #4 c, 1-3, 5-17
Avengers #148 cover Devil Dinosaur #5 c, 1, 4-17
Avengers #151 cover Devil Dinosaur #6 c, 1, 4-17
Avengers #152 cover Devil Dinosaur #7 c, 1-17, unused page
Avengers #153 cover Devil Dinosaur #8 c (1/2), 1-7, 9-10, 13-17
Avengers #154 cover Devil Dinosaur #9 c, 1-4, 7-12, 14-17
Avengers #156 cover Dingbats #1 (First Issue Special #6) c, 1, 4-14, 18-20 (pencils), 1-20 (inks)
Avengers #157 cover Dingbats of Danger Street #2 20 (pencils), 1-11, 13-20 (inks)
Avengers #158 cover Dingbats of Danger Street #3 1, 4-20 (pencils), 1-20 (inks)
Battle for a 3-D World #1 inside cover, 2-page spread Eternals #2 c, 1-17, unused cover
Black Panther #3 c, 1-17 Eternals #3 c, 1-17
Black Panther #4 c, 1-17 Eternals #4 c, 1-17
Black Panther #5 c, 1-17 Eternals #5 c (2 ways), 1-17
Black Panther #6 c, 1-17 Eternals #6 unused cover
Black Panther #7 3-14 Eternals #7 c, 1-17
Black Panther #8 c, 1, 4-17 Eternals #8 c, 1-17
Black Panther #9 c, 1-14, 16, 17 Eternals #9 c, 1, 4-6, 8-17
Black Panther #10 c, 1-17 Eternals #10 c, 1-17
Black Panther #11 c, 1-3, 5-17 Eternals #11 1-17
Black Panther #12 c, 1-17 Eternals #12 c, 1-17
Blue Ribbon Comics #5 cover Eternals #14 c, 1-17
Captain America #103 9-13 Eternals #15 c, 1-17
Captain America #193 c, 1-18 Eternals #16 c, 1-17
Captain America #194 c, 1, 4-18, unused page Eternals #17 c, 1-17
Captain America #195 1, 4-17 Eternals #18 1, 4-17
Captain America #196 c, 1 Eternals #19 c, 1-17
Captain America #197 c, 1-17 Eternals Annual #1 c, 1-33
Captain America #198 c, 1-17, unused page Fantastic Four #44 19, 20
Captain America #199 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #49 1-11, 19
Captain America #200 c, 1-6, 8-17 Fantastic Four #75 2, 3, 6, 8
Captain America #201 c, 1-12, 14-17 Fantastic Four #76 2-5
Captain America #202 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #78 1-3
Captain America #203 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #80 unused page
Captain America #204 c, 1-17, unused page Fantastic Four #89 2-6, 10-20
Captain America #205 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #90 10-12, 14-17, 19, 20
Captain America #206 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #91 1, 2, 5, 6, 10-20
Captain America #207 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #95 6, 15
Captain America #208 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #97 6-7
Captain America #209 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #108 unused pages
Captain America #211 1, 4-17 Fantastic Four #164 cover
Captain America #212 1-17 Fantastic Four #172 cover
Captain America #213 c, 1-17 Fantastic Four #173 cover
Captain America #214 c, 1, 4-17 Fantastic Four #174 cover
Captain America Annual #3 c, 1-35 Fantastic Four #175 cover
Captain America Annual #4 c, 1, 4-24, 26, 28-30, 32-34 Fantastic Four #176 cover
CA's Bicentennial Battles Treasury c, bc, 1-77, 80, 81, unused page Fantastic Four #177 cover
Captain Victory #1 1-6, 9-13, 15-18, 20-23 Fantastic Four #181 cover
Captain Victory #2 2-25 Fantastic Four #181 cover
Captain Victory #3 1-7, 14, 15, 18-25, 27 Fantastic Four #190 cover
Captain Victory #4 4-10, 12-14 Fantastic Four Annual #5 4, 5, 8, 11-17, 20, Black Bolt, Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak
Captain Victory #7 7, 14 Fantastic Four Annual #11 cover
Captain Victory #8 2-6 Forever People #1 cover
Captain Victory #9 6, 7, 12, 13, 28, 29 Forever People #6 1-11, 13-17, 20-22, back-up 1-4
Captain Victory #11 6 Forever People #7 c, 1, 4-12, 15-23
Captain Victory #12 4, 5, 10 Forever People #8 1-23, 25, 26
Captain Victory #13 5-8, 12-14 Forever People #9 1-25
Captain Victory Special #1 31 Forever People #10 c, 2-4, 6-10, 21
Champions #6 cover Forever People #11 c, 1, 4-21
DC Comics Presents #84 11, 17 Ghost Rider #22 cover
Defenders #42 cover Ghost Rider #23 cover
Defenders #44 cover Giant-Size Conan #5 cover
Defenders #45 cover Hulk Annual #5 cover
Demon #1 1, 4-25, unused page, 2 unused half pages In The Days Of The Mob #2 c, 1-3, 11 (pencil), 1-14, 19, 29-46 (all ink)
Demon #2 c, 1, 4, 5, 7-23, unused page Invaders #4 cover
Demon #3 c, 1-13, 15-22 Invaders #5 cover
Demon #5 1-23 Invaders #8 cover
Demon #6 c, 1, 4-23 Invaders #9 cover
Demon #7 1, 4-23 Invaders #12 cover
Demon #8 c, 1, 4-17, 23 Invaders #14 cover
Demon #9 1, 5-23 Invaders #15 cover
Demon #10 c, 1, 4-14, 16-20, unused page Invaders #16 cover
Demon #11 c, 1, 4-20 Invaders #32 cover
Demon #12 1, 4-11, 13-20 Iron Man #90 cover

3
Iron Man #92 cover Mister Miracle #12 1-8, unused page
Iron Man #95 cover Mister Miracle #13 1-23
Journey Into Mystery #101 1-13 Mister Miracle #14 c, 1, 4-8, 10-23
Journey Into Mystery #119 Tales of Asgard 4 Mister Miracle #15 1, 4-20
Jungle Action #18 cover Mister Miracle #16 c, 1, 4-10, 13, 16-20
Justice Inc. #2 c, 1-18 Mister Miracle #17 1-20
Justice Inc. #3 c, 1-18 Mister Miracle #18 9, 20
Justice Inc. #4 1-10, 12-18 New Gods #6 c, 1, 3-25 (page 25 with and without text)
Ka-Zar #12 cover New Gods #8 1-16, 18-23, back-up 1-3
Kamandi #1 1, 4-23 New Gods #9 1, 4-26
Kamandi #2 4-22 New Gods #10 c, 1, 4-15, 17-22
Kamandi #3 1, 4 New Gods #12 (Hunger Dogs GN) 1-3, 6-25 pencils, 1-25 inks (unaltered 1st version)
Kamandi #4 c, 17-22 New Gods Reprint #2 cover, back cover, unused cover
Kamandi #5 1, 4-9, 11-23 New Gods Reprint #4 cover, back cover
Kamandi #6 c, 1, 6, 7, 9-11, 13-23 New Gods Reprint #5 back cover
Kamandi #7 1, 2 (partial), 4-20 New Gods Reprint #6 (new story) 1-15, 37-44, unused cover
Kamandi #8 c, 1, 4-20 Nova #5 cover
Kamandi #9 c, 4-20 Nova #7 cover
Kamandi #10 c, 1, 4, 6-15, 18-20 OMAC #1 1, 4-20
Kamandi #11 1, 4-15, 17-20 OMAC #2 c, 1, 4-20
Kamandi #12 c, 1-20 OMAC #3 c, 1, 4-20
Kamandi #13 c, 1-20 OMAC #4 1, 4-20
Kamandi #14 c, 1, 4-10, 12-20 OMAC #5 c, 1, 4-20
Kamandi #15 c, 1, 4-20 OMAC #6 c, 1, 4-20
Kamandi #16 c, 1, 4-20 OMAC #7 c, 1, 4-18
Kamandi #17 12-20 Our Fighting Forces #151 1, 4-20
Kamandi #18 1, 20 Our Fighting Forces #152 c, 1, 4-9, 11, 14-17, 19--20
Kamandi #19 c, 1, 4-20 Our Fighting Forces #153 1, 4-18, 20
Kamandi #20 c, 1, 4-20 Our Fighting Forces #154 c, 1, 4-13, 15-20
Kamandi #21 c, 1-8, 10-14, 16-20 Our Fighting Forces #155 cover
Kamandi #22 c, 1-4, 6-20 Our Fighting Forces #156 1, 4-18
Kamandi #23 c, 1, 4-15, 17, 19, 20 Our Fighting Forces #157 c, 1, 4-18
Kamandi #24 c, 1, 4-9, 11, 13-16, 18-20 Our Fighting Forces #158 c, 1, 4-18
Kamandi #25 c, 1, 4-20 Our Fighting Forces #159 c, 1, 4-18
Kamandi #26 c, 1, 4-10, 13-20 Our Fighting Forces #160 1, 4-16
Kamandi #27 1, 5-9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 20 Our Fighting Forces #161 1
Kamandi #28 c, 1, 4-20 Prisoner #1 1-17
Kamandi #29 c, 4-20 Sandman #1 1, 4-20
Kamandi #30 c, 1, 4-17 Sandman #2 cover
Kamandi #31 c, 1, 4-18 Sandman #3 cover
Kamandi #32 2, 24, 25 Sandman #4 c, 1-18
Kamandi #33 c, 1-18 Sandman #5 c, 8-11
Kamandi #35 1, 4-18 Sandman #6 1-18
Kamandi #37 1-18 Sandman #7 1-8, 10-12, 14-18 (all inked, no pencils)
Kamandi #38 8, 10-13 Satan's Six #1 c, 10 pages
Kamandi #39 1-18 Secret Origins #19 cover
Kamandi #40 1, 4-18 Silver Star misc. Concepts 1, 2
Kamandi misc. 2 unused covers Silver Star #1 8, 12-15
Kobra #1 unused Silver Star #2 c, 1, 4-20
Kung-Fu Fighter #3 1-6, 8, 9, 16-18 Silver Star #3 4-20
Machine Man #2 c, 1-17 Silver Star #4 c, 1-15
Machine Man #3 c, 1, 4-17 Silver Star #5 c, 1-7, 10, 11, 14-20
Machine Man #4 c, 1-17 Silver Star #6 c, 1, 2, 5-20
Machine Man #5 c, 1, 4-17 Silver Surfer Graphic Novel 1-4, 6-71, 74-97, 100
Machine Man #6 c, 1-17 Skull the Slayer #8 cover
Machine Man #7 c, 2-17 Soul Love #1 c, Doll 1-5, Go-Go 1-10, Nurse 1-7, Teacher 1-10
Machine Man #8 c, 1-17 Spidey Super-Stories #19 cover
Machine Man #9 c, 1-17 Spidey Super-Stories #20 cover
Manhunter #1 (First Issue Special #5) 1, 4-11, 13-18 Spirit World #2 (FTODM #6) Bloodhound 1 (layout)
Marvel Chillers #7 cover Spirit World #2 (WMT #2) Toxl 1, 4-12
Marvel Double Feature #13 cover Spirit World #2 (WMT #3) Burners 1-5, 7-10
Marvel Double Feature #18 cover Strange Tales #141 6
Marvel Premiere #29 cover Street Code (Argosy Vol. 3, #2) 1-10
Marvel Premiere #31 cover Super Powers V.1 #5 c, 2, 3, 6-10, 12, 16-20, 22-23
Marvel Premiere #35 cover Superman #400 pin-up
Marvel Premiere #40 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139 19
Marvel Spotlight #29 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #143 c, 1, 6-22, back-up 1-2
Marvel Super-Heroes #54 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #144 c, 1-22, back-up 1-2
Marvel Treasury Edition #7 cover, back cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #145 1, 4-24, back-up 1-2
Marvel Treasury Edition #11 cover, back cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #146 c, 1-22, back-up 2
Marvel Triple Action #24 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #147 1, 4-24
Marvel Two-In-One #12 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #148 1-22
Marvel Two-In-One #19 cover Thor #144 1-16, unused cover
Marvel Two-In-One #20 cover Thor #147 14-15, Inhumans 1-5
Marvel Two-In-One #25 cover Thor #152 2
Marvel Two-In-One #27 cover Thor #157 9, 10
Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1 cover Thor #166 1-15
Marvel's Greatest Comics #77 cover Thor #177 2
Mister Miracle #5 c, 1-26 Thor #250 cover
Mister Miracle #6 c, 1-26 Thor #251 cover
Mister Miracle #7 c, 1, 4-26 Thor #252 cover
Mister Miracle #8 c, 1, 4-8, 11, 12, 14-26 Thor #253 cover
Mister Miracle #9 c, 4-15, 17-20, 23-26 Thor #255 cover
Mister Miracle #10 unused cover, 1-22 Thor Annual #5 cover
Mister Miracle #11 1, 4-22 Thunder Foot #1 cover

4
True Divorce Cases #1 Twin 1-7, Maid 1-13, Other Woman 1-10, Cheater 1 Super Powers V.2 #3 cover
Weird Wonder Tales #18 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139 1-22
Weird Wonder Tales #19 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141 cover
Weird Wonder Tales #20 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #142 back-up 1-2
What If? #9 cover Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #143 4, 5
What If? #10 cover (unused) Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #145 cover
Who’s Who #2 Beautiful Dreamer, Big Barda Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #147 unused cover
Who’s Who #3 Black Racer Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #148 back-up 1-2
Who's Who #16 New Gods Thor #147 2-11
Who’s Who #20 Sandy Thor #152 1, 3-11, 13-16
Thor #154 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 14-18
The following are issues that we have poor-quality second- or third-generation xeroxes of, so Thor #155 5
THESE ORIGINALS DO EXIST. If you have decent copies of any of these (or any others not Thor #156 1-5
on the main list above), please LOAN THEM TO US so we can scan them for the archives (or Thor #157 1-8
send the best quality copies possible, since they’ll be one generation worse): Thor #162 16, 18-20
Thor #164 16-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #3 11 Thor #166 16-20
2001: A Space Odyssey #7 3, 14 Thor #177 1
Atlas #1 (First Issue Special #1) cover, unused cover Thor #258 cover
Captain America #101 1, 3-11
Captain America #102 1-10 It’s extremely likely complete sets of copies of pencils exist for the following issues, but we
Captain America #103 1, 4-8, 14-20 don’t have access to them. If you have copies of ANY of these, please loan them to us or
Captain America #104 1, 4, 5, 8, 19, 20 send copies, so we can verify their existence and scan them for the archives.
Captain America #210 c, 12-13, 16-17
Demon #1 c, 26 DC Comics Presents #84 New Gods #7
Demon #2 published page 6 (says 5 on it) Demon #4 Our Fighting Forces #155
Demon #3 14 Forever People #5 Our Fighting Forces #162
Devil Dinosaur #8 11 New Gods #5 Spirit World #2 (WMT #1) “Horoscope”
Eternals #11 cover
Fantastic Four #75 4
Fantastic Four #76
Fantastic Four #86
Fantastic Four #89
20
17, 18, 20
7
Become Guest Editor of TJKC!
Fantastic Four #91 4 Here’s your chance to guide the future direction of
Forever People #6 12, 18, 19 TJKC! Next issue is our long-awaited “Fan Favorites”
Forever People #7 13 theme, and one lucky reader gets to be guest editor of
Forever People #8 c, 24
our Art Gallery section! Just look over the Kirby
Forever People #9 unused cover
Forever People #10 11 Archives list starting on the previous pages, and tell us
Forever People #11 22 the 20 pieces of pencil art you’d most like to see. We’ll
In The Days Of The Mob #2 1, 17, 30, covers (3 ways) randomly select one reader’s list, and run their choices!
Journey Into Mystery #112 TOA 1-5
Journey Into Mystery #117 14, 16
Kamandi #1
Kamandi #2
(2) unused covers
1
The Rules:
1) For copyright and variety reasons, pick no more than one page from any
Kamandi #30 18
Machine Man #6 unused cover
given issue, or we’ll disqualify your entry. (And try to mix-up companies and
Mister Miracle #8 9, 10 time periods as much as possible, so other readers will enjoy it too!)
Mister Miracle #9 16, 21, 22 2) If the winner chooses a page that’s been reproduced in a previous issue of
Mister Miracle #18 15 TJKC at a decent size, we’ll pick an appropriate substitute (after all, we want
New Gods #7 10, 14, 22, unused page, others? to see as many of these pages in print as possible).
New Gods #8 17
3) Submit your entry by mail, fax, or e-mail NO LATER THAN JULY 4 to:
New Gods #11 cover
OMAC #1 cover TwoMorrows Publishing • 1812 Park Drive • Raleigh, NC 27605
Our Fighting Forces #151 unused page
FAX 919-833-8023 • e-mail: twomorrow@aol.com
Our Fighting Forces #152 12-13
Silver Surfer Graphic Novel 5 Be sure to include your name and mailing address on your entry.
Spirit World #2 (WMT #1) Horoscope 1, others? Include any captions or comments you’d like considered for print (including
Strange Tales #141 2-5, 7, 8
Super Powers V.1 #4 cover
why you chose the ones you did). The best part is this contest has no losers! All
Super Powers V.1 #5 15 entries will be used to determine what goes in future issues, so enter today!

Under The Covers he front cover of this issue is another of those mid-1960s

T concept pieces Jack did (this one from 1966). It looks to

have been inked by Don Heck, and then watercolored by Jack.
Who this enchanting lady was meant to be is anyone’s guess, but the
“E” on her belt makes me want to simply call her “Enchantra,” so I guess that’s as good a name as
any to use when referring to her in the future.
Our back cover certainly looks to be of the Challengers of the Unknown. The Challengers of
the Unknown comic was cancelled in 1970 after its last three issues (#75-77) featured Kirby reprints
(right at the time Jack was launching the Fourth World at DC). Jack was asked to do a new Challs
cover for Super DC Giant #S-25 in 1971 (featuring more Kirby Challengers reprints), and the
Challengers comic was briefly revived in 1973 for three more all-Kirby reprint issues (#78-80).
Based on this, and the 1973 date of this color painting by Jack, I’m inclined to believe that DC
might’ve been considering bringing the strip back with Jack at the helm, doing all-new stories
(Challs is about the only old Kirby strip or genre DC didn’t give Jack a shot at reviving in the
1970s). I’m guessing Jack may have done this painting as a “warm-up” to get a feel for the charac-
ters again, but sales on the reprint revival didn’t live up to expectations, and plans were shelved. ★

5
Thinkin’ ’bout inkin’

Interviewed by Jim Amash

No Ordinary Joe:
(Editor’s Note: Thanks to Joe Sinnott, Jim Amash, and TJKC readers
THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR: You really have a three-phase
career in inking Jack Kirby. By that, I mean you did a little bit of
inking over his pencils in the early 1960s, before Jack’s style
(next page, top) Recent for their patience in allowing me to delay this interview until this
evolved into his more famous one. Then, of course, you were
photo of Joe Sinnott. issue, where we can give it the full space it deserves. I’m
his inker on Fantastic Four during its best period, and did a
confident this is the most thorough discus-
short stint on Captain America in Tales Of Suspense, all dur-
sion of inking Joe’s ever had
ing that “famous” period. Finally, you inked some covers
Fantastic Four TM & ©2003 Marvel in print.)
Characters, Inc. and that Silver Surfer graphic novel in the 1970s, after Jack’s
work had reached its peak.
JOE SINNOTT: That’s all very true. Early on, I put a lot of
my own style into the work, much more so than I did
later on. I got slicker later on, and followed Jack’s pencil
lines more, not adding or changing as much as I had
previously.
TJKC: When you first started inking Jack, did Stan
say much to you?
JOE: The first thing I inked over Jack was a western
(“The Man From Fargo” in an issue of Kid Colt,
Outlaw). A few times in the past, I’ve stated that
“Pildorr” was the first story of Jack’s I inked,
because that’s the first one that really stands
out in my memory. I thought Pildorr was a
prototype for the Thing. It was right at that
point where Stan and Jack created the
Fantastic Four.
Before all this, I had always penciled
and inked my own work, so inking another
artist was a change. Stan didn’t give me
any direction; he just wanted me to ink
Jack. He was in a bind, needed an inker,
and I was one of the guys he asked to
ink Kirby. Evidently, Stan liked what I
did right off the bat. The only comment
he ever made, early on, was “I like
what you’re doing. Keep it up.
Whatever you do, don’t leave us!” I
don’t remember if that was before
Fantastic Four #5 or not. Of course,
I wasn’t going to leave Stan, but I
had outside work to do, too. I
started the sixth issue of Fantastic
Four, but dropped it after I
inked a couple of panels because
I wanted to do a sixty-five
page story of the life of the
Pope for Treasure Chest.
Anyway, that was the only
comment he ever made
about my inks on Kirby.
I never talked to
Kirby during that time
either; not by phone or
by mail. The only time
I met Jack was in
1975, at a convention
in New York. We
spent two days
together there. I
got the pages in
the mail from Marvel,
did them and sent them back in. I
rarely ever went to the offices.
In looking back at some of my pages over the years, I
only saw a couple of times where the pages didn’t look quite like I

6
Mr. Sinnott Speaks
had inked them. I’m thinking specifically about the cover of Fantastic Four #98
[previous page]. Jack had placed a shadow on the Thing’s left arm, and I followed
Thing. I’d have added shadows
behind Crystal and Johnny, too.
it. I can see they took the shadow out, because I’d have never inked those rocks That’s all it’d have needed.
the way that they appear. The shadow also covered part of the left leg, the left side In those days, when we were
of the Thing’s chest and a little bit on the underside of the Thing’s right triceps. getting the rates we were paid, we
I have the original art to that cover and can see all the white paint over those put as much into it as we had the
areas and the corrections on top. The original drawing was better and those time for. I had to get the work done in
changes detracted from the drawing. I don’t know why they did that. Sometimes, a certain amount of time in order to
they used to make other changes. For example, on this cover, if they had felt the make a living. I had to do a minimum of
Torch would have looked better flying in from the other side, they’d stat the pose three pages a day over Jack’s work. That was
and reposition it. They didn’t do that here, but basically the reason I didn’t do more than I did.
when they did do it, I felt it usually wasn’t as Look at Reed and Sue’s faces. It’s Kirby, but it also
good as what we had done. has my influence over it. The noses and hair are
slightly different.
TJKC: We’ve already covered the early stuff for a
future issue of Alter Ego [#26, shipping from
TwoMorrows in July], but because that was the
more famous period where you really evolved,
we’ll focus our attention there.
JOE: Sure. I do want to say that I was very
impressed by FF #5. Doctor Doom was such a
great character and that’s a very good story,
too. My inking got better as I went along, too.
TJKC: I agree. Of course, Jack’s figure work
was different here, in comparison to what he
did by the time you returned.
JOE: I agree. The figures were thinner in the
earlier days. You’re probably wondering
about what I did in this early period. I
always felt the backgrounds were very
important and always gave them complete
attention. Backgrounds are an integral
part of the total composition. Jack’s back-
grounds at this time were not as intricate
as they became later on.
Look at page six in Fantastic Four
#88 [right]. You see the backgrounds?
They’re simple, but effective. I added
detail to the tree trunks, the grass and
the dirt. Look just below Reed’s feet
and you’ll see my trademark texture.
It’s also behind Sue on the bottom
right corner. It’s all incidental, but it
adds an extra feeling to the page as a
whole. You need to convince the
reader that they are in that environ-
ment. This is a simple page, but very
effective. Not much is happening
action-wise, but the techniques
carry the day.
TJKC: True, but I notice that while
you indicate some light sources in
their clothes and in the tree trunks,
you didn’t place any shadows
beneath the characters.
JOE: That’s true. You know, it’s
funny, but I was just thinking
about that. If I had inked this
page now, or even a little later
than I had, I’d have cast those
shadows. I’d had a shadow
from Reed’s feet, going back in
the space. I’d have cast a shad-
ow behind Reed, onto the
7
 over other patches of grass. It may not mean
much, but it adds depth of space to the area.
TJKC: It seems to me that you would keep Jack’s
basic patterns, but modified them in order to fit
your style.
JOE: That’s probably true. A lot of the things I
did over Jack were done unconsciously. I tried to
ink it with a nice thick-&-thin line, add form, and
keep a nice three-dimensional effect. I certainly
didn’t think about it too much. I prettied up the
faces and such, rendered the textures as I thought
they needed to look, and added a spot of black
here and there as needed to help the page read
better. I did what I could in the time that I had.
TJKC: Getting back to the shadows, I know you’re
aware that Jack’s light sources had little in com-
mon with nature.
JOE: (laughs) When I draw something, I make my
light sources as consistent as I can. Of course,
Jack was thinking more about design than he was
light source, so he felt free to alter the rules.
Who’s to say that there’s not another light source
to the left that you don’t see in the picture?
Jack spotted blacks according to design, not
light source. Burne Hogarth taught me as a kid to
squint my eyes at my work to see if the page is
balanced. If you have blacks on the bottom right
corner of the page, make sure you have black on
the left somewhere to balance it out and make it
easier to read. I always tried to balance my black
areas out to enhance the composition of the page.
That also makes it “reader friendly.”
Another example of something I’d do differently
today (or even a few years after I had originally
done it) is on the splash page of Fantastic Four #91.
[left] I would have added a black shadow behind
the caption at the top right, under the title. It
would have balanced the page a little better.
TJKC: Some inkers start with the backgrounds
first. Do you?
JOE: No. Sometimes, in the morning when I start,
in order to get my pen working, I might do a cou-
ple of straight lines in the background first; but
then, I’d go to the figures and do the
backgrounds later. I’d only do
backgrounds first when I needed
to warm up; same thing if I
I always made the characters a little better looking than Jack did. started with a brush that day.
(right) Lyle Tucker sent in All these faces are a little prettier than what Jack had penciled.
That was one of the things I brought to his work. If I was getting TJKC: Most inkers (and I’m not one of them)
this clipping from the
fanzine Ragnarok #2, from better pay and had more time, I’d have improved it a little more. start out inking a page with a pen first. That’s not
around 1973 or 1974. The Now, Jack’s work was great just as it was, but an inker’s job is to how you work, is it?
photo (possibly by Tom correct and add things as needed. JOE: When I inked Kirby, the Winsor-Newton
Fagan) is from the 1972
TJKC: Exactly. Even the pat- Series Seven #3 brushes
New York Comic Art
terning of the grass at their were very good. Once in
Convention. So for all of us
who thought Kirby and feet was changed. That’s a great while, I’d use a
Sinnott first met at the your patterning, not Jack’s. #2. I’d take the brush
1975 Marvel Convention, You made it a little more and do the bold, heavy
looks like they actually naturalistic. stuff first. I’d do the hair
met a few years earlier, if and other details with a
only briefly. (Check out the JOE: There again, I’m a stick- pen, too, but the brush is
expression on the face of ler for detail and textures are usually what I started ink-
that kid in the middle— very important. As you ing a page with.
probably the same expres- know, I love doing outdoor
sion this mag’s editor had scenes; they’re so much fun TJKC: You started your long
the one time he met Jack.) to play with. On this page, run of the FF with #44.
Fantastic Four, Gorgon TM & ©2003
you’ll notice that I had the Your style is very evident on
Marvel Characters, Inc.
grass cross in front of the this story. Let’s look at the
logs. I even crossed the grass splash page. [next page, top]

8
14
 conscious of that. You know that they are
going to make the “F” on the car blue,
but still you should make it more defin-
able in ink. My lines are a little weak here.
The pages should always hold up in
black-&-white. It’s not enough to have two
“colors,” meaning black-&-white. You
need to have midtones, which is why I’d
feather out of black areas, turn slashes
into feathering, and vary my line weights
so much. Using thin lines and thick lines
for wrinkles creates a gray area. Using
thin groups of lines in Reed’s hair, then
spotting a few black places makes a great
contrast to the lower half, where Reed’s
hair is white. In that area, you don’t spot
black, unless the scene is dramatically lit
and even then, you don’t need much of it.
You’re like me in the sense that you
never take a page and think, “I’m going to
ink this exactly like it was penciled.” You
know everyone’s work can be improved,
no matter if it’s Kirby or John Buscema, if
the inker knows what he’s doing. I always
felt that I had to improve the work.
TJKC: In Jack’s case, did you feel like you
were “improving” or “enhancing?”
JOE: I think I did both. Sometimes, I tried
to enhance it and maybe I improved it
instead. I hate to use the word “improved,”
because Jack’s work was so great. I could
have inked them exactly as Jack had pen-
ciled them, and everything would have
still looked good; but then I wouldn’t
have been doing my job—so I made
changes. Jack had a habit of not putting
both eyes on the same plane when he
drew faces. That was something I’d always
fix. Every artist has these kinds of quirks.
TJKC: Mike Royer made the same comment
about the eyes.
JOE: I’m sure Jack was aware of it, but it’s
just the way he drew. He was drawing a
mile a minute and these things just hap-
pen. I did pretty up the women, but I
didn’t labor over it. I felt I could help the
work. I certainly didn’t erase what Jack
did and put my own work over it. I just
inked what he penciled and my style
came out, particularly in the faces.
Look at page nineteen of FF #89
[left, shown in pencil and ink]. In the third
panel, you’ll notice that I changed Sue
and Crystal’s faces, if you compare them
to the original pencils. There’s not much
JOE: It sure is. It’s more realistic than Jack’s faces. they defined the readability of that character. of a difference, but it’s there. I also added some
Look at his ear: Jack never drew ears like that. The I’m looking at panel one and while it’s okay, it’s white in the black areas of the Thing’s rocks.
face is basically Jack’s proportioning, but things like a little light looking. I should have spotted more Same goes for panel one. Sue’s face is more
the muscle lines on Johnny’s neck and the hair treat- blacks and maybe thickened up a few holding lines, organic and I gave more definition to the shape of
ments are mine. Notice how I cut down on the dots especially on the front part of the Fantasti-car and the face. I kept the basic patterns in Reed’s hair, but
on the Thing’s face in that panel. I didn’t use any on around the area where Ben is working; but I was gave it that midrange we were discussing earlier. By
the head. pressed for time. My holding lines are thinner than the way, I also added the “4” on Sue’s chest in panel
what I normally did. three and altered the one on Johnny’s chest in panel
TJKC: The Thing’s an interesting character because
I would have added some blacks to the under- four for consistency’s sake.
graphically, there’s so much happening in his body,
side of the cycle in Ben’s hands, and to the inside of I see the Mole Man’s in that panel. I always loved
with all the rocks and blacks and textures.
the cockpits in the Fantasti-car. I know this is inking the Mole Man. I loved inking capes and flow-
JOE: True. That’s why organization of blacks and Monday morning quarterbacking, but these are the ing robes, which was a reason I liked Dr. Doom so
textures were so important here. Jack always spotted things I notice now. Hopefully, it’ll help give further much. Those two villains were among Jack’s best.
blacks on the Things’ body and while I may have insight to our readers. Of course, color will solve a Characters like Galactus, no matter how great they
refined them from time to time, I always made sure lot of these problems. When you’re working, you’re were, had all those buttons and mechanical things
15
 Mark evanier
Jack F.A.Q.s
A column answering Frequently Asked Questions about Kirby never said
by Mark Evanier or heard of
such a
ll those monologue jokes were wrong: Al Gore never actually

A claimed to have invented the Internet; but if he had invented

it, he’d deserve a large round of thanks from comic book
fans. Our fandom and the World Wide Web were practically
made for one another. I mean, we’re all over it. I can’t do a
thing, and
the editor in
question
recently claimed
to me he’d either
Google search on a non-comic topic without one of the first hits
been misquoted or
(below) Who is that masked leading me to some site about comics... often, mine. Mine, in
misinformed—I’m not sure
man in this 1960s promo- case you’ve never been there, is www.POVonline.com
tional photo, sold as part of a
which. Whatever, he no longer believes it, and there is no evidence
There—and all throughout cyberspace—you’ll find pieces
set of Bullpen photos for the in Kirby’s files of any such soaking and apparently none in
about Jack Kirby, The Man and The Legend. Alas, I often find
Merry Marvel Marching Marvel’s, either.
myself in the realm of Jack Kirby, The Myth. A rather startling
Society fan club?
number of untrue or semi-true “facts” have been promulgated
Red Skull TM & ©2003 Marvel “Jack conceived The New Gods while he was doing Thor at Marvel. He
Characters, Inc.
about Kirby, and I thought this might be a dandy place to
wanted to build to a big epic in the Thor comic and do ‘Ragnarok’ and
debunk the ones that warrant debunking, and to clarify the ones
kill off Thor, Odin, Loki and all the rest. Then he would have launched
with some kernel of truth to them.
New Gods in its place. Stan Lee vetoed the idea.”
I did a search of my hard disk archives... thousands upon
Mostly false. Jack did come up with the concept
thousands of messages I’ve downloaded since I obtained my
for New Gods while at Marvel but he never had any
first modem (this was back in the
intention of doing it there. At the time, he had become
days of
convinced that Marvel was reneging on various
promises to him of financial participation in characters
he’d co-created. He therefore was not about to give
them another idea unless there was a significant
change in the way they did business. That did not
happen so, as you can see, his last few years at
Marvel were not as rich with new characters. Ideas
were forever coming to him but he was saving
them to offer DC or any other potential publisher
that might emerge.

“Jack Kirby designed Spider-Man’s costume.”

False. Steve Ditko designed the distinctive
costume we all know and love. Jack did claim to
have presented the idea to Stan Lee of doing a
hero named Spiderman (no hyphen) who walked
on walls and had other spider-themed powers—
a claim which Stan vociferously denies.
But for all the things Jack did well, he was
not great at being interviewed. He occasionally
got carried away or confused. There was one
interview where, without realizing what he
was saying, he said he’d created Superman.
Needless to say, he never really believed that but somehow, that’s
what came out of his mouth.
2400 baud) and began connecting
This kind of thing most often occurred when the topic veered
to computer bulletin boards. Many times, I responded to these
near an instance where Jack felt he’d been undercredited and
urban and urbane legends but many times, I didn’t bother, or
undercompensated, and Spider-Man was such a case. In at least
didn’t see them until it was way too late. Here’s a sampling:
(next page) Jack may
one such conversation, he misspoke and claimed he’d designed
not have drawn the first the costume for the final version of Spider-Man. I’m guessing the
“Jack Kirby sued Marvel Comics.”
Iron Man story, but he gaffe had something to do with the fact that he did pencil the
False. Though Jack occasionally threatened to sue Marvel—
did design his initial cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 with the first appearance of that
often in response to someone there threatening him—at no time
armor, and did a pretty costume. There were a number of cases where Jack designed a
did he ever file a suit or come particularly close to it. The one
fair job of rendering his character on a cover, and then Don Heck or Dick Ayers or some-
time he was seriously considering it, he met with a few lawyers
more modern attire on one else drew the interior story, following his design. In this case,
these pencils from the and decided that neither his health nor wallet could withstand a
however, the cover was drawn after Stan had rejected one drawn
cover of Iron Man #92 lawsuit that might have taken ten years and cost a fortune.
wholly by Ditko.
(Oct. 1976). Jack knew that. And he also knew what it was like to have
Iron Man, Melter TM & ©2003 “When Martin Goodman (owner of Marvel Comics) sold the company
someone else claim credit for your ideas. So he very much regretted
Marvel Characters, Inc. to Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation, Kirby and some of the
the error.
other artists soaked Goodman for big bucks to sign releases on the
characters they’d worked on so he could complete the sale.”
“Jack Kirby was art director of Marvel in the Sixties.”
False. This story was circulated during Jack’s infamous battle
False. Jack was apparently listed as such in an article in
with Marvel Comics over the return of his original artwork. A
either Writer’s Digest or some similar magazine in the Sixties. A
Marvel editor was quoted in some sources as spreading it, and
few reporters, penning stories about the phenomenon that was
claiming Stan Lee had told him that. Stan told me he absolutely
22
Gallery
Kirby's Greatest Hits!
F
eel the pain! This issue, we pull no punches with an art gallery of pencils featuring some of Kirby’s most memorable zaps,
hits, and explosions! Some are from hits (like Kamandi), some from misses (my affectionate favorite Dingbats of Danger
Street), but all are packed with the power and velocity that are synonymous with Jack Kirby. Here’s the guide:

Page 32: Cover pencils to Marvel Double Feature #18 (Oct. 1976). That has to sting!
Page 33: Page 5 to Atlas #1 (published in First Issue Special #1, April 1975), showing pure brute strength Kirby-style.
Page 34: Page 18 from the never-published Dingbats of Danger Street #3 (1974). You can feel Jack flashing back to his days
of fighting in gangs on the streets of New York (as seen in his autobiographical story “Street Code”).
Page 35: Action-packed page 5 pencils from Our Fighting Forces #151 (Oct. 1974). This was Jack’s first Losers story, and no
doubt this page is reminiscent of many of the WWII situations he found himself in.
Page 36: The Bug dukes it out with lots of typical Kirby weaponry on page 17 from New Gods #10 (Aug. 1972).
Page 37: Demon #2, page 7 (Oct. 1972). Check out the motion and momentum taking place on this page!
Page 38: Page 10 from the story “Toxl The World Killer,” meant for Spirit World #2, and finally published in Weird Mystery Tales
#2 (Oct. 1972). That last panel is so simple, yet so powerful.
Page 39: Jack has a little fun at the Man of Steel’s expense in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #147, page 10 (March 1972).
Pages 40-41: Two-page spread from Captain America Annual #3 (1976), featuring a bug-ugly alien getting his comeuppance.
Page 42: Now that’s a punch! OMAC #6, page 5 (July 1975).
Page 43: Kamandi #1, page 8 (Oct. 1972); more muted action due to poor little Kamandi being outclassed, but still one of the
most memorable pages in the issue.

Did you notice there were several page fives here? I guess the story flow in Jack’s mind, at least at DC in the 1970s, tended to
call for a big BANG around page 5. Let’s hear it for mindless violence the Kirby way!

32
Barry Forshaw

A new regular
Obscura
the skull of the protagonist, but the final piece, “Young Hearts
column focusing Sing a Summer Love Song,” delivers some fine Kirby art, with the
on Kirby’s least elegance that he lost interest in as the Marvel age beckoned.
Want inexpensive known work, Now don’t for a second think that Young Romance represents
reprints of this issue’s by Barry Forshaw Kirby at his best: at most, this is of academic interest (unless
selections? you’re someone who is turned on by the very notion of romance),
but for anyone interested in the artist (and if you’re reading this,
As the name implies,
DC’s Young Romance
#1 Millennium Edition
T here is much argument about
which book inaugurated the
Silver Age of Comics. Was it the
that’s you), it’s certainly worth dipping into.
Much more interesting Kirby fare may be found in the second
issue of The Fly (Archie, 1959), although (like all Simon & Kirby
was released in revamped Schwartz/Kanigher/Infantino productions of the period) it’s a bit of a pick-and-mix affair, with
2000, so should be Flash? The “J’onn J’onzz” several artists pitching in; but as these craftsmen are of the
easily found in back back-up features? There are order of Kirby and Al Williamson, who
issue bins. It’s a even those who make claims for cares? The
much less expensive the first solo outing for Superman’s cover actually
alternative to girl friend, Lois Lane. Similarly, which has more of
purchasing the was the first real horror title? Avon’s Joe Simon’s
original 1947 edition. Eerie? Or the longer-running Richard input than
©2003 DC Comics
Hughes/ACG winner, Adventures into the most of the
Unknown? But there is absolutely no argu- team’s collabo-
ment about which was the first comic to create rations: The Fly
the much-condescended-to romance genre. And swings towards
Jack Kirby, most famous for his massively thewed a malevolent
super-heroes, is one of the unlikely midwives. leprechaun,
Having said that, such a distinction is some- who is riding a
thing of a poisoned chalice. While Simon & Kirby’s building-smashing
Young Romance for Prize spawned a million imi- robot. This tale,
tations, it also gave rise to a genre which (page “Tim O’Casey’s
for page) produced more terrible art and writing Wrecking Crew,”
Adventures of the Fly than just about any other branch of comics you revives the sinister
#2’s cover features a might name. Not so, needless to say, where leprechaun figure
pretty blatant swipe Simon & Kirby were concerned. It is, in fact, a from Black Magic’s
from Captain America shame that only the basic concept of banal “Nasty Little Man,”
#7, if copying yourself love and romance scenarios was lifted by the and is satisfyingly
can be considered many imitators, as there are levels of sophis- whimsical (although
swiping. To date, tication and invention found in some of the why a leprechaun
“Marco’s Eyes” was stories and art in the first issue of Young should use such a
reprinted in the 1979 Romance that was quickly to vanish from high-tech menace as a
Archie’s Super-Hero the genre (the aforementioned Richard robot crew is never
Special #1, and “The Hughes came up with the odd off-the-wall explained), but the tale
Master of Junk-Ri- tale in ACG’s shot at the genre, Confessions is a mélange of differ-
La” was reprinted in of the Lovelorn, but most issues of that mag ent artists’ work: the
Blue Ribbon Comics, were as worthless as anything in the genre). splash panel is a lively
Vol. 2, #1 (Nov. 1983). Of course, the only real reason to pick up DC’s hand- Kirby piece, but the story
Fly ©1959 Archie Publications
Captain America TM & ©2003 some reprints (in their Millennium Edition series) of this itself is drawn by Paul
Marvel Characters, Inc.
groundbreaking book is for Kirby’s appearances. Fans who Reinman in his usual pleasant (if
only know his work post-Fantastic Four may unexceptional) style. The second
need to apply themselves, but the effort is piece, “One of Our Skyscrapers Is
worthwhile. A pedestrian Kirby cover (adorned Missing,” is a smooth Al Williamson
with the come-on tagline ‘Designed for more job, but (after a nice two-page strip
adult readers of comics’, promising carnal promoting the concurrent The
pleasures that never materialize) heads up a Double Life of Private Strong) the
brace of very different stories. “I Was A Pick- King triumphantly blazes in with
Up” has some solid art by Kirby looking very “Marco’s Eyes,” set off with one of
much like his contemporaneous work for his beloved two-page spreads. The
Black Magic. The usual sense of design is Fly dodges machine gun fusillades
always paramount, and the burst of action as he shrugs off the rays from the massive,
on page 8 shows the dynamism that informed distended eyes of a villainous hypnotist on a hoarding; in the
his Captain America work of a few years earlier. meantime, hypnotized crowds struggle toward the poster, proffering
The story, though, is nothing to write home jewels and money (Kirby’s double-page spreads are always value
about; neither is that of the second tale, an for money). For the rest of the issue, Kirby erases the contributions
uninteresting piece illustrated by Bill Draut. of his fellow artists with some dynamic, brilliantly designed story-
The next piece, “Misguided Heart,” has a telling, including another splendidly over-the top villain, The Junk
conventional romance narrative (the heroine Man. The only problem with reading these few Fly issues (as with
has to choose between a man who is perfect his equally brief stint on Private Strong/The Shield and Race for
for her and one who, though handsome, is the Moon) is how little of this wonderful stuff there is.
obviously unsuited... yawn), but is enlivened Kirby’s gadabout career trajectory often meant that artistic
by Kirby’s imaginative work. Another Bill gems were presented to us all too briefly before being consigned
Draut tale, “The Plight of the Suspicious to lesser talents. If you’re a real Kirby enthusiast, you owe it to
Bride” (awful titles are par for the course in romance yourself to seek out his late Fifties work—it’s often more individual
comics), has the rather macabre device of being seen from inside than his later Marvel work, and that’s saying something! ★

44
Inner View
An Afternoon With Jack (and a lifetime of memories) was Captain America.
Written and transcribed by Jerry Boyd [laughter]
The flyers announcing the impending FAN: Wasn’t that a little
comics store visit of Jack Kirby had been dangerous, though?
circulating in our area for about a [more laughter]
month. The news seemed almost too KIRBY: [chuckling] It
good to be true. The King, whose con- was. I had these Nazis
vention appearances had by then waiting for me up on
been largely limited to San Diego, Broadway. I came to
was actually coming to our area— deliver my work. I used
Palo Alto, California! Palo Alto’s to think like Captain
a beautiful little place, though America. I was stupid, I
certainly not as large or as inter- thought I was a hero.
nationally-known as the isle of These eight guys—
Manhattan, Chicago, San Nazis—were after me,
Diego, or even Stanford and I’m delivering my
University (which it borders), work to Marvel. “Well, we’re going to beat the crap out of you
so we fans of sequential art and we’ll wait for you downstairs.” So I said, “Alright, we can go
felt especially lucky/ down there. Don’t go away. Wait for me, I’ll be right down.”
honored/blessed that Jack I used to think that way, y’know. They would’ve smeared
was coming to our little the heck out of me; but when I came down they weren’t there;
neck of the woods. but they used to have big meetings... Madison Square Garden.
Kirby was on tour Thousands of ’em. Seig Heil. [Jack, caught up in the memory of the
to promote The Art of moment, sadly throws his right arm up in a mock Nazi salute.]
Jack Kirby. With him Roosevelt took care of all of ’em. He drafted them. [laughs] They
would be his lovely sent ’em down South to basic training, and the Southerners beat
wife Rosalind and the the crap out of them. They turned them into Americans. [laughter]
book’s author, Ray Wyman, Jr. So, uh... those were very turbulent things... and everybody gave
Customers who regularly patronized the store were me a hard time.
told the ground rules: Mr. Kirby and Mr. Wyman would first talk
FAN: I think my favorite cover of yours was
about the book. Pre-signed copies would then be sold. The King
Fantastic Four
would then be available for as many questions and comments as the
(above) The flyer that #100. That
remaining time allowed. He wouldn’t be signing anything during the
announced Jack’s appear- one really
two-hour stop but he and Roz would graciously take books with
ance, and (right) Jack with gripped me.
fan Jordan Neri, Jr. them, autograph them, and mail them back to the store within a
KIRBY:
reasonable period of time. The store managers put it as delicately
That was a
(center) Patriotic house ad as they could: Kirby was not in the best of health. He just wasn’t up
great exer-
by Carl Burgos and Kirby, to signing stacks of comics anymore (and you know there would’ve
cise. I really
from Marvel Mystery #19 been plenty). He had “good days” and “bad days.” (Having lost
loved ’em
(May 1941). my grandparents in the two years prior to this 1993 meeting, I
[the FF].
completely understood. Still, to my comic-collecting buddies and
(below) Kirby art from the [Someone
me, this was unsettling news. This giant’s work was filled with
1978 San Diego Con pro- directs Jack’s
power and vitality. How could the man not be the same?)
gram book. attention to a
Still, the good news was that he was coming and he’d still
romance comic
Human Torch, Capt. America TM & sign our treasures, albeit sometime later. About thirty or so fans
page in his port-
©2003 Marvel Characters, Inc. greeted our king, queen, and Mr. Wyman on a beautiful Spring
Capt. Glory, San Diego art TM & ©2003 folio.] I used to
Jack Kirby Estate. Sunday. Jack shared war stories, answered questions on all
pass these
subjects, smiled and posed for snapshots,
newspaper
displayed a packed portfolio of stunning
stands and I
originals (which was open for perusal
never paid any
during his entire talk), and charmed us
notice to them
to the collective core of our hearts. The
because they
following is a transcription of fans’
were just a famil-
questions and comments, with Kirby’s
iar thing. All they
responses and observations that came from taped
had on the news-
recordings made that day. (Since it’s nigh-unto
stands were these pulps—love, love, love, love, love. [laughs] So
impossible to be in the company of such a talented
you see it every day and you don’t think about it, and suddenly I
man without the experience dredging up memories
felt, gee, there are no love comics. There are love magazines. So
of great comics and fun-filled times, I beg the read-
Joe Simon and I were the first ones to do this type of thing.
ers’ indulgence as I share a few of the great moments
Jack gave me.) In addition, I included a few Kirby- FAN: So they created profits?
related comments from a few professionals. Enjoy! KIRBY: Very good. They sold very well.
FAN: Is Doctor Doom your favorite villain or FAN: Must’ve been also an audience there because of the attrac-
Darkseid? tive graphics.
KIRBY: No... I liked all the characters. In fact, I KIRBY: Well, all the guys liked girls. [laughs] We got a very good
45
(above) This “Monster reaction to it. We did Young Romance and My Date. It’s always Stan Lee was in on the secret, also. I saw him in ’87 and asked,
Truck” (date not known, been a lot of fun discovering new ways to sell comics. “Who’s the fastest gun in the West—Kid Colt, Two-Gun, or Rawhide?”
but probably done in the Stan smiled and asked me, “Who do you think is the fastest?” Caught
late 1970s for animation) FAN: [Referring to Strange World of Your Dreams and Black Magic
off guard, I blurted out, “Wow. Well, I guess the Rawhide Kid did the
shows the type of covers] Did you work on the titles, also?
most with his guns.” (I’m sure Kirby’s art had something to do with my
machinery Jack could KIRBY: Yes. Yes. And you could make stories based on the inter-
render. ©2003 Jack Kirby Estate.
partiality.) “Rawhide it is then,” Stan concluded with another smile.
pretations of dreams.
That’s why it was so rare when one Marvel hero defeated another.
(below) Kirby cover to MRS. KIRBY: [Signaling her husband to stop and pose] Jack! Jack! Each of us has a favorite and no one wants to see his hero slighted.
Rawhide Kid #34 (June Rawhide Kid #33 was a great example of that notion for me. It
1963). [Kirby turns to his left and smiles. We all laugh. They had the routine
was Jack Davis’ first issue, following Kirby’s departure. The Kid beat
down pat. A fan snaps a picture of the King.]
(bottom right) Infant Jesse James and his gang single-handedly, but he actually threw the
Terrible pin-up from FF KIRBY: Even my wife... [laughs] [Kirby points to a drawing of fight in the final story to convince a young girl an outlaw wasn’t good
Annual #2 (1964). machinery.] This was the beginning of electronics. Remember, I’m marrying material. I was too young to grasp the subtlety and I was
(next page) Ditko Spider- older than you guys. I can remember the period when they talked furious! My new hero had been slighted! It would take some time but
Man drawing, and two about electrons, magnetic repulsion, and all that kind of stuff. Stan and Jack would reaffirm “true heroism” in many ways like that
examples of Jack Davis’ That was very prevalent. They began sending up spaceships... while satisfying many of their readers along the way. Professionalism.
work on characters often and I got a phone call from NASA one time. The guy says, “Buzz
FAN: [Pointing to a space scene in Jack’s portfolio.] How did you get
associated with Kirby. Aldrin and Neil Armstrong are in training and we’d like you to
these white ones [stars]? Did you use stickers?
Rawhide Kid, Two-Gun Kid, Infant come down and you can go over the training.” I said okay. I lived
Terrible, Spider-Man TM & ©2003 KIRBY: This was my own type of effect when I wanted to picture
Marvel Characters, Inc.
in Long Island then and I said, “Okay, but can I go up with
space. I didn’t want to see it just as black emptiness. In fact, I have
Fly TM & ©2003 Archie Publ., Inc. them?” [lots of laughter] I swear, I look back on those days with a
a collage at home which has spaceships on it, stars, and space
horror. Because if I’d gone up... I would’ve been screaming all the
things, y’know. Why did I do that? Some guy told me, “There’s
way. Anyway, I says, “Can I go up with these
nothing up there!” [laughter] and he says, “Where would you send
guys?” And he says, “No, you can’t go.” So I
a spaceship?!” and I says, “You must be kidding! Space is loaded
said, “All right, I’m not coming down to your
with stuff!” So I did this collage to answer that guy. [Here, the King
office.” I would do anything my heroes would
adds a mischievous smile.] I guess I’m kind of a contentious guy.
do. It was just that kind of thing. That’s the way
[Jack flips over
people thought.
one of the large
FAN: Is that the way you picked powers for your portfolio sheets
heroes, also—“I wish I could do that”? to reveal a pinup
KIRBY: Yes. I was them. of the “Infant
Terrible,” an
FAN: Which hero do you feel you relate to most?
interesting one-
KIRBY: All of them.
shot menace he
FAN: Really? created for FF
KIRBY: Yeah. These [characters] are my own #24.] This is
feelings. “Enfant Terrible”
[Jack says it in
At other times, of course, Kirby admitted to
French!] but
feeling closer to the Thing, Cap, Orion, and Sgt.
he’s a space
Fury than others. However, he may have felt that by
kid, y’know,
favoring one, he was slighting others. He knew that
and he has
Devil Dinosaur fans felt as strongly about that book
super powers...
as Kamandi and Thor fans felt about theirs. Forrest
and if you get a
J. Ackerman, the wonderful editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland,
bad space kid,
knew this too and that’s why he never knocked any of the films and
boy... you’re in
television shows his magazine covered. It’s a little thing called profes-
trouble! [laughs]
sionalism.
He was an alien.
46
Technique

(below) The Missing Link?

The Cosmic Squiggle!
or How the King of Comics became the “Squire of Sguiggliture,” by Mark Alexander
[Note: in TJKC #19, Link Yaco wrote an excellent piece that suggests Kirby’s “squiggles” may have been influ-
How did Kirby’s wiggly lines, enced by abstract modern painters. My research however, advances a different line of conjecture altogether.]
which were originally used
omic book art is an extremely diverse field of endeavor. Stylistically, it runs the gamut from simplistic

C
as textural ornaments on
inanimate objects, make the “cartoon” icons, to photo-realism, and everything in-between. In the mid-Sixties, Jack Kirby (aided
transition to human bodies? by Joe Sinnott) staked out a middle ground of the art form, which leaned more toward realism,
The Kirby/Stone Iron Man bolstered by a powerful sense of design. The months between 1965 and 1967 saw a rapid and radical
may be the answer! development in Kirby’s drawing style. After he’d settled down to illustrating a mere three titles a
month (Thor, the FF, and “Cap”) he was, at last, able to concentrate more on quality than quantity.
Suddenly, his figures gained a new-found symmetry and solidity. Even Johnny Storm, once
portrayed as a skinny teenager, would have biceps worthy of Captain America. Kirby’s back-
grounds became more and more elaborate (particularly his “spacescapes”), and his machinery
acquired a near-absurdist complexity. His “solid blacks” became so stylized in their design-
sense, that they nearly took on a physicality all their own (see the 1970s Black
Panther costume). Kirby’s “new look” would owe a great deal to three techniques
that were endemic to comic book (or “cartoon”) art, as opposed to real-life
representation: (1) the “krackle,” i.e., small, black, multi-functional circles; (2) the
The Sinnott squiggle
“burst” (straight, tapered “explosion lines”); and (3) the “squiggle.” For an excellent on the Surfer’s left leg;
dissertation on the “Kirby Krackle,” see Shane Foley’s article in TJKC #33. In TJKC #9, a perfect synthesis of
Joe Sinnott explained the exact tapering technique needed to ink a “Kirby burst,” traditional comic-art
and this article (as the title suggests), deals with the “squiggle.” anatomy, and Jack’s
To root new abstract lines.
out Kirby’s
“cosmic
squiggle,” one must go back (at least) to the late 1950s. Kirby used decorative
patterns on inanimate objects as the precursors to his latter-day squiggles,
which—after a decade of experimentation—would finally end up on Jack’s
human figures as well. These abstract geometric lines would eventually (in
Jack’s later years) end up being a “Kirby cliché” (my conjecture). How did
these stylized configurations make the transition from inanimate objects
to human bodies? The following letter may, in part, provide the answer.
It’s from an old Tales of Suspense, soon after Iron Man became the (post-
TOS #48) “new” Iron Man:
Dear Stan and Don,
You’re working too hard! You must be cracking up! I’m referring to what you’ve
done to Iron Man. I mean, this new uniform! Your new Iron Man doesn’t even
look like he’s made of iron. The way he suits up, a person could mistake his
armor for plain red and yellow cloth. Why don’t you just change his name to
Transistor Man and go from there?
Don Eden, Omaha, Nebr.
Flo Steinberg claims that Lee himself decided which fan-letters were to
be printed (which indicates that he probably read Eden’s letter) and—as
every Silver Age fan remembers—Stan did his best to acquiesce to reader
demands. This is strictly conjecture, but it’s possible that Lee directed
Kirby (and/or Chic Stone, who was Jack’s primary inker at the time) to make
Iron Man’s “new” armor look more “metallic.” At some point (I’d say
Avengers #6, left), either Kirby or Stone decided that drawing wavy lines on
the armor would be the best way to do this. Moreover, it’s possible that
neither artist was acting on a mandate from Lee. Perhaps Stone simply
interpreted Kirby’s pencils differently than any other inker before him.
Prior to Chic Stone’s tenure at Marvel, there were no “squiggles” seen
on Iron Man to denote a metallic veneer (this also applies to Jack’s other
iron-clad icon, Dr. Doom). Various
inkers before Stone, interpreted Kirby’s
lines on the metal as solid blacks, slash
marks, and even speckles, but not
“squiggles.” (Note: most inkers used “feathering,” a technique that employs a series of parallel lines, which at
(above) Tales of Suspense
some point may converge into a solid mass). With Chic Stone at the helm, however, Iron Man’s panoply
#40 (Heck inks), TOS #43
suddenly began to show signs of primitive “squiggling.” Therefore, Stone may indeed be the key to all
(Ayers inks), and Avengers
#5 (Reinman inks) and #6
this. Just as many people concur that Joe Sinnott’s inking influenced the way Kirby drew, Chic may have
(Stone inks). influenced Jack in this particular case. At this point (Avengers #6 and #7), these lines were nowhere near
Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Enchantress
as stylized or design-oriented as they were to become; nevertheless, the squiggles had arrived, and they
TM & ©2003 Marvel Characters, were here to stay.
Inc.
The Kirby-Stone cover of Avengers #7 (Aug. 1964, right), which was published soon after Iron Man’s
squiggles first appeared, was another break-through. On the arms of The Enchantress, we see what may
62
Technique
More
(top) Splash page of
“The Negative Man.”
Kirby sometimes
Krackle!
by Ger Apeldoorn
drew splash pages he importance of Kirby Krackle to his
before he even knew
what the story was
going to be about.
This one seems to
T cosmic look and style can hardly be over-
stated. It has been said that an artist’s
style is nothing more than a way of repre-
senting what he sees; but with the invention
have been drawn of those black dots, Jack Kirby made it possible
from a script,
to show stuff that had never
because it lacks the
been seen before.
boldness of his own
splashes from
In the bonus com-
Alarming Tales and mentary on the
Black Magic—which recently released DVD
is also an argument of Disney’s cartoon
that Kirby did not feature Atlantis, we
write this story him- can even hear the
stories for House of Mystery. I am not quite sure if he wrote them
self. directors explain they
himself or if he was working from a script provided by editors.
tried to find a three-
Everything I have read about DC seems to imply most of the
dimensional translation
(right) Cover to House editors held a tight control over their talent. On the other hand,
of “Kirby Krackle,”
of Mystery #84 (Mar. it has been suggested that “Challengers Of The Unknown” was a
because one of the
1959, reprinted in concept Kirby brought along from the inheritance of his later
designers for the movie,
HOM #194, Sept. period with Joe Simon; and everything we know about Jack Kirby
1971). Not Kirby. Not
Mike Mignola, had includ-
tells us he was at least inclined to come into the office with a
interesting. We ed it in all his drawings of
couple of suggestions. Anyway, in the March 1959 issue of House
included this in case underwater explosions.
Of Mystery he included an eight-page story called “The Negative
anyone wants to buy In his excellent article
Man.” It’s a story about two scientists, Dan Marble and Kirk Vale,
this issue and needs in The Jack Kirby Collector
who accidentally create a negative man and have to hunt him down
to know what it looks #33, Shane Foley traces the genesis of this drawing technique
at their own risk before he destroys the nearby town.
like. back to a period in late 1966. He even points to a photograph of a
I’ll just come out and say it... the Negative Man is drawn like
quasar discovered in 1963 (published in the Reader’s Digest Book
a flaming Torch in a lab overcoat surrounded by Kirby Krackle.
of Strange
(right) Page 2, panel He first appears on the splash, lifting a freighter out of the water
Stories and
4. Kirby Krackle, or a with tendrils of fire, while the two scientists look on in horror.
Amazing
really intense electri- Here the “krackle” serves two purposes: To give body to the
Facts, but
cal shock? flames that lick the outside of the figure and to delineate him
taken earlier)
from the black of the night. It is immediately clear what the
as a possible
inspiration of this incarnation of the Kirby Krackle is; it’s photos
(bottom) Page 3, inspiration
of the flames around the sun, such as the ones we can see when
panel 3. Krackle as it point. And
the sun’s corona is visible when there is a solar eclipse. This by
was intended: As a indeed it is
itself would
way of drawing solar astonishing
have been
flares. (not to men-
remarkable,
tion strange
but nothing
or amazing,
(far right) Page 3, more than
or any other
panel 4. That’s an that; but in
of those comic book title adjectives) to see how much those blazing
arm of light coming the course of
(sorry, couldn’t help it) stars look like they have been drawn by
from the left, melting the story,
a flashlight. Salvador
the master himself. It’s like looking at the sunlight in the water
Kirby starts
Dali, eat your heart and thinking it must have been painted on by Noel Sickles. I was
to play
out. completely sold on this theory—until I found another example of
around with
“Negative Man” Characters TM & Kirby Krackle seven years earlier.
©2003 DC Comics.
the graphic
After
possibilities
Mainline folded
of this visual
and the Jack
trick and we can see him discovering the krackle—before filing it
Kirby/Joe
away in his head for later use.
Simon partner-
While experimenting with artificial lightning on a model
ship ended,
railway town (those crazy scientists will try everything) Kirk
Jack Kirby
Vale’s watch band comes loose and touches the miniature high
worked all over
voltage tower, causing the whole charge of radioed energy to
the place. He
course through his body. To illustrate the magnitude of this, his
was even hired
body is surrounded by dots of black energy (or maybe the energy
by DC to do
is in the light in-between the dots; I do not have a science degree).
some horror
This to me is the first real appearance of Kirby Krackle and I
66
Technique

(this spread)

sepiwS ybriK
Examples of swipes
from Jack’s work. It
leads us to wonder:
Joe Simon has said
he did a lot of the
layouts for Jack over
the years. Perhaps
Joe, as layout man,
was responsible for
some of the pilfering?
hen most people hear the words Kirby swipe they think of another

W artist swiping a pose or scene originally done by Jack. It’s so common it’s
not funny; but this article isn’t about Jack being swiped, but rather about
Jack himself doing the swiping! A few issues back TJKC published a picture of
the painting by WW II artist Joseph Hirsch that Kirby based his dramatic cover
to Foxhole #1 on. This got me thinking about what other examples of Jack
borrowing from other artists and such I could track down. That Hirsch painting,
by the way, was originally published in a book called Men Without Guns (about
the U.S. Army Medical Corps) put out in 1945 while Kirby was recovering (in a
U.S. Army Hospital coincidentally) from his frozen feet which he got while
serving with Patton’s Third Army. So I started digging through the old Kirby
Krypt (as my collection is affectionately known) and
here’s a few I came up with.
As early as the 1975 fanzine Nostalgia Journal
#5, people were talking about Kirby swiping the look
of his character The Demon from Harold Foster’s
Prince Valiant where Val disguises himself by pulling
the skin of a goose over his head. In 1994 Greg
Theakston wrote, in his notes on the back of the 21st
Century Archives Comic Art Tribute to Joe Simon and
Jack Kirby card set, how Jack had used an illustration
from a magazine page as his model for the cover of
Police Trap #2. Greg believed that this illustration
had come from a post-WW II issue of Esquire maga-
zine but knew little else about it. Now, I own both
the original art to that cover as well as the actual
magazine page from Kirby’s picture file that Greg
was talking about, and nowhere on it was there any
clue as to either the artist or the magazine in which
it was printed, so this was the start of a journey of
discovery. I began by figuring out who the artist was
by researching American magazine illustrators until
I came up with the name Robert Riggs. From other
similar illustrations of police life I was pretty sure he
was the one. I picked up a catalog of Riggs’ work on
eBay and, lo and behold, there was not only a copy
of the picture titled “Cops at Ease in the Muster Room
of a Station” but also the name of the magazine in
which it appeared. It was not a post-WW II Esquire
but rather a 1939 issue of Fortune magazine focusing
on the World’s Fair and New York City. This painting
was one of a series on the NYPD which Riggs had
done, some in color and some, like “Muster Room,”
in graytones. I quickly found and purchased a copy
of the magazine to positively i.d. it as the source of
the swipe.
The story doesn’t end there. On the back of the
68
Technique
The Kirby Burst!
Blasts! Eruptions! Concussions! Paroxysms! Earth-shattering explo- “moment of impact” effect (2 & 3) wherein the burst lines inter-
sions, and bursts by the barrel-full, all in the grand Kirby tradition! sect into points, while the other burst (4) was more a precursor
Other Bursts: by Mark Alexander! to his later-day
explosions.
Geometrically,
Repressed Emotion, Tension, & Release both were based
f there’s any underlying psychological theme in Kirby’s art, it
2
DIAGONAL
TELEPATHIC
I would be repressed anger. Anger toward the bullying gangs
who stalked his neighborhood during his formative years, and
(later), anger toward the Hebrew-hating Nazis he encountered in
on a circle, and
both were replete
with sound-effects
(although, as
the war. As an adult, Kirby repressed his rage for co-writers who Magritte would
took credit for his ideas, and editors who pulled the plug on his
fondest, most ambitious projects, such as The New Gods. In have
Kirby’s art, this repressed anger would often manifest itself as argued, it’s
tension, which is one-half of a musical effect known as tension not really
and release. Kirby definitely knew how to render the tension-and- sound, it’s
release effect in a sequential narrative. In a comic, it would work just lines
like this: imagine the Thing’s granite-like fist slowly drawing back
to decimate an adversary. Therein is your tension. Kirby’s next
on paper).
These
3
RADIOACTIVE panel would, most assuredly, capture the scene’s prime moment, “cartoony”
which would be the moment of impact... special
effects (2 & 3) would gradually
fade into obscurity, as Kirby
began to experiment (exclusively)
with refining and stylizing the
4
type of burst seen in example 4.
Fast forward twenty years.
Kirby is now working for Martin
COSMIC Goodman, churning out weak
imitations of the classic 1950s
E.C. horror comics. In “X, the
...and there’s your release! Thing That Lived!” (TTA #20,
The predominant element that legitimizes these “clobberin’ June 1961), Kirby’s burst (5) has
time” panels is the illustrative special effect commonly called the evolved, and now has all the
“Kirby-burst.” It was explosiveness, dynamism, and Kirby’s iconic properties of his future
repressed rage unleashed, personified in pencil. Rooting out the explosions (i.e., late 1960s-
genesis of these explosion lines (which 1980s). The inker here is Dick
can denote phenomenons as diverse as Ayers, who (unlike some) obvi-
simple embarrassment to nuclear holo- ously had the chops to pull it off. This Kirby-burst denotes terror,
CONCUSSIVE causts) is impossible; they’ve been a and could be thought of as an emotional paroxysm. As such, one
characteristic of Kirby’s art since the very
beginning. Example (1) is a “Believe It or 1 might regard the phenomenon as
an outburst (in this case, of fear),
Not” type strip that Kirby produced for
Lincoln Newspaper Features circa 1937.
5 rather than a burst. And so, with
the “paroxysm effect,” we’ve
It’s one of Jack’s earliest published works reached a tangent; i.e., all of
(inked by the artist). Here the surrounding Kirby’s bursts are either caused
explosion lines are used for dramatization; by, or indicative of two distinctly
i.e., to emphasize the awe-inspiring nature of the subject. dissimilar phenomenons. They’re
either kinetic, or non-kinetic by
PRIDE
Intangibles Rendered in Abstract nature. The “kinetic burst,” results
from a discharge (i.e., eruption) of force or energy, while the non-
One of the most challenging jobs a cartoonist has, is to illus-
trate that which is intangible (e.g., emotion, speed, odor, etc.). kinetic, are symptomatic of emotional intangibles (surprise, shock,
Whenever an artist invents a new way to represent the invisible, etc.), or physical metamorphism, where no external energy is
there’s always a chance that it will be picked up by other artists apparent. An example would be Bruce Banner, standing stock-
(so says Scott McCloud). Kirby certainly didn’t invent “the still, as he changes to the Hulk (6). In this case, Kirby’s (non-
burst”; it probably evolved even before the comic book itself. He kinetic)
did, however, use this gimmick to a more effective degree than
anyone before or since. In Kirby’s hands, these abstract diagram-
burst would
emphasize
6
matic lines became so dynamic and stylized, that they took on a the dramatic
SUPERFLUOUS
physical presence all their own. It’s impossible to think of Jack’s spectacle
Did a rather mundane panel of
an android with a cell-phone Silver Age work without them. that the
warrant a Kirby Burst, or was reader is
Jack merely filling up space? witnessing,
(FF #96, Mar. 1970). The Nature of the Burst even
All characters in this article TM & ©2003
In the 1940s Kirby generally used two types of bursts, both though
Marvel Characters, Inc. kinetic by nature—that is, resulting from motion. One was his there’s no
70
Technique
The Evolution of the Human by Will Murray Thunder God battles the Stone
Men from Saturn. In this
ne of

O the most
fascinating
aspects of Jack
Sinnott-inked origin, the Stone
Men display Thing-like plates. In
a recap in the next issue, Ayers
renders them as the Cobblestone Men
Kirby’s Fantastic
from Saturn—further proof of Ayers’
Four is the evolution
smoothing of the Kirby Thing.
of the Thing over the
This is pure speculation, but I wonder
course of the series’
if Kirby borrowed the Stone Men’s more
early years. He goes
rugged look for his evolving Thing,
from a shapeless brown
who had more of a dinosaur or crocodile
blob to the chiseled rocky
skin in his earliest appearances.
heroic Thing we know and
To give credit where credit is due,
love. This is an amazing
the pile-of-rocks Thing treatment ulti-
example of how one artist can
mately debuted thanks to George
take a crude character conception
Roussos, who first inked him that
and transform it into something
way on to cover to FF #18 (left),
unique and wonderful.
the first Super-Skrull story. In
I was as surprised as anyone
the next issue, Roussos took
when I saw in The Jack Kirby
over as story inker and the
Collector #33 that Kirby had been
reign of the rocky Thing truly began.
drawing the rocky Thing as early
In our fascination with Ben Grimm’s evolution, it’s easy to
as FF #15 (pencils shown below)—
forget that Johnny Storm also transmuted. As Kirby drew him in
and crestfallen. I’ve long been a big
Fantastic Four #1, the Human Torch was an uncontrolled mass of
fan of the “cobblestone” version of Ben
furious flames in the rough semblance of a man. He
(above) The Golden Grimm as inked by Dick Ayers. The natural
looked nothing like the Timely Human Torch, and he
Age Human Torch by evolution of the 1961-66 Thing turns
was a far cry from the sleek Torch Kirby would later
Carl Burgos (throwing out to be really a tug of war
the fireball), and
make famous. He might as well have been dubbed
between penciler and inker.
Kirby’s (or Brodsky’s) the Human Bonfire.
Curious, I began paging
version from the Now I don’t know the reasons for this reinter-
backwards in search of a clue
cover of FF #3. pretation of the Torch. The simplest explanation was
to the earliest hints of a
the Jack Kirby wanted to present his own take on the
rocky pure Kirby Thing. I
(below) Jack’s Torch time-honored character; but there is evidence that this
from FF #1.
found one in an expected place, and thereby
was not a Kirby idea, but Stan Lee’s approach. Script pages
made an equally unexpected discovery.
to Fantastic Four #1 reprinted
(bottom, center) Although not as granite-like as he later
in TJKC #33 clearly quote Lee as
Kirby Thing sketch became, Ben Grimm’s face on the cover of FF #7
admonishing Kirby not to have his
for Jerry Bails, (left) shows clearly that Kirby was moving in this
Torch throw fireballs or burn
dated July 20, direction during the book’s first year. This discov-
anyone because of Comics Code
1962. ery made me look at the cover to #8 more closely
objections. This is why in the first
Characters TM & than I ever had. I’d always assumed this to be an
©2003 Marvel few issues the Torch merely uses
Characters, Inc. Ayers ink job. On closer inspection, it clearly
his flaming presence to frighten
wasn’t; but who? It wasn’t Sinnott, or Ditko, or
off various monsters and villains.
any of the usual suspects.
I can only speculate if Lee
Examining Sue Storm’s
wanted to avoid any resem-
face, I was somehow reminded of Roz
blance to the old Torch, or if
Kirby. Then it hit me: Jack Kirby himself
Kirby preferred to place his
inked this cover! You can even see a little of
own stamp on the new version.
Jack’s face in Reed’s. I gave Mark Evanier a
If anything, Kirby’s Torch looked more fiery and dangerous
quick call, and he
than the more restrained Torch of old. Perhaps Lee was
subsequently concurred
copying the formula of the updatings of the Flash and
with my supposition.
Green Lantern over at DC. Same name, similar
Now I can’t pretend to
powers, but a new look. If the plan was to drop a
intuit why or when Jack
new version of Captain America into the FF, this
moved towards the quintes-
strategy would make sense; but how many ways
sential Thing, but I can theorize.
are there to draw a flaming human being?
First, the creation of the Hulk
Thus, for the first two issues of Fantastic Four,
might have prompted Jack to look for
Johnny Storm is clearly a Jack Kirby Torch. In his way,
ways to more strongly differentiate
the Torch is as crude and misshapen a monster as
the looks of Marvel’s two colorful
the early Thing. In fact, Kirby clearly reached into
man-monsters—especially if they
his personal bag of tricks to create his Torch.
were ever to meet, which they
Specifically, he based him on the fiery alien
later did numerous times.
from Strange Tales #76 (Aug. 1960, shown
Secondly, FF #8 follows by only
above) called Dragoom, the Flaming Invader.
a month Thor’s debut in Journey
With the issue #3, the Miracle Man
Into Mystery #83, in which the
72
Parting Shot

Sometime in the early

1980s, Jack’s work in
animation led him to
produce a series of
presentation boards
for a proposed
Wonder Woman
cartoon. It never got
off the ground, but
not for lack of some
nice work by Jack!
Here’s two of the
boards he produced,
still in pencil.
Wonder Woman TM & ©2003 DC
Comics.

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