Challengers Of The Unknown 1958 85

ÒTHE CREATURE FROM THE END OF TIME!Ó A giant box appears in Toronto, and the Challengers, accompanied by Swamp Thing and Deadman, investigate. When Deadman tries to enter the box, it opens and releases a monster. After they kill the monster, the Challengers haul the box and carcass to Challengers Mountain, where tests indicate the box is from the future. The heroes fly to Rip HunterÕs desert lab, which appears abandoned. Swamp Thing pushes a button and RipÕs Time Sphere appears with a skeleton inside. They use the time sphere to travel to 12,000,000 AD. Amidst crumbling ruins, they are surrounded by future-men and Rip Hunter in rags and a crown.

This work dissects the origin and growth of superhero comic books, their major influences, and the creators behind them. It demonstrates how Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America and many more stand as time capsules of their eras, rising and falling with societal changes, and reflecting an amalgam of influences. The book covers in detail the iconic superhero comic book creators and their unique contributions in their quest for realism, including Julius Schwartz and the science-fiction origins of superheroes; the collaborative design of the Marvel Universe by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Steve Ditko; Jim Starlin's incorporation of the death of superheroes in comic books; John Byrne and the revitalization of superheroes in the modern age; and Alan Moore's deconstruction of superheroes.

"The Art of Jack Kirby" is a comprehensive, illustrated exploration of the career of Jack Kirby, widely regarded as one of the most influential and important comic book artists of all time. Featuring hundreds of full-color images of Kirby's iconic artwork, the book follows his journey from his early work in comic books and wartime propaganda to his revolutionary contributions to the superhero genre at Marvel Comics, including co-creating characters such as Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Silver Surfer, Thor, and the X-Men. In addition to showcasing Kirby's 50+ year career, the book delves into his artistic process, his creative vision, and the impact he had on the comic book industry as a whole. It includes insights from interviews with Kirby, offering a deeper understanding of his artistic philosophy and motivations. Significance: "The Art of Jack Kirby" is an essential resource for anyone interested in comics, art, or American popular culture. It is valuable documentation of Kirby's immense talent and lasting influence on the medium. Its limited-edition nature makes it a coveted collector's item, but its informative content and captivating visuals ensure its enduring relevance for newcomers and seasoned Jack Kirby's work fans. Published by Blue Rose Press in 1992, the book is a pioneering work in comic book publications. It is the first large-format book dedicated to a single American comic book artist, Jack Kirby. What makes it truly unique is that it was also the first attempt to compile a comprehensive bibliography of Kirby's extensive body of work (the Kirby Booklist), encompassing characters he created and offering detailed statistics about his lifetime contributions to the comic book industry. This book not only celebrated Kirby's remarkable artistic legacy but also set a significant precedent for future examinations of comic book creators and their profound impact on the medium.

This comprehensive price guide contains listings and US prices for more than 120,000 comic books, with over 400 photos for easy identification.

Attract comic book collectors like a magnet Packed with nearly 100,000 classic and contemporary comics and more than 1,000 illustrations, collectors will find updated listings and prices for Acclaim, Classics Illustrated, Dark Horse, D.C., Marvel and much more. Special sections are devoted to the highly collectible Golden Age, Color Comics, Black & White Comics, and Underground Comics. Each listing is cross-referenced and includes issue number, title, date, artist and current collector value in US dollars. Collectors can accurately evaluate and value their collections with the grading guide, current market report and tips for buying, selling, and preserving comic books.

Jack Kirby (1917–1994) is one of the most influential and popular artists in comics history. With Stan Lee, he created the Fantastic Four and defined the drawing and narrative style of Marvel Comics from the 1960s to the present day. Kirby is credited with creating or cocreating a number of Marvel's mainstay properties, among them the X-Men, the Hulk, Thor, and the Silver Surfer. His earlier work with Joe Simon led to the creation of Captain America, the popular kid gang and romance comic genres, and one of the most successful comics studios of the 1940s and 1950s. Kirby's distinctive narrative drawing, use of bold abstraction, and creation of angst-ridden and morally flawed heroes mark him as one of the most influential mainstream creators in comics. In this book, Charles Hatfield examines the artistic legacy of one of America's true comic book giants. He analyzes the development of Kirby's cartooning technique, his use of dynamic composition, the recurring themes and moral ambiguities in his work, his eventual split from Lee, and his later work as a solo artist. Against the backdrop of Kirby's earlier work in various genres, Hand of Fire examines the peak of Kirby's career, when he introduced a new sense of scope and sublimity to comic book fantasy.

China suffers frequently from many types of natural disasters, which have affected the lives of many millions of Chinese. The steps which the Chinese state has taken to prevent disasters, mitigate their consequences, and reconstruct in the aftermath of disasters are therefore key issues. This book examines the single metropolis of Tianjin in northern China, a city which has suffered particularly badly from natural disasters – the great famine of 1958-61, the great flood of 1963 and the great earthquake of 1976. It discusses how the city managed these disasters, what policies and measures were taken to prevent and mitigate disasters, and to promote reconstruction afterwards. It also explores who suffered from and who benefited from the disasters. Overall, the book shows how disaster management was erratic, sometimes managed highly efficiently and in other cases disappointingly delayed and inept. It concludes that, although the Maoist state possessed formidable resources, disaster management was always constrained by other political and economic considerations, and was never an automatic priority.