Jack Kirby is one of the most important visual artists and story tellers of the 20th century, and since I don’t think anyone is arguing with me, I’m gonna just let this sentence end. I can’t remember my first introduction to his work, but I know I was young, and it was undoubtedly directly or indirectly my Dad’s fault. To this day, I find it endlessly entertaining and fresh, and it hits me in cycles. I never get tired of it, but about every three or so weeks, I get hit with a ‘Kirby mood’ and it’s all brand new again.
I can ramble on about him at length, and I’m sure I will in the future, but in the midst of one of these Kirby-fugues, I just wanted to share a smattering of his artwork from across his career. The Telephone Fish lady from (I think) The Strange World of Your Dreams, The Buckle-hat Witch which seems to reflect his style during the 30’s or 40’s, Some self-portrait examples from Fantastic Four Annual #3 and I don’t know what the boxing one is from, Some nonsense with Mr. T., and Cap fighting some awesome fish monster from Captain America and the Falcon #208 “River of Death!”.
And if, by some odd chance you have read this whole thing and don’t know who he is, Go and wikipedia him, he’s a fascinating guy. Better yet, do an image search on his work, or go to your local library, comic shop, or barnes and noble and grab some of his stuff. That is your Sunday afternoon Mission.
Now I have to get back to my grisly work, if I can resist reading that New Gods collection.
-Grim Doin’s.
The Cyclops Lanterns 