Jack Kirby

Told in vivid graphic novel form by a groundbreaking Eisner-nominated comics creator, the long-overdue biography of the legend who co-created Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and many more superhero favorites. “A fast-paced celebration of an underheralded legend within the comic-book industry.”—Kirkus Reviews NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL This sweeping, full-color comic book biography tells the complete life story of Jack Kirby, co-creator of some of the most enduring superheroes and villains of the twentieth century for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and more. Critically acclaimed graphic novelist Tom Scioli breathes visual life into Kirby's life story--from his days growing up in New York during the Great Depression and discovering a love for science fiction and cartoons to his time on the frontlines in the European theatre of World War II where he experienced the type of action and adventure he'd later imbue his comic pages with, and on to his world-changing collaborations at Marvel with Stan Lee, where the pair redefined comics as a part of pop culture. Just as every great superhero needs a villain to overcome, Kirby's story also includes his struggles to receive the recognition and compensation that he believed his work deserved. Scioli captures his moves from Marvel to DC and back again, showing how Kirby himself and later his family fought to preserve his artistic legacy. Drawn from an unparalleled imagination and a life as exciting as his comic book tales, Kirby's super-creations have influenced subsequent generations of creatives in the comics field and beyond. Now, readers can experience the life and times of a comics titan through the medium that made him famous.

"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.

Jack Kirby created or co-created some of comic books most popular characters including, Captain America, The X-Men, The Hulk, and The Fantastic Four. More significantly, he created much of the visual language for fantasy and adventure comics. Official Kirby biographer Mark Evanier delivers this authorized celebration of the one and only King of Comics and his groundbreaking work.

Between 1941 and 1945, Hitler was pummeled on comic book covers by everyone from Captain America to Wonder Woman. Take That, Adolf! is an oversized compilation of more than 500 stunningly restored comics covers published during World War II, featuring America’s greatest super-villain. From Superman and Daredevil to propaganda and racism, Take That, Adolf! is a fascinating look at how legendary creators such as Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Alex Schomburg, Will Eisner, and Lou Fine entertained millions of kids on the home front and buoyed the spirits of GIs fighting overseas by using Adolf Hitler as a punching bag.

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.

Discover some of comicsÕ most daring writing and dynamic artÑand thrill to the imaginative power of one of the mediumÕs greatest mastersÑin THE DEMON BY JACK KIRBY, collecting the KingÕs complete 16-issue run on the acclaimed series. Jack Kirby reinvented the superhero genre with his sprawling saga of the fourth worldÑa bold storytelling vision that was decades ahead of its time. In honor of this extraordinary talentÕs centennial, DC Comics is proud to re-present the groundbreaking work of the King of Comics in a brand-new series of collections featuring his classic DC titles in all their four-color glory! Following the success of the Fourth World titles, Kirby brought comics fans his most shocking creation yet: THE DEMON! Summoned from the stygian depths by Merlin himself to defend the legendary kingdom of Camelot, a rhyme-slinging hell-spawn known as Etrigan was bound to this mortal coil through the body of his all-too-human host, Jason Blood. But EtriganÕs adventures would continue far beyond the mythic and medieval past. Living on into the present day, Jason Blood became one of the DC UniverseÕs most powerful masters of magic and the occultÑand through it all, his demonic alter ego has stood at the ready, ever eager to unleash his infernal powers in the service of BloodÕs undying battle against evil!

In cooperation with DC Comics, TwoMorrows compiles a tempestuous trio of never-seen 1970s Kirby projects! These are the final complete, unpublished Jack Kirby stories in existence, presented here for the first time! Included are: Two unused Dingbats of Danger Street tales (Kirby's final Kid Gang group, inked by Mike Royer and D. Bruce Berry, and newly colored for this book)! True-Life Divorce, the abandoned newsstand magazine that was too hot for its time (reproduced from Jack's pencil art--and as a bonus, we've commissioned Mike Royer to ink one of the stories)! And Soul Love, the unseen '70s romance book so funky, even a jive turkey will dig the unretouched inks by Vince Colletta and Tony DeZuniga. PLUS: There's Kirby historian John Morrow's in-depth examination of why these projects got left back, concept art and uninked pencils from Dingbats, and a Foreword by '70s Kirby assistant Mark Evanier!