Jack Kirby Collector #42 by TwoMorrows Publishing

IN THE US

$995

COMING SOON FROM TWOMORROWS!

Lucky Number 13, Spring 2005 • Hype and hullabaloo from the publisher determined to bring new life to comics fandom • Edited by John Morrow

We’re Baaack! After a lengthy hiatus (due mainly to never having enough house ad pages in our mags to show all the furshlugginer publications we’ve got to plug), 2NEWS is back by popular demand! Let’s get started:

We Like Mike! BACK ISSUE editor MICHAEL EURY had a pretty checkered past before signing on to helm TwoMorrows’ best-selling magazine! He was a public school band teacher, in cableaccess broadcasting, and even performed singing telegrams for a year-and-a-half (where he met wife Rose)! He even had aspirations to be a comedy writer/ performer (auditioning in 1984 for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) before working as DICK GIORDANO’s assistant at DC Comics, and as a writer and editor for DC and Dark Horse. Next up for Michael? The first volume of THE JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION, documenting the history of comics premier super-team, chock full of interviews with the creators, lots of amazing and rare art, and a spankin’ new BRUCE TIMM cover (shown above, inspired by the work of the late, great MIKE SEKOWSKY)! Look for it in July! 224 pages, $29 US.

BACK ISSUE IS #1! Speaking of Michael’s OTHER comics gig, we’re pleased as punch to announce GEMSTONE PUBLISHING (Diamond Galleries/ Distribution; THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE), in the 12/23/04 edition of its SCOOP e-newsletter (sign up free at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/signup/), has chosen BACK ISSUE as #1 in its “BEST PUBLICATIONS ABOUT COMICS FOR 2004”! TwoMorrows releases dominated Gemstone’s 2004 “Best” list: Also making the top five were Eric Nolen-Weathington’s MODERN MASTERS: BRUCE TIMM and Roy Thomas’ ALTER EGO. Congrats, guys! And thanks to all our readers for your support of BACK ISSUE during its first year! Look for BI #10 in May, with NEAL ADAMS! $8 US.

A Less Tangled Web... Many of you have asked us to update our somewhat antiquated (we prefer the term “classic”) web store, and by the time you read this, the new, improved www.twomorrows.com should be up and running. With lots easier navigation and simpler ordering, we’re sure it’ll be a big hit with customers. What’s that address again? Oh yeah:

www.twomorrows.com

One More Morrow! HANNAH-ROSE MORROW arrived on January 3, 2005, to the proud arms of papa JOHN & mama PAM MORROW (& three-year-old sister LILY). Ain’t she sweet?

WHAT’S COOKIN’ FROM COOKE? We knew he couldn’t stay away for long! Joshin’ JON B. COOKE, editor of our former mag COMIC BOOK ARTIST, is back and ready to release some new books on the unsuspecting TwoMorrows public! First up is CBA COLLECTION, VOLUME THREE, reprinting COMIC BOOK ARTIST #7 and #8 (both long out of print), plus nearly 50 new pages on 1970s and ’80s comics (it ships in April, 224 pgs, $29 US)! Then comes the THUNDER AGENTS COMPANION (shipping in May, 192 pgs, $29 US), documenting the history of WALLY WOOD’S heroes who wouldn’t die, including unpublished stories and art. And finally, this summer, look for the longawaited SWAMPMEN (200 pgs, $29 US), spotlighting the muck monsters of the comics, from The Heap to Swamp Thing, and the creators who brought them (back) to life! And welcome back to TwoMorrows, Jonny B!

The Mad Mod Everyone’s going crazy for our MODERN MASTERS series of trade paperbacks, spotlighting the top creators working in comics today! Editor ERIC NOLEN-WEATHINGTON’s almost wrapped up Volume Five, featuring arguably the top draftsman in the field, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LOPÉZ! It ships in June (128 pgs, $19 US), followed by a fall release for Volume Six, in conjunction with gorgeous GEORGE KHOURY, featuring... well, now that would be telling, wouldn’t it? (But as the Fonz used to say, “AA...”) Don’t think Eric’s resting on his laurels, though; he and co-author SCOTT BEATTY are hard at work on the definitive chronicle of the brave and bold life and career of JIM APARO, set for fall 2005 release also. He’s handling layout on MIKE MANLEY’S DRAW! magazine, and as if that weren’t enough, he just got back from the Florida studio of GEORGE PEREZ where he oversaw filming of the artist at work for our upcoming MODERN MASTERS: IN THE STUDIO WITH... DVD series. When does he sleep?

Get ‘em quick, ‘cause they’re almost gone! CAPTAIN ACTION: THE ORIGINAL SUPER-HERO ACTION FIGURE, COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION VOL. TWO, CBA #13, and the FAWCETT COMPANION are almost sold out! ALTER EGO: THE COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION, THE EXTRAORDINARY WORKS OF ALAN MOORE, THE LIFE & ART OF MURPHY ANDERSON, COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION VOL. ONE, and JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #28 and #29 are completely gone, but call us; we might have a few scratch & dent copies left for sale!

Sell Outs:

All prices Include US Postage. Outside the US, Add $2 Per Item Canada, $3 Per Item Surface, $7 Per Item Airmail.

Didja Miss Me? Did you overlook these recent gems? KIRBY UNLEASHED (remastered) BEST OF THE LEGION OUTPOST ART OF GEORGE TUSKA TRUE BRIT BEST OF DRAW, VOLUME ONE ART OF VINCE COLLETTA (just making sure you’re still awake!) COPYRIGHTS: Justice League, Ras al Ghul, GarciaLopez characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics. THUNDER Agents TM & ©2005 John Carbonaro. Colan characters TM & ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc.

Gene, Gene, the Drawing Machine!

ALTER EGO #49 (JUNE)

ALTER EGO #50 (JULY)

Interview with CARL BURGOS’ daughter! Unused 1941 cover layouts by BURGOS and other Timely titans! The 1957 Atlas Implosion, MANNY STALLMAN, and the BLUE FLAME! Also, FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER and more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

ROY THOMAS covers his 40-YEAR career in comics, with ADAMS, BUSCEMA, COLAN, DITKO, GIL KANE, KIRBY, STAN LEE, ORDWAY, PÉREZ, ROMITA, and many others! Also, FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER and more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

For years fans have oogled over the lush pencil work of Silver Age (100-page magazine) $8 US (100-page magazine) $8 US legend GENE COLAN, and now journalist TOM FIELD has written the ultimate retrospective ED FOR FREE on one of is NOT INTEND r, or you paid ERIAL, which cribe AT bs M su D comics’ allint TE pr a GH u’re cere his is COPYRI WHERE. If yo r website, you have our sin NYunique time NG A ou e. DOWNLOADI argartists: ns like this on download it at tio to ca e bli pu ch , we ucing t feeSHADOWS! esTHE e modIN to bsite or torrent th SECRETS Available in keep prod us we s r he ow ot all e t m or T, so suppHardcover (limitedittofor free from your anks—and Softcover Deluxe OUR CONSEN th d UT de loa HO IT wn W do u NE L. If IA DO ad yo ER 0% AT If instewith 10 1000 copies, 16 extra black-and-white M solutely was abit’ll PYRIGHTED at it pages), pages extrathcolor be ship- OF OUR CO e kn8ow pleasand L POSTING LEGA IL : an s do ping in June. In it, MARV WOLFMAN, ld wa it ou d sh an at you ’s wh here you think. DON MCGREGOR other writers share the case, and that’s and see what plot and script samples and anecdotes of DIGITAL ISSUE, d purchase a an G IS IN TH TH T AD TOM ead and REwhile their DO THE RIGH the print edition at our it, Go ahcollaborations, ep 1) Colan ke to ghother it enouand purchase al PALMER, LEIALOHA u enjoy 2) If yoSTEVE our website, or e) or at your loc d of it from loaapproached artists leg show they the to the Digital Edition for fre down al how er. ad re u id yo pa entitles RE daunting inking famously as a regular hichColan’s bsiteof (w wetask DO NOT SHA e to have you e’d lov .W nuanced penciled pages!op Plus there’s a new YOUR COMPUTER and comic book sh OM FR IT portfolio of erw never-before-seen collaboraLLY, WHERE. ise, DELETE Oth Gene 3)between POST IT ANY OUR MATERIAL ILLEGA dS OR as tions andIE such NDmasters loa on RA’S ALwn GHUL’s H FR DINGADAMS and O’NEIL e do OA fre IT WITMICHAEL r NL fo W s ine DO az JOHN BYRNE, KALUTA and ag ADAMS ART), O’NEIL our m(with nt to Spotlights 2004 KIRBY AWARD winners, N’T KEEP ally, DO if you waand issue of allhistory e te cid 4) FinPEREZ, ple de m GEORGE andeall-new artwork to co u e offer on nt for yo discuss THEep SHADOW, ding including assistant STEVE SHERMAN, RAY wnloaMIKE be sufficieKALUTA r free. W do ld ou ke sh created fo specifically for this book by Gene! to ich gh enou JON SABLE FREELANCE, bsite, wh ns GRELL’s r we WYMAN, MIKE THIBODEAUX, and others ing at oduce. SC: 168pgs, $26ou US. HC: 192Ifpgs, $49 US. our publicatio ial we prDOC rs. you enjoy SAVAGE in the materinterview, sharing memories and never-seen art from purchase othe r company by paying for CHAYKIN e es th ou comics, BATMANanART GALLERYrbwith s, d can abso zens JACK and ROZ, a never-published 1966 them, support deep pocketSIMONSON, ONTACTS PAUL SMITH, interview with KIRBY, MARK EVANIER’S th do rporation withSIENKIEWICZ, shop—wi co p” nt po gia d e an m so om John Morrow, BOLLAND, HANNIGAN, e not JACK KIRBYny—literally a “m We’rpublisher, and on week- regular column, a Kirby pencils-to-Sinnott ht MAZZUCCHELLI, anda nig compa day and COLLECTOR editor, a& sm forall subscriptions: and others; newwo cover away g love vin inks comparison of TALES OF SUSPENSE WeADAMS! sla rk. by s, or losses. We’re at is e for all twomorrow@aol.com g freelance cre by th MICHAEL EURY. rely on #93, dual Kirby covers, and more! incomEdited of hard-workin mal amount of ur local comic shop owner, ini m ty et all pr a the sm Edited by JOHN MORROW. makeEGO editor: rs, authors, and yo (100-page magazine) Roy Thomas, ends, toALTER don’t rob us$8ofUS any t our edito siness. Please t be roydann@ntinet.com what we do, bu (84-page Tabloid) $13 US n to stay in bu re there won’

ion digital vers a g in w ie v read If you’re n, PLEASE io t a c li b u p of this publisher! e h t m o r f this plea

DRAW! #11 (JULY)

WRITE NOW! #10 (MAY)

STEVE RUDE demonstrates his approach to “HOW-TO” TIPS and interviews on comics & drawing! ROQUE BALLESTEROS writing for comics, animation, and sci-fi, on Flash animation! Political cartoonist JIM with Justice League Unlimited’s DWAYNE BORGMAN on his daily comic strip Zits! McDUFFIE, ”Hate’s” PETER BAGGE, Plus DRAW!’S regular instructors BRET legendary comics writer GERRY CONWAY, BLEVINS, ALEBERTO RUIZ and more! writer/editor PAUL BENJAMIN, and more! Edited by MIKE MANLEY. Edited by DANNY FINGEROTH. (96-page magazine with color) $8 US

(80-page magazine) $8 US

CBA COLLECTION VOLUME 3 (NOW!)

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS COMPANION (MAY)

Reprinting the Eisner Award-winning COMIC BOOK ARTIST #7 and #8 (’70s Marvel and ’80s independents), featuring a new MICHAEL T. GILBERT cover, plus interviews with GILBERT, RUDE, GULACY, GERBER, DON SIMPSON, CHAYKIN, SCOTT McCLOUD, BUCKLER, BYRNE, DENIS KITCHEN, plus a NEW SECTION featuring over 24 pages of previouslyunseen stuff! Edited by JON B. COOKE.

The definitive book on WALLACE WOOD’s super-team of the 1960s, featuring interviews with Woody and other creators involved in the T-Agents over the years, plus rare and unseen art, including a rare 28-page story drawn by PAUL GULACY, UNPUBLISHED STORIES by GULACY, PARIS CULLINS, and others, and a JERRY ORDWAY cover. Edited by CBA’s JON B. COOKE.

(224-page trade paperback) $29 US

(192-page trade paperback) $29 US

BACK ISSUE #10 (MAY)

tio m this publica

“2004 BEST will ensu ing soDIAMOND’S

fro ISSUE editor: we receive. Do omeBACK incEury, Michael PUBLICATION ABOUT COMICS!” mpensation load. amount of co euryman@msn.com e this to down lik ture products

ded at

fu wnloa Mike Manley, DRAW! editor: ld only be do ations shou ic bl mike@actionplanet.com pu s w orro

THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #43 (JULY)

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

m s.coCOLLECTOR: Four tabloid issues in the US: $36 Standard, $52 First Class (Canada: $60, Elsewhere: $64 Surface, $80 Airmail). owKIRBY orrJACK Danny Fingeroth, WRITE NOW! editor: .twomTHE w w w WriteNowDF@aol.com BACK ISSUE!: Six issues in the US: $30 Standard, $48 First Class (Canada: $60, Elsewhere: $66 Surface, $90 Airmail). TwoM

Read excerpts from back issues and order from our secure online store at:

DRAW! or WRITE NOW!: Four issues in the US: $20 Standard, $32 First Class (Canada: $40, Elsewhere: $44 Surface, $60 Airmail).

www.twomorrows.com

ALTER EGO: Twelve issues in the US: $60 Standard, $96 First Class (Canada: $120, Elsewhere: $132 Surface, $180 Airmail). NOTE: IF YOU PREFER A SIX-ISSUE ALTER EGO SUBSCRIPTION, JUST CUT THE PRICE IN HALF!

To get periodic e-mail updates of what’s new from TwoMorrows Publishing, sign up for our mailing list! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ twomorrows

TwoMorrows. Bringing New Life To Comics Fandom. TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Dr. • Raleigh, NC 27614 • 919/449-0344 • FAX 919/449-0327 • e-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

Contents

THE NEW

OPENING SHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (take a trip down Lois Lane) UNDER THE COVERS . . . . . . . . .4 (we cover our covers’ creation) JACK F.A.Q.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 (Mark Evanier spills the beans on Jack’s favorite food and more) INNERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 (Kirby teaches us to speak the language of the ’70s) MISSING LINKS . . . . . . . . . . . .19 (where’d the Guardian go?) RETROSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . .20 (with friends like Jimmy Olsen...)

ISSUE #42, SPRING 2005

Jack created a pair of custom pencil drawings of the Guardian and Newsboy Legion for the endpapers of his personal bound volume of Star-Spangled Comics #7-15. We combined the two pieces to create this drawing for our front cover, which Kevin Nowlan inked. Delete the Newsboys’ heads (taken from the second drawing) to see what Jack’s original drawing looked like. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

QUIPS ’N’ Q&A’S . . . . . . . . . . .22 (Radioactive Man goes Bongo in the Fourth World) INCIDENTAL ICONOGRAPHY . . . . .25 (creating the Silver Surfer & Galactus? All in a day’s work) ANALYSIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 (linking Jimmy Olsen, Spirit World, and Neal Adams) VIEW FROM THE WHIZ WAGON . .31 (visit the FF movie set, where Kirby abounds; but will he get credited?) KIRBY AS A GENRE . . . . . . . . .34 (Adam McGovern goes Italian) HEADLINERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 (the ultimate look at the Newsboy Legion’s appearances) KIRBY OBSCURA . . . . . . . . . . .48 (’50s and ’60s Kirby uncovered) GALLERY 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 (we tell tales of the DNA Project in pencil form) PUBLIC DOMAIN THEATRE . . .60 (a new regular feature, presenting complete Kirby stories that won’t get us sued) KIRBY AS A GENRE: EXTRA! . .66 (a big look at small things Kirby) GALLERY 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 (you want the funk? you got the funk!) COLLECTOR COMMENTS . . . . .78 (aahhh, those HULK #6 pages...) PARTING SHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 (Olsen a go-go, the way it should’ve been) Front cover inks: KEVIN NOWLAN Back cover inks: MURPHY ANDERSON Front cover colors: TOM ZIUKO Back cover colors: MURPHY ANDERSON III (with Tom Ziuko) Photocopies of Jack’s uninked pencils from published comics are reproduced courtesy of the Kirby Estate, which has our thanks for their support. COPYRIGHTS: Arin The Armored Man, Barri-Boy, Challengers Of The Unknown, Darkseid, Dingbats Of Danger Street, Dubbilex, Guardian, Himon, House Of Mystery, In The Days Of The Mob, Jimmy Olsen, Magnar, Mantis, Mister Miracle, Mokkari, Morgan Edge, Newsboy Legion, Phantom Stranger, Professor Volcanum, San Diego Five-String Mob, Scott Free, Simyan, Soul Love, Spirit World, Superman, True Divorce Cases, Yango TM & ©2005 DC Comics o Black Panther, Blob, Captain America, Daredevil, Dr. Doom, Falcon, Fantastic Four, Galactus, Sentry, Silver Surfer, X-Men TM & ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc. o Jack B. Quick TM & ©2005 America's Best Comics, LLC o Stuntman TM & ©2005 Joe Simon & Jack Kirby o Surf Hunter TM & ©2005 Jack Kirby Estate o Radioactive Man TM & ©2005 Bongo Entertainment, Inc.

The Jack Kirby Collector, Vol. 12, No. 42, Spring 2005. Published quarterly by & ©2005 TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. 919-449-0344. 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 ©2005 Jack Kirby unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter is ©2005 the respective authors. First printing. PRINTED IN CANADA.

Opening Shot (below) The truth about Morgan Edge is revealed in Lois Lane #118. Much like the idea (never stated by Kirby) that the ’70s Newsboy Legion were clones of their 1940s counterparts, this plot twist made sense in the scheme of things. (next page, top) This panel from Jimmy Olsen #135 shows what the Kirby/Colletta Superman head originally looked like, as well as the Al Plastino paste-up that was actually published. (next page, bottom) Loose ends are wrapped up in Jimmy Olsen #152, several issues after Jack had left the book.

by John Morrow, editor of TJKC

ome of the hippest stuff going on with Jack Kirby’s Fourth World in the early 1970s didn’t occur in the New Gods, Forever People, or Mister Miracle. It took place in a book that, strangely enough, featured a character who was linked closely with Superman, but had no super-powers or secret identity. It was a magazine that, before Kirby jumped ship from Marvel to DC in 1970, featured some of the goofiest plots and stories, and most generic art, of any magazine in the DC stable. Once Kirby arrived, the book took on a new life, with multiple story threads and plot elements weaving from issue to issue, making it far more interesting than it’d ever been before. And no, I’m not talking about Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. Kirby’s arrival at DC sparked the most profound change in the Superman family of books ever to occur up to that point, and only the John Byrne revamp of the 1980s ever rivaled it (and the Byrne run certainly took its share of inspiration from what Kirby brought in years earlier). While the Olsen book became a wellspring of inventiveness and creativity once Jack took it over, another strip, Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane, took a giant leap ahead in quality as well.

The Lois Connection really started in issue #111 (July 1971), when miniature clones of the Justice League of America, produced in Darkseid’s Evil Factory, make her life difficult. Then, the Edge clone is introduced in #118 (Jan. 1972), where we learn that not only is the “Smiling Cobra” an evil duplicate, but the real Morgan Edge is being held prisoner by his twin behind two-way glass in his own penthouse apartment. The real Edge even manages to escape, but everyone thinks he’s suffered a mental breakdown when he tries to tell them about his clone, and he’s recaptured before anyone figures out what’s going on. But he slipped away again in #119 (Feb. 1972) by hooking-up with Yango of Jimmy Olsen’s Outsiders biker gang, and hiding out in their commune. All in all, it made reading Lois Lane a lot more interesting for a couple of years, and it was so well-thought-out, that I’ve always wondered if Jack might’ve had a hand in coming up with the Edge plotline. (However, there was spectacular stuff coming from Denny O’Neil over in Superman’s own book of the period, with ol’ Supes losing half his powers, Kryptonite being done away with, Wonder Woman—in her hot pants, with I-Ching—appearing, and that “sandy” Superman showing up off and on, so there were certainly plenty of capable minds at work cranking out interesting stories without Jack’s help.) Another tangential Kirby Konnection appeared four issues after Jack left the Jimmy Olsen book, when editor Joe

Congrats! A special TJKC note of congratulations goes out to Jack’s granddaughter Tracy Kirby on her recent engagement to Jonathan Lewengrub. We join with Kirby fans everywhere wishing the couple every happiness in their new lives together!

Lois & Jack: The New The Fourth World influence was brought in by E. Nelson Bridwell, DC’s continuity cop. It only made sense that Lois, working at the Daily Planet with Jimmy Olsen and Clark Kent, would be affected by all the changes brought about when Morgan Edge took over the company. So the Lois Lane comic introduced a recurring plot thread that, while it never showed up in Kirby’s own books, made perfect sense: that Morgan Edge was an evil clone, created by Darkseid’s Evil Factory.

Orlando decided someone needed to tie up the loose ends of the Morgan Edge clone subplot. In Jimmy Olsen #152 (Aug. 1972), Jimmy, with the help of Yango, stumbles into the thick of the Edge clone situation that was left dangling in Lois Lane, and it’s resolved when Darkseid personally steps in. Bob Brodsky spoke to writer Steve Skeates about Olsen #152, and Steve had this to say: “I got to kill off the Morgan Edge clone in a Jimmy Olsen story because they were trying to tieup some of those loose ends that were left when Kirby’s books were cancelled. I wrote just one Jimmy Olsen story. Joe Orlando was the editor and Mike Sekowsky the artist. It was a fun story. I got to try all sorts of fun things and it was after being out of doing any super-heroes at all for quite awhile... There were some experiments that I played around with in that one Jimmy Olsen story. I did a talk show going on in the television studio where Jimmy Olsen worked. There’s a fight between Jimmy Olsen and killers who are working for Darkseid and they’re interrupting this talk show that’s going on. I did part of the talk show itself before the fight scene.” I bring all this up to point out just how pronounced Kirby’s influence was on DC of the early 1970s. When he came aboard, they literally revamped the entire Superman line around his concepts, and it resonated with varying degrees of power throughout much of the DC line. The Black Racer even made an appearance in Lois Lane in issue #115 (Oct. 1971)! And strangely enough, the Vinnie

Colletta inks on Kirby’s art in New Gods actually helped make these Colletta-inked Lois Lane stories look not so out of place in the scheme of things. (And so, in a way, did DC’s practice of always replacing the Superman heads with ones drawn by Al Plastino or Murphy Anderson.) We’d see another wave of Kirby influence hit after Jack left DC in 1975, when the ongoing Kamandi book sprung a string of tie-ins, as DC made an attempt at linking the future worlds of OMAC and Kamandi together (something Jack apparently considered, with OMAC being Kamandi’s grandfather) with the Atomic Knights and Hercules Unbound. And this all while Jack was busy drawing for another company! Such is the impact Kirby had in those few years at DC Comics. The 1990s television show Lois And Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman (starring “Desperate Housewife” Teri Hatcher in the title role) gave a few nods to Kirby as well, building off some of what he introduced in the early 1970s. While Lex Luthor, rather than Morgan Edge, took over control of the Daily Planet, Jack’s hi-tech criminal mob Intergang was a recurring menace during the show’s run (although there was never any mention of Darkseid

Adventures Of Superman being behind the organization). A Superman clone, created by Luthor (perhaps inspired by Edge in Lois Lane) appeared in one episode. And for a couple of weeks, the Jimmy Olsen character hung out with a rough-around-the-edges street kid, very reminiscent of the Newsboy Legion’s Tommy. The kid got a job at the Daily Planet, and wouldn’t you know his name turned out to be “Jack.” Kirby was a middle-aged Jewish guy, trying to speak to the hippie generation in the early 1970s. While some of his dialogue may have landed with a “thud” on his hip readers’ ears, his concepts sustained a series of books that have stood the test of time. DC recently reprinted all Jack’s Jimmy Olsen stories in trade paperbacks, and if you’ve never read these stories, you’re in for a treat. But don’t forget to check out the Lois Lane stuff too. While not directly by Kirby, you’ll feel the Kirby influence, and be in for an enjoyable ride. You’ll also get a sense of what things might’ve been like if—as Kirby envisioned when he first came to DC in 1970—he’d been able to brainstorm new series for others to produce, rather than produce them himself. Based on those Lois Lane issues, it’s a pity it never happened. ★ P.S. Next issue, we’ll have a surprise announcement that’ll knock all Kirby fans’ socks off! It’ll change Kirby collecting forever!

New, Improved Kirby-L!

I’m happy to let everyone know that I’ve recently made some changes and now Kirby-L is better than ever. Come talk about Kirby Kowboys, Kirby Kolleagues, and Kirby Komics with Kirbistas from around the world! Kirby-L members are more Kirby Krazy than they’ve ever been. To join, you can point your web browser at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kirby-l/join, or send me an email at rhoppe@lemoncustard.com if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from one and all! Randolph Hoppe (Kirby-L Kontroller) [Editor’s Note: If you’re not a member of Kirby-L, it’s a great way to get a regular Kirby fix in-between TJKC issues. Check it out!] 3

evin Nowlan is probably best known recently for his spectacular work with Alan Moore on the “Jack B. Quick” strip in Tomorrow Stories from America’s Best Comics. But he’s an accomplished penciler, inker, and colorist with a two-decade career in comics. He graciously agreed to ink this issue’s cover, and had to take three stabs at it before he was happy with the result. Here’s what Kevin had to say about the experience:

Under The Covers

NOWLAN: My first attempt to ink this cover was with a sable brush. It really wasn’t coming together so I started over with a Hunt 102 quill pen and tried using light, thin rendering. I liked the texture I got on the Guardian’s left shoulder but the rest was just a mess so I started over again and tried to combine the two approaches. I’m afraid I imposed too much of my own style on the Guardian’s face but the secondary characters are reasonably consistent with Kirby’s pencils. Kirby’s not easy to ink, at least not for me. I love those thick and thin zig-zaggy lines but I sure couldn’t figure out how to make them work. Mike Royer sure made it look easy. The pencils Kevin worked from are a combination of two custom drawings Jack drew on the endpapers of his personal bound collection of StarSpangled Comics #7-15. To make the cover, we combined the two pieces, so we’d have both the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion shown. Presented here is the completed second piece that the Newsboys’ heads were lifted from, while the first piece is presented on this issue’s contents page. This issue’s back cover is Jack’s unused cover for Jimmy Olsen #147. We only had a fuzzy xerox of the pencils available, and had an idea. Readers have often pondered the practice of Murphy Anderson Superman and Olsen heads being added to Jack’s art in the series. What would it have looked like if DC would’ve just had Murphy ink the whole book over Kirby’s pencils? To get an idea, we asked Murphy if he’d be willing to give the cover inks a shot, and he happily agreed (he’d inked Neal Adams’ pencils on the published version). Murphy had inked one

previous Kirby-penciled Jimmy Olsen cover; #145 (Jan. 1972), and while all we have to show of Jack’s pencils for it is a crummy quality photocopy (right), it gives us an idea of what Murphy was working from. (This cover always seemed kinda strange; some people thought the circle was a Boom Tube, but as best we can tell, it was supposed to indicate Superman’s X-Ray Vision.) Murphy’s one other gig inking Jack was on the cover to Secret Origins #19 (Oct. 1987, shown on the previous page in pencil), when Jack was well past his prime. As you can see, Murphy hasn’t lost his touch over the last 30 years, and we think this new Kirby/Anderson Olsen cover was worth the wait! His son, Murphy III, colored the piece for us (with Tom Ziuko coloring the text and logos), and Mike Royer graciously agreed to letter it to give it an authentic ’70s DC look. Thanks, guys! ★ [Editor’s Note: Learn more about Kevin Nowlan in TwoMorrows’ new book Modern Masters Vol. Four: Kevin Nowlan, available now. however, our book The Life & Art of Murphy Anderson is now sold out.]

(above) Jack’s pencils, and Murphy Anderson’s inks for the cover to Jimmy Olsen #145. (previous page, top) Secret Origins #19 cover pencils (Uncle Sam by Murphy Anderson, Guardian by Kirby). Murphy inked both characters on the finished cover. (previous page, bottom) The second custom pencil drawing by Jack in his bound volume of Star-Spangled #7-15. (left) Unused Jimmy Olsen #147 cover pencils.

Mark evanier (below) Jack’s cover art to Marvel Super-Heroes #22 (Sept. 1969). Inks by John Verpoorten. (right) Gerard Jones’ book Men of Tomorrow. We kinda like that name around here! (next page) Jack’s pencils to the cover of Captain America #202 (Oct. 1976). Note the addition of the big arrow with a copy blurb in it, and the change in story title; something Marvel must’ve felt was necessary to make an effective cover. Captain America, Falcon, X-Men, Daredevil TM and ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc.

Jack F.A.Q.s

A column answering Frequently Asked Questions about Kirby by Mark Evanier efore I do a pirouette into the mailbag, I’d like to recommend a book to anyone with an interest in the history of the comic book industry. It may be the most important one ever written on the topic. Gerard Jones is the author and the book is Men of Tomorrow. It’s about the men who built the industry, with special emphasis on Harry Donenfeld (who founded and owned DC Comics), on Jack Liebowitz (who ran that company when Harry was drunk) and on Jerry Siegel and Bob Kane (who made that company into something when they co-created its star characters). There’s also some material in there about our Mr. Kirby. For some time now, I’ve been telling people that any understanding of comic book history has to flow from a study of the Depression-era generation, particularly of the culture and world in which the young men who formed that business

then resided. Most were Jewish, a few were Italian, and some managed to be one but bond well with the other. Most of the writers and artists of comics’ first years shared a certain common background, finding themselves expected at an early age to bring home a paycheck and contribute to the family’s subsistence. Spurred on by some creative muse they’d derived from movies, pulps and comic strips, they scurried to find that income in comics before it became necessary to give up the dream and go build a career in a metal-stamping factory. Siegel and Shuster... Bob Kane... Jack Kirby—all of them, young and determined and talented in one way or another—built an industry because they had to. They needed a place to earn a living. That story has been told before, though rarely as well as Jones does in Men of Tomorrow. What he does that is unique in my experience is to explore the lives of the men who financed that trade—the Donenfelds, the Martin Goodmans, the Charlie Gaineses—and then he details the intersection of the financiers and the creators. Guess which generally got the better of that marriage. And yet, the book is not rooted wholly in the rich publisher/screwed creator mentality, even though that is generally what occurred. Gerry sifts through the lives and motives on both sides to discuss how they needed one another and how they used one another. It really is a most remarkable narrative. I am cited repeatedly in the book as a source of info but, of course, the bulk of it did not come from me. Still, most of what’s in there corresponds to my knowledge of the facts. There are paragraphs with which I’d quibble, but none of those affect the overall portrait of the players, nor would they alter any of Gerry’s astute observations and deductions. Maybe we can do a convention panel one of these days and discuss a few of these areas. Overall, the worst thing I can say about this book is that there are many places where I wish its author had expanded on a certain player or event and written more. It’s such a rich, insufficiently-explored topic that it deserves further exploration... and this book deserves purchase by anyone interested in how the comic book industry came to be. Now to some Kirby Kwestions. Here’s a letter from Mike Kanafani.... A few of the stories Jack did at Marvel in 1970, just before he left, didn’t have Kirby covers. FF #102, FF #108 (the Janus story that was originally meant as #102), Thor #179, Amazing Adventures #2, 3 and 4, Astonishing Tales #1 and #2, and Silver Surfer #18. (I’ll never believe Jack had anything to do with the published version!) Question: Did Stan reject

Kirby’s covers to ease the transitions to new artists or did Jack, knowing he was leaving, just not do those issues’ covers? (Don’t get me started on Stan rejecting Jack’s covers! Thank God and The Jack Kirby Collector that we have finally seen some of these lost masterpieces.) Okay, and here’s a letter on a similar topic from Jon Dubrow.... I have noticed you on several occasions suggesting that Jack became less and less interested in cover design later in his career. I think I agree with you that his covers became less memorable after he left Marvel in the ’60s. His covers for DC in the early ’70s seem much less interesting to me and with one or two exceptions, the covers he did after he returned to Marvel in 1976 are even less interesting. Can you elaborate more on why you think this was? First off, to Mike: I agree about the cover of Silver Surfer #18. I’m sure Jack didn’t draw it and I don’t think that, as has been alleged, he laid it out. I have never seen a case where I believe Jack laid out a cover for another artist to pencil. Secondly, again to Mike: No, nothing was ever rejected because Stan was trying to ease the transition. Jack did not do covers for those books because Marvel never asked him to. In the case of FF and Thor, he gave his notice before they got around to it. On Amazing Adventures and Astonishing Tales, I would guess that since Jack only drew half of what was inside those comics, they figured they might as well have someone closer to New York do covers. (The Kirbys were living in Irvine, California at the time.)

Edging towards Jon’s question: Over the years in comics, attitudes towards cover design have fluctuated. Of course, you always want to have a good wrapper for your wares but there have been times when it seemed especially vital and those in charge were willing to go to more trouble to achieve what they thought was the best possible design. Back when comics were sold on newsstands and drugstore racks, what went on a cover seemed somewhat more critical than it does now. Some

even felt that having a good story and good art inside a cover was of minimal importance compared to getting a “grabber” scene on the outside. (Today, when the primary market is comic book shops and when most collectors of a given comic ritually pick up every issue, the issue of “saleable covers” is perhaps a bit less acute.) Most of the time, when someone at a comic book company said, “We need stronger covers,” they would decide to control even more of the process in the office. This might mean appointing a cover editor and/or having the editorial staff

assume more of a role in reviewing and discussing cover designs. It also might mean not worrying too much if a cover was drawn by someone who had zero to do with the interior of the comic. In some cases, it might even seem preferable. Sometimes, it would even mean coming up with an exciting cover before tackling the insides. At DC in the ’50s and ’60s, editors often worked that way. They also kept lists of elements that seemed to have boosted the sales of earlier issues, and would incorporate them when possible. Julius Schwartz, for instance, thought you could get a sales boost from images involving 7

(top and bottom) Jack at work on this Captain America sketch at a 1970s San Diego Con, first shown in TJKC #21. Steranko added colors, and Steve Englehart added dialogue.

(right) One of two pencil drawings Jack gave Don Heck in return for inking his “Gods” concept drawings in 1966. Captain America, X-Men TM and ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc. Robot ©2005 Jack Kirby Estate.

prison cells, gorillas, and/or something bizarre happening to the Earth and used those icons as often as he dared. With or without them, he’d have an intriguing cover drawn, then he’d assign one of his writers— usually John Broome or Gardner Fox—to figure out a story to go with it. Julie was not the only DC editor who worked this way, but the procedure didn’t always guarantee newsstand dominance. In the mid’60s at DC, management had to face the fact that Marvel’s sales were presenting a serious, escalating challenge to their sales. Many at DC could not understand this, as they paged through Marvels and felt they were in every way inferior to their own product. Two editors there in particular—Mort Weisinger and Robert Kanigher—were especially vocal in their low opinion of what Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and others were doing over at Marvel. (It was not merely a coincidence that Jack did not join the DC editorial staff until both men were removed from it.) DC Management held meetings to try and answer the question of why kids were increasingly bypassing Challengers of the Unknown for Fantastic Four. An answer came from Carmine Infantino, who had previously worked primarily as a freelance artist. He asked to sit in on one of these meetings and there, he made a case that the bosses could accept as to why Marvel’s sales were beginning to eclipse DC’s. He argued that Marvel’s covers—then drawn mainly by Kirby—were simply more dynamic and eye-grabbing. The DC editors of the day were all writers, not artists, and tended to commission covers with intriguing plot ideas, not visually arresting scenes. When Infantino worked up sketches to show how he would have staged several recent covers, he made his point... and advanced into the ranks of Management. Covers were Infantino’s specialty. He had often dominated the fan-voted awards of the day in the “Best Cover” category and had designed many that sold significantly above the norm. DC Publisher Jack Liebowitz and Editorial Director Irwin Donenfeld made the decision to take responsibility for covers out of the hands of their non-drawing editors. In 1967, Infantino was put in charge of covers—a duty he would retain throughout subsequent promotions. Interestingly, Infantino had been talking with Stan Lee about migrating over there. DC gave him the job because they needed him to improve their covers but also because they didn’t want to lose his services to Stan. What he did with DC’s covers had an impact on how Marvel did theirs. Until then, Stan Lee would just sit down with the artist who would be drawing the cover. For the first part of the ’60s, that was usually Kirby or, on SpiderMan, Steve Ditko. Only a few others did covers for superhero titles during this period.

Stan and the artist would talk out ideas, the artist would sketch out some compositions, and they’d decide on one. Then Jack or Steve or whoever it was would go off and draw the cover, and Stan would later write the copy to be lettered on it. One area in which I feel Stan Lee has not received his due is in the supervision and creation of covers. For a guy who never drew one in his life, he seemed to have had an excellent sense of what would “hook” someone who was casually browsing the newsstands— and he did it without keeping lists, as the DC editors did, of elements that had worked before and should be repeated. He did like certain words though, and so did the publisher, Martin Goodman. Goodman even had his staff study sales figures and notate common terms that had appeared in the titles and blurbs of the better-selling publications. Between Goodman and Lee, a lot of publications that came out of that company (not just comics) featured words like “savage,” “astonish,” “beware,” “uncanny,” “fury” and—before it became the name of the firm—“marvel.” Stan also had a knack for improving covers that had perhaps come out weaker than he might have liked. Sometimes, a small adjustment on a figure or a particularly clever blurb or action could make a difference. There were a few covers, like X-Men #14. where Stan looked at the finished art and suggested flipping it, doing a mirror image so the cover would read in the opposite direction. (In this case, it may have been done so one of the Sentinel’s hands would not be covered by the little box Marvel then had in the upper left of every cover.) And of course, sometimes when they got a cover all drawn, Stan would decide it simply wasn’t good enough and would discard it. This was usually not because the artist—Kirby or whoever—had done a poor job drawing it. It was usually a decision that they’d selected the wrong scene and/or composition in the first place, and that there was time to prepare something new and better. Often, there was not.

From what I’ve been able to determine from Kirby’s fragmentary work records, his covers in the 1961-1967 period were done with two different procedures. If it was a comic where Jack was also drawing the insides, the cover was generally drawn after the story, frequently as an adjunct to the following issue. When Stan and Jack sat down to decide what would be in the next issue of Thor, they’d often start by coming up with a cover for the previous one, and Jack would draw it before he embarked on the new tale.

On a book where the insides were to be drawn by which was fine with Jack. It was also fine with someone else, Jack was usually tapped to draw a cover him—preferred, actually—that he was doing fewer before the insides were drawn or even plotted. This covers for books where he did not draw the interior. might involve suggesting the plot and/or designing a Creating covers had always interested Jack a bit new villain or other supporting character less than that would appear inside. Don Heck, who devising the frequently drew the insides, was asked stories once if he’d designed some of the new within. If it characters who appeared in stories he needed to be drew during this period. His reply? “I’m done, he’d not sure a lot of times who came up with do it... and the look of some of those characters, he’d do the whether it was Jack or me. A lot of times, best cover it was Jack. They’d give me a cover he’d he could drawn and I’d use it as the model.” produce. Things changed around ’67. A sort of But Jack was Cover War broke out when Infantino a storyteller began improving the look and feel of DC’s more than covers. The ones he designed and midhe was an wifed, especially his first year or so in the illustrator, post, were revolutionary. They were bold, and it was exciting, different... everything your sometimes average DC comic had not been in some rough for time. Some covers practically screamed to him to go the world that a new era was at hand... back to a though in many cases, readers story that bought the books he’d already only to discover finished that inside, it was the same old, X-Men #14 cover as originally drawn, and as same old. flopped for publication. Seeing such electrifying covers on DC titles spurred Marvel into taking their own covers more seriously. In a 1967 letter to a representative of an outside firm that sold advertising in Marvel’s pages, Stan wrote, “We’re making a concerted effort to keep the quality of our covers high... special meetings are now being called to focus more directly on coming up with the best, most eyecatching cover scenes we can possibly present. This is not to say we haven’t always and “reopen” it in his mind long enough to draw given them our maximum effort but our super-heroes another scene from it. deserve super-covers.” It was even more difficult for him on the books Marvel’s in-house staff was then expanding where he didn’t do the interiors. If the cover was with more and more artists working in the office, being done first, then Jack felt he was giving story including Marie Severin and John Romita. This input and designing new villains and supporting enabled Stan (or then-assistant editor Roy Thomas) characters for the small amount of money he to retain more control, having a staff artist whip up received for penciling one cover. If the cover was a rough “comp” which could be discussed, amended being done after the insides had been completed, and finally approved before it went to the artist that meant getting involved, however briefly, with who’d do the finished art. Increasingly, the covers someone else’s story—one in which Jack had no drawn by Kirby were done from roughs by others, emotional involvement.

Also, Jack never liked doing rough sketches. He worked in a spontaneous manner—get idea, draw idea, move on to next idea—and it was an intrusion on his modus operandi if he had to design a scene, allow others to fiddle with it, and then do the finish at a later date. The shift to Jack working from comps by others also explains why it didn’t matter that much to him if a cover he drew was rejected. The decision was usually because of the choice of scene... and the choice of scene usually wasn’t Jack’s in the first place. Kirby fans (like Mike, above) have noted instances such as Thor #167 where Jack drew a cover that wasn’t used, and a cover by John Romita was substituted. What most likely happened there was that a sketch was designed in the office—by 1969, that was pretty standard—and Jack penciled the cover based on that sketch. Colletta inked it... and then Stan looked at the finished art and said, approximately, “Gee, this wasn’t that great an idea for a cover.” If there had been time, they would have had Jack do the new cover, but there probably wasn’t. Romita was right there in the office and could start on it immediately, doing both the penciling and the inking. Jack was not in the office and may not even have been in the state. The Kirby family was moving from New York to Southern California around the time this issue would have been due at the printer. They may even have been in transit that week. But even if Jack was still in New York, it was faster to just have Romita do it. It would take a day or two to get a rough sketch to Jack, either by mailing it to him or having him come into the office. Then they’d have to send it out to be inked. And like I said, it didn’t bother Jack much. He didn’t even think covers were as critical to sales as many others in the business did. “If they enjoy the story, they’ll buy the next issue,” he said on several occasions. He felt that way when he went to DC, though one thing did concern him. He believed that the work he was doing for them was quite different from what consumers had come to expect from DC. He further believed that was his mission: To do comics quite unlike what DC had traditionally published. To that end, he felt they should not look like traditional DC comics. When Neal Adams did the cover for Jack’s second issue of Jimmy Olsen, it did not bother Jack that someone else did the cover. It did bother him that it was the same artist and the same kind of cover that had adorned the “old” order. “Why change the product if it’s going to be the same on the outside?” he asked. During Jack’s tenure at DC, he often submitted rough sketches for covers, most of which were rejected or significantly revised in New York. It was also not uncommon for a finished cover to be modified in the office. Generally, I think he felt distanced from the process of designing covers. That was Infantino’s bailiwick, not his. When Jack returned to Marvel, most of his covers were done from roughs that were either designed or amended in New York, often by Marie Severin, John Romita or Dave Cockrum. This was especially true of Jack’s covers for comics where he did not do the insides. One time when I visited him during this period, he had just received a batch of about eight cover roughs from Marvel, some of them accompanied by reference material on characters with which he was not familiar. In some cases, the reference was a black-and-white Xerox of the entire story that his cover would illustrate but as ever, Jack had no interest in 9

reading someone else’s stories. He didn’t even have much interest in drawing the covers for his own books, especially once he’d finished the story and begun thinking about the following issue. Still, it was his job... and he figured that asking him to do covers was some kind of recognition that his artwork could help sell a comic. So he did them and he gave them his all... ...but I’ll bet that while he drew them, his mind was on the story he’d start creating once he got the covers out of the way. Here, descending even deeper into trivia than we usually do, we have an outta-left-field query from an Internet correspondent. He signs his e-mails “The Commentator” and he wants to know... What was Jack’s favorite food? Going by the times I ate with him, a good answer to that might have been, “Whatever Roz told him to eat.” When we’d go to a restaurant, he would usually defer to her to order for him. Or sometimes, he’d say he wanted one thing and

she’d say, “No, you don’t” and she’d order what she felt he should have. Jack appreciated that because his mind was usually on eleven other things. Left to his own selections in a deli, he usually went for potato pancakes. And during the time Steve Sherman and I were assisting him (barely) on the Fourth World books, we often lunched at a nearby Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich stand. Outlets of the fast food chain then dotted Southern California, and they served a terrific sandwich—or, at least, that was the opinion of Jack, Steve and me. It was not a widely-held view, apparently. A year or two later, all the Roy Rogers outlets in the state closed. The chain still thrives in the East but it’s changed ownership a few times and the food is nowhere near as good and this doesn’t have anything to do with Jack Kirby now, does it? Sorry. Anyway, Roz would suggest we go to Howard Johnson’s or the International House of Pancakes or Du-Par’s Coffee Shop, all of which were just down the road. Those were our usual dinner places. For lunch, we’d outvote her and go to Roy Rogers’, where Jack would get a roast beef sandwich with fries and then annoy Roz by dipping his fries into barbecue sauce. “You’re supposed to dip french fries in ketchup,” she’d tell him. Jack would obligingly grab up the plastic squeeze bottle of ketchup, squirt a large puddle of it onto his paper plate... and then go right on dragging his fries through the BBQ sauce. Anywhere else, Jack would usually order a hamburger. That was, unless Roz suggested otherwise. Once, we were in a restaurant that didn’t have anything on the menu called a hamburger but they did have a “chopped steak sandwich,” which sure sounded like one to me. Jack told the waitress he wanted a hamburger. She said, “That would be the chopped steak sandwich,” and she wrote that down. “No,” Jack said. “I don’t want a chopped steak sandwich. I want a hamburger.” The waitress explained that the chopped steak sandwich was virtually indistinguishable from a hamburger. Very politely, Jack asked, “So why doesn’t it say ‘hamburger?’” “I don’t know,” she said. “Just a minute.” She went off to the kitchen, posed some tough questions and returned to report, “Okay, it’s not just like a hamburger. But the chef says he can make you a hamburger.” “That’s what I want,” Jack said. And that’s what he got. In the meantime, I ordered the chopped steak sandwich and it wasn’t the same thing Jack got. Nor did it look as good... yet another time I didn’t listen to Kirby and regretted it. From Thomas Whyte comes this message, which is not unlike several others I recently received... Recently in a Captain America comic, the author put some words into Cap’s mouth that sounded like current political commentary. I noticed that Jack never did this when he was writing the comic, and I wondered what you think he would have thought of the current efforts. I haven’t seen whatever recent comic prompted this message but I think I can answer in general terms. From time to time, folks attempt to divine Captain America’s position on some real issue of the day... or someone claims that their view on some controversial topic is the view Captain America would hold. And hey, there’s a meaningful endorsement: “I have a comic book superhero on my side!” I don’t always know how Jack would have felt about certain issues, and just because he said something to me in 1971

about, say, capital punishment doesn’t mean he would have felt that way about it in 2005. I try to be real careful not to put my words and thoughts into his mouth but I feel pretty secure in saying that Jack’s response would have been that Captain America was a fictional character; that though he may have embodied a certain kind of patriotism, at least in Jack’s stories, trying to extrapolate how the hero would have felt about 9/11 or abortion or nuclear test bans or anything of the sort is grasping at something that simply does not and cannot exist. Certain things get established about a character—their name, their origin, specific adventures—and these are generally kept consistent as the property is handed from writer to writer, though even this is not always the case. Other aspects are even more prone to variance as different creators take charge of the strip for what may be short or long periods and infuse it with their worldview. Jack rarely looked at what others did with characters he’d started but when he did, it was very rare that he recognized his children. He saw them saying and doing things that he would never have had them say or do... and Jack didn’t necessarily think this made the other writer wrong. It was kind of like, “That’s his interpretation of the Hulk, not mine.” Each reader is free to accept either version or neither or parts of this one and that one. So when someone asks what Captain America would have felt about some topic, the first question is, “Which Captain America?” If the character’s been written by fifty writers, that makes fifty Captain Americas, more or less... some closely in sync with some others, some not. And even a given run of issues by one creator or team is not without its conflicts. When Jack was plotting and penciling the comic and Stan Lee was scripting it, Stan would sometimes write dialogue that did not reflect what Jack had in mind. The two men occasionally had arguments so vehement that Jack’s wife made him promise to refrain. As she told me, “For a long time, whenever he was about to take the train into town and go to Marvel, I told him, ‘Remember... don’t talk politics with Stan!’ Neither was about to change the other’s mind, and Jack would just come home exasperated.” (One of Stan’s associates made the comment that Mr. Lee was stuck in the middle, vis-a-vis his two main collaborators. He was too liberal for Steve Ditko and too conservative for Kirby.) Jack’s own politics were, like most Jewish men of his age who didn’t own a big company, pretty much Liberal Democrat. He didn’t like Richard Nixon and he really didn’t like the rumblings in the early ’70s of what would later be called “The Religious Right.” At the same time, he thought Captain America represented a greater good than the advancement of Jack Kirby’s worldview. During the 1987 Iran-Contra hearings, Jack was outraged when Ollie North appeared before Congress and it wasn’t just because North lied repeatedly or tried to justify illegal actions. Jack thought it was disgraceful that North wore his military uniform while testifying. The uniform, Jack said, belonged to every man and woman who had every worn it (including former Private First Class Jack Kirby) and North had no right to exploit it the way he did. I always thought that comment explained something about the way Kirby saw Captain America. Cap, obviously, should stand for the flag and the republic for which it stands but—like the flag—for all Americans, not merely those who wish to take the nation in some exclusionary direction. In much the same way, one of the many things Nixon had done that offended Jack was an attempt many decried, on the part of that administration, to usurp the American flag as a symbol of support for Richard Nixon. Jack’s 1976-1977 stories of Captain America—the ones where he had near-complete control—show very little evidence of his own political beliefs of the time. He felt strongly about many things happening in the world at that time, especially various battles and hostage situations relating to Israel, but he chose to keep his hero above those frays and to deal more in the abstract. Captain America made his greatest statement by wearing the flag with pride and by triumphing over all forms of adversity.

Differences to note in comparing these two versions of the Captain America #200 cover: • The way this piece is “shaded” to indicate color areas. • The weak lettering on this piece, which appears to be traced from Jack’s original, confident handwriting. • The two vertical lines in Cap’s left shoulder that aren’t in the original (among others). • The overall stiffness of this pencil work vs. Jack’s more fluid original. The question is, who traced this, and why? The current owner is a highly-respected member of the comics community, who personally had Jack autograph it for him sometime after he purchased it, so we have no reason to suspect he’d intentionally engage in any kind of fraud.

To Jack, it was the great thing about the American spirit: That it was born of gutsy determination and, as with any good super-hero, compassion for all. Some of the storylines he talked about but never had the chance to put into print would have reinforced the idea that Captain America was greater than any one man... including those who created his adventures. Next question? ★ (Mark Evanier welcomes your Kirby Questions (and has answers to many, as well as plenty of non-Kirby content) over on his daily weblog, www.newfromme.com, which is a division of his non-daily website, www.POVonline.com. And for the few holdouts who haven’t yet purchased all three of his collections of columns (shown below), we gingerly refer you to the TwoMorrows house ad elsewhere in this issue, or www.twomorrows.com)

Controversy arose when the above pencil art recently came up for auction. The Kirby signature is authentic, but by overlaying a full-size scan of it on Jack’s full-size pencil xerox (opposite), we’ve concluded it was lightboxed from either Jack’s xerox or the pencils before inking. The two line up exactly, but the above art is shakily drawn, with lots of lines that aren’t in the original. Captain America and Falcon TM and ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc.

Innerview

(above) The first visit by San Diego fans to Jack’s studio on Nov. 9, 1969, the day this interview was taped. Front (holding a swee-eee-t Kirby Captain America drawing): Barry Alphonso. Left to right, behind: Dan Stewart, Bob Sourk, Richard Alf, Jack Kirby, Shel Dorf, and Wayne ...? (sorry, we’re not sure of his last name; can anyone help?). Photo, milk, and cookies by Roz Kirby.

(next page, panel one) The San Diego FiveString Mob performs its one and only concert in Jimmy Olsen #144 (Dec. 1971). Clockwise from top: Bill Lund, Scott Shaw!, John Pound, Mike Towry, and Roger Freedman. Barry Alphonso also appears in panel three as BarriBoy. The Apokolips rock group came about from a subsequent visit by a group of fans to Jack’s studio, also spearheaded by Shel Dorf. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

Speak the Language of the ’70s [Editor’s note: Here’s a remarkable find, sent to us by San Diego Comicon founder Shel Dorf: an interview conducted on November 9, 1969 at Jack’s home in Orange County, CA, a few months before the first San Diego con. Shel made several trips to Jack’s house, bringing along a batch of San Diego comics fans and his tape recorder, and this is the result of the first trip. The visitors included Shel, Barry Alphonso, Mike Towry, Bob Sourk, Dan Stewart, and Richard Alf. This interview features their voices and questions, even if we’re not always sure who’s saying what. Several San Diego fans would soon be immortalized in the pages of Jimmy Olsen as the San Diego Five-String Mob as a result of one of these visits. Of additional note is the time frame it took place in; right after Jack sent in the art for Fantastic Four #100. At this point he was making plans to leave Marvel for DC, so it’s fascinating to view his answers in that context. The interview was transcribed by Steven Tice.] SHEL DORF: Your name? FAN: Barry Alphonso.

FAN: Why did you stop drawing Captain America and turn it over to [Jim] Steranko? JACK: I understand that Jim Steranko wanted to do Captain America. During a conference with Stan, we did talk about it, and Stan happened to mention it. And I didn’t have any objections to it. Certainly, organizationally, like any other artist, I do the artwork that I’m assigned to do. And Stan was considering hiring Jim to do Captain America, and he asked me what I thought of it, and I thought it was fine. I think that Captain America done by any competent artist can’t be hurt, and can only be made more interesting. FAN: Do Stan Lee or you have any new characters that you’re going to use in your Inhumans book? JACK: Not so far. I mean, we began to broaden the scope of the Inhumans by stressing the people around them. In other words, we became aware that there were a lot of Inhumans involved outside the family that was created. So we have concentrated a little on the other Inhumans and giving them all sorts of powers and characteristics that we haven’t seen in the Inhumans, themselves. I mean in the Inhuman principals that we’ve known. We’ve begun to concentrate on the people outside them, within their own group, who have genetic traits outside of the Inhumans that we’ve known so far. SHEL: Your name, please? FAN: I’m Dan Stewart. SHEL: And your age? FAN: Sixteen. SHEL: And do you have a question for Mr. Kirby? FAN: Not at the moment.

SHEL: And your age?

JACK: We’ve got the tape recorder going, so if you have anything on your mind, why...

FAN: Twelve. Mr. Kirby, will you be doing any writing for Marvel in the future?

FAN: A lotta hair.

JACK KIRBY: Well, if I’m assigned that kind of thing, I’ll do it. FAN: Do you know if Stan Lee is going to sign any new artists or writers to work for Marvel? I mean, hire them? JACK: Well, I can only get substantiation from Stan or Sol Brodsky and people who work in the office. When I do get substantiation, I might hear a rumor they’re hiring somebody new. But I know that from time to time, they do hire people, and I get to know about it eventually. And that’s my only way of knowing, because I work at home.

JACK: That’s all right. I have no objection to growing your hair any way you please. If it pleases you, why, that’s what counts. [pause] If you can grow it, grow. If you can’t do it, don’t. I am now speaking with a cigar in my mouth, so if my words are indistinct, tough luck. You’ll find that there’s a logical reason for the blurred sounds. [laughter] [someone gives Kirby something] JACK: Oh, isn’t that great! May I have it? FAN: No. [laughs] Yeah, you can have it.

FAN: Do you have any personal favorite artists besides yourself?

JACK: Is this for me?

JACK: [laughs] I must admit that I have a lot of confidence in my own work. I feel that I have control over what I’m doing and I like what I’m doing, so naturally I like my own work. But I feel that every artist in the field encounters the same problem that I do and they feel the same way about their work that I do. Some of their artwork pleases me and some of their artwork does not, and I don’t know why. And I try to analyze it. I don’t feel that there’s such a thing as good or bad artwork. I feel that somewhere some of us missed the boat, and could use a little more thinking on his work and possibly improve it in that way. But I don’t feel that anybody is either good or bad as far as doing anything. I feel that some people have not done all they could and are capable of a lot more. And I feel that way about myself. I feel that I’m always capable of a lot more, and I try to take time out and think about these things, and try to project the kind of work I’m doing now into what I could do with it, the many channels that I haven’t gone into yet.

FAN: Yes. Everybody thought it was the Incredible Hulk. JACK: Because I never know what’s going on, y’know? And if that’s what’s going on— FAN : It’ll go on the table. JACK: —I’ll go along with it. SHEL: Oh, c’mon. Don’t be modest. This boy has been working very hard and he’s just modest. I think that’s what—the whole thing behind this is he’s modest, he did that just for you, Jack, and he wanted you to have it. JACK: I thank you very much. What I’m holding is a clay head of the Thing and I think it’s well done. It shows a lot of good perception on your part, and certainly a lot of good feeling, which concerns me. Certainly I can only respond with a kind of a warmness, which I don’t usually feel towards other human beings.

FAN: Gee, wow... thank you very much! I do have one question I just thought of when I was thinking of that. They advertised that, when they had the Spider-Man and the Captain America and Hulk models out, they said there was supposed to be a Fantastic Four model coming out soon. That was a long time ago. Is there ever gonna be a model of the FF? I think it would be really popular.

JACK: It’s extremely well done, extremely well done. It looks just the way I would draw it.

JACK: You mean a piece of statuary?

FAN: You just made my day.

FAN: No, I mean like an Aurora plastics, a model kit.

JACK: So we meet on conceptual ideas. You boys need to have something in mind; maybe we can discuss it and I possibly may have a suggestion or two that

JACK: Oh! Well, I suppose there may be something

like that, because there are promotional things being done all the time and a lot of the toy companies are trying for franchises, so you’ll be seeing some of the stuff. If this head is for me, I thank you very much. FAN: I’m glad you like it.

you could use when you do have your convention. FAN: We were planning on having it right after school let out. JACK: Have you had a convention before? FAN: Not in San Diego, no. I didn’t even run one yet. Shel is the only one with the experience. JACK: Well, Shel had been to the other conventions. FAN: Yeah. JACK: And you’ve seen some of the exhibits that they’ve had there. FAN: Right. JACK: I’d duplicate those exhibits, and I suppose you know some dealers who will have old pulps and comic books and other paraphernalia that go back to that period that might interest the boys. I guess the Big Little Books. I would suggest that you could contact some of the artists, like Joe Simon or Will Eisner. And maybe Bill Everett might have some old artwork around which I think might be of value to you. FAN: I was just wondering, is Joe Simon still alive? JACK: Yeah, I believe he’s working for Warren, he’s the editor of the Warren books. That’s what I heard. I understand Joe is gonna edit those books, and I guess he’ll do a pretty good job. FAN: I was just wondering, because I’ve been looking through all these comics, and it’s “Joe Simon, Jack Kirby.” JACK: Yeah, we were partners. And I think we worked together for about twenty years. FAN: How did the relationship start? JACK: Well, it started with a few features. We got to know each other, just like most of the fellas in the field, which was first forming then. Then we developed Captain America. And from Captain America, we went on to the “Boy Commandos” and the “Newsboy Legion” and features of that kind. And when we got back, we did Stuntman and Boys’ Ranch. FAN: How long did Stuntman last? JACK: Stuntman lasted for a few issues. I believe it was begun in ’47. FAN: Could I ask why you two broke up? Conflicting interests, or what? JACK: No, not conflicting interests. It was just time to do it. Sometimes the times develop when these 13

FAN: Were you happy with the color reproduction in that book? JACK: Yes. I think he did a remarkably good job and he did an accurate job. And I think his analysis, well, it was strictly his own. And if you like Jules Feiffer, you’ll like his analysis and whatever he has to say. FAN: Were you offended that he referred to the stuff as junk? JACK: No, I’m not offended at it, that was his view of it. I don’t accept it, but I accept him having his own view. FAN: How about the price range of the book, do you think he made a mistake in making it such an expensive book, or do you think it should have gone to somewhere in-between the price of a comic book and the price of a hardcover book? JACK: I think those things are hard to calculate, but I think he did it right by asking what he considered a good maximum price for the book was called for, because I believe that the appeal of comics is a lot more rewarding than many publishers—I mean, in other forms, a lot more rewarding in other forms than many publishers realize. FAN: I think with the hardcover and the heavy paper, it’ll last a lot longer in the libraries. JACK: It’s a lot more expensive, but I think the profits are just as high. FAN: And besides that, if you had all the actual comics that he reproduced, they’d be worth hundreds and hundreds of dollars. JACK: I still don’t think he did it right. I think if Jules Feiffer had done a real bang-up job, that book could have sold for twenty dollars. FAN: What kind of a bang-up job, exactly? JACK: I won’t tell him. I’ll do my own. [laughter] SHEL: Well, we’ll be waiting for it, then. FAN: Does Stan Lee write the Bullpen Bulletins or does somebody else do it? JACK: I believe that Stan Lee has some men assigned to it. Stan Lee designs the mood of whatever is said in the Bulletin, and he decides what sort of material to integrate for that particular issue. (above) An unfinished page from the Stuntman #3 story “Jungle Lord,” circa 1946. The book was cancelled after only two issues, with a third, halfsize issue sent only to subscribers, containing only one story. Stuntman TM & ©2005 Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.

things happen, and it just happened, that’s all. FAN: Were you getting sort of stale in the ideas? JACK: No, you don’t get stale in ideas, but somehow there are things coming up in each of our lives that don’t coincide, in which we just can’t work things out. And things develop in your private life, things develop in your business life, that just don’t integrate. They just don’t integrate what each of you plan on doing. And then you just drift apart. FAN: How did you get started with Stan Lee and Marvel Comics? JACK: I just went back to Marvel and Stan Lee was the editor. He still is, as far as I know. [laughter] FAN: I’ve got a question. What is your opinion of Jules Feiffer’s book, The Great Comic Book Heroes? JACK: I think he owes me a free book, because he used one of my original Captain America magazines for research, and I never got a free book. So if I see Jules Feiffer, I’ll put the arm on him.

SHEL: How about Stan’s Soapbox? JACK: Stan’s Soapbox is, I guess, his personal views. FAN: What direction do you see for the comics of the future? JACK: I see lots of directions, but those things will have to come in time and they’ll have to be worked on and develop. And like I say, comics is a language, and we’ve got to learn to speak the language of the Seventies. FAN: What book will have the greatest changes in it in the Seventies? JACK: The book on which we experiment first. It can be any book. And the super-hero has to survive in the Seventies, so he’s gonna have to learn to talk

Seventies and look Seventies and deal with situations in a Seventies outlook.

but you can’t get in right away. There’ll be somebody who’ll show you around the place if you’re interested.

FAN: How do the current books compare with the first Golden Age, the classic stuff?

FAN: They show original art and all that stuff, I guess?

JACK: They haven’t changed, they’re telling the same story. And they’re telling it in a different way than the usual way. But like I say, each era, each decade talks its own way and acts its own way, and the super-heroes are just being interpreted in different ways, but they still remain the super-heroes that they always were. FAN: What’s your favorite form of literature? JACK: Anything that entertains me. FAN: What entertains you, Jack? [laughs] I’m not being facetious, but we want to get a little better answer. I’ll be more specific. What do you read most regarding... do you read biography, fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction, fantasy...?

JACK: Yes, and you can see the people working on the art. And you’ll find that there may be some fans up there that you’ve never met and have come up at the same time. It would be an interesting experience. I would recommend it. FAN: Do they have anything that says, like, “Marvel Office” or anything at that address, or what is it?

FAN: That’s what I thought, but everybody said it was Sub-muh-REEN-er. Which comics do you read? JACK: I read every kind of comic I can lay my eyes on. Both amateur and professional. FAN: Even DC?

FAN: Do you happen to know who drew the cover for the Captain America Pocket Book?

FAN: You just walk right in?

JACK: No, but I think the author’s name was White.

JACK: Yes. There’s nothing sinister or devious about it.

FAN: Ted White, yeah. How about the Avengers paperback?

FAN: Do you know if Howard Purcell and Arnold Drake still work for Marvel? JACK: They might. They might, for all I know. I just haven’t kept tabs because, after all, working at home doesn’t keep you in close contact with the office, but it’s a casual contact and it’s a necessary contact. But they don’t—we don’t discuss everything when I talk to Stanley. We talk about story, we talk about drawing, we talk about sales policy.

FAN: What was the extent of your formal education?

FAN: Is your original art available to collectors?

JACK: Well, I got as far as high school. And after I graduated high school, I went to industrial school because that’s the only place I could take art at that time and not pay any money for it.

JACK: [pause] Whatever I have, I’m not gonna release right now. I’d like to hold onto it for a while. I’ll gladly do original sketches.

JACK: I don’t know of any formal schools offhand, but I would say that a man should have formal art training, because he has to learn the mechanics of what he’s doing. Once you realize how to control the mechanics... when you learn how to build a car, then you build a car to the dimensions that you want. You build your kind of a car. You get it gasoline and make it go.

JACK: The accepted—I mean, they’re both optional, but the accepted one is Sub-MARE-iner.

JACK: It’s in the directory. You look at the directory in the building and it says, “Marvel Comics Group, Fifth Floor” and that’s it. You come up to the fifth floor and it’s on the door.

JACK: There isn’t anything that I haven’t read, any subject that I haven’t looked at once. And sometimes I’ll read bad stuff just to be entertained. Sometimes I’ll read good stuff just to appreciate the value of it. Sometimes I’ll read blood-and-thunder stuff just because I need it. And sometimes I’ll read very arty and cultured stuff, just because I feel it’s got some kind of dimension that I missed.

FAN: Would you recommend that a natural talent, someone that draws a lot, get some kind of formalized training? And, if so, in this area around California, are there any schools that you would recommend?

FAN: I have a question. Some of my friends say SubMARE-iner, and some say Sub-muh-REEN-er. Which one’s right?

FAN: Today? JACK: Well... [laughter] No, I’ve got to reapportion my time and... I have my quota to get out. I’d love to satisfy my ego and do whatever you like, because, having a bit of an ego, I guess I would be tempted to sketch for you all day. No, I can’t do it.

JACK: Even DC.

JACK: No, I don’t know whether I’ve heard of the artists. But they’re well done. FAN: In Witzend #1, they were talking about the different artists they were hoping to get artwork from, and they had your name, and you had a little picture of a Thing with a Beatles wig on and all this, and I haven’t seen your art in any of the Witzends up to #6, I haven’t seen it, so... JACK: I gave them some artwork, I gave them some cartoons that I did back in the Fifties. FAN: Oh, I never saw it. JACK: Straight cartoons, and I gave six of them to Wally [Wood], I believe, and—. FAN: They never appeared. JACK: No, they never did appear. I can’t tell you why. FAN: They probably will. Well, in any case, Jack, we’re at the point now where we’re trying to decide

FAN: I was wondering, do they have tours of Marvel? I mean, I’ve heard that they have tours, you can actually go through Marvel and see the studios. I was wondering if you know. JACK: Yes, they... well, if you can call it a tour. I mean, it’s not a huge place. But the departments and divisions that it does have are very interesting, the people are interesting, what Marvel does is interesting. And if you popped in and just looked around—. FAN: You just walk in and say “hi”? JACK: Well, you can say “hi,” 15

whether this should be just strictly a comic convention, or if we should include the fans of sciencefiction, the fans of films, and so on. What would your idea about this be? JACK: I’d say do it all! Do comics and do anything that’s been relevant to it. I know that comic fans have also been interested in the movie media, they’ve been interested in the pulp media, and all that has some value to them. I think they want to see it. I don’t think they want to concentrate on comics alone. If you can widen the scope of the convention to include all these, I think you’ll have a larger crowd and a more interesting crowd. And I think you’ll have a great time. FAN: Do you think we could get some publicity on our convention in the Marvel comics? JACK: That’ll have to be up to Stan. I would write Stan. I would write to Stan and tell him exactly what you plan. I’m sure he’ll go along with it. FAN: How many months in advance are the comics drawn? Now, you say you’ve already sent in the stuff for the #100 issue, and I think in the new comics you just got, the ad was for FF #95, so do you do them about six issues in advance? JACK: Nah, I believe I’m about three issues in advance. And considering that, it’s a pretty tight schedule. I won’t kid you. I mean, when I say I have a quota to get out, I really do. And that stuff has to go out on time. It makes time all that more valuable to me. Because in whatever time I save I can read a newspaper and make a remark about something and... FAN: You’ve seen so many fans, and I’ve noticed a fan letter of yours that says, “I am your Number One fan,” and I’m sure there are many Number One fans, but what is your opinion of the fans that you meet? JACK: I feel that the fans that I do meet are people of extremely fine character, because they’re looking for something to stimulate them, and it’s not that they find it in comics, it’s that their curiosity, whether it be in comics or anything else, is active. As long as you keep your mind active, as long as you keep your mind stimulated, I believe you’re living out your life in a more satisfactory dimension. FAN: Do you ever get tired of drawing? Just fed up with drawing all the time? The same characters? JACK: No, I don’t get fed up with the same characters, because I don’t deal with the same situations. These characters are in a new situation—. FAN: No, I’m thinking just drawing, do you just get tired of drawing all the time? 16

JACK: Sometimes. Of course, I get physically tired and I conk out like everybody else, and my time for sleep certainly comes, like everybody else’s. But I feel that comics in the long run are going in a certain direction, and I try to find that direction. I’m like a blind man who’s walking some kind of a road that leads to somewhere, and I’d like to know where it’s going and what it’s going to look like as it changes, and I feel that’s what keeps my interest active. FAN: Do you think you’ll be staying in the field and Marvel Comics for a very long while more?

JACK: Well, I’ll suggest them and maybe hope that it comes to fruition. And it depends on the outlook at the time. FAN: What does that mean? JACK: Fulfillment, completion. Perhaps it’ll come to some conclusion. It might be good, it might be bad. It might be accepted, it might be rejected. But it will be concluded in some way. [Editor’s note: He became the villain Mantis in Jack’s Fourth World epic for DC.] FAN: How many pages do you do a day, usually?

JACK: I can’t say. I might slip on a banana peel tomorrow and that would be it. [laughter]

JACK: Three pages a day. If I can do more, it would be on a whim. I have done six in one day.

FAN: I have two questions. Number one, what is the Green Mantis’s power, and number two, are you going to be doing an original Annual next year?

FAN: And how do you decide when it’s gonna be a full-page picture and when it’s gonna be regular panels and how many panels are gonna be on a page and all that—do you determine it in advance?

JACK: The Green Mantis is a concept, and he’s got powers that are similar to the defense powers of any insect except that he uses it to defend himself as a human being. And what was that other question? FAN: Are you gonna do an original Annual next year? JACK: I hope so. Yes, I hope to do that. FAN: Not just reprints? JACK: Yes, I’d rather do an original Annual. Although sometimes we’re pressed for time and reprints seem to be the best thing to do at that particular time. FAN: When you do a comic like the FF, do you have sort of a set script which tells you more or less what to draw for the comic? JACK: You mean guidelines? FAN: Yeah.

JACK: Yes. I determine it as the story reveals itself to me. And if I feel a certain scene has dramatic value, I’ll play it up as big as I can and perhaps give it a full page. Sometimes just half a page. FAN: If you got to do it over again, would you have Thor start with that Don Blake thing again, or would you have him just a god? I mean, would you have a secret identity? JACK: I believe that the secret identity is an acceptable comic format. I feel that his secret identity is his link with us. If he didn’t have a secret identity, Thor would just be a god, someone we can’t touch. Someone we can think about, but someone we can’t be. We can be Thor if we have that secret identity. FAN: What’s going to happen to Reed Richard’s baby? Is it going to have super-powers?

JACK: Yes, there are guidelines. I mean, the company has policies, JACK: Well, we’re gonna be talking about the company has restrictions. I that. He probably will have some kind of myself have my own restricpowers. And it might be fun to draw tions, I won’t draw violence for him as kind of a normal human being the sake of violence, I draw who has to face all these super-heroes violence because there’s some and villains on his own. He could be The “Green Mantis.” sort of graceful beauty in the anything, and create a kind of situaTM & ©2005 DC Comics. movement, not because of the tion which might be interesting to body’s reaction to violence. I don’t like to show blood read. And that’s the object of his being there. or anything that looks ugly. I see beauty in the SHEL: What is your opinion of the current generamovement of the figure, and that’s been my forte. tion that is so reliant upon the use of drugs? I read FAN: The artwork that you showed us today, with an article recently saying that eighty percent of a the Green Mantis and stuff like that, do you think given high school has tried drugs or is using at least you’ll ever use him in any of the Marvel books? marijuana. Have you ever thought about this? You

have children of your own, and I’m sure, as a responsible parent, you must have given this some thought. JACK: I think that drugs are harmful, just as tobacco is harmful and liquor is harmful or any sort of excess, or any sort of irritant to the body. And I believe that any sort of stimulant or irritant used for any sort of motivation... it’s a kind of a wild thing without guidelines. We don’t know what its guidelines are, and we’re experimenting with it all the time and that’s its most dangerous period. I won’t hang anybody up on a gallows who uses drugs, but I won’t respect them, either. SHEL: Now, in your generation, growing up, you had all kinds of tensions, just as this generation has theirs. How did you learn to cope with your tensions?

way. Then I would become involved and raise my voice in some way. But if you wanted to do your own thing, whatever it was, for your own satisfaction and for your own good will, I don’t think it’s my duty to lay down any guidelines for you. I don’t think it’s my duty to write a script for you or anybody else. You write your own script, that’s what you’re there for. FAN: About 1965, I think it was, I heard that you drew a story about Jack Ruby or something for Esquire magazine. Did you just draw it or did you write it, too, or what? JACK: I drew it, and was given the research by Esquire. I was given the Warren Report, which I read fully. My job was to do a factual account covering the activities of Jack Ruby 46 hours until the point where he shot Oswald. And they covered those 46 hours

(below) Supposedly because he left him out of the FiveString Mob’s appearance in Jimmy Olsen, Jack at least partially based Himon (shown here from Mister Miracle #9) on Shel Dorf. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

JACK: This generation has a saying called “play it cool.” And I see a lot of them playing it cool. And I’ll play their game, I play it cool. I don’t do the things that I used to do that were kind of wild. I used to walk across a girder on which the subways used to pass under. There was nothing between me and the subways going underneath. It’s something I have just too much sense to do today. But it sure gave me a lot of kicks when I did it. And I didn’t realize how young and inexperienced I was, and how near death I was. But today I have a lot more sense. There were no guidelines for my behavior then, and it could have very easily ended in my death. But certainly I didn’t think about that. I just thought about doing it. And today, as I’ve matured and thought about these things and the connotations and the repercussions of the consequences of being involved with that kind of a thing, as a mature person I would reject it. Unless I knew that it had been accepted by society in some way and was totally harmless to me. SHEL: Well, the mass media accepts various directions and styles of life that are quite different from the styles of life in the past. Do you think religion has any place in these matters, or what can—? We have people shouting at us from all directions, “Do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, do this.” The so-called “beautiful people” are beginning to lose their beauty, and the hedonists, they’re just living for pleasure and pleasure alone, are beginning to go out of style, yet they are admired by many of the younger generation. What do you, as an individual, admire in someone? JACK: I don’t admire anybody, but I accept everybody. In other words, if you want to do your thing, whether I admire you or not would make no difference to you. And it would make no difference to me, because I would never interfere with you in any way. I would never be the one to, unless it harmed me in some way or infringed on my life in some 17

very thoroughly. FAN: Do you have the original artwork for that or what? Where is that? JACK: The original artwork is at Esquire magazine. FAN: Do you know what year that was in? 1965? JACK: Someone can get you the information. No, I believe it was later than that. It was a very interesting experience. And I feel that’s one of the directions that comics should go. You fellas think of comics in terms of comic books, but you’re wrong. I think you fellas should think of comics in terms of drugs, in terms of war, in terms of journalism, in terms of selling, in terms of business. And if you have a viewpoint on drugs, or if you have a viewpoint on war, or if you have a viewpoint on the economy, I think you can tell it more effectively in comics than you can in words. I think nobody is doing it. Comics is journalism. But now it’s restricted to soap opera. FAN: The kids of our generation have been raised on comic books and television. Do you think we’ve been affected for good or for bad in this way? JACK: I think you’ve been affected for good, if it’s stimulated you in some way and made you think. I think the object of any kind of a media is to make you think. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you are thinking, and if you are challenging whatever has been put before you... I think you’re here to challenge and to prove out whatever has been put before you. And to turn it into your own lifestyle. And if you can do that, and if you can do it as an individual, and if you can do it without playing some kind of a role, if you can sincerely reject and accept whatever you see or hear, then I believe that comics have done something to contribute to that. And I think that kind of thing is very valuable. FAN: A lot of people have raised the question whether all the violence on TV and comic books is causing mental troubles with the children’s mind. Do you believe in this? JACK: No. I believe that real life does that. I believe that movies or television or comics cannot contribute to violence, that violence is something very real for people. Real violence is real! It comes from the street, it comes from the home, it comes from people. It comes from reality. You can turn off violence on TV anytime you want. And you know it isn’t real. You’ll not accept it. And you won’t be triggered by it. But if you take violence in reality, that affects you as a real person. And if you accept that violence 18

from reality, why, it might trigger something inside you, if you’re psychologically ready for it, and you might commit a violent act. FAN: And if it doesn’t, something else will trigger it anyway. JACK: There’s always somebody ready for that kind of thinking. I thank God that it’s in the minority. SHEL: Jack, I want to thank you for a very enjoyable afternoon, for taking the time to be with the San Diego fans. What do you say we split now and sit down and relax and have a cold drink? JACK: Well, it’s fine with me. It’s been my pleasure to entertain all of you, if I’ve done that. And certainly I’ve learned a lot from you, and I’ve found it a very pleasant afternoon. And if we can do it again, why, it would be my pleasure. Because I consider you all my friends, and my friends are always welcome here. ★

MISSING LINKS

Whatever Happened To The Golden Guardian?

by John Morrow

Yeah, I was ticked off that the Guardian—possibly the coolest addition to Kirby’s 1970s Jimmy Olsen run—mysteriously vanished after page 7 of issue #146, never to be seen again under Kirby’s reign. Did he stay behind in Terry Dean’s discotheque and par-tay? Did he slink dejectedly back to the Project, miffed that Superman took charge of investigating the tunnel they’d discovered? Did he run off and become the sixth (make that seventh) string in the San Diego FiveString Mob? Unfortunately, we’ll never know, but this unused page (apparently meant for Olsen #144, page 15) gives us Guardian fans one last chance to see our hero, Kirby-style! While ol’ Supes flexes his supermuscles (show-off!), Jim Harper’s clone jumps into the fray to find out what hides below the Cosmic Carousel! What did the Guardian discover in this page’s last panel? Why did Jack opt to have Superman uncover the tunnel’s secret instead? My guess is Jack learned he’d soon be off the book for good, and saw this as his last chance to explore the Superman plot threads he’d left dangling from his first Olsen issue and Forever People #1. So he deep-sixed this page, and it was off to Supertown for Superman! Just who inked this page is anyone’s guess, although it’s weird that they left Superman’s “S” symbol uninked; the kind of thing Vinnie Colletta would do, knowing DC would want it redrawn to spec anyway. Suggestions, anyone? ★ 19

retrospective

Superman’s Orange-Haired

or The Best Kirby Story Ever, by Robert L. Bryant, Jr.

(below) Kirby contributed this Superman drawing for the program book of the 1981 Comicon III in Sydney, Australia. (next page) Jack’s original version of the cover to Jimmy Olsen #133. See this issue’s “Parting Shot” on page 80 for a nice surprise! Jimmy Olsen, Superman TM and ©2005 DC Comics.

y copy of Jimmy Olsen #133 stinks. I bought it brand-new, off a drugstore’s spinning rack, in 1970. Read it scores of times. Traced the cover several times (you can still see the grooves that the No. 2 pencil dug). Kept it in a desk drawer. Finally had enough sense to board, bag and box the issue, along with a bunch of others. But after 35 years, my copy smells like your grandfather’s attic, brittle and dry and musty. But it’s the best Kirby story ever. And you won’t disagree. Start with the cover. It looks like somebody painted graffiti on a normal Olsen adventure: “KIRBY IS HERE! . . . Superman’s EX-pal, the NEW Jimmy Olsen.” Kirby who? Is he the graffiti artist? I’d never heard of him. The new Olsen? The old one, in the logo at the upper left corner, is wearing a bow tie and plaid pants—the uniform of the National Honor Society, or perhaps the science club—and is getting a congratulatory shoulder clasp from Superman, the very icon of the Establishment in DC’s universe. The pose says it all: Jim is a Very Good Boy.

A couple inches below that, we see a different Olsen—he’s wearing a green jumpsuit and boots, perched on the back of a big, bad-ass motorcycle driven by a big, bad-ass motorcyclist. The cycle is slamming into Superman’s body—actually, it’s slamming into a very delicate part of Superman’s body, surely by accident, maybe by a clumsy rearrangement of the art by DC— and Olsen is yelling, “Gun him down!” “Him” as in Superman, the poor fellow who’s getting his groin mashed by the front wheel of a Harley on steroids. Whoosh, boom, bam—my first Kirby comic. I know now that hardly a single panel was left untouched, either by Vince Colletta or Al Plastino or Murphy Anderson or God knows who else. But it didn’t matter. That comic changed two universes—DC’s and mine. The story in that issue is only the tip of an iceberg that would take five more issues to be revealed. Morgan Edge, 1970’s Ted Turner, sends “young Olsen” to link up with the “new” Newsboy Legion—five perfect duplicates of their 1940s fathers—and scout out the Wild Area, which a worried Clark Kent describes as “a sort of sanctuary for weird motorcycle groups!” (As if Clark could conceive of “normal” motorcycle groups.) The boys—nobody on this assignment can be “over 25,” Edge cautions—are making the trip in the Whiz Wagon, a flying super-car bankrolled by Edge. To keep Clark out of things, Edge has the mild-mannered reporter run over—an “accident” that, of course, barely musses Clark’s blue hair. But by Page 7, Kirby has drawn his line in the sand—for his Jimmy Olsen, there is going to be a barrier between the young and the old(er), with the kids spearheading the adventure and the “responsible” adults either pulling the evil strings (Edge) or following several paces behind (Clark). Kirby is “empowering” his youthful characters in a real sense, by putting them in the forefront of the danger. The tale continues: The amphibious Whiz Wagon zooms along a river until it reaches the spot where the Wild Area may or may not be located. Metal-masked bikers—Iron Mask and Vudu, two of the Outsiders—immediately attack them. The boys beat the goons in hand-to-hand combat. One of them turns out to have been the boss of the whole cycle gang— which, in the story’s only cliché, makes Olsen the leader now. (The empowered Jimmy gets even more power.) Superman, a day late and a dollar short, tracks the kids’ team by following the Whiz Wagon’s heat traces. He finds the Wild Area (“There are no rules here!”). He gets a nasty welcome

Pal from the Outsiders, now commanded by Mrs. Olsen’s orangehaired boy (“I know him!” Jimmy says in vouching for Superman— a wonderful irony). But in short order, the Man of Tomorrow is cut down by a blast from a biker’s kryptonite gun. Olsen is displeased—he didn’t order any shooting—but not upset. (The old Jimmy would have been prostrate with worry.) “Superman has a lot to learn about this place—and about me!” Olsen says. (The subtext here: The old man had it coming. Kirby moves Olsen even further away from Superman emotionally, and puts the Man of Steel even further behind in terms of keeping on top of things.) Pointedly, Kirby leaves it to the Newsboy Legion, not Olsen, to see to Superman’s care after he’s shot. They revive the hero, with a good deal more respect than he’s gotten so far in the story. (Ah, they just don’t know him yet.) Superman is reduced to depending on Big Words to help ease his kryptonite headache and explain where he is—specifically, in Habitat, a city “hewn from the giant trees of a great forest.” Jimmy reappears, with his “gang,” and makes the first step toward reaffirming his friendship with Superman—but in the form of lecturing him about what Jimmy has learned about a mystery beyond Habitat, the Mountain of Judgment. Jimmy wants this story. Superman, the good cop, the sensible parent, says it’s too dangerous. Jimmy doesn’t care; he’s going after the Mountain of Judgment—“Don’t stop us, Superman!” (What he really means, given the ease with which Supes was just dispatched, is “Don’t try to stop us.”) Olsen stalks out, stronger and more unpredictable than he’s ever been. He’s broken his relationship with his surrogate parent—with our surrogate parent. Superman stands there, oddly diminished—we’re not on his side anymore. We’re on Jimmy’s. To be continued.... In one issue of one title—a little-read title at that—Kirby has rearranged the order of the DC universe. Jimmy Olsen, the suck-up sidekick, is suddenly an action hero with a will of his own. Superman, DC’s establishment hero—its corporate hero—is a square, a drudge, someone who actually wants to stop the other characters from adventuring.* Add to that the ton of Kirby concepts presented here, and

the relentless drive of the art (even severely watered down), and you have something approaching magic. In simple terms, it’s just a good story. But even if it hadn’t been, it still would be the best Kirby story ever. Because the best Kirby story ever... is always your first one. ★ * An addendum: Kirby soon would restore Superman to his hero status in Jimmy Olsen, but even then, he would subtly redefine the Man of Steel. Kirby’s fully developed Superman is recognizably an alien—he

may look like us, but he doesn’t think like us. Like the heroine of George R.R. Martin’s novella “Nightflyers,” he’s “an improved model.... Three moves ahead of you.” Kirby’s later Superman gives you the impression of having vast reserves—whatever he’s doing, Kirby hints, it’s not a thousandth of what he could do if he really had to. This Superman almost seems to be holding back in his dealings with Jimmy just so he won’t blow the kid off the page, like a chess grandmaster who takes himself down a few notches when playing a friend. 21

QUIPs ’n’ Q&A’s

The Glory Bolt-Head:

A look at a Kirby-related curiosity, by Jon B. Cooke

(below) The Golden Age incarnation of ol’ Bolt-Head, Radio Man gets the faux Simon & Kirby treatment by writer/artist Batton Lash and inker Bob Smith in the RM V.2, #9 back-up. ©2005 Bongo Entertainment, Inc.

JON B. COOKE: What’s your respective involvements in the genesis of the Radioactive Man title? BILL MORRISON: Well, my first involvement with old Bolt-Head was way back in Simpsons Comics and Stories [1993], before Bongo even existed. [writer/artist] Steve and [writer/colorist] Cindy Vance and I did a story called “Lo, There Shall Come A Bartman” [1993]. It wasn’t really a Radioactive Man story, but he’s in it in comic-book form. That’s the first time I drew the character. Then, when we decided to form Bongo and were thinking in terms of a line of titles related to The Simpsons, the idea of doing a Radioactive Man series was just a natural. So we did the original six-issue mini-series [’93-’94] and then followed that up with a DC 80-Page Giant [Summer ’95] parody and a serialized Steranko-style story that ran in the back of Simpsons Comics. I really loved doing Radioactive Man and wanted to revive him with another series. That’s where Batton came in. BATTON LASH: I think the seeds of my involvement were planted when I did a story for Bongo’s ’98 Treehouse of Horror issue [#4]. I had a great time and loved working with Bill, Terry Delegeane and the Bongo people in general. I pretty much had carté blanche on that story and was able to do layouts for the artist… I had a ball! Still, when Bongo decided to revive Radioactive Man a couple of years later as an ongoing title, I was surprised to get a call from Bill asking if I’d like to write it. I never considered myself a super-hero writer; I thought he was calling to ask if I wanted to write the Futurama title they were starting! Since the “mandate” of Radioactive Man was for each issue to spoof a different era of comics (the 1994 mini-series established that there were 1,000 issues over 40 years), Bill thought I’d be appropriate for RM. Bill read Supernatural Law [Exhibit A Press] and was aware of the

ent, Inc. Entertainm

05 Bongo e Man ©20 Radioactiv

(above) Radioactive Man and Bartman.

(Okay, so I’m rifling through the latest issue of The New Yorker at my neighborhood magazine shop to see if Spiegelman or Ware or Crumb or Mazzucchelli are contributing and my eyes glance down to the comics section (yep, my beloved Healey’s Newsstore still carries funny-books!) and for a nanosecond an impossible notion enters my brain… spying a colorful cover’s spine, an exact parody of the early 1970s DC Comics 52-page “Bigger & Better” comics, I think, “Omigawd! A new Fourth World ish! I have died and gone to New Genesis!” But no! I regain my senses to realize it’s the current Radioactive Man, this one affectionately poking fun at the circa ’72 New Gods. I pays my $2.50, takes it home ’n’ I relishes the spot-on satire, impressed enough to conduct an e-mail Q&A with two buddies—Bill Morrison, Bongo Comics Group art director (and creator of Roswell: Little Green Man), and Batton Lash, Bongo freelance writer (and creator of Wolff & Byrd, Supernatural Law)—who helped perpetrate such a four-color crime, to ask just what the heck they were thinking.—Jon B. Cooke)

many parodies I would often do. He thought that my knowledge of the history—and mind-numbing minutia—of the comics industry would be ideal for RM. Frankly, I had no idea how much I wore my geekiness on my sleeve! MORRISON: Well, I guess it takes one to know one! I really couldn’t think of anyone better to tackle the series. Batton has the perfect blend of storytelling ability, sense of humor, and knowledge of comic book history for a book like RM. COOKE: Was it your intention to cover specific aspects of comics history, or at least specific titles and comic book publishing lines at various times in the last half-century? MORRISON: Yeah, the original mini-series set that pattern right from the start. I remember lobbying to do a Neal Adams/Denny O’Neil Green Lantern/Green Arrow parody which Steve let me co-plot. We also touched on Cold War era comics, early Kirby Marvel, The Watchmen, Image Comics… If you read [The Simpsons creator & Bongo bossman] Matt Groening’s message on the inside front cover of RM #1, he jokes that our intention was to eventually fill in every issue in the entire run, from 1952 right up to the present. LASH: I look at RM as the archetypical comic-book title that has had to adapt to changing attitudes and fads in the field and each issue reflects how the industry rewrites the “rules” from previous sales eras.

Radioactive Man’s Retro-Kirby! COOKE: As already mentioned, Bill, you’ve both specifically paid homage to any number of real comic books. Can you guys recall particular favorites and parodies you were itching to do? LASH: I enjoyed working on all of them, but have to admit, a real favorite was the Mighty Comics pastiche [RM Vol. 2, #3 (May ’01)] that was drawn by Dan DeCarlo. MORRISON: Yeah, that was fun. I never read the Archie hero comics as a kid, but any chance to work with Dan was really exciting. I’d have to say that the Steranko parody I mentioned earlier was the one that I was most eager to tackle. COOKE: How does a RM story decision get made? Is Groening involved?

Radioactiv e Man ©20 05 Bongo

Entertainm ent, Inc.

LASH: Matt has the most important involvement of all—he signs the checks! Seriously, when it comes time to start a new issue, I call Bill and Terry and say on what I would like to do a parody/pastiche. They say okay and give me room (I’m very fortunate that they trust me and give me my space… after all, how many “Mighty Comics” take-offs do you see?). I then write a full script and layout the issue. After submitting the story, Bill then edits, sends the script and layouts to the artist, and the bogus ads and

letters page to production. I make an effort to write RM in a way that it can be enjoyed by kids as a silly super-hero comic, while those-in-the-know would get a kick out of seeing rifts, styles and plot devices they might remember from the comics of their childhood. MORRISON: Yes, we always try to remember that most of our readers may not get the in-jokes coming from the minutia of comics history Batton mentioned earlier, so stories really have to work well on their own. The injokes are layered on as sort of a bonus for those in-the-know. We never want to make a reader lose track of the story just because he or she doesn’t get a joke. I think Batton does a really great job of loading them with those nuggets of comics history without letting ’em get in the way of the story. COOKE: Did you two dig the Fourth World as kids? LASH: I was a teenager when the Fourth World books premiered. There was real excitement that Summer of ’70, anticipating what Kirby would do for DC. I loved Kirby’s work, so I couldn’t wait! I liked the Fourth World quite a bit, though I had two problems with it: One was the original choice of inker assigned for all the Kirby books— including the black-&-white magazines. Too much! I thought DC would have different inkers on each of the books. I was disappointed that the DC talent pool of diverse inkers— including Murphy Anderson, Wally

Wood, Nick Cardy (imagine how that would’ve looked!)—never had a crack at Kirby’s pencils, but I guess the Powers-That-Be at DC didn’t want to stray too far from the Marvel style… but thank God for Mike Royer! The other problem was that there were too many characters and concepts coming at the reader, too early and too fast. Evanier has written about this; the titles might’ve been bettered served if the reader got “used” to one concept before inundating him with another. I agreed with that. Kirby’s dialogue didn’t bother me as much as it did others. It was certainly unique! Yet, at times, I would’ve preferred a better wordsmith like Stan Lee. But looking back, I now see that a lot of Stan’s writing is shallow, while there’s heart and soul and a gravitas to Jack’s dialogue, wretched syntax and all! When I re-read New Gods to prep for the RM pastiche—for the first time in many years, now as a middle-aged man—I was struck how the story took on a new veneer. It wasn’t nostalgia. There was a resonance to the work I couldn’t appreciate as a sheltered teen. Now, with some life experience, I understand Kirby’s Fourth World a little better. It’s a tremendous piece of work, albeit flawed and uncompleted. Jack was an Artist with a capital “A.” MORRISON: I’m a few years younger than Batton, so I didn’t read as many of those 23

so the storytelling style of each issue is a big part of the parody. It’s not just in the writing and drawing style. It’s in the poses, the shapes and arrangement of panels, etc. He provides lots of reference, too. I also bring comics in from my own collection. Every person involved is not always as familiar with the source material of a particular issue as Batton is, so I like to make sure there’s lots of reference available for people to absorb. I’d have to say the final issue is the “Best Issue Ever!” Everyone involved, from Batton to the Bongo production crew did their best to make it a funny parody as well as a loving tribute to Jack Kirby. I think you can tell that we’re fans by looking at the attention to detail. COOKE: How’dja get Mike Royer (who is, I always say very loudly to anyone nearby when I greet M.R. in person, “THE GREATEST INKER JACK KIRBY EVER HAD!”) involved? (above) O’Brien of the New Guard makes a vow in RM V2, #9. ©2005 Bongo Entertainment, Inc.

(below) The New Gods parody even features a fake Mark Evanier & Steve Sherman letters page compiled by “Evan Marvier & Sherm Stevens”! Note that the target of this pastiche—the King himself—is named. (Is Morty Man really none other than Funky Flashman?) ©2005 Bongo Entertainment, Inc.

Fourth World comics back then. I was raised on DC comics in the ’60s and saw very few of Jack’s Marvel comics (believe it or not, the store where I bought my comics didn’t even carry Marvel). So when I started seeing the DC Kirby stuff I wasn’t really aware of who Jack was. I couldn’t afford to buy many comics back then, so my Fourth World education was sparse, but I do remember reading a few Mister Miracles and really loving them. I also read Kamandi on a fairly regular basis. Of course, over time, I got to read a lot more of Kirby’s Marvel work and even more of the DC stuff. As a kid I recognized that his work was cool-looking, but as I grew up I realized there was a lot more to it. It’s so dynamic and brilliant! There’s so much to learn by looking at his stuff. It’s humbling because I know I’ll never be that good, but it gives me inspiration too… something to shoot for. COOKE: Who is Morty Mann—RM’s “creator”—and (yup, here’s the loaded question) who specifically is he a parody of? LASH: Morty was part of the RM culture before I arrived. I always thought Morty Mann stood in for a [Batman creator] Bob Kane type—the guy that gets all the glamour and rewards, while his underpaid, unheralded staff cranks out the comics. MORRISON: Actually, it was sort of the other way around in the beginning. If you look at that first story in Simpsons Comics and Stories, Arnold Leach, the publisher of Boffo Comics, is the guy who’s reaping all the rewards for RM. Morty Mann is the guy who sold away the rights to the character for a few bucks. He’s more based on guys like Kirby & Simon, [Superman creators] Siegel & Shuster, and [Josie and the Pussycats creator] Dan DeCarlo. In subsequent comics, we’ve given him his due as RM’s creator which does make him more of a Bob Kane, since (as the credits reveal) he’s not actually doing the work. LASH: Ha! I didn’t know that. Morty needs his own chapter in Gerard Jones’ [Golden Age comics history] Men of Tomorrow! COOKE: What was the development, execution and level of satisfaction with the final issue? LASH: Actually, I had a blast with the back-up— my drawing debut at Bongo!—illustrating my script for the Radio Man Golden Age “reprint”!

, JBC! Welcome back 24

- JM

MORRISON: And Bob Smith’s inks did a pretty good job of capturing that Simon & Kirby “straw-&-hay” inking style too. By the way, Batton always does layouts for the penciler,

LASH: (No argument here, Jon… I always thought Mike was Jack’s best inker.) Royer really complemented Kirby’s pencils and was able to capture that energy. When Bill told me he got Royer to ink the issue, I was thrilled but nervous: My work was a pastiche, but Mike was with Kirby back then doing the real thing! I eventually met Mike at 2005’s Comic-Con International: San Diego and he couldn’t have been more gracious. He told me he really enjoyed the parody and inking it. I was soaring! MORRISON: I agree! Mike is a real pro and an incredibly nice guy. I think the idea to call Mike came from [Super-Con organizer] Steve Wyatt. I recall telling him about the issue as it was being planned and Steve suggesting I ask Mike to ink. Steve had his number, so I called up and Mike said, “Yes.” It was just that easy. One of the great things about working with The Simpsons is that most people are such fans they’re eager to work on the characters. We have had Howard Chaykin do the cover for the issue that parodied American Flagg!; as Batton said, Dan DeCarlo did the Mighty Comics issue; and Murphy Anderson inked a story in the ’50s horror issue. COOKE: What’s in the future for Bolt-Head? MORRISON: Unfortunately, we’re going to discontinue the title for the time being, although Radioactive Man will live on. Even though we won an Eisner Award for “Best Humor Publication” a few years back, domestic sales have not been spectacular. Plus, our foreign licensees are timid about putting out a book that doesn’t feature the more recognizable Simpsons characters from television. They’ve been reluctant to publish it. Therefore, we’re launching a new title called Simpsons Super Spectacular which will feature RM stories alongside Bartman, Pie Man, Duffman, etc. The first issue has a complete full-length RM book on the flipside by Batton and [Mr. Monster creator] Michael T. Gilbert that parodies the 1960s Charlton comics. Batton and Terry and I have also discussed doing a modern Vertigo-ish story with painted art by Dan Brereton. COOKE: Any plans for Radioactive Man to be collected? MORRISON: Our book publisher has also been reluctant to do anything that doesn’t feature Homer and Bart, so we’ll do a Simpsons super-hero trade paperback for them. However we’ve been talking about doing our own direct market collection of just Radioactive Man. COOKE: Thanks, guys! Hey, readers: Check out the upcoming Heroes Anonymous collection written by Bill, as well as Batton’s next ish of Supernatural Law, a First Amendment/CBLDF story, shipping in April. Visit Bat at <www.exhibitapress.com>. ★

Picture THIS:

Created AT THE SAME TIME!

And THIS!

Incidental Iconography An ongoing analysis of Kirby’s visual shorthand, and how he inadvertently used it to develop his characters, by Sean Kleefeld his issue, we will be examining respective art styles. Writers have two extremes of Kirby design that gone all over the map with the character— debuted in the exact same place: the Galactus Bob Layton got him drunk, Louise Simonson Trilogy (Fantastic Four #48-50). Much has already been killed him, Mike Carlin put written about Galactus and the Silver Surfer as him in a fight with Aunt May—but no artist has characters, and much has been written altered Jack’s design. Even during the “Heroes about what went on behind the scenes Reborn” experiment, where every character from while Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were Captain America to Doc Samson saw massive creating those memorable issues. But design overhauls, Galactus remained untouched. little has been written on the character John Buscema, Jim Starlin, John Byrne, George designs themselves, which seems unusual Pérez, Marshall Rogers, Ron Lim, Walt Simonson, given the vast differences in approach Jack Jim Lee... they all traced Jack’s Galactus. took within the context of a few pages. Jack often used a kind of visual shorthand, The Silver Surfer is arguably Jack’s consciously or subconsciously, in his character most elegant and simple character design: a designs to help nude, bald, silver man on a surfboard. In the him rememdecades since his creation, the only change to ber how to FF #48 (first the character, which was only a temporary one, distinguish appearance). has been the addition of three lines to indicate a one hero pair of trunks—and these were more than likely from the . ’t last) G” didn “ added in deference to concerns about or from the Comics Code Authority. This next. With e h (t 48 c Four # extreme approach to Jack’s usual visual shorthand approach has left little design the Silver Surfer, this is Fantasti maneuverability for other artists and, as a result, the Surfer has remained visually fairly evident; the character’s lack of unchanged to this day. complexity makes him quickly identifiable in By way of contrast, though, is Galactus. Jack’s attempt at almost any context. (Indeed, how many readers visualizing—for all practical purposes—God gave saw the Surfer in Robert Patrick’s T-1000 readers a costume design that bears more resemcharacter in Terminator 2?) The shorthand blance to one of Mr. Fantastic’s computers than any Jack used was the entirety of his appearsort of garment. On the basic form of a man, Jack ance. What is striking, too, is that the FF #74 (dig th at headgear!). imposed designs and patterns that almost boggle the Surfer is one of the few Marvel characters mind if one attempts to follow every detail. There are whose genesis is entirely attributed to Jack—even Stan Lee, who often certainly Kirby takes some degree of credit, has always acknowledged that Jack created hallmarks that the Silver Surfer entirely independently. These two elements have given the stand out in character a reverential quality among artists. one’s mind: the But Galactus stands out as crooked headvery complex design. The legend piece extensions, is that Stan simply told Jack to re cosmic eyes). FF #55 (simpler, mo naturally, and “Have the FF fight God” and it perhaps squared kilt. But there are details would seem that Jack put a fair degree throughout the costume that nearly defy of thought into creating such an imposing description: the stair-stepped portion of entity. His attention to detail is impressive the upper boots, for example, or the piping and, with no evident insistence from that outlines the opening in his helmet. Stan, unusually consistent throughout Clearly, in designing the characters, all of his Galactus stories. While there Jack wanted to visually convey that are certainly elements that Jack could they are very different types of characters. have remembered from rendering to uched). ngely reto a tr s is d a e (h As God, Galactus is infinitely complex with rendering utilizing his shorthand, one 7 5 # FF more depth than one can reasonably has to wonder if he saw something assimilate. As an open slate to mankind, the Surfer more profound in Galactus, something was simple and elegant, and able to reflect back that had Jack step back from his on those he stood before. The characters’ appearstorytelling for a moment just to ances told readers who they were and how they make sure he honored God with the fit into the story, perhaps more so than any other same reverence he did in his initial characters Jack had done before then. portrayal of him in Fantastic Four #48. And it One of the things that is interesting to note is interesting to see in this discourse is that, like the Silver Surfer, that every other ent). (still very consist Silver Surfer GN Galactus has not changed. With the exception of comic book artist who the “G” on his chest—which Jack himself has touched the chardropped after Fantastic Four #50—the most acter saw that on some level and chose to honor the same notable difference between any two artists’ thing in the same way that Jack did. ★ Silver Surfer Characters TM & GN (Jack’s ©2005 Marvel interpretations of the character are their final Surfer). Characters, Inc. (See Sean’s website at www.FFPlaza.com)

Analysis

(right) The Guardian and the Newsboy Legion get wowed by the King in this self-portrait (inked by Rude) inset from the cover of Amazing Heroes #100. (below) With Kirby’s Olsen an unofficial member of the Newsies kid gang, it stood to reason that his mag’s back-up feature should be the Guardian and Newsboy Legion reprints from the ’40s. At times, exciting S&K covers like this one were reprinted along with the story! (next page, top left) Kirby panel from Spirit World #1, 1971. (next page, bottom right) The Kirby/Adams collaboration for Spirit World #1. All images TM and ©2005 DC Comics.

In Praise of Superman’s Pal, by Jerry Boyd

Fourth World

ddly enough, Jimmy Olsen #133, the first issue to be edited, written, and drawn by Jack Kirby, was the beginning of the Fourth World at DC Comics. Odd because Superman’s Pal seemed a peculiar character to wrap a huge, interstellar conflict around and also odd because one had to wonder how the heck a bowtie-sporting, square-cut, freckle-faced cub reporter could’ve fit in with the new cavalcade of Kirby-created concepts. Yet, fit in Jimmy did... and nicely, as well. In the first Kirby issue, an instant upgrading bespoke the “new” Jimmy Olsen and the colorful, action-packed cover promised a different direction with respect to the old. Jimmy had been at odds with Supes a number of times before (if you just went by a bevy of beautiful Curt Swan and Neal Adams covers), but this entry by the King conveyed a power and a no-turningback attitude by the youngster and his biker buddies. No imaginary tale would be told this month or in the months to come, gentle readers. And what was this? A “new” Newsboy Legion... and something called the Whiz Wagon? The DC house ads had heralded Jack’s coming— and with this coming would be an “epic for our times” only he could tell. In Jack’s labyrinthine plotting of his magnum opus, the JO serial was and remains the most lighthearted,

the least spectacular in overall achievement, and to a few, the greatest impediment in their enjoyment of his new mythology. To them, Olsen and the next generation of Newsies (who never got around to actually selling any papers) were too lightweight and uninteresting to be anything more than occasional guest-stars in this final, terrible war between the King’s “ultimates.” Still, young Olsen, his companions, and their adventures work as a whole simply because Jimmy... represents... us. With “Battlefield Earth” as the preeminent theater of war for the gods, Kirby’s decision to use Jimmy as a human circuit by which the earthly survivor/warrior can view/reveal the destructive mezzanines of Darkseid’s intent was excellent. Olsen, Superman, the Guardian, and the boys sit in as American versions of the European citizenry who watched as their lands were occupied and ravaged by Axis invaders. Darkseid’s coterie is on the move, but Kirby’s news crew and certainly the Man of Steel are no hapless Netherlands farmers or humbled Parisians. They fight back (the way the King would) with help from the Outsiders, the advanced hippie-scientists called the Hairies, and various workers in the DNA Project. More than any other title in his godwar saga, Jack delved into his recurring affinity for the “worlds within worlds” theme in Jimmy Olsen. From his earliest issues where a thunderous ride with newfound biker allies would take him into the Habitat (a Kirby take on an environment-friendly, highly-advanced commune), and later to the “Mountain of Judgement,” Jack was staking out new territory for Jimmy. This series was remarkably epic in scope in comparison to the excursions of Orion and Lightray, the Forever People, and Scott Free. These warriors were largely confined to battling the war in and around the cities/towns they called home while Olsen and friends lodged themselves into the top-secret, hidden DNA Project, overseas to Scotland, got captured by the doctors that operated the Apokolips-run “Evil Factory,” got swallowed into a microscopic horror movie world, and trapped in a volcano. (In other words, they got outta Metropolis often.) Superman was there also, and even found time for a chance meeting with Lightray in outer space and finally made a sojourn to Supertown (in an unofficial sequel to Forever People #1) in one of the series’ best issues (JO #147). Jimmy Olsen, in this reader’s opinion, was never more engrossing than when Jack did it. Since the King was working with established mega-stars Olsen and Superman, no characterizations along the lines of Highfather and Orion had to be built upon and that kept things moving. Incorporation of the “new” Newsboy Legion was a delight, and the deft linkage of the enthusiastic

newspeddlers and their buddy Flippa Dippa (who apparently delivered Aquaman’s papers to his front door) to the fine reprints in the back worked well. The new kids on Suicide Slum’s block were exact copies of their dads (some would intimate that they too were cloned, but it’s doubtful Kirby would’ve taken that direction). His comic war (like WWII) was a fight for individuality, freedom, and humanity’s right to decide its own destiny. While it’s certainly possible that the ’70s Newsboy Legion could have been creations of the Project (like the Guardian and those great little Scrapper troopers), it’s more likely that Jack was simply pointing to Gabby Jr., Tommy Jr., Scrapper Jr., and Big Words II as the members of a more civilized generation that he was sure was coming. Kirby obviously tuned into something young people were feeling during the early ’70s. They were questioning war and the motives of warmongering leaders. They were espousing peace, tolerance, and love, and draping their bodies in stylish, distinctive garb to express themselves. The Hairies, Mark Moonrider’s family unit, the Council of the Young, Lightray, Forager, Lonar, Fastbak—and yes, Jimmy Olsen—all represented the King’s longing for a better world. He hoped it would be a world made through a better temperament—appealing to, as Abe Lincoln said, “the better angels of our nature.” Clones could be helpful in Jack’s milieu, but he never warmed up to the new Golden Guardian anymore than he did to a reconstructed Desaad, Steppenwolf, or Kalibak. The writer/artist was more involved with humanity even if they were gods, representing human foibles. Interestingly, Kirby often asked to be replaced on the title as his interest in it waned. However, he’d made a commitment and it’s probable that no other DC staffer had a short- or long-range plan for the Daily Planet’s famed cub reporter. Jack stayed on and gave each issue his all, as befits a true professional.

The late E. Nelson Bridwell was National’s Superman liaison to Kirby, and he sent off some long memos telling the King of his suggestions for possible storylines that might be continued from the days before Jack’s arrival. Kirby had most likely not read any issues of JO prior to his editorship and avoided continuing anything except the corporate villainy of Morgan Edge (the Planet’s new boss) and Jimmy’s new lady friend, Terry Dean. Edge, under the Kirby influence, has thrown in his lot with the crowd from Apokolips and cunningly works to undermine Olsen’s efforts and even murder Kent! Jack’s use of Edge predates the retooling of Lex Luthor from guardhouse gray-wearing scientist to millionaire monster and the cold-blooded ruthlessness of Frank Miller’s Kingpin.

Neal Adams & Jack Kirby— Getting Into The Spirit (Adams revisits the Spirit World and Kirby)

Interviews and additional writings conducted and compiled by Jerry Boyd By the late 1960s, Mighty Marvel had not only redefined what an excellent super-hero title should be like, but they even found time to playfully knock the efforts of their competitors in the brilliant but underappreciated pages of Not Brand Echh. In this book, the Bullpenners brought specific attention to the stale plotting and predictability of the Gold Key, Tower, and DC heroes and even included their own cliched moments for good measure. While DC worked on making their caped and cowled set more interesting, they wisely countered in arenas the House of Ideas hadn’t built up at the time: mystery/horror (Joe Orlando’s wonderfully edited line-up), sitcom-style humor (and I use the term very loosely), The Maniaks, the Inferior Five, and funny animals and funnier humans (Angel and the Ape, Stanley and his Monster, etc.). Still, Steranko’s S.H.I.E.L.D. outdid the Secret Six, the Avengers and the FF outsold the Metal Men, JLA, and the Doom Patrol, and other experiments, though extremely interesting, were short-lived. Wisely, National opened up the doors and started looking at new blood to invigorate things. They hired a brash newcomer who had already (at the age of 21!) drawn his own syndicated strip and gone through a solid career in advertising. His name was Neal Adams and DC discovered that just the photo-realistic touches he brought to his artwork on their covers could generate an upward surge in revenues. From there, the comic magazine career of Adams mushroomed rapidly in industry-jarring projects, and part of his success came in collaborations with our beloved King. Neal was gracious enough to share some thoughts of the old DC days with Jack with Jerry Boyd via e-mail on September 3, 2003.

TJKC: Both you and Kirby were incredibly busy during those years. You seemed to have a gorgeous cover for every title National put out while still finding time for an occasional Batman story and regular chores on Green Lantern/Green Arrow! Jack was editing, writing, and penciling four books! Was it a surprise to you that he still had energy enough to produce Spirit World? ADAMS: Energy? Look up the word in the dictionary and it is defined as Jack Kirby.

TJKC: There was a wonderful period of time where you produced some absolutely spellbinding covers for National. My favorites were the Deadman pieces for Strange Adventures, because the angular configurations rivaled Steranko’s efforts for S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Phantom Stranger covers, with the always inventive ways of showing the hero as a background for the main action. Both you and Jack ended up doing a substantial amount of work for National in the early ’70s. Is that when you first met him, and what were your early encounters like? NEAL ADAMS: I met Jack, I believe, at the very first or perhaps second San Diego Comic Con, I think run by Shel Dorf. I was doing work for DC long before Jack came to DC from Marvel. What was Jack like? I loved him from the first minute. He was positive about comics, pugnacious, and didn’t take sh*t—my kind of guy. 27

true Kirby concept from thought to realization. Imagine what Jack would do with a computer. Imagine.

TJKC: Your artwork really comes through on the cover of Spirit World #1. Did Jack put in a request for you? Was this a project that you wanted to do? Was the cover design yours or Kirby’s?

TJKC: Some of the material for that magazine was genuinely unnerving. The story where the female psychic is trying to warn the authorities of the attempt on President Kennedy’s life and the Nostradamus prediction of Paris’ destruction in 1983 really got to me back then! Did you feel the contents inside SW #1 might have been a little too strong for the average Kirby or DC fan? ADAMS: No.

ADAMS: You’d have to question first if DC Comics had Jack’s best interests at heart. Once you answer that question, what you might ask is, who was in the best position to see that his projects, covers, etc., wouldn’t be hurt by bad artwork. The cover design was from a rough rough by Jack, re-worked by someone at DC and hopefully pulled out of the fire by yours truly. [Author’s note: On the cover situation, it’s fair to speculate that since Adams’ mystery covers sold so well, he was given the job for this new title.] TJKC: How did it happen that a magazine based on actual events, predictions, and supernatural hauntings ended up in Kirby’s hands? Did he ever admit to you that he’d wanted to do this kind of material for a long time? ADAMS: Nope, never spoke to him about it or about most of his work at DC. There was kind of a buffer between Jack and most of us. Sorry.

TJKC: You told me a little while ago that you gained an appreciation of the King’s work through the Challengers of the Unknown strip inked by Wally Wood. Jack did a new cover for Super DC Giant #S-25 that reprinted those stories. It was inked by Vince Colletta. Do you wish sometimes that you’d inked it? ADAMS: I never liked Vinnie’s inking. I cannot lie. I liked Vinnie and got along well with him but I never lied to him about my feelings about his work. Even so, I don’t think I could’ve done what Woody did. Hmmm, the thought of inking Jack in Woody’s style is interesting though. TJKC: Did you ever reflect, as a young artist, that those terrific covers you did for DC Special and House of Mystery (Super DC Giant #S-20) were just above great stories by Jack, Alex Toth, Russ Heath, and others? How did that make you feel?

TJKC: Did you ever help Kirby with any of the striking collages inside of the magazine or suggest ideas? ADAMS: Never helped Jack with collages. Hey, you gotta know everyone in comics stepped back in wonder about those collages. Even today, no one dares attempt them. A 28

ADAMS: You must remember, I began my career at 18, competing with the very best. At 21 I had a syndicated comic strip that lasted three-and-ahalf years, in which I competed, quite favorably, against the best comic strip artists in the world. Then I got, or say I stepped down to comic books. That’s where my head was. It wasn’t ego. I had earned my laurels at a very tough time in comics; even so it was really, really cool.

Challenging The Unknown Super DC Giant #S-25 is quite a comic in the Kirby canon. It hit the stands shortly before the King began elongating his Fourth World tales for National’s “Bigger and Better” 25-cent line-up in the Summer of 1971. In addition, that issue boasted a new Kirby/Colletta cover and showcased four stunningly inked Challengers of the Unknown stories by Wally Wood, a house ad for Mister Miracle #3, and another ad for all four books. Finally, there was an interesting commentary by Jack on his life, his career in comics, his outlook on the medium, his role at DC, and his philosophy of meeting the “challenges of the unknown” (in that thennew decade) in his chosen field. In light of the challenges that confront the comics magazine industry today, the King’s closing statements are particularly noteworthy. Kirby knew that the field needed an influx of new talent (like Adams and Steranko—whom he’d provided layouts for at Marvel) as well as new genres and newer approaches to old genres (his army of those with super-powers at the House of Ideas is solid testimony to that). In 1970, California residents—young and old—frequently discussed two new buzzwords: “overpopulation” and “recycling.” Numerical projections in

decades to come were made over the former and everywhere people were encouraged to think of having smaller families. The latter concept was something that environmentally conscious citizens could participate in at any time. And many did. Pollution had become a national problem, really, but many California weekends saw large groups of college students, teachers, and even elementary school kids (including this writer) separating aluminum, glass, plastic, and tin refuse from bushes, streams, lakes, rivers, and city lots, etc., for the purpose of recycling. Kirby, recently located to the Golden State, no doubt was in favor of the new wave thinking of preserving/protecting the land. In “Toxl, the World Killer” (dialogued by Evanier from their joint plotting), Jack once again made a statement through his chosen medium about the horrible consequences of a world facing its own destruction due to pollutants. “Toxl,” originally scheduled for Spirit World #2, was as jarring as the King’s earlier efforts exploring reincarnation, end-of-the-world prophesy, and the Kennedy assassination in 1963. The theme of “Toxl” (suffocating man-made waste that eventually would drive factions in battle against one another) also showed up in the bacterial monsters that plagued New Genesis. “Toxl” would never be reviewed as one of Jack’s all-time best works, but it stands out among the several great approaches to relevance during “The Daring and the Different” era. The King’s “relevance projects” were more subdued than the O’Neil/Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow books, yet still exciting and effective. For several years now, DC’s been putting nostalgia-induced grins on the faces of baby boomers with their “lost annuals” from the ’60s and ’70s. “New” 80-pg. Giants starring the Teen Titans, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, and others have been welcome items on the comic stores’ shelves. Hopefully, DC will someday collect Jack’s stories for the aborted Spirit World #2 (which got spread out in various mystery/horror comics later) in that same format. Since the four tales already prepared (see TJKC #13) won’t take up 80 pages, it wouldn’t hurt to have some of Kirby’s ’50s material in there, also. Do we dare hope for a new story by Neal Adams, as well? This reader of DC’s annuals hopes Mr. Paul Levitz takes this into consideration. It’d be a great way (and In the Days of the Mob #2 wouldn’t be chopped liver, either!) to keep Kirby’s “spirit” around. ★

(above) This nice Kirby/Colletta effort was done for Super DC Giant #S-25, which compiled beautiful Wood-inked tales of the Challs’ early exploits. (top left and left) Here’s Adams’ gorgeous cover for 1970’s Super DC Giant #S-20 that contained three Kirby stories. “The Thief of Thoughts” (shown here) was also billed as “The Laughing Ghost” on one of the cover’s inset panels. This book knew how to maximize its Kirby appeal!

Given time, Morgan Edge may have become Intergang’s greatest leader and a greater factor in the war’s outcome. Bridwell thankfully was no “Morgan Edge” to Jack. Though nominal editor Murray Boltinoff privately criticized Kirby’s handling of the book, Nelson got along with the King and even tried to balance a Marvel-like linking of the Superman titles. After the Mort Weisinger years, this was a difficult task since the comics were maintained by several editors. Still, Bridwell and Kirby persevered, and since Jack had a liking for Nelson, he kept Terry Dean a part of the stories. Bridwell wasn’t big, however, on a storyline where Kirby planned to end it all with the destruction of the Daily Planet (shades of 9/11!) so Jack abandoned the tale altogether. Aside from interference from the DC brass (and we all know about the Plastino and Anderson face re-drawings), Jack seemed to be having a lot of fun. In Goody Rickels, Angry Charlie, etc., he could give vent to a different side of his creativity never exhibited before. By inventing storylines in which youngsters could best the seasoned upper echelon of Darkseid’s engineering corps, he could “spoof ” war and show how even the best laid plans of mice and men... and angry gods.... Jimmy Olsen #133-139, #141-148 continue to resonate today, because not only was it a worthwhile appendage to a stunning saga, but it breathed life back into two staid, slipping characters. Before Jack’s return to DC, his characters’ books at the House of Ideas were flexing their collective dominance more and more. National was finding it necessary to remind readers that Superman was still the #1 selling comic magazine in the world on Supes’ covers. A lot of readers didn’t care. Ironically, it was Jack Kirby who put a new excitement into a sickly Kryptonian not weakened by Kryptonite but by shrinking sales. Kirby gave the big blue boy scout a mission— an ongoing purpose. Kal-El had now been drafted. He was in a war too huge and too fearful to ignore. Darkseid had to be denied the Anti-Life Equation at all costs and everyone had to do their share (à là fighting the Axis forces in the Big One). Of course, there was time for “furloughs” to Supertown, but of paramount importance was the need to thwart the activities of Mokkari, Simyan, Edge, Intergang, and Darkseid. Jack Kirby rejuvenated the Jimmy Olsen title and gave it a verve it never had before and would never have again. Jimmy would get back his bow tie, green sports jacket, and signal watch post-Kirby, but he never got a better ride than the one he got along the Zoomway of Jack’s reinvention. ★

(left) Olsen got big and green in issue #53 (June ’61) years before Jack had him. The giant Turtle Man was one of the readers’ favorite incarnations of the young cub reporter, and may have been inspired by War of the Colossal Beast, an AIP cinema offering from the late ’50s. Cover art by the great Curt Swan. (below) Coincidentally, Col. Glenn Manning, in the prequel The Amazing Colossal Man, got his size and destructive tendencies due to an accident similar to Doc Banner’s. While attempting to rescue a downed pilot during a bomb testing, Manning loses in his race to get to safety and is bombarded by plutonium radiation. So, if you didn’t care for Ang Lee’s take on Hulky’s origin, rent either of these films and you’ll get an idea of what might have been.... © AMERICAN-INTERNATIONAL PICTURES.

(previous page, top left) One of Adams’ many wonderful covers during the early ’70s was this one for Phantom Stranger #19. (previous page, center) A recent Phantom Stranger illustration by Neal Adams. (previous page, bottom left) Kirby panel from Spirit World #1, 1971. All images TM and ©2005 DC Comics.

Works Cited 1. Hatfield, Charles, “Kirby’s Fourth World: An Appreciation,” The Jack Kirby Collector #6:11. 2. Bensam, Richard, “In the Wild Area,” The Jack Kirby Quarterly #9:16.

1 ST SERIES BACK ISSUES!

BACK ISSUES

Prices Include US Postage. Outside the US, Add $2 Per Item Canada, $3 Per Item Surface, $7 Per Item Airmail

KIRBY UNLEASHED: (60 pgs.) New, completely remastered version of the scarce 1971 portfolio/biography, with 8 extra B&W and 8 extra color pages, including Jack’s color GODS posters. $24 US

COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR, VOL. ONE: (240 pgs.) Reprints TJKC #1-9, plus over 30 pieces of NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED KIRBY ART! $29 US

COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR, VOL. TWO: (160 pgs.) Reprints TJKC #10-12, plus over 30 pieces of NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED KIRBY ART! $22 US

The KIRBY COLLECTOR (edited by JOHN MORROW) celebrates the life & career of the “King” of comics through interviews with Kirby & his contemporaries, feature articles, & rare & unseen Kirby artwork. Now in tabloid format, the magazine showcases Kirby’s art at even larger size.

COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR, VOL. THREE: (176 pgs.) Reprints TJKC #1315, plus over 30 pieces of NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED KIRBY ART! $24 US

COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR, VOL. FOUR: (240 pgs.) Reprints TJKC #1619, plus over 30 pieces of NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED KIRBY ART! $29 US

JACK KIRBY CHECKLIST (100 pgs.) Lists all of Jack Kirby’s published comics in detail, plus Portfolios, unpublished work; even cross-references reprints! Filled with rare Kirby artwork! $7 US

CAPTAIN VICTORY: GRAPHITE EDITION (52 pgs.) Kirby’s 1975 Graphic Novel in original pencil form. Unseen art, screenplay, more! Proceeds go to preserving the 5000-page Kirby Archives! $8 US

CBA is the 2000-2003 Eisner Award winner for BEST COMICSRELATED MAG! Edited by Jon B. Cooke, it features in-depth articles, interviews, and unseen art. Back issues are ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TWOMORROWS!

! D OUT ST SOL O M L A CBA #9: (116 pgs.) CHARL- CBA #10: (116 pgs.) WALTER CBA #11: (116 pgs.) ALEX TON COMICS: PART ONE! SIMONSON, plus WOMEN OF TOTH & SHELDON MAYER! DICK GIORDANO, PETER THE COMICS! RAMONA TOTH interviews, unseen art, MORISI, JIM APARO, JOE FRADON, MARIE SEVERIN, appreciations, checklist, & GILL, MCLAUGHLIN, GLANZ- TRINA ROBBINS, JOHN more. Also, SHELLY MAYER’s MAN, new GIORDANO cover, WORKMAN, new SIMONSON kids, the real life SUGAR & more! $9 US SPIKE! $9 US cover, & more! $9 US

WARREN COMPANION The ultimate guide to Warren Publishing, the publisher of such mags as CREEPY, EERIE, VAMPIRELLA, BLAZING COMBAT, and others. Reprints COMIC BOOK ARTIST #4 (completely reformatted), plus nearly 200 new pages:

• New painted cover by ALEX HORLEY! • A definitive WARREN CHECKLIST! • Dozens of NEW FEATURES on CORBEN, FRAZETTA, DITKO and others, and interviews with WRIGHTSON, WARREN, EISNER, ADAMS, COLAN & many more! (288-page unsigned Hardcover) $44 US

TJKC #20: (68 pgs.) KIRBY’S WOMEN! Interviews with KIRBY, DAVE STEVENS, & LISA KIRBY, unused 10-page story, romance comics, Jack’s original CAPTAIN VICTORY screenplay, more! $8 US

TJKC #27: (72 pages) KIRBY INFLUENCE Part One! KIRBY and ALEX ROSS interviews, KIRBY FAMILY Roundtable, all-star lineup of pros discuss Kirby’s influence on them! Kirby / Timm cover. $8 US

TJKC #36: (84 pgs.) TABLOID ALL-THOR issue! MARK EVANIER column, SINNOTT & ROMITA JR. interviews, unseen KIRBY INTV., ART GALLERY, FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE, more! $13 US

TJKC #21: (68 pgs.) KIRBY, GIL KANE, & BRUCE TIMM intvs., FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE (LEE dialogue vs. KIRBY notes), SILVER STAR screenplay, TOPPS COMICS, unpublished art, more! $8 US

TJKC #30: (68 pgs.) ’80s WORK! Interviews with ALAN MOORE & Kirby Estate’s ROBERT KATZ, HUNGER DOGS, SUPER POWERS, SILVER STAR, ANIMATION work, more! $8 US

TJKC #37: (84 pgs.) TABLOID HOW TO DRAW THE KIRBY WAY issue! MARK EVANIER column, MIKE ROYER on inking, KIRBY interview, ART GALLERY, analysis of Kirby’s art techniques, more! $13 US

TJKC #22: (68 pgs.) VILLAINS! KIRBY, STEVE RUDE, & MIKE MIGNOLA interviews, FF #49 pencils, FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE, KOBRA, ATLAS MONSTERS! Kirby/Stevens cover. $8 US

TJKC #31: (84 pgs.) TABLOID FORMAT! Wraparound KIRBY/ ADAMS cover, KURT BUSIEK & LADRONN interviews, new MARK EVANIER column, favorite 2-PAGE SPREADS, 2001 Treasury, more! $13 US

TJKC #38: (84 pgs.) TABLOID KIRBY: STORYTELLER! MARK EVANIER column, JOE SINNOTT on inking, SWIPES, talks with JACK DAVIS, PAUL GULACY, HERNANDEZ BROS., ART GALLERY, more! $13 US

TJKC #23: (68 pgs.) Interviews with KIRBY, DENNY O’NEIL & TRACY KIRBY, more FF #49 pencils, FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE, unused 10-page SOUL LOVE story, more! $8 US

TJKC #32: (84 pgs.) TABLOID! KIRBY interview, new MARK EVANIER column, plus Kirby’s Least Known Work: DAYS OF THE MOB #2, THE HORDE, BLACK HOLE, SOUL LOVE, PRISONER, more! $13 US

TJKC #39: (84 pgs.) TABLOID FAN FAVORITES! EVANIER column, INHUMANS, HULK, SILVER SURFER, tribute panel with ROMITA, AYERS, LEVITZ, McFARLANE, TRIMPE, ART GALLERY, more! $13 US

TJKC #24: (68 pgs.) BATTLES! KIRBY’S original art fight, JIM SHOOTER interview, NEW GODS #6 (“Glory Boat”) pencils, FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE, more! Kirby/ Mignola cover. $8 US

TJKC #33: (84 pgs.) TABLOID ALL-FANTASTIC FOUR issue! MARK EVANIER column, miniinterviews with everyone who worked on FF after Kirby, STAN LEE interview, 40 pgs. of FF PENCILS, more! $13 US

TJKC #40: (84 pgs.) TABLOID “WORLD THAT’S COMING!” EVANIER column, KAMANDI, OMAC, tribute panel with CHABON, PINI, GOLDBERG, BUSCEMA, LIEBER, LEE, ART GALLERY, more! $13 US

TJKC #25: (100 pgs.) SIMON & KIRBY! KIRBY, SIMON, & JOHN SEVERIN interviews, CAPTAIN AMERICA pencils, unused BOY EXPLORERS story, history of MAINLINE COMICS, more! $8 US

TJKC #34: (84 pgs.) TABLOID! JOE SIMON & CARMINE INFANTINO interviews, MARK EVANIER column, unknown 1950s concepts, CAPTAIN AMERICA pencils, KIRBY/ TOTH cover, more! $13 US

TJKC #41: (84 pgs.) TABLOID! 1970s MARVEL, including Jack’s last year on FF, EVANIER column, GIORDANO interview, tribute panel with GIBBONS, RUDE, SIMONSON, RYAN, ART GALLERY, more! $13 US

TJKC #26: (72 pgs.) GODS! COLOR NEW GODS concept drawings, KIRBY & WALTER SIMONSON interviews, FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE, BIBLE INFLUENCES, THOR, MR. MIRACLE, more! $8 US

TJKC #35: (84 pgs.) TABLOID! GREAT ESCAPES with MISTER MIRACLE, comparing KIRBY & HOUDINI, Kirby Tribute Panel with EVANIER, EISNER, BUSCEMA, ROMITA, ROYER, & JOHNNY CARSON! $13 US

TJKC #42: (84 pgs.) TABLOID! Spotlights Kirby at ’70s DC Comics, from Jimmy Olsen to Spirit World! Huge Kirby pencil art gallery, covers inked by KEVIN NOWLAN & MURPHY ANDERSON! $13 US

KIRBY COLLECTOR SUBSCRIPTIONS! 4 tabloid issues: $36 Standard, $52 First Class (Canada: $60, Elsewhere: $64 Surface, $80 Airmail).

CBA #12: (116 pgs.) CHARL- CBA #13: (116 pgs.) MARVEL CBA #14: (116 pgs.) TOWER CBA #15: (116 pgs.) LOVE & TON COMICS OF THE 1970s! HORROR OF THE 1970s! Art/ COMICS! Art by & intvs. with ROCKETEERS! Art by & intvs. Rare art/intvs. with STATON, interviews with WOLFMAN, WALLY WOOD, DAN ADKINS, with DAVE STEVENS, LOS BYRNE, NEWTON, SUTTON, COLAN, PALMER, THOMAS, LEN BROWN, STEVE BROS. HERNANDEZ, MATT ZECK, NICK CUTI, a NEW E- ISABELLA, PERLIN, TRIMPE, SKEATES, GEORGE TUSKA, WAGNER, DEAN MOTTER, MAN strip, new STATON MARCOS, a new COLAN/ new WOOD & ADKINS covers, new STEVENS/HERNANDEZ cover, more! $9 US PALMER cover, more! $9 US more! $9 US cover, more! $9 US

NOTE: These unsigned hardcovers have all the contents of the signed version, except for the signed Wrightson plate. Please call for availability of the signed version. Sorry, the softcover is sold out.

THE COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION, VOL. TWO Second volume in the series, reprinting the Eisner Award-winning COMIC BOOK ARTIST #5-6 (spotlighting 1970s DC and Marvel comics), plus over 50 NEW PAGES of features and art: • New interviews with MARSHALL ROGERS, STEVE ENGLEHART, & TERRY AUSTIN on their highly-acclaimed 1970s Batman work! • An extensive look at perhaps the rarest 1970s comic of all, DC’s CANCELLED COMIC CAVALCADE, showcasing unused stories from that decade! (208-page Trade Paperback) $24 US

CBA COLLECTION, VOL. 3 SHIPS NOW! $29 US

CBA #16: (132 pgs.) ’70s CBA #17: (116 pgs.) ARTHUR CBA #18: (116 pgs.) COSMIC CBA #19: (116 pgs.) HARVEY CBA #20: (116 pgs.) FATHERS CBA #21: (116 pgs.) THE ART CBA #22: (116 pgs.) GOLD ATLAS/SEABOARD COMICS! ADAMS & CO.! ART ADAMS COMICS OF THE ’70s! Art by COMICS! Art by & intvs. with & SONS! Art by & intvs. with OF ADAM HUGHES! Art, inter- KEY COMICS! Art by & intvs. Art by & interviews with interview & gallery, remem- & intvs. with JIM STARLIN, SIMON & KIRBY, WALLY the top father/son teams in view & checklist with HUGH- with RUSS MANNING, WALLY ERNIE CÓLON, CHAYKIN, bering GRAY MORROW, ALAN WEISS, ENGLEHART, WOOD, AL WILLIAMSON, GIL comics: ADAM, ANDY, & JOE ES, plus a day in the life of WOOD, JESSE SANTOS, ROVIN, AMENDOLA, HAMA, GEORGE ROUSSOS, GEORGE AL MILGROM, LEIALOHA, KANE, SID JACOBSON, FRED KUBERT & JOHN ROMITA SR. ALEX ROSS, JOHN BUSCEMA MARK EVANIER, DON GLUT, new CÓLON & KUPPERBERG EVANS, new ART ADAMS ’60s Bullpen reunion, new RHOADES, MITCH O’CONNELL & JR., new ROMITA & tribute, new HUGHES cover, new BRUCE TIMM cover, cover, more! $9 US STARLIN cover, more! $9 US cover, more! $9 US covers, more! $9 US KUBERT covers, more! $9 US more! $9 US more! $9 US

CBA #23: (116 pgs.) MIKE CBA #24: (116 pgs.) COMICS CBA #25: (116 pgs.) ALAN MIGNOLA SPOTLIGHT, plus OF NATIONAL LAMPOON with MOORE’S ABC COMICS with JILL THOMPSON: Sandman to GAHAN WILSON, BODÉ, NEAL MOORE, KEVIN NOWLAN, Scary Godmother! Mignola ADAMS, FRANK SPRINGER, GENE HA, RICK VEITCH, J.H. INTERVIEW & ART GALLERY, ALAN KUPPERBERG, BOBBY WILLIAMS, SCOTT DUNBIER, extensive CHECKLIST, new LONDON, MICHAEL GROSS, JIM BAIKIE, and NOWLAN & WILLIAMS covers! $9 US cover, & more! $9 US more! $9 US

COMICOLOGY (edited by BRIAN SANER LAMKEN), the highlyacclaimed magazine about modern comics, recently ended its four-issue run, but back issues are available, featuring never-seen CC #2: (100 pgs.) MIKE CC #3: (100 pgs.) CARLOS CC #4: (116 pgs., final issue) art & interviews. ALLRED interview & portfolio, PACHECO interview & portfolio, ALL-BRIAN ISSUE! Interviews

TwoMorrows. Bringing New Life To Comics Fandom.

60 years of THE SPIRIT, 25 ANDI WATSON interview, a look with BRIAN AZZARELLO, years of the X-MEN, PAUL at what comics predicted the BRIAN CLOPPER, BRIAN GRIST interview, FORTY future would be like, new color MICHAEL BENDIS, BRIAN WINKS, new color ALLRED & PACHECO & WATSON covers, BOLLAND, huge BOLLAND GRIST covers, & more! $8 US & more! $8 US portfolio, & more! $8 US

TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Dr. • Raleigh, NC 27614 • 919/449-0344 • FAX 919/449-0327 • e-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

VIEW FROM THE WHIZ WAGON by Will Murray (below) Taken at the office of Starlog editor Dave McDonnell, Will Murray (left) and actor Alex (Reed Richards) Hyde-White have fun with the Thing and Dr. Doom masks from the illfated Roger Corman FF movie. Stills of the neverreleased film are shown here. Movie Images ©2005 the respective copyright holder.

A Visit To The Fantastic 4 Set

or 20 years now, I’ve been covering films for Starlog, the premier science-fiction film magazine, and still the best. During that time, my editor Dave McDonnell has sent me to sound stages and outdoor locations from British Columbia to the Czech Republic. I’ve covered films that were close to my heart, like The Shadow and The Mask of Zorro. I’ve gone to the sets of movies you couldn’t pay me to watch on video. (Battlefield: Earth comes to mind.) With Hollywood busy filming almost every super-hero you could imagine, I’ve been on a lot of comic book movies lately, like X-Men and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. But no Starlog assignment has every meant more to me than a trip to the set of Fantastic 4. If I have an all-time favorite comic book, it’s the FF. Of course, we’re talking about the Stan Lee-Jack Kirby era. As an FF reader almost from the beginning, I was the man for the job. This wasn’t my first brush with a Hollywood version of the FF, either. I remember back in 1986, a special effects technician working on The Return of Swamp Thing—or maybe it was Evil Dead II—telling me excitedly how he hoped to do all the fire special effects for a character he called “Johnny Torch.” As I recall, it was for a solo Human Torch film that never got off the ground. Then about ten years ago, I wandered into the Starlog offices and was introduced to Alex Hyde-White, who played Reed Richards in the 1993 Roger Corman FF movie that never got past the bootleg video stage. Hyde-White brought in the prosthetic Thing head and Dr. Doom mask used in filming, and was talking up the prospect of again playing Reed in a serious FF undertaking. Another aborted project, sad to say. But this time, it was for real.

I flew to Vancouver on Sunday, October 17, and had no sooner settled into the Four Seasons Hotel than I received my invitation to a press reception. Marvel’s Avi Arad was there, as was Ralph Winter, whom I had previously interviewed in Toronto on the set of the first XMen. I sat down with Tim Story, the director. I thought I’d impress him with my knowledge of Kirby lore. “Did you know,” I said, “that in two separate interviews Jack Kirby revealed that his original conception of the Thing was of a human dinosaur?” He didn’t. “Those things that everyone thinks are rocks are actually dinosaur plates,” I explained. “Kirby evolved the character in that direction because he wasn’t satisfied with the original dinosaur-hide look of the early issues.” Story was intrigued. I secretly hoped that information would find it’s way into the final film. Maybe it will. Monday the genre press group was bused to Mammoth Studios, where the Baxter Building was being built. There, Associate Producer David Gorder, wearing a cool-looking FF warmup jacket, conducted us on the tour. (We were given similar jackets, along with baseball caps.) About twenty journalists made up our group. Workmen were busy hammering and sawing up a racket as we entered, and never let up the whole time we were there. The main set consisted of a gigantic area called the Central Lab, which dominates the 60th floor of FF HQ. We walked up into it. Still under construction, it consisted of a sunken floor resembling a radar dish, with some kind of gigantic tube jutting out to one side that terminated in a telephoto lens-like structure. This is the Reversion Chamber, where much

of the critical third act will take place. It suggested the Negative Zone Chamber, without actually looking anything like it. Here, Reed will test the extent of the team’s new-found cosmic powers. A panoramic window looks out onto a patio. Later, a matte painting of the Manhattan skyline showing the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building will be inserted. Walls are exposed brick to evoke the city’s meat-packing district. Rust-colored struts hold up the ceiling. They remind me of the ornate iron uprights on an old NYC “EL.” Odd mix of modern and old-fashioned technology, but I liked it. Gorder declined to confirm or deny my supposition that the Reversion Chamber sounded like something that might be used to try to turn a member of the FF back to normal. Obviously it was a key story point. In one corner nook stood a device covered in silver and gold foil like a space satellite. Gorder revealed it was designed to test the Torch’s flame. In typical set-construction fashion, different floors are constructed on the same level. Walking down and around, and then up another set of plank steps, put us in the Baxter Building lobby, and its elevator bank. Nothing unusual here, but stepping through one elevator door, we enter the FF’s kitchen. The decor was Manhattan-loftmeets-Silicon Valley. Steps lead up to an overhead walkway and four dummy doors: the team’s bedrooms. Four doors suggested Reed and Sue aren’t yet married. I wondered aloud if Johnny’s room was asbestos, and was informed that it wasn’t written into the script. A sheet iron woodburning stove with a huge metal ceiling flue prompted me to joke: “Is that Johnny’s private entrance?” Someone else suggested it was where the Torch slept. Gorder laughed. “No, that would be funny though.” I pointed out the metal handholds leading to a ceiling trap. It was obviously too small for the Thing, who we were told is too massive to board the lobby elevator—which will be a gag in the film. It was just set design, Gorder said, and not functional. Stepping off the set via a different route, and... surprise! We’re back in the Reversion Chamber, but on the opposite side. Reed’s office, visible across the way, is just an empty shell. A yellow slit-windowed observation chamber sits high up, overlooking everything. I had a better view of the Torch tester, and its upper portion looked like the thruster bell of an ICBM, except that it pointed upwards. My question about an FF ICBM was artfully evaded. Either we won’t see that piece of hardware in the final film, or it’s meant to be a surprise. I couldn’t tell which. Knowing that TV animators used to complain that Jack Kirby model sheets often looked great on paper, but were almost impossible to follow through on in 3-D, I asked Gorder if the production was employing existing Kirby designs, or did they have to be more practical? “No,” he said. “We need to be more practical and do what works on film. So you have to figure out what works cinematically and then marry those elements together and come up with something cool, but also functional and believable.” So it seemed to my eye. We were assured that the Baxter Building is just like in the comic book. But as we walked away, I noticed that abutting the lenslike extension tube of the Chamber was the roofline of an old-fashioned NYC granite office building. Is that an adjoining building? I was told that it was the top of the Baxter Building, and that Reed had plopped a split-level floor of his own design on top of the original roof. Vancouver’s classic Art Deco Marine Building serves as the real-life model for FF HQ. Hmmm... this isn’t Kirby’s Baxter Building, I thought. In fact, none of it looked particularly Kirbyesque to my trained eye. On the way out, I spotted a ray of hope: A ten-foot tall dark31

gray hookah-type device studded with thin vertical tubes. For some reason, it made me think of a clunky Skrull generator. The design elements were so quintessentially Kirbyesque I asked about it. “That’s just a contraption,” Gorder said, “an invention that Reed has in his lab. There’s nothing alluding to it specifically.” A setpiece, in other words. It was only a crumb of the familiar, but I felt comforted just seeing it.... After the Baxter Building, they trucked us over to Vancouver Studios, which I had last visited back in ’03 when they were filming Paycheck. Most of F4 filming was going on at this site. We follow the temporary signs reading VDI. It’s a cover name calculated to conceal from the local press that this is where Fantastic 4 is filming. VDI stands for “Von Doom Industries.” First stop: the production office where Kurt Williams, the head of F4 Visual Effects was waiting to be grilled. Crowding in, we saw the three sections of one wall, each dedicated to the members of the FF who were significantly computer-generated. (The Thing is purely a latex-foam prosthetic suit, so he didn’t fall under VFX responsibilities.) The first panel showed several computergenerated shots of Reed in various configurations— writing on a chalkboard with one stretchy arm, pulling at his rubbery face, performing various feats of elasticity, etc. They looked pretty cool. The Torch panel was spectacular—many flaming shots, including one of him caught up in a snowy avalanche. In another sequence, he’s riding a stunt cycle while flaming on. I noticed you could see the 4 patch through his nimbus of flames. The Sue Storm panel was blank. I joked, “Of course. She’s invisible!” Williams admits they haven’t gotten to her yet. He goes on to say that the characters had to be tamed down a bit for film. They were too over-thetop in the early comics. “The very first thing we did was go back to the comic book,” he says. “And our job was to find images in the comic book that could translate to a live-action, photoreal movie.... The difference is, some of the Marvel comic poses, and some of the action required in the comic book, don’t translate well to a live-action movie.” I understood what he was saying. But I still didn’t like the sound of it. Someone wondered if Williams planned to see the FF-inspired Incredibles, and would he apply any lessons learned from it to Fantastic 4. Williams allowed that he would see it, and dodged the followup question. Then he pulls out a black binder, saying this is the movie’s Bible. As he flipped through the pages, my heart sank. It all

looked like Mike Wieringo art from recent FF’s. There was a solitary John Byrne Mr. Fantastic pin-up. I had to ask: “Your binder contains contemporary Fantastic Four images. Are there any of the original Jack Kirby designs in there?” “There’s a lot of Jack Kirby in the movie and that’s one of the things that we have to keep looking back at,” Williams assures me. “As I’ve done these types of films, the one thing that I’ve always realized is that you always have to have a base book that you go back to, and it’s surprising how constantly, even when shots are coming in from the vendors, you gotta go back to the original material. And we do have some older stuff in here, and there is some Jack Kirby design in the movie from the Art Department.” Yet he keeps his hand firmly on the binder and doesn’t show us any more art. “You made a good point about grounding the characters,” I allow. “Is Kirby’s exuberance in his designs too much for film?” Williams is frank. “Not all of it translates to a movie like this. You have to be very prudent in what parts of that you use. But the ideas translate and you can sort of get to the point where the audience believes it.... I think you’ll believe in their powers when we’re done. Those are powers that have been generated from the Jack Kirby days, because even the more modern Fantastic Four comics still go back to Jack Kirby.” This wasn’t very reassuring, Kirby-wise. Still, I loved the computer clip he showed of Johnny flaming on and flying up the side of a building. Another sequence of Reed stretching his arm lacked the Kirby punch. Reed flings his fist out, and the arm stretches in response, quivering like a rubbery band. I expected Kirbyesque thrust and power. Will Reed learn to expand his body and make mallets of his fist? I wonder. Williams replies that his powers will grow as the film progresses, as will the other characters’. Sue, for example, initially turns invisible only under emotional stress and has to learn to control her powers. Contrary to original FF continuity, she will be able to generate force fields from the start. A set rumor had it that postman Willie Lumpkin will cameo, and Stan Lee may play the part. I couldn’t resist asking, “How are you animating Willie Lumpkin’s ears?” “Hah,” Williams says, caught off-guard. “We aren’t.” But I think he got the joke. We departed to tour more sets. Dr. Doom’s office was gigantic, done in an Industrial-Art Deco style. His emblematic initial is a massive V, not Kirby’s medieval-script D. In this film, Doom is a worldclass industrialist, and Reed’s patron and rival for Sue Storm. I asked David Gorder if he’s disfigured, or per Kirby has just a scratch on his face.

“Both,” was the cryptic answer. Doom also has powers, which are electrical in nature. He seems to get them from the same cosmic ray cloud that transforms the FF, who are on a space station when it happens. The team are NASA shuttle astronauts. The set where Ben Grimm is quarantined after his spaceflight is interesting. It’s an antiseptic white medical chamber filled with biocomputers. One concrete wall is a wreck. Ben first transforms into the Thing here, then busts out. Other sets were also cool. There was a section of space station, and something else I couldn’t quite make out under construction beyond a half-open door. At one point, taking a snack break by the honey wagon, a forklift swings by, lugging a red metallic sphere that was once a sports car. The keys are still in the ignition of the steering column sticking up out of the shattered and warped windshield. “Bet I know who did that...” I quip. “That’s Johnny’s Porsche,” Gorder explains, “which the Thing balled up to get back at him.” Things are looking up. But where’s Jack Kirby? I’ve seen little sign of his artistic impact so far. Our next stop is the Art Department. This is the command center for the making of Fantastic 4, the film. Every prop and visual element that will go into the movie starts as a concept drawing generated in this department. It’s also the last and best hope of the Kirby purist. Walking in, the first thing one sees is a lifesize cutout of Alex Toth’s group portrait of the FF in their civvies. It’s bumper art from the 1966-67 Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Pretty cool—unless you’re looking for Jack Kirby. Take a sharp right, then a left and you’re in the main work area. It’s huge, and broken up into work rooms and offices. On the walls between the open doors are gigantic poster-sized mattes covered with color blow-up photocopies of Fantastic Four art, one for each member of the FF. It’s an explosion of pin-ups, single-panel blow-ups and splash pages. And it’s overwhelmingly the work of Jack Kirby! Finally, in the nerve center of production, we find our King. And truly, he rules. There’s hardly any art that isn’t by Jack. All the early pin-ups are here, as well as classic splashes. The Torch panel features the splash to FF #6. On the Mr. Fantastic panel, I’m floored by a Kirby-Brodsky pin-up I’ve never seen before. (It’s from FF #3.) There’s Sue Storm, inked by everyone from Ayers to Stone to Sinnott. She looks gorgeous, her hairstyle a fashion timeline of the 1960s. I am in shock. For I have stumbled upon Kirby Heaven. We enter the main work room. The walls are

covered in location photos, schematics, and other drawings. A picture of a Mr. Big & Tall storefront brings to mind the Thing’s introductory scene in FF #1. A photo of the bald Michael Chiklis as astronaut Ben Grimm makes you realize one reason he was chosen to play the Thing: they don’t have to explain where his hair goes when he transforms. There’s the futuristic shuttle that takes the FF into space. And a table model of one section of the space station where they encounter their destiny. Dr. Doom’s imposing V-shaped office building is rendered in moody green-gray hues. Of course, Kirby Doom art galore fills the walls. All those classic images were burned into my brain 40 years ago, but there’s something transcendentally powerful about seeing them blown up into collages like this. In one corner is a Fantasti-car toy from the ’80s, but we’re cautioned that the vehicle may not make it into the final film. Not even the simple bathtub version. But the hope is to feature it in F4 2. Back on the set, I didn’t know what to make of the unfinished Baxter Building. But looking down at the tabletop models, one showing the roof and the other top floor under it, the elements all come into focus. It screams Kirby Built Me! True, it’s like no Baxter Building I ever dreamed of. But it sure evokes its creator. It’s as if Jack had designed a hi-tech two-story cap for an old office building, vintage 1933. It’s bristling with extensions and Kirbytech machinery such as only the King could have conceived. The familiar observatory sits on top. And the decor of the miniature Reversion Chamber is accented in Fantastic Four blue—a far cry from the stillunder-construction rust primer colors of the actual set. Off to one side, another matte shows both classic Kirby schematics of the Baxter Building. It’s labeled “Kirby Baxter Building.” Yet another matte says “Baxter Building Rooms.” Every picture is by Kirby, and all are straight from the ’60s. We wander around, marveling, taking it all in. Jack Kirby has not been forgotten after all. He really is the chief inspiration here. Yet could there be a more perfect place for him than the Art Department? Spying a woman working at a corner drafting table, I slip away from the group. She’s sketching a schematic diagram labeled “Kirby Machine Baxter Building.” It sure looks like a solid hunk of Kirbytech. She identifies herself as a Set Designer named Joelle. I ask her if the design she’s preparing is based on a particular Kirby device. “For all of the Kirby Machines,” she says, “the reference is taken really from the comic books and conversations with the Production Designer and the Director.” “Are Kirby Machines taken from specific panels, or just designed to look like Jack Kirby drew them?” I ask. “A little bit of both. Sometimes there’ll be one image that the Production Designer likes from one page of the comic book. From there, it goes through a lot

of adapting it to our story.” This one, she adds, is designed to look like Jack Kirby drew it, but there’s no specific inspiration. It’s actually the eyepiece to the Baxter Building roof telescope. I am gratified. Kirby is not simply being referenced, he’s an active inspiration. There’s a lot more to the tour, specifically a round-table interview with the cast and producers. But you’ll have to read Starlog for that, and for other exciting revelations I can’t reveal here. I was disappointed not to see any filming, but it was a press junket day. I understood they were shooting a huge battle between Ben and Dr. Doom on a replica section of the Brooklyn Bridge that week. I would have loved seeing those two come to life. But for me, the Art Department tour was the highlight. I started buying the FF with issue #4, back in 1962. I never imagined a day when I would stand on the set of a movie inspired by those great old LeeKirby comics. True, some things have been tweaked. The traditional FF uniforms have been updated, but the new designs are way cool. Modern NASA Mars mission astronaut suits replace the old-style Kirby astronaut uniforms. The Director is out of Rap music and is better known for comedy films like Taxi and Barbershop. But he assured me that this will be a dramatic movie seasoned with humor—just like the original FF. I can hardly wait for Fantastic 4—the movie. After all, I’ve only been dreaming of it for forty years. ★ (previous page) Kirby’s storyboard art from the late 1970s Fantastic Four animated series. (left) Movie poster art for the upcoming F4 film. Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom TM and ©2005 Marvel Characters, Inc. Movie poster ©2005 Fox.

Give Jack Some Credit! Many fans assume that the Kirby family will in some way benefit financially from the big-budget Fantastic 4 movie. The truth of the matter is, the Kirbys make very little from the legacy Jack left behind. While DC Comics does pay royalties any time they reprint Jack’s work, Marvel does not. This is particularly galling when Marvel is currently paying other creators royalties for reprints of their work on series begun by Jack. The Kirbys didn’t see a dime for Marvel’s recent reprints of Jack’s 1970s Captain America and Black Panther series in trade paperback, and most insulting, Marvel didn’t pay them for their hardcover Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby book, which solely spotlighted Jack’s contributions to the company. Marvel is also set to release some high-ticket Fantastic Four publications over the next few months, including an over 800-page reprint of FF #1-30, and a 200-page tome devoted to FF #1—and the Kirbys have no reason to expect payment for those, either. While Stan Lee is contractually guaranteed to benefit financially from films like X-Men, X-Men 2, and Hulk, Jack had no such deal, and his family never got a cent from those films. We at TJKC feel it only fair the Kirby family, like Stan, should benefit financially from what looks to be a blockbuster film, based on Jack’s cocreation which started the Marvel Age. If you agree, we’d ask you to write to both: James Gianopulos, Chairman Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213

Florence Grace, Senior V.P., Corporate Publicity Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213

Say something like: “Comic book artist Jack Kirby co-created the Fantastic Four and so many other Marvel Comics characters with Stan Lee. I feel Mr. Kirby should be credited as co-creator on the F4 film, and his family should be compensated for his achievements that are finally being brought to the big screen.” ★ 33

Adam M c Govern Know of some Kirby-inspired work that should be covered here? Send to: Adam McGovern PO Box 257 Mt. Tabor, NJ 07878

As A Genre A regular feature examining Kirby-inspired work, by Adam McGovern

KIRBY ITALIAN STYLE Chapter and Verse hough there’s no knowing what miraculous dimension Kirby’s imaginative constructs came from, it seems clear where his spirit remains the strongest: In the past few years, tributes to the King and continuations of his legacy have reached a Kirby-kracklin’ critical mass in the land of Italy. Though when I say “the King” I should make that “al Re” to get us in the proper mood—and to name one of the most decisive documents of Italy’s claim to the Kirby crown jewels: you see, when it comes to Kirby lore, the Italians literally wrote the book; specifically Tributo al Re (Tribute to the King) from Pegasus Distribuzione/ComicUs.it, a nearly 100-page collection of comprehensive articles and visual homages to this magazine’s reason for being. There is page after page of great Italian creators’ takes on classic Kirby characters or mythic conceptions of Kirby’s own life, in both pin-up and panel form, as well as a range of texts on every conceivable Kirby subject, from spotlights on Kirby’s Golden and Marvel Age periods, to his patriotic heroes, to his appearances as a character in other people’s comics. Straight from a land where Jack’s underrated opus The Eternals has a thriving cult based on the series’ presentation at suitably IMAX scale in tabloid-size editions, Tributo al Re even features a poem based on that comic’s first issue (one stanza devoted to each page), surely taking Kirby devotion to the limits of the known universe and beyond. There is also, full disclosure, an interview with yours truly on Kirby’s cultural roots (which we’ll excerpt here next issue in the language I am actually rumored to speak), and a report on the I-kid-you-not Kirby Library in Pisa—certainly the clincher that for Kirby fans, heaven is shaped like a boot. That article will make its English-language debut in the next TJKC as well, and anyone who reads Italian (or just enjoys the universal language of dynamic imagery) is encouraged to check out the publishers’ online outpost at www.comicus.it/ marcorizzo/kirby/kirby.htm.

(right, and next page top left) Rat-Man travels the Kirbyverse. (next page, left) Kirby as an Artform: The city of Treviso hosted a Kirbythemed art exhibit as part of a large gathering of comics fans; the poster is seen here, with I-can’tbelieve-it’s-not-Jack spot illos by Stefano Pavan. (next page, top right) Paolo Leandri’s tragic nocturnal hero Plenilunio stays up nights. (next page, bottom left) Klassic Kirby Karnage from the mind of Stefano Pavan. Rat-Man © 2005 Leonardo Ortolani. Plenilunio © 2005 Paolo Leandri. Shining Sailor © 2005 Adam McGovern, Stefano Pavan & Juan Gonzalez.

A Year of the Rat Long-time TJKC readers will remember past spotlights on cartoonist Leo Ortolani and his clever super-spoof Rat-Man, a hit for the Marvel-affiliated

collaborators, too. One you’ve seen in these pages before, and one may be new to you; together they highlight the range of Kirby’s expression and the multitude of trails he blazed. The “Kirby as a Genre” alum is Stefano Pavan, an astonishingly still-unpublished talent of the high-frontier, high-tech Kirby school; the new face is Paolo Leandri, not a newcomer in his homeland but a veteran of such Italian comics and magazines as Fumo di china, Skate and Wrestling. Stefano has taken time out from his packed schedule creating worlds with Juan Gonzalez, producer of the fondly-remembered U.S. indie Modern Myths, to work with me on an adventure of that self-righteous swoosher of the starlanes, the Shining Sailor; a spectacular splash from that story appears in pencil form on these pages. Paolo has collaborated with me on my first published comics work (and his first in America), a tender tale of that cosmic caregiver Dr. Id, Psychologist of the Cult Comics imprint. Leo’s reverence for the King has reached epic dimensions with a twelve-month, sixissue saga tracing the title hero’s hapless history through the many ages of comics, the pinnacle perhaps being the penultimate chapter, in which we see many a masterful Kirby swipe, take a onepanel trip through the psychedelic landscape of Kirby’s legendary photo-collages, and witness a most Jack-like character get maximum screen-time. As Italy-based comics chronicler Stefano Priarone puts it: “Rat-Man #33, ‘Il Re e Io’ (‘The King and I’) is a fond homage to ‘The King,’ a sort of mentor for the then Rat-Boy (not

yet Rat-Man). There’s a wonderful scene where The King says, ‘I spent my life making comics,’ and then his arm moves just like Mr. Fantastic’s, grabs a cigar, lights it using Human Torch powers, and then his [other] arm becomes just like the Thing’s. And he says, ‘After all these years, you learn something.’” This is rounded out with a sweeping survey of Kirby’s influence (coincidentally highlighting, full disclosure, a certain giant-size journalof-record) by Andrea Plazzi (comics editor and translator of Will Eisner’s graphic novels into Italian); for a foreign-language-challenged fan, buying comics to only look at the pictures has never felt more justified! [http://ratman.paninicomics.it]

The Royal Line I meet the finest keepers of the Kirby faith in this line of work, and recently—to make yet another full disclosure in a column that’s already a bit, um, full of it—I’ve met two perfect Supernatural, in Ape Entertainment’s anthology Modern Age Men of Mystery (www.ape-entertainment. com)—think the moody Kirby of Agatha Harkness’ mansion and you’re halfway there, since Paolo brings his own unprecedented vision to the rest of it. Enjoy their imagery here, and expect to see it in a lot more places as both Kirby’s classic look and his spirit of newness endure. ★ (Adam McGovern lives in Mt. Tabor, NJ, and spends his spare time digging through Kirby-inspired work sent to him by our readers—whatta life!)

HEADLINERS

(continued from front page) was the first time I wasn’t enjoying the book mainly for the superhero, but instead for the “everyman” supporting cast. When Kirby left with JO #148, I was just as disappointed that I wouldn’t see any more Golden Age Simon & Kirby reprints (“Who was this Simon guy, anyway?” I wondered) as I was that the Whiz Wagon, Hairies, and the Project wouldn’t be seen again. So began one of my earliest comic collecting goals—to track down all the remaining S&K adventures of the Newsboy Legion. After finding one additional reprint in an issue of Detective Comics, my goal remained unfulfilled for many years, due to the high cost of Golden Age original issues. But now, with the help of eBay, some disposable income, and a lot of generous TJKC readers, I’ve finally reached that goal, and proudly present the ultimate overview of the Newsboy Legion’s appearances on paper! t all started in Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942, and reprinted in Jimmy Olsen #141 and Adventure Comics #503) with the Guardian getting second billing on the cover to this gang of kids from Suicide Slum. Rookie beat cop Jim Harper gets beaten himself by a pack of thugs, then dons a blue and yellow costume, crash helmet, and police badge-shaped shield and exacts revenge, becoming the “guardian of society” he couldn’t be while working within the law. But his moniker attains doublemeaning when a gang of local newspaper peddlers (all orphans of deceased parents) turn to robbing a hardware store to put food

on the table. Officer Harper is assigned to be their legal guardian, but the kids resist the Big Brother treatment, and turn to stealing hubcaps. When their Fence sets them up as a diversion for a fatal hold-up, the boys begin to appreciate Jim’s law and order stance, and get imperiled trying to even the score with the crook. The Guardian saves the boys, who later return the favor as their first episode ends with them suspecting Harper and the Guardian might be one and the same—a subplot that would run through most of their Golden Age adventures (but wouldn’t be resolved until Kirby brought them back in the 1970s Olsen book). Rather than spend a lot of space recapping the adventures that were reprinted in Jimmy Olsen #141-148, all of which are readily available as inexpensive back issues, here’s a brief rundown with ratings from 0-5 badges: #7: “Newsboy Legion” ( ) Great lead-off and concept. #8: “Last Mile Alley” ( ) Plenty of action, great S&K. #9: “The Rookie Takes The Rap” ( ) Great characterization for Jim Harper. ) Excellent plot and art. #10: “Kings For A Day” ( #11: “Paradise Prison” ( ) Ditto. #12: “Prevue of Peril” ( ) Superb art. ) Excellent #13: “The Scoop of Suicide Slum” ( tension in Big Word’s development. #14: “The Meanest Man on Earth” ( ) Another solid S&K yarn.

(below) Covers to the first eight adventures of the Newsboy Legion, all of which were reprinted as back-ups in Jimmy Olsen in the 1970s. Shown throughout are all the Golden Age Star-Spangled covers featuring the Newsboys. All characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

Now let’s continue on with an overview of the rest of the Simon & Kirby Newsboy Legion stories—and a few that aren’t. (And before I forget, let me mention two other Golden Age appearances: their cameo in Detective Comics #76 in the “Boy Commandos” strip, and in Boy Commandos #1, both by Simon & Kirby. These were reprinted in Mister Miracle #5 and #6 in the 1970s.) #15: “Playmates of Peril” ( ) Boredom hits Suicide Slum when there’s no crime for a day, so Jim Harper takes the opportunity to become the Guardian during his patrol shift, and gets in hot water for dereliction of duty. With his sergeant watching his every move, it’s up to Jim’s wards to tail the badguys. When they’re captured, a member of a rival kid gang tells Harper, and it’s up to him to save the Newsboys from death on a playground. Outstanding Kirby art, even if the plot’s a little weak.

East Side of New York, and even a little romance. Outstanding cover art.

’S R O T I D E ICE! CHO

#18: “The Education of Iron-Fist Gookin” ( ) The toughest (and dumbest) mug in Suicide Slum isn’t content with just being able to whip anybody in a physical encounter, so he hires Big Words to “loin him” some, er... big words. A gang of crooks sets Iron-Fist up as their boss to pin raps for their crimes on him, and the result is a slugging match between Gookin and the Guardian. Great splash page, somewhat rushed art otherwise.

#19: “The Fuehrer of Suicide Slum” ( ) I’m giving this yarn six(!) stars out of five, as it’s the best of the lot. The boys mix it up with Gashouse, a slum kid who supports the Bund (the real-life American Nazi sympathizers). This may be the finest example of anti-Nazi propaganda ever produced in comics, as Hitler’s forces actually invade New York

#16: “The Playboy of Suicide Slum” ( ) Tommy saves a little girl from being hit by a millionaire’s car, and the wealthy businessman adopts him. There’s some great characterization for Tommy, the most generic member of the group until now, showing how torn he is between B his new affluent life and his loyalty to his old friends. It turns out there’s bad apples in all classes of society, as a rich nephew schemes against Tommy to save his inheritance, and Tommy learns the real value of friendship when his old pals and the Guardian have to save his neck. There’s lots of non-Kirby panels, but the action shots are all-Jack. #17: “The Rafferty Mob” ( ) Some mediocre Simon & Kirby studio art brings down an otherwise interesting tale of a new kid gang that elbows in on the boys’ territory and wreaks havoc on Suicide Slum. Led by Rafferty (a very different street kid than any we’ve seen so far), I’ll not spoil the surprise, but this story features a great scrap between neighboring gangs, à là Jack’s upbringing on the Lower

(A) S&K slam-bang action from Star-Spangled #15. Try spreading your feet that far apart and throwing a punch! (B) Tommy underwent some great character development in Star-Spangled #16. (C) Remember these two panels from Star-Spangled #16. You’ll see them again later!

E City, turning Yankee Stadium into a concentration camp, with the Newsboys and the Guardian as prisoners, and Gashouse in charge! Pure Kirby throughout, with tons of action—absolutely riveting story and art, with a great ending! You can tell Jack was really into this one, with Scrapper (Jack’s alter ego) taking center stage.

(D) Splash page from #17, featuring a scene right out of Jack’s Lower East Side upbringing. (E) The Simon & Kirby signature “round” panel is put to good use in issue #18.

#20: “The Newsboys and the Champ” ( ) A below-average story with above-average art, as the Newsboy Legion trains a down-on-his-luck Ozarker named Zeke to win a prizefight, in order to build a gym for Suicide Slum residents. Even the worst of the S&K stories far outshines the other strips in Star-Spangled Comics, which is undoubtedly why they supplanted the Star-Spangled Kid from his own comic as the lead feature.

(F) Two panels from the best of the Newsboys’ Golden Age adventures, in issue #19. (G) Splash page from StarSpangled #20.

#21: “The House Where Time Stood Still” ( ) This story was reprinted in Detective Comics #442, so I’ll refrain from much comment except to say that these reprints really don’t do justice to the originals. I’ve heard that DC literally traced off the old comics in ink to get usable art for these reprints. Whether or not that’s true, the original issues are much cleaner and crisper than what appears in the reprints, but you can still enjoy the stories. This one is another war propaganda piece, using two hermit brothers to demonstrate the problem with World War II isolationists. An interesting curiosity is that DC prepared art for Star-Spangled #7-14 to run in Jimmy Olsen, but this next reprint to see print jumps a number of issues to #21. I wonder if they prepared the art from #15-20 F and never used it?

A Jack was drafted into the Army on June 7, 1943, following a solid year of stockpiling S&K stories for their various DC strips. Issue #21 would’ve been shipping around that time, meaning he and Joe Simon had managed to prepare an additional 8-9 “Newsboy Legion” stories, plus a string of covers to tide DC over until the war was won. The pace they were keeping would account for some of the lesser quality stories that would come late in their initial run on the strip, and the weaker covers after they left for war (many have nothing to do with the stories inside that were drawn by others). #22: “Brains For Sale” ( ) The uncharacteristically generic cover has nothing to do with the story, so this is probably one of the covers stockpiled before leaving for military service. Gabby’s front-and-center in this preposterous tale as he sells his brain to a gangland surgeon to pay off a debt. The plot’s razor thin, but nice art and Gabby’s characterization make it above average. #23: “Art for Scrapper’s Sake” ( ) Not only does this cover not go with the story, but it’s depicting a specific scene that S&K could easily have built a different story around. Regardless, the interior story is a nice lark, as Scrapper is conned by an unscrupulous art dealer into believing he’s a great abstract painter. Lots of humor and solid Kirby art in this one. #24: “Death Strikes A Bargain” ( ) The title of this one harks back to many of S&K’s Captain America stories for Timely, complete with a skull on the splash page. Here’s another cover that has nothing to do with the story, with a bloodhound searching for a crook on a farm (the inside story has neither a farm nor a dog). A murder spree leaves Suicide Slum desolate, and a millionaire adopts the boys to prove that environment affects behavior. It’s a weak take-off on #16’s plot, with solid art and action.

B #25: “Victuals for Victory” ( ) This time get another farm, but the cover actually depicts the story—and a good one at that! Frenetic, loose S&K art here, with quick-moving plot as the boys go down on the farm to help harvest crops for the War effort. Lame down-home villains do little for the story, but it’s a good read nonetheless.

) #26: “Louie The Lug Goes Literary” ( A strangely inked cover leads off the tale of a gangster who seems a bit too attached to a book on the theory of relativity. The plot wanders a little, with nice action and decent S&K studio art to keep it on track. The breakneck pace Jack and Joe were keeping is beginning to show here. #27: “Turn On The Heat” ( ) A lackluster outing, with a decent splash and only the barest of Kirby layouts shining through sub-par finishes. A string of arsons in Suicide Slum has Jim Harper and the boys each suspecting one another of the crimes. The war effort had undoubtedly taken many of Joe and Jack’s best assistants by this point, and the strip is really suffering.

C #28: “Poor Man’s Rich Man” ( ) Again, a meager effort with the faintest of Kirby under downright ugly inks. It would appear either Jack laid this one out while waiting for his bus to depart for basic training, or those stories of him E drawing in his Army barracks at night were true. Only the splash is up to snuff, as Pop O’Leary, a Suicide Slum night watchman, gets news of an inheritance, then buys the neighborhood expensive gifts before learning it was a hoax perpetrated by crooks looking to get his help in robberies. Guess who saves the day?

#29: “Cabbages and Comics” ( ) Despite what the Kirby Checklist says, I find this to be a ridiculously bad nonS&K cover. Many different hands seem to have worked on this story of the Newsboys creating their own comic book, only to find that truth can be stranger than fiction. There’s some decent Kirby here and there, and a fullpager that looks to have no Kirby in it whatsoever. This story actually begins on page 2 with a scene that’d always been saved for the last page (the Newsboys and the Guardian pounding on some crooks, and wrapping up with the boys accusing the Guardian of being Jim Harper), which makes me think the pages were juggled into a different order, with non-Kirby art added to make it work.

(A) Gabby’s front-&-center in Star-Spangled #22. (B) Star-Spangled #23’s splash page. The concept of a rough-&-tumble street kid like Scrapper becoming an “art-teest” must’ve hit pretty close to home for Jack. (C) A tension-packed panel from Star-Spangled #24. (D) You can almost feel the wind in your hair in this fast-moving splash from #25. (E) Who but Simon & Kirby would attempt this “keyhole view” from Star-Spangled #26? Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

(below) This splash from Star-Spangled #27 is the only top-knotch art in the issue. (right) Ditto for Star-Spangled #28; the war was really taking its toll on the strip at this point. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

A fantastic splash is the only thing that boosts this lame story up to two badges. #30: “The Lady of Linden Lane” ( ) This last WWII Kirby issue sports a loose but effective S&K cover and splash, followed by ten pages of frankly awful drawing (?), tracing, and swipes. Even the lettering is crude in this tale of a miserly old lady, gangsters, and... aww, why bother? It’s by far the worst story to date. This one signals the strip’s decline in earnest, as the lead feature sinks in quality below the second-tier strips that filled out Star-Spangled Comics like the Star-Spangled Kid and Liberty Bell. From here until postwar, only the stockpiled S&K covers are worth a Newsboy Legion fan’s attention. I take issue with some of the wartime covers that are credited to Simon & Kirby. Look at the ones here, and judge for yourself, but I’ve got to wonder why there’s a string of S&K covers through #43, then another run from #48-61. If DC had the covers for #48-on, why would they save them instead of using them on #44, #45, etc.? There’s a few curiosities of note during the period when Jack was off fighting in WWII. The splash of #42 shows what has to be early Gil Kane art. Gil got his start working for Joe and Jack, so this is probably his. The rest of issues #31-52 feature pedestrian

(above) Star-Spangled #29 featured a fantastic splash, followed by a page 2 that looks to have originally been the final page of the story, complete with the lads trying to divulge the Guardian’s true identity. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

(above) What do you do when your star artists head off to war? Why, get your remaining bullpen to swipe from the best! Compare this panel from Star-Spangled #11 to the one at right from (ugh!) issue #30. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

stories and even worse art (but not as bad as #30), with the art improving a bit in the later run (presumably as better artists were starting to return home from the war). There’s a number of issues that look to be the work of a young Carmine Infantino, though obviously he and Gil were still learning the ropes. But the best Newsboy Legion artist would soon be back, albeit briefly. Jack Kirby was honorably discharged from service in July 1945. According to Ray Wyman’s The Art of Jack Kirby, while Jack was waiting for Joe Simon to return from Coast Guard service, he produced a handful of work for National Periodical Publications (now DC Comics): a story in Adventure Comics #100 (Oct. 1945), the

A cover of Adventure #101, the cover and story in Adventure #102, and stories in Star-Spangled #53 and #54. This is at odds with the Jack Kirby Checklist, which lists #55-59 as possibly being by Kirby, but my own viewing of this era’s comics seems to prove this out. With DC’s top artistic team jumping ship to Harvey Comics in 1945 to produce Stuntman #1 (April 1946) and Boy Explorers #1 (May 1946), it’s doubtful DC would headline the pair any longer, or employ them on their strips after Star-Spangled #54 (March 1946). In fact, the S&K byline last appears on the splash page of #56 (May 1946), at roughly the same time the Harvey books appeared. #53: “The Poet of Suicide Slum” ( ) It’s hard for me to see much Kirby beyond the cover, but the quality’s a notch higher than any of the last nearly two dozen issues, so he must be under there somewhere! In this one, Gabby’s career as a poet is interrupted by gangsters who don’t appreciate his revealing prose. This story appears to be Jack getting warmed up after three years off.

How hard was it, I wonder, to return to the fluffy-light adventures of the Newsboys after seeing the horrors of WWII firsthand? #54: “Dead-Shot Dade’s Revenge” ( ) An Oklahoma prospector comes to town looking to get even with one of the local gangsters in a decent story with adequate art. Kirby looks to be in there, despite heavy-handed inks, and the cover is solid S&K. Jack wasn’t putting his all into this post-war run, but they’re worth a read. Which brings us to the stories in question: #55: “Gabby Strikes A Gusher” ( ) It’s hard for me to see any Kirby in these later stories, making me wonder if the occasional Kirbyesque panel is just by a talented ghost artist. But this story of Gabby striking oil in his vegetable garden, and the ensuing calamity as gangsters get involved, is an enjoyable diversion. As for the cover, only the running figure of Tommy looks like Kirby to me.

much to the crook’s chagrin. Page 9 totally violates the established 6-panel format with a 3-panel page that looks pure-Kirby, but strangely enlarged (or perhaps swiped?). The lack of a follow-up scene on page 10 leads me to believe at least a page was jettisoned, with page 9 altered. #57: “A Recruit for the Legion” ( ) Little or no Jack here, although the cover looks like he might’ve had a hand in it. (This is one of the few Golden Age covers I’ve seen with a word balloon.) The cover’s adult character doesn’t match the one inside, who’s a new kid trying to gain membership into the Newsboy Legion to learn the Guardian’s true identity. This stuff almost looks traced more than drawn.

F (A) Pretty nice Kirby splash from Star-Spangled #30; definitely the only Kirby in the issue (and possibly the only non-swiped art!).

#56: “The Treasure of Araby” ( ) Again, hints of Kirby are throughout, but he did no more than layouts, if that. Gabby discovers a bag of oysters dropped by a fleeing felon, and the Newsboys’ dinner becomes a treasure trove of priceless pearls,

(B) See, we told you they’d turn up again! Compare these two panels from StarSpangled #30 to the ones from #16 on page 38 of this issue. (Go ahead, we’ll wait.) (C) This splash from StarSpangled #42 must be the work of a young Gil Kane. (D) The level of movement in the figures makes me think that Jack actually was involved in issue #53. (E) Is it Kirby or not, in this panel from StarSpangled #54?

(F) No way is this Jack’s work; he never drew a punch as stiff as this one from Star-Spangled #55.

G E

(G) It’s pages like this from Star-Spangled #56 that make me think Jack may have been involved, but the odd three-panel format (with enlarged lettering) makes it looks more like someone statted-up old Kirby art for panel three. Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

) #58: “The Matadors of Suicide Slum” ( The copy of this issue I own has a dealer’s sticker on the bag that says “Cover-Simon & Kirby, Art-Don Cameron.” Cameron worked as a writer on the Boy Commandos strip while S&K were off at war, in conjunction with artist Louis Cazeneuve, so perhaps Cazeneuve’s the Kirbyesque culprit that has people wondering if Jack worked on these late issues? Here, the Guardian’s M.I.A., and despite Jim Harper being on the splash page (which strikes me as more of a reworked Boy Commandos image), the only mention of him is that he’s on vacation. A retired bullfighter—now a janitor— is reunited in the ring with the bull that ended his career years ago, and the boys must jump in (literally) to help both man and beast. A rather charming story, but with the exception of possibly the cover, I just don’t see Kirby here (although the art is good). #59: “Answers, Inc.” ( ) Really nice art, in a story about Tommy using his ability to solve puzzles to inadvertently help a crook. The Guardian’s back, but is it Kirby? The jury’s still out.

Thus ends recaps of all the possible Kirby issues. But what the heck? Since we’re almost to the end of the Newsboys’ Golden Age run, let’s examine a couple of issues of note and take this paper route all the way to the end.

Kirby’s nowhere in the rest of the run, and these last few range from decent to poor.

) #60: “Steve Brodie Da Second” ( Steve Brodie gained fame in real-life by supposedly jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge and surviving the fall in 1886 (it was later claimed that Brodie had faked it by using a dummy while he hid under a pier). In this one, the boys are tired of being outshined by the Boy Commandos (who make a newspaper cameo), and stage their own bridge jump for publicity. Of note: the Guardian’s becoming less and less of a factor in these stories, and his last cover outing is #61. #64: “Criminal Cruise” ( ) The Guardian’s final appearance was in #63, as there’s no mention of him or Jim Harper in this, the Newsboy Legion’s final Golden Age outing. In it, they win a South Seas cruise in a contest, and can’t even manage to avoid running into crooks at sea. Stiff, uninspired art and a flat story end the strip’s run with a thud.

So there you have it; my look at the Golden Age appearances of my favorite kid gang. Some were spectacular, some were far from it. But while the Boy Commandos were much better sellers, since I didn’t live through WWII, it’s hard for me to identify with them. But probably like you, I’ve known reallife, good-natured hooligans like Scrapper, Tommy, Gabby, and Big Words, and even the worst of these stories holds a certain charm and allure for me. If you can find any of them at reasonable prices (many of mine are coverless), I urge you to check them out. It’s amazing how well Jack picked up their personalities without missing a beat in 1971, despite the 25 years since their previous appearances. And on a final note, let me mention the Newsboys’ appearance in the back-up story in Jimmy Olsen #150, two issues after Jack left the book. It’s a tame story (written by John Albano and E. Nelson Bridwell, and drawn by Win Mortimer) compared to what Jack put the boys through, but a nice wrap-up to the 1970s Angry Charlie storyline. It, along with all of Jack’s 1970s Jimmy Olsen stories, were recently reprinted by DC in full-color in two trade paperbacks. But alas, the Golden Age Newsboy Legion stories that ran in the back of JO weren’t included, so you’ll have to seek out the original issues if you want to follow this Kid Gang’s paper trail. ★ D (Thanks to all the Kirby fans, particularly Harry Mendryk, who’ve sent copies of Star-Spangled stories over the years, and to Chris Fama for the really nice B&W splash page repros.)

(A) Star-Spangled #57 splash page; pretty decent work, but not Kirby. (B) This splash for Star-Spangled #58 looks like a reworked one from the globe-hopping Boy Commandos. (C) Detail from Star-Spangled #59; Scrapper looks almost Disney-inspired. (D) Panel from issue #60, featuring a cameo by the Boy Commandos. (E) We say bon voyage to the boys in this splash from Star-Spangled #64, their final Golden Age appearance. (F) Late in his career, Jack got a chance to revisit the team, as shown in these pencils from DC’s Who’s Who #16 (June 1986). Kudos to Karl Kesel for adding some ink polish to these pencils in the published versions.

Obscura

Barry Forshaw A regular column focusing on Kirby’s least known work, by Barry Forshaw

n the 1960s, many of us in Great Britain looked wistfully to the US as the font of many of the things we loved. We may have had Shakespeare and Dickens on our island, but for dirtykneed schoolboys like me, that counted as little against the country that produced Superman, EC comics and such SF wonders as Mystery in Space. We may have had Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing duking it out in vividly-colored remakes of Dracula and Frankenstein, but Americans had the heady delights of Altair IV in Forbidden Planet, Gort the Robot in The Day the Earth Stood Still and Rod Taylor climbing aboard The Time Machine (we were able to take some pride in the fact that the latter originated in the mind of the greatest of all SF writers, the very English HG Wells). Certainly, though, for those of us who waited impatiently for the weekly delivery of comics at our local newsagent, it was the brightly colored American books that really set our pulses racing. As the sour-faced newsagent, cigarette dangling from lip, cut the string on those comics parcels, patience became an elusive virtue. In the early ’60s, those bright colors could only be found on the covers of such books as Blackhawk and The Flash—the bulky content (68 pages of them, as the covers loudly proclaimed) were black-and-white reprints from the American plates. But did we care? Well—yes and no; we envied our American cousins their four-colored delights, but—what the hell—the books were still wonderful, weren’t they? Many a British comics aficionado first discovered such Jack Kirby treasures as his work for Harvey’s Black Cat Mystic as back-ups to a wide variety of material from different sources in these 68-page giants—and reading issue #60 in its full-color American incarnations was like meeting an old friend once again, this time spruced up in a brand-new set of colorful threads. There was something else new to us—that striking cover (which had not been reprinted), showing a dressinggown-clad, balding man shrinking back in fright from a monstrous black shadow that loomed on the ceiling of the room before him: “What do you want of me, shadow brother?” In fact, this cover is almost certainly more Joe Simon than Jack Kirby— the startled figure of the man in the dressing gown is certainly Simon—but the dynamic layout has all the hallmarks of the stellar member of the duo, Jack Kirby. This issue may represent the finest hour of S&K’s all-too-brief sojourn on this title—not only perfectly imagined (and beautifully rendered) fantastic tales, but a cogent demonstration (along with Richard Hughes’ similar efforts at ACG) that the dead hand of the Comics Code didn’t need to neuter the work of the massively talented men still in the field after the moral panic over the horror and crime comics of the ’50s. Take the first tale, “A Snap of the Fingers.” This is a concise, perfectly turned ironic piece, in which a handsome failure (moustachioed, as all Kirby’s handsome smoothies were in this era) allows himself to be hypnotized in order to obtain (by symbiosis) the financial skills of an ugly down-and-out he meets on a park bench. The central premise may be questionable—why would

It’s slim pickin’s again for reprints of this issue’s selections. For Black Cat Mystic #60 (Nov. 1957), only one story, “The Ant Extract,” was reprinted (in Double Dare Adventures #1, Dec. 1966). Blast-Off #1 (Oct. 1965) hasn’t been reprinted, but you can find it readily in back issue bins. But alas, Tales of the Unexpected #22 (Feb. 1958) remains unreprinted also. Tales of the Unexpected TM & ©2005 DC Comics. Black Cat Mystic, Blast-Off TM & ©2005 Harvey Comics.

ugliness hold back a financial wizard?—but the telling is all. Kirby wisely opts to play everything out in tight close-ups (having fun with the ill-shapen face of the hypnotist, Charley Grubb), along with examples of that Kirby trademark, ever-closer shots of bloodshot eyes. There is a very clever twist in which poetic justice is dispatched to the villain, but this tale turns out to be a mere taster for the more arcane pleasures that follow. After a two-page short, we have a Simon/Kirby gem, “A Town Full of Babies.” Two men, one in his 30s, one grey-haired and overweight, lose their car in a flash flood, and stumble, unshaven and dishevelled, into a town from which everyone appears to have vanished. Finding food and water, the men relax—only to subsequently find that the town is crawling with babies, all unattended. What has happened? You’d better skip the next paragraph if you want to keep the revelation till you’ve read the piece:

The two men, Doc and Frank find themselves beginning to grow younger, and the character shots of the duo—as Doc’s hair grows darker and Frank head towards adolescence—are economically but perfectly handled (one nice touch is the older Doc accelerating towards youth more quickly than his companion, and forgetting who he is—Frank’s solicitude to the confused boy is rather touching). The flash flood, of course, has uncovered the Fountain of Youth, and the last panel, as a baby emerges from Frank’s now-too-large clothes, has a wonderful philosophical acceptance of the second chance they are all getting. Two caveats don’t really matter (how did the babies all get nappies? No doubt courtesy of a Comics Code travelling nurse; and as they’re now all orphans, will they all really get a better shot the second time around?); quibbles aside, this is delightfully written piece, with a genuine sense of wonder—and Jack Kirby’s art, understated and elegant, is impeccable. It’s also good to be reminded that in non-super-hero comics, changes really are for good—these men will only become adults again the slow way. The third tale, “The Ant Extract,” is an example of the whimsy that Kirby excels at—and a perfect example of how finely judged

his humorous work could be, chez Simon & Kirby—just this side of caricature, unlike his over-the-top Fourth World indulgence when he lacked another creator’s steadying hand. The splash panel—a mousey little man upending a massive truck, as panicking characters fall every which way—is Kirby humour at its best. The protagonist here is the classic bookish weakling, a professor granted immense power by the results of his own research, the eponymous ant extract. After casually seeing off thugs after his power-providing serum, the authorities decide to exile the too-powerful professor to a desert island (with his reluctant consent), but he decides to take along one—very surprising—souvenir of the society he’ll never see again. This is delightful stuff, with that unfussy but impeccable sense of deign that is the hallmark of The King’s ’50s work. The gem of the issue, however, is the title tale, “Shadow Brother.” Leaving aside the actual narrative, this is principally a string of bizarre surrealist images, displaying all of Kirby’s quirky imagination. Clad in a dressing gown, the stocky protagonist finds himself stalked by an elongated shadow, which prances about the walls of his room (the page in which this happens shows Kirby’s refusal to opt for the obvious composition). The visitor is the central character’s brother, transported to an interdimensional limbo by the irresponsible actions of a brilliant, eccentric student. The brothers track down Snelby, the culprit, who is a tiny boffin figure (drawn in Kirby’s best exaggerated style); he is like a petulant child rather than a scientific villain, and is persuaded to bring the shadow brother back into our

world. John, the transformed brother, isn’t too put out by his nightmare experience: “We’re not delighted with your personality,” he tells the pouting Snelby, “but your talent cannot be overlooked.” Snelby is left to his own devices, preparing for the wonderful final page. The brothers again visit Snelby’s lab after a titanic flash, to find the scientist transformed into a massive, twodimensional, stone cut-out figure (complete with the nerdish glasses he wore before his transformation). There may be some mystery as to who actually wrote the scripts for Simon & Kirby’s Harvey work, but there is no mistaking Kirby’s input in the panel that shows Snelby’s bizarre plight—this is the same unique vision that produced a million outrageous images, thrown out with casual abandon through a lengthy career. Have you noticed one of the downsides of the otherwise excellent DC Archives editions? While some wonderful work is preserved, many excellent supplementary strips are dumped—a classic case being the Adam Strange Archive. The most imaginative work in Mystery in Space was the pre-“Adam Strange” material—and that continued to be the case even when the planet-hopping earthman took over the book. The Archive edition, regrettably, dumps all the non-“Strange” work—and a whole generation of readers won’t now see great material by Gil Kane, Gardener Fox and Co. What does this lengthy preamble have to do with Jack Kirby, I hear you ask? Blast-Off, that’s what! This Harvey one-shot from 1965 shows exactly what would have happened if Race for the Moon lost all its backup features and featured only the returning characters who had begun to creep in, the intrepid Three Rocketeers (an archetypal Kirby team matching brawn with brain). In fact, this comic mopped up material originally destined for RftM, and it’s exemplary stuff, if not as assured as its predecessor (there’s some evidence Kirby worked on this one at great speed—and some strips, notably the incomprehensible second story, “Danger! Atoms!” is clearly the work of Joe Simon alone). But there is some choice Kirby work here—not least the cover, which may be the most surrealistic The King ever drew. Three astronauts (the eponymous Rocketeers) pilot a robot which appears to have been customized into a space hopper towards a lowering mountain with a monstrous face (“A million miles up! It lives! The deathdealing Rock of Rages!”). Around it, caught in a Sargasso Sea-like maelstrom, stream captured spacemen, ships and other unidentifiable futuristic debris. And if this weren’t bizarre enough, the stream is a negative image, while around the Rock of Rages, smaller grotesque heads bud up from the ground. The tale that this cover illustrates may be Kirby’s strangest SF piece. Entitled “The Great Moon Mystery,” this brief gem has an astonishing two-page cosmic trip that for sheer imagination and outlandish imagery beggars

description. The first piece, featuring battling robots on a meteor-struck space station, is less impressive, as are the two backup Al Williamson strips (which are nevertheless beautifully drawn). But Blast-Off is a one-shot that absolutely has to be in any Kirby collection. And it’s not too tough to track down! This time around, let’s end with a book that’s more of academic interest than anything else. Tales of the Unexpected #22 is a typical DC potpourri of the period: solid stories by Bernard Bailey, Howard Purcell and Joe Maneely (the latter on sabbatical from Atlas/Marvel). But it does have a Kirby story and cover: “Invasion of the Volcano Men.” This is pretty much Kirby on autopilot—but as with Marvel’s Dragoom, it gives us a chance to see another flame being prototype of Kirby’s later definitive Human Torch. It’s elegant work, but full of missed opportunities: the futuristic city of the volcano men is a mere detail in a panel, while Kirby fans might demand the kind of futuristic society so definitively delineated in the Challengers of the Unknown tale “The Wizard of Time.” But even chippings from Kirby’s workbench are worth your time— so if you come across an affordable copy.... ★ (Barry Forshaw is editor of Crime Time magazine and lives in London, England.) 49

Gallery 1

Tales of the DNA Project

by Shane Foley hen Kirby took over the Jimmy Olsen strip, he poured his unique creativity into it, proving that even a strip so unKirbylike as this could be molded in his image. Some elements of his Fourth World Epic appeared here and nowhere else and helped to flesh out the saga in ways that Jack probably had not previously considered. From the first-ever appearance of Darkseid, to the DNA Project, the DNAliens, Mokkari, Simyan, the Golden Guardian, Dubbilex, the FourArmed Terror, etc., this strip was chock full of new characters and concepts.

After the first 6 months or so, there was a slight detour as Jack explored a Goody Rickles storyline. Then there followed a wide detour into Transilvane. But then it was headlong back into the breach once again as Jimmy and Co. went head-tohead with the minions of Darkseid. And once again, Jack’s imagination was in overdrive as he returned to his original Olsen themes and even wrapped some of them up. (pages 52-53) Pencils from Jimmy Olsen #143. 50

(these two pages) The “Tales of the DNA Project” back-up from Olsen #139, and a page from #143.

#145 continued and heightened the weirdness with Brigadoom. (I always wondered; did Jack coin the name pun, then weave a plot around it, or did he have a Scottish story and hunt for such a name as Brigadoon to manipulate?) The idea that the Evil Factory from the earlier

issues was in Scotland and miniature in size was most unexpected. The full-page shot (left) of Jimmy helpless at the hands of Mokkari and Simyan was an example of how Jack could draw really creepy characters when he wanted to. This page always reminds me of the one of foul Desaad hovering over Beautiful Dreamer in Forever People #4. One of the first scenarios Kirby wrote for Jimmy Olsen was where a giant ‘altered’ Jimmy ran amok in the DNA Project. Coming full circle in #146, Kirby goes this route again, but this time wild Jimmy destroys the Evil Factory and its two masterminds. Perhaps at this stage Kirby knew his run on Jimmy was winding up so he brought a corner of his god-war epic to a close. On the way there’s great Kirby creature action and a nice sequence written that showed Mokkari’s distrust of Simyan’s motives. Jack knew exactly when to put in these character moments and he was usually brilliant at it.

(previous page) Jimmy Olsen #145, page 18 pencils. (this page) Page 4 pencils from Jimmy Olsen #146.

The back-up in #146 of Arin the Armored Man was a nicely plotted two-page tale with typical wonderful Kirby logic in it. The mission to dispose of Superman’s cell tissue to keep it out of the reach of criminal minds was both logical and a nice surprise. Not nearly as thoroughly thought through was the continuing plot of the tunnel under Terry Dean’s disco in Suicide Slum. Initially we are told it ran there from the DNA Project, hence Dubbilex’s sudden appearance. But then upon its discovery, the Five-String Mob suddenly felt they have been found out and begin to destroy the place. Later they run into the tunnel and escape via a Boom Tube back to Apokolips. Superman knows this tunnel is of paramount importance and sets out to explore it. He also encounters a Boom Tube but this time it is from New Genesis, and he meets Magnar who was also exploring activity in the tunnel. But the significance of the tunnel and the reason for its existence is then forgotten and not explained.

(above) Second page of the back-up strip from Jimmy Olsen #146, still in pencil. (next page) Puzzling over the tunnel beneath Terry Dean’s disco, the Guardian puts in a final appearance in Jimmy Olsen #146.

(previous page) Superman visits New Genesis in Jimmy Olsen #147. (this page) The final page of Jack’s Jimmy Olsen run, from issue #148.

Nevertheless, the sequence of Superman in New Genesis in #147 was very well done, appearing the same month as the classic “The Pact” issue of New Gods. Jack was certainly hinting that he felt Superman would have felt at home amongst these New Genesis gods. But where would he go from there? He probably knew he couldn’t carry the theme on much further without impinging on the character of Supes in his own books, something we now know he was not keen on doing.

Jack’s stint on Jimmy’s book closed with a non-Fourth World episode that smacked of his older work. Victor Volcanum is a would-be world dictator complete with an origin that seemed to be from a ’60s Marvel book, robotic ‘Pseudo-Men’ and a sky-gondola rising from and descending back into his volcanic home. He was nicely written as a lonely madman who saw the world in his unique way and thoroughly believed he was the best qualified to rule it. There was a lot of imagination in this short episode by Jack but it was to be the last spent on old Jimmy—for soon Jack would be instead imagining worlds inhabited by a Demon and a boy in a wild, strange future. ★ 59

Public Domain Theatre

“Never look a gift horse in the mouth, for fear its head will end up in your bed.”

An Offer We Couldn’t Refuse

kay, I’m paraphrasing the famous expression, but it never held truer than here. Kirby fan Chris Fama recently contacted me, saying he’d worked out a process to chemically bleach old comics pages, leaving only the black ink intact on the paper, making for crisp, clean originals to scan for reproduction. Would I be interested in having him supply Kirby line art from “public

(above) Jack does a “Chalk Talk” drawing of a gangster for fans at an early 1970s San Diego Comicon. (right) Final page from the unpublished 1971 “Ladies of the Mob” story from In The Days Of The Mob #2. Inks by Mike Royer. In The Days Of The Mob TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

domain” (i.e. out of copyright) stories for TJKC? Did Marlon Brando ever say “no” to a slice of pie? It seemed appropriate that we kick off this new feature with a 1940s gangster story, as a sort of parallel to Jack’s In The Days Of The Mob book from 1971. You’ll see in this story (from Justice Traps The Guilty #9, April 1949) the same Kirby that brought to life a virtuoso performance of violence and mayhem in 1971. Our thanks to Chris for his efforts on this new ongoing TJKC feature! ★

Adam M c Govern Know of some Kirby-inspired work that should be covered here? Send to:

As A Genre

Adam McGovern PO Box 257 Mt. Tabor, NJ 07878

A regular feature examining Kirby-inspired work, by Adam McGovern

GREAT THINGS IN SMALL PACKAGES (right) Buzzboy tries to run from the past in this Kirby-monster confrontation. (bottom right) Caveman Robot strikes a Kirbyish pose. (next page left) Tom Doyle serves up a diner-date fit for a King.

trip to last year’s Small Press Expo or SPX (www.spxpo.com), supplemented by a few to my mailbox, revealed a sizable helping of affectionate super-hero satire and homage in the often un-caped indie-comics world. A sampling of some of the best supplements our Kirby-watch this issue.

Boy Wonders One gem was the high-quality, often high-larious paperback collections of John Gallagher’s Buzzboy, a slacker super-hero with hip and inviting animation-inspired graphics and brisk, endearing scripts. Idiosyncratic and with a healthy sense of humor about itself, Buzzboy reads like a latter-day complement to Mike Allred’s Madman, an antidote for anxious

modern times and a kind of embodiment of the more optimistic era in which Gallagher’s character was first conceived, complete with a farcical fast-food addiction on the hero’s part which matches that of the pre-9/11 period’s presidential MC. Buzzboy’s adventures range from state-ofthe-art style to spot-on retro, and the homage to Kirby monsters seen here merely scratches the surface. With this classy indie contender, the buzz is no hype. [www.skydogcomics.com]

Down to a Science

(left and next page center) The Pinchbeck Age of Comics continues! Buzzboy TM and © 2005 John Gallagher. Caveman Robot © 2005 Jason Robert Bell and Shoshanna Weinberger. All Pinchbeck titles and characters TM and ©2005 Wade Hobby and Eric Coile. Tales of the Terminal Diner TM & ©2005 Sonic Publishing.

The engine of a well-oiled DIY multimedia machine, Jason Robert Bell and Shoshanna Weinberger’s Caveman Robot is the unlikely leading man (so to speak) of a comic, a CD, animations, public performances and a basement merchandising empire. Forged in a high-concept collision of genres gone wild, the leopardskinned mechanical marvel offers a little something for everyone in his Gigantic Mega Annual 2004

(including the three cleverly interwoven Kirby Klues that caused his creators to hand us a copy and which you’d rather read it to find for yourself). In this issue alone there’s backstage circus melodrama, campy superhero struggles, outer-space sci-fi and oblique prehistoric pageantry in made-up lost languages. Visit www.cavemanrobot.com and join the phenomenon on page or stage—Caveman Robot is all over the place, but it’s well put together.

exist-it-was-necessary-to-invent-them covers and character designs; some of the most Kirbyish of these are proudly previewed here.

Three Chords, Four Colors One spiritual cousin of small-press comics is independent music, and one particularly close relation was pressed into my hand (okay, after I begged) at SPX: Graphic Music, an album of skilled, subtly menacing cut-and-paste techno inspired by comics, from the mysterious entity known as Jung Robot (no relation to Caveman). Of special interest to Kirby fans are the tracks “Mister Miracle” and “Splash Page/Wakanda,” though Scott Free and the Black Panther are in good company with strange bedfellows from Phantom Lady to Preacher (in one of my personal favorite tracks, “Fear of God”). Music to quicken your pulse and paint pictures in your mind. [http://tci.homestead.com/ jungrobot.html]

Ethics Takes a Holiday

Some Fries With That Comic? Waitering isn’t just for aspiring actors, it can be for up-and-coming comics publishers too, and Ron & Justine Fontes’ Sonic Comics, purveyor of fine trade paperbacks, makes it literal as the theme of their Tales of the Terminal Diner, an engaging sit-comic of short stories concerning an eerie all-night eatery and its eccentric regulars. Various immortals, talking dogs, bickering supercouples and others track through the Terminal Diner as do respected comics pros from Mr. Monster’s Michael T. Gilbert to the late, great Grass Green, as well as emerging talents like TwoMorrows’ friend Tom Doyle, whose Kirby-flavored farce is excerpted here—though once you step into this book’s world you may find you want one of everything. [www.sonicpublishing.com]

Returning Attractions The only thing that can go small-press one better is no-press. AC Comics veteran and Kirby Klone First Klass Eric Coile has been busy since his King-lampooning Fighting Yank days on a whole new superhero universe with writer M. Wade Hobby. Or should I say an old one—Coile and Hobby have been hard at work filling in the fake history of Pinchbeck Comics, a decades-spanning publisher to rank with fictional industry powerhouses like Big Bang and Empire. Nothing you can flip through and roll up in your back pocket yet, but an absorbing website at www.pinchbeckcomics.com is up, running, and already generating the merch while whetting appetites with a detailed phony timeline and a library of since-they-didn’t-

Not a small-press comics company but a fierce independent in the book-publishing world, Visible Ink Press has released The Superhero Book, a comprehensive A-Z encyclopedia of almost everyone who ever looked good in spandex (and many who didn’t), along with their gadgets, worlds, movie and TV appearances, creators and cultural significance. It’s gotten good notices from sources as wide-ranging as Jim Kingman’s “Comic Effect” column on www.silverbulletcomics.com and the U.K. Independent, and brings together the fun of reading comics with the serious consideration they deserve.

Kirby Kontent is high, along with a sweeping look at everything else his innovations wrought industry-wide. The book is edited by pop-culture expert Gina Misoroglu and co-edited by comics authority David A. Roach, with entries by both of them and a comics-crit Who’s Who including Back Issue’s Michael Eury and Andy Mangels as well as Michael A. Martin, Marc McKenzie and Frank Plowright, with contributions and copyediting by, I admit, moi. But all bias notwithstanding, if you need a handy reference to every age of comics (and many countries, especially considering the book’s extensive manga and anime coverage), in 300 entries over more than 700 pages, this is your Britannica. Cultural contexts (Feminism; Superheroes and Rock; etc.) are covered along with every habitat and parallel universe for our heroes (from “Supercities” to “Batman in the Media” and beyond), not to mention scores of single-character entries written with wit, accuracy, and a clear historical perspective of their various incarnations that goes beyond the smooshed-together, confusing in-continuity approach of many handbooks. I’m behooved to mention the two main competitors that coincidentally made it to market simultaneous to us, just to prove that my partiality is entirely objective: Ron Goulart’s Comic Book Encyclopedia is beautifully designed and The Rough Guide to Superheroes is a brisk, irreverent read with many entertaining interpretations. Both books get docked many points for accuracy—Rough Guide’s reference to Spider-Man’s girlfriend “Gwen Tracy” and Goulart’s report that the Wonder Woman of the 2000s is “a young black woman” are each emblematic, and there’s lots more where those came from. Put the diminutive Rough Guide in your pocket on the bus, stick Goulart on your coffee table, but for the serious reference library in any secret hideout, call on The Superhero Book. [www.visibleink.com] ★ (Adam McGovern just can’t get enough of Kirbyinspired work, and hopes you’ll send him more, and more, and more. He must have it. Now.)

Gallery 2

We want The Funk! Wherein Jack proves it really is hip to be square, by John Morrow

n the 1970s decade of CB Radios and Disco, Jack mined the vein of popular culture to come up with some remarkably fun books. In The Days Of The Mob harkened to The Godfather, a year after the Mario Puzo novel was released, and Spirit World appeared the same year the 1971 novel The Exorcist debuted. Dingbats of Danger Street mimicked the TV show Welcome Back Kotter (with its four stars virtually transformed into comic form), and both debuted in 1975. Soul Train was a television hit when it premiered in Oct. 1971, even if Jack’s 1971 Soul Love book never got published. Jack even delved into some martial arts action in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #3 (Aug. 1975), three years after David Carradine began snatching pebbles from his sensei’s hand. And what was his unpublished 1970 True Divorce Cases, but a twist on TV’s 1969 show Love, American Style? Had Jack stayed at DC, was it only a matter of time before we saw him tackle comic book versions of Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island? Whether it’s a crime that some of these were never produced, or one that some were, is for you to judge. Either way, enjoy this look at some of the funky, clunky stuff Jack produced at 1970s DC Comics. ★

or a full overview of DC’s failed black-&-white magazine line of the 1970s, including Jack’s In The Days Of The Mob, Spirit World, Soul Love, and True Divorce Cases, check out BACK ISSUE #10, TwoMorrows’ newest mag, on sale now!

(page 68-69) Two pages meant for Spirit World #2, and eventually published in Weird Mystery Tales #3 (Nov. 1972). (page 70-71) Splash page from the unpublished Dingbats of Danger Street #2 (circa 1975) with inks by Mike Royer, and final page pencils from the still unpublished Dingbats #3, showing that Bananas was up next for an origin story.

(page 74-75) Another of the proposed “Speak-Out Series” of magazines, Soul Love never made it to press, but here’s two pages from the story “Dedicated Nurse,” inked by Vince Colletta.

(page 72-73) Two pages from “The Maid” from the unpublished 1970 magazine project True Divorce Cases, showcasing Jack’s ability to draw lovely ladies.

GET BACK ISSUES OF

T H E U LT I M AT E C O M I C S E X P E R I E N C E !

Edited by MICHAEL EURY (former DC and Dark Horse editor/writer and author of books on CAPTAIN ACTION and DICK GIORDANO), BACK ISSUE celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through recurring (and rotating) departments.

Prices include US Postage. Outside the US, Add $2 Per Item Canada, $3 Per Item Surface, $7 Per Item Airmail (except Hardcover Books: add $14 Airmail) DRAW! (edited by MIKE MANLEY) is the professional “How-To” magazine on comics, cartooning, and animation. Each issue features in-depth interviews & step-by-step demos from top comics pros on all aspects of graphic storytelling. NOTE: Contains nudity for purposes of figure drawing. Intended for Mature Readers.

G! HIPPIN NOW S #1: DC VS. MARVEL! GEORGE PÉREZ COVER!

• PRO 2 PRO INTERVIEW: A dialogue between GEORGE PÉREZ and MARV WOLFMAN), with rare Pérez artwork! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: The original JLA/AVENGERS crossover, with unseen PÉREZ art! • ROUGH STUFF: JACK KIRBY’S ’70s and ’80s DC and Marvel PENCILED art! • BEYOND CAPES: An evaluation of DC’s and Marvel’s TARZAN series with artwork by JOE KUBERT and JOHN BUSCEMA, and interviews with KUBERT, CARMINE INFANTINO, and ROY THOMAS! • OFF MY CHEST: Guest editorial by former DC editorial director CARMINE INFANTINO, recalling DC’s 1970s’ battle plan to challenge Marvel’s dominance!

#2: TOTALLY ’80s! ADAM HUGHES COVER!

• PRO 2 PRO INTERVIEWS: ADAM HUGHES and MIKE BARR, plus MATT WAGNER and DIANA SCHUTZ, with Hughes & Wagner art! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: STEVE RUDE’s Space Ghost vs. Herculoids, plus ARTHUR ADAMS art! • BEYOND CAPES: BRUCE JONES’ Twisted Tales and Alien Worlds series, with art by DAVE STEVENS! • OFF MY CHEST: MIKE BARR on the DC Implosion! Art by STEVE DITKO, JIM APARO, & JOE KUBERT! • ROUGH STUFF: Pencil art by ADAM HUGHES! • PLUS: A look at the history of the COMICO comics company!

#3: LAUGHING MATTERS! #4: MARVEL MILESTONES! JOHN BYRNE COVER! BRIAN BOLLAND COVER!

• BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: The Joker’s history, with DENNY O’NEIL, NEAL ADAMS, STEVE ENGLEHART, MARSHALL ROGERS, JIM STARLIN, & BRIAN BOLLAND! • PRO 2 PRO INTERVIEW: KEITH GIFFEN, J.M. DeMATTEIS, and KEVIN MAGUIRE on their JUSTICE LEAGUE series, with art by Maguire and Giffen! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: Two never-seen PLASTIC MAN movies, plus Schwarzenegger as SGT. ROCK! • ROUGH STUFF: Pencil artwork and rare sketches by SERGIO ARAGONÉS, MIKE MANLEY, RAMONA FRADON, SCOTT SHAW!, JACK KIRBY and others! • OFF MY CHEST: MARK EVANIER on why writing “funny” books is hard work!

• PRO2PRO INTERVIEWS: BYRNE and CLAREMONT on WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN, and WALTER SIMONSON and JOE CASEY on the 20th anniversary of Walter’s run on THOR! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: Wolverine’s creator LEN WEIN on the TEEN WOLVERINE you never saw! Plus, unseen Wolverine art by DAVE COCKRUM! • ROUGH STUFF: Wolverine’s 30th anniversary is celebrated with pencil artwork by JOHN BUSCEMA, JIM LEE, ADAM HUGHES, ROB LIEFELD, MARC SILVESTRI, & others! • PLUS: Spotlights on the PUNISHER’s 30th birthday and the 20th anniversary of SECRET WARS!

#5: HOLLYWOOD ISSUE! ALEX ROSS AND ADAM HUGHES FLIP-COVERS!

• WONDER WOMAN: A new LYNDA CARTER interview and WW art gallery by GEORGE PÉREZ, DICK GIORDANO, PHIL JIMENEZ, and others! • MARVEL ON TV: The Hulk, SpiderMan, Captain America, and Dr. Strange, & a new interview with LOU FERRIGNO! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: TEEN TITANS, FLASH, METAMORPHO, and other cartoons you didn’t see! • ROUGH STUFF: ORDWAY pencil art! • BEYOND CAPES: Marvel’s & DC’s STAR TREK overview by MIKE W. BARR, with art by COCKRUM, SUTTON, & more! • OFF MY CHEST: JOHN ROMITA SR. on Marvel’s cinematic adaptations! • COVERS by HUGHES & ALEX ROSS!

ACTING WITH A PENCIL

BEST OF DRAW! VOL. 1

Make your drawings come alive with this ALL-NEW indispensible guide to creating animation and comic book art. Cartooning and lively figure drawing are explained in clear, easily understood prose and demonstrated by HUNDREDS OF DRAWINGS created especially for this book by two Emmy Award-winning masters of the subject: Mike Manley and Bret Blevins of DRAW! magazine!

Compiles material from the first two soldout issues of DRAW!, the “How-To” magazine on comics and cartooning! Tutorials by, and interviews with: DAVE GIBBONS (layout and drawing on the computer), BRET BLEVINS (drawing lovely women, painting from life, and creating figures that “feel”), JERRY ORDWAY (detailing his working methods), KLAUS JANSON and RICARDO VILLAGRAN (inking tips), GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY (on animation and Samurai Jack), STEVE CONLEY (creating web comics and cartoons), PHIL HESTER and ANDE PARKS (penciling and inking), and more!

EFFECTIVE DRAWING FOR COMICS AND ANIMATION

(160-page Trade Paperback) $24 US

SHIPS AUG. ’05

(200-page trade paperback) $26 US

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

DRAW! OR WRITE NOW! SUBS: 4 issues: $20 Standard, $32 First Class (Canada: $40, Elsewhere: $44 Surface, $60 Airmail).

#6: HALLOWEEN ISSUE! GENE COLAN COVER!

• BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula series, with MARV WOLFMAN and GENE COLAN! • PRO2PRO INTERVIEWS: LEN WEIN and BERNIE WRIGHTSON on Swamp Thing’s roots, plus STEVE BISSETTE and RICK VEITCH on their ’80s series! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: “Swamp Thing & Man-Thing: Who Came First?” with Wein, Wrightson, GERRY CONWAY, ROY THOMAS, VAL MAYERICK, and JOHN BYRNE! • ROUGH STUFF: Pencil artwork from FRANK BRUNNER, PAUL SMITH, CARL POTTS, MIKE PLOOG, plus Bissette, Wrightson, and Colan! • OFF MY CHEST: ROY THOMAS on his unfinished Dracula adaptation at Marvel, with rare DICK GIORDANO art! • BEYOND CAPES (x2): Marvel’s Godzilla series with HERB TRIMPE artwork, and a behind-the-scenes study of Charlton Comics’ 1970s horror line! • PLUS: Go on the presidential campaign trail with HOWARD THE DUCK, PREZ, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and others!

#7: SUPER-TEAMS OF THE ’70s & ’80s! SWAN & ANDERSON COVER!

• THE BRAVE & THE BOLD: A history of the team-up book, including a JIM APARO interview and a tribute to writer BOB HANEY! PLUS: Fantastic Four contributors from STAN LEE to MARK WAID share their FF insights! • DNAgents: MARK EVANIER and WILL MEUGNIOT on their ’80s series! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: TEEN TITANS SWINGIN’ ELSEWORDS and Marvel’s SANTA CLAUS, with art by JAY STEPHENS, NICK CARDY, KIERON DWYER, & JOHN ROMITA! • ROUGH STUFF: Pencil art by ALEX ROSS, ALEX TOTH, DAVE COCKRUM, DON HECK, FRANK ROBBINS, DON NEWTON, CARMINE INFANTINO, and JOHN BYRNE (his FF tryout)! • OFF MY CHEST: DENNY O’NEIL’s editorial on super teams! • PLUS: Art by GIORDANO, FRADON, ADAMS, CARDY, SIMONSON, AUSTIN, SIENKIEWICZ, RUDE, MOEBIUS, PÉREZ, and more!

#8: ’70s & ’80s BLACK SUPER-HEROES! KYLE BAKER COVER!

• PRO2PRO INTERVIEW: DENNY O’NEIL and Justice League Unlimited voice actor PHIL LaMARR discuss GREEN LANTERN JOHN STEWART, plus NEAL ADAMS’ GL insights and art! • ROUGH STUFF: NEW X-MEN art by NEAL ADAMS, ARTHUR ADAMS, LARRY STROMAN, BOB McLEOD, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI, ALAN DAVIS, JIM LEE, ADAM HUGHES, and more! PLUS: STORM’s 30th birthday history! • BACKSTAGE PASS: Animated TV’s black heroes, from BLACK VULCAN to the BROWN HORNET, with TOTH art! • OFF MY CHEST: TONY ISABELLA on BLACK LIGHTNING, plus an all-new interview with TREVOR VON EEDEN! • PLUS: Interview with writer DWAYNE McDUFFIE, a history of AfricanAmericans in comics, and commentary and art by COWAN, ROMITA, BYRNE, COCKRUM, CLAREMONT, TERRY AUSTIN, COLAN, ENGLEHART, PÉREZ, ZECK, and more!

SUBSCRIBE TO BACK ISSUE!: Six issues in the US: $30 Standard, $48 First Class (Canada: $60, Elsewhere: $66 Surface, $90 Airmail).

#9: ’70s & ’80s COSMIC COMICS! STEVE RUDE COVER! (MARCH)

• PRO2PRO INTERVIEW: Writer MIKE BARON and artist STEVE RUDE revisit the early days of their landmark NEXUS series, with tons of art by “the Dude”! • ROUGH STUFF: The late, great GIL KANE is the subject of a pencil art gallery, featuring GREEN LANTERN, THE MICRONAUTS, CONAN, SPIDER-MAN, SUPERMAN, and a few surprises! • BEYOND CAPES: Examination of Marvel Comics’ long-running STAR WARS comics, with interviews with and art by a galaxy of stars including HOWARD CHAYKIN, ROY THOMAS, AL WILLIAMSON, CARMINE INFANTINO, WALT SIMONSON, TOM PALMER, RON FRENZ, and more! • GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: An exposé of DC’s unrealized Crisis on Infinite Earths sequel CRISIS OF THE SOUL, with art by JERRY ORDWAY! • OFF MY CHEST: Guest editorial by First Comics’ MIKE GOLD! • PLUS: MIKE MIGNOLA and JIM STARLIN’s COSMIC ODYSSEY; TIMOTHY TRUMAN and JOHN OSTRANDER’S GRIMJACK, then and now; a villain history of THANOS; TIME WARP revisited; and more!

BACK ISSUE #10 NOW SHIPPING!

ADAMS and O’NEIL on RA’S AL GHUL’s history (with ADAMS ART), O’NEIL and KALUTA discuss THE SHADOW, MIKE GRELL’s JON SABLE FREELANCE, CHAYKIN interview, DOC SAVAGE in comics, BATMAN ART GALLERY with SIENKIEWICZ, SIMONSON, PAUL SMITH, BOLLAND, HANNIGAN, MAZZUCCHELLI, and others; and a new cover by ADAMS! Edited by MICHAEL EURY. (100-page magazine) $8 US

DIAMOND’S “2004 BEST PUBLICATION ABOUT COMICS!”

100 PAGES! SINGLE ISSUES: $8 POSTPAID US

HOW TO DRAW COMICS, FROM SCRIPT TO PRINT DVD: DRAW’s MIKE MANLEY and WRITE NOW’s DANNY FINGEROTH create a new character created from scratch, and create a story drawn from script to roughs, pencils, inks, and coloring—even lettering! It’s 120 minutes of “how-to” tips, tricks, and tools of the pros, plus bonus features! $34 US

DRAW #3: (80 pgs.) “How-To” DRAW #4: (92 pgs.) “How-To” DRAW #5: (88 pgs.) “How-To” DRAW #6: (96 pgs.) “How-To” demos & interviews with DICK demos & interviews with ERIK demos/intvs. with BENDIS & demos & interviews with BILL GIORDANO, “Action” by BRET LARSEN, KEVIN NOWLAN, OEMING, MIKE WIERINGO, WRAY, STEPHEN DeSTEFANO, BLEVINS, CHRIS BAILEY, DAVE COOPER, “Figure MARK McKENNA, “Hands” by CELIA CALLE, MIKE MANLEY, MIKE MANLEY, new column Composition” by BRET BRET BLEVINS, PAUL “Light & Shadow” by BRET by PAUL RIVOCHE, reviews of BLEVINS, PAUL RIVOCHE, RIVOCHE, color section, prod- BLEVINS, ANDE PARKS, color art supplies, more! $8 US color section, more! $8 US section, and more! $8 US uct reviews, more! $8 US

DRAW #7: (96 pgs.) “How-To” DRAW #8: (96 pgs.) “How-To” DRAW #9: (96 pgs.) Pt. 2 of DRAW #10: (96 pgs.) “Howdemos & interviews with DAN demos & interviews with crossover with WRITE NOW!, To” demos & interviews with BRERETON, PAUL RIVOCHE, MATT HALEY, ALBERTO RUIZ, showing a comic created from RON GARNEY, GRAHAM ZACH TRENHOLM, MIKE TOM BANCROFT, ROB script to print (with full-color NOLAN, Lettering with TODD MANLEY, “Sketching” by CORLEY, “Drapery” by BRET comic insert), plus BRET KLEIN, step-by-step with BRET BLEVINS, color section, BLEVINS, color section, BLEVINS, ALBERTO RUIZ, ALBERTO RUIZ, BRET product reviews, more! $8 US product reviews, more! $8 US SCOTT KURTZ, & more! $8 US BLEVINS, and more! $8 US

WRITE NOW! (edited by DANNY FINGEROTH), the mag for writers of comics, animation, & sci-fi, puts you in the minds of today’s top writers and editors. Each issue features writing tips from pros on both sides of the desk, interviews, sample scripts, reviews, and more.

WN #1: (88 pgs.) MARK WN #2: (96 pgs.) ERIK WN #3: (80 pgs.) DEODATO BAGLEY cover & interview, LARSEN cover & interview, JR. Hulk cover, intvs. & articles BRIAN BENDIS & STAN LEE STAN BERKOWITZ on the by BRUCE JONES, AXEL interviews, JOE QUESADA on Justice League cartoon, TODD ALONSO, JIMMY PALMIOTTI, what editors really want, TOM ALCOTT on Samurai Jack, LEE KURT BUSIEK, FABIAN DeFALCO, J.M. DeMATTEIS, NORDLING, ANNE D. BERN- NICIEZA, STEVEN GRANT, more! $8 US DENNY O’NEIL, more! $8 US STEIN, & more! $8 US

Y IN MA

WN #4: (80 pgs.) Interviews WN #5: (80 pgs.) Interviews WN #6: (80 pgs.) Interviews WN #7: (80 pgs.) Interviews WN #8: (80 pgs.) Pt. 1 of WN #9: (80 pgs.) NEAL WN #10: (80 pgs.) Interviews and lessons with WARREN and lessons by WILL EISNER, and lessons with BENDIS and and lessons by JEPH LOEB & crossover with DRAW!, show- ADAMS on his writing (with and lessons by Justice League ELLIS, HOWARD CHAYKIN, J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, OEMING on POWERS, MARK TIM SALE, JIM LEE, CHUCK ing a comic created from lots of Adams art), plus inter- Unlimited’s DWAYNE McDUFFIE, PAUL DINI, FABIAN NICIEZA, BOB SCHRECK, FABIAN WAID on FANTASTIC FOUR, DIXON, JOHN JACKSON script to print, plus interviews views and lessons by GEOFF “Hate’s” PETER BAGGE, comics KURT BUSIEK, TOM DeFALCO, NICIEZA, PAUL DINI, JOEY BOB SCHRECK continues, MILLER, MARK WHEATLEY, and lessons by STUART JOHNS, MICHAEL OEMING, scripter/editor GERRY CONWAY, STEVEN GRANT, DENNY CAVALIERI, DIANA SCHUTZ, DIANA SCHUTZ, SCOTT M. DENNY O’NEIL, YVETTE MOORE, DON McGREGOR, & BATTON LASH, secrets of writer/editor PAUL BENJAMIN, DENNY O’NEIL, more! $8 US ROSENBERG, more! $8 US KAPLAN, more! $8 US O’NEIL, more! $8 US Indy creator secrets! $8 US pitching ideas, & more! $8 US & more! $8 US

Prices include US Postage. Outside the US, Per Item Add $2 Canada, Elsewhere: $3 Surface, $7 Airmail.

Edited by ROY THOMAS The greatest ’zine of the ’60s is back, all-new, and focused on Golden & Silver Age comics and creators with articles, interviews, unseen art, plus FCA, Mr. Monster, and more!

AE #9: (100 pgs.) JOHN ROMITA intv. & gallery, plus ROY THOMAS’ dream projects! FCA with BECK, SWAYZE, & TUSKA, MR. MONSTER, ROMITA & DICK GIORDANO covers! $8 US

AE #2: (100 pgs.) All-new! EISNER “SPIRIT” story, KANE, FOX & SCHWARTZ on The Atom, L. LIEBER & JACK BURNLEY intvs., KANIGHER, FCA, new color BURNLEY & KANE covers, more! $8 US

AE #10: (100 pgs) CARMINE INFANTINO intv. & art, neverseen FLASH story, VIN SULLIVAN & MAGAZINE ENTERPRISES, FRED GUARDINEER, AYERS, FCA, MR. MONSTER, more! $8 US

AE #3: (100 pgs.) ALEX ROSS cover & interview, JERRY ORDWAY, BILL EVERETT, CARL BURGOS, Giant FAWCETT (FCA) section with C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, & more! $8 US

AE #11: (100 pgs) Interviews with SYD SHORES, MICKEY SPILLANE, VINCE FAGO, MAGAZINE ENTERPRISES Part Two, FCA with BECK, SWAYZE, DON NEWTON, MR. MONSTER, more! $8 US

AE #4: (100 pgs.) 60 years of HAWKMAN & FLASH! ROY THOMAS remembers GIL KANE, intvs. with KUBERT, MOLDOFF, LAMPERT, FOX, FCA with BECK & SWAYZE, KUBERT covers, more! $8 US

AE #12: (100 pgs) GILL FOX on QUALITY COMICS, neverseen PAUL REINMAN Green Lantern art, origins of ALLSTAR SQUADRON, FCA, MR. MONSTER on WALLY WOOD, more! $8 US

AE #5: (100 pgs.) JSA issue! Intvs. with SHELLY MAYER, GIL KANE, MART NODELL, GEORGE ROUSSOS, FCA with BECK & SWAYZE, NEW INFANTINO / ORDWAY wraparound cover, more! $8 US

AE #13 (100 pgs.) TITANS OF TIMELY/MARVEL Part Two! JOE SIMON & MURPHY ANDERSON covers, Silver Age AVENGERS section (with BUSCEMA, HECK, TUSKA, & THOMAS) & more! $8 US

AE #6: (100 pgs.) GENE COLAN intv., how-to books by STAN LEE & KANIGHER, ALLSTAR SQUADRON, MAC RABOY section, FCA with BECK & SWAYZE, COLAN & RABOY covers, more! $8 US

AE #14 (100 pgs.) JSA FROM THE ’40s TO THE ’80s! MIKE NASSER & MICHAEL T. GILBERT covers, intvs. with ORDWAY & LEE ELIAS, neverseen 1940s JSA pgs., ’70s JSA, & more! $8 US

AE #7: (100 pgs.) Companion issue to the ALL-STAR COMPANION! J. SCHWARTZ intv., JLA-JSA teamups, MAC RABOY, FCA with BECK & SWAYZE, BUCKLER & BECK covers, more! $8 US

AE #15 (108 pgs.) JOHN BUSCEMA TRIBUTE ISSUE! BUSCEMA covers & interview, unseen art, ROY THOMAS on their collaborations, plus salute to KURT SCHAFFENBERGER, & more! $8 US

AE #8: (100 pgs.) Bio of WALLY WOOD, ADKINS & PEARSON intvs., KUBERT intv., FCA w/ BECK, SWAYZE, & ORDWAY, MR. MONSTER, WOOD & KUBERT covers, more! $8 US

AE #16: (108 pgs.) COLAN, BUSCEMA, ROMITA, SEVERIN interviews, ALEX ROSS on Shazam!, OTTO & JACK BINDER, KURTZMAN, new ROSS & FRADON/SEVERIN covers, more! $8 US

ALTER EGO #41

ALTER EGO #42

ALTER EGO #43

ALTER EGO #44

ALTER EGO #45

Frankenstein cover by BERNIE WRIGHTSON— plus Captain Marvel flip-cover by 1940s Fawcett artist MARC SWAYZE! WRIGHTSON on his ’70s FRANKENSTEIN masterwork—DON GLUT on the Monster in four colors—MICHELLE NOLAN on ACG’s “Spirit of Frankenstein”—DC’s “Spawn of Frankenstein” & Dell’s super-hero take—the Monstrous genius of DICK BRIEFER (with tons of rare art)—and like that! Art by KALUTA, BAILY, MANEELY, PLOOG, KUBERT, BRUNNER, COWAN, BORING, OKSNER, TUSKA, CRANDALL, SUTTON, and others! Plus FCA celebrates its 100th issue, with Golden Age Captain Marvel artist EMILIO SQUEGLIO interviewed by JIM AMASH, ALEX TOTH, MICHAEL T. GILBERT—and more! (108-page magazine) $8 US

MARVEL’S FORGOTTEN SILVER AGE ARTISTS, THE GOLDEN AGE OF ZIFFDAVIS, HILLMAN, & THE HEAP! Neverseen covers by FASTNER & LARSON, and Heap artist ERNIE SCHROEDER! A celebration of DON HECK, WERNER ROTH, and PAUL REINMAN, plus rare art by JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO, DICK AYERS, et al.! Then, from Hillman to Ziff-Davis, two Golden Age comics companies and their creators remembered by Heap/Airboy artist ERNIE SCHROEDER, editor HERB ROGOFF, and cartoonist WALTER LITTMAN—interviewed by JIM AMASH! Plus scarce Hillman & Ziff-Davis art by ANDERSON, INFANTINO, LEAV, KIDA, KRIEGSTEIN, & many others! Also: FCA, ALEX TOTH, & more! (108-page magazine) $8 US

CHRISTMAS—NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BORDER! Behind flip covers by GEORGE TUSKA and DAVE STEVENS— Yuletide art by WALLY WOOD, JOE SINNOTT, FRANK BRUNNER, NICK CARDY, ALEX TOTH, MART NODELL, ESTEBAN MAROTO, and others! Interviews with Golden Age artists TOM GILL (Lone Ranger) and MORRIS WEISS of the Timely/Marvel Bullpen! “The Silver Age of Mexican Comics” by historian FRED PATTEN, exploring 1960s Mexican comics (with a cornucopia of rarely-seen comic art)! Plus FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK, et al.—BILL SCHELLY on comics fandom—MICHAEL T. GILBERT’s Comic Crypt—and more! (108-page magazine) $8 US

Behind a wraparound JSA/ALL-STAR SQUADRON/INFINITY INC. cover by JERRY ORDWAY, you’ll find interviews with All-Star Comics/Hawkman artist JOE KUBERT—JSA/GL artist IRWIN HASEN— JLA/JSA artist MURPHY ANDERSON—AllStar Squadron/Infinity, Inc. artist JERRY ORDWAY—plus 1940s Atom writer ARTHUR ADLER! Rare Golden/Silver/ Bronze Age art by ALEX TOTH, MIKE SEKOWSKY, IRWIN HASEN, ARTHUR PEDDY, JOE GALLAGHER, MARTIN NAYDEL, MIKE MACHLAN, RICH BUCKLER, MICHAEL BAIR, et al.! FCA with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK, and others— MICHAEL T. GILBERT showcases “I Like Ike!” cartoons by KANE, INFANTINO, OKSNER, and BIRO—and more! (100-page magazine) $8 US

Interviews with Golden Age Sandman artist CREIG FLESSEL and 1940s creator BERT CHRISTMAN, MICHAEL CHABON on researching his Pulitzer-winning novel, art by EISNER, KANE, KIRBY, & AYERS, FCA, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, & more! (100-page magazine) $8 US

NOMINATED FOR A 2004 EISNER AWARD FOR BEST COMICSRELATED MAGAZINE! AE #17: (108 pgs.) LOU FINE overview & art, ARNOLD DRAKE & MURPHY ANDERSON interviews, plus EISNER, CRANDALL, DAVIS & EVANS’ non-EC action comics, FCA, LOU FINE cover, more! $8 US

AE #18: (108 pgs.) STAN GOLDBERG interview & art, plus KIRBY, DITKO, HECK, ROMITA, BUSCEMA, EVERETT, WALLY WOOD’S Flash Gordon, FCA, KIRBY & SWAYZE covers, more! $8 US

AE #19: (108 pgs.) DICK SPRANG interview & art, JERRY ROBINSON on FRED RAY, BOB KANE, CARMINE INFANTINO, ALEX TOTH, WALLY WOOD, FCA, SPRANG & RAY covers, more! $8 US

AE #20: (108 pgs.) TIMELY/ MARVEL focus, INVADERS overview with KIRBY, KANE, ROBBINS, BOB DESCHAMPS intv., panel with FINGER, BINDER, FOX, & WEISINGER, FCA, rare art, more! $8 US

AE #21: (108 pgs.) IGER STUDIO with art by EISNER, FINE, MESKIN, ANDERSON, CRANDALL, CARDY, EVANS, “SHEENA” section, THOMAS on the JSA, FCA, DAVE STEVENS cover, more! $8 US

AE #22: (108 pgs.) EVERETT & KUBERT interviewed by GIL KANE & NEAL ADAMS, ROY THOMAS on Sub-Mariner, COLAN, BUSCEMA, SEVERIN, WOOD, FCA, BECK & EVERETT covers, more! $8 US

AE #23: (108 pgs.) Two unseen Golden Age WONDER WOMAN stories examined, BOB FUJITANI intv. Archie/ MLJ’s JOHN ROSENBERGER & VICTOR GORELICK intv., FCA, rare art, more! $8 US

AE #24: (108 pgs.) NEW X-MEN intvs. with STAN LEE, COCKRUM, CLAREMONT, WEIN, DRAKE, SHOOTER, THOMAS, MORT MESKIN profiled, FCA, covers by COCKRUM & MESKIN! $8 US

AE #25: (108 pgs.) JACK COLE & PLASTIC MAN! Brother DICK COLE interviewed, Cole celebrated by ALEX TOTH, THOMAS on All-Star Squadron #1, JERRY BAILS tribute, FCA, cover by TOTH! $8 US

AE #26: (108 pgs.) JOE SINNOTT interview, KIRBY and BUSCEMA art, IRWIN DONENFELD, Superman art by SHUSTER, BORING, SWAN, FCA, Mr. MONSTER, covers by SINNOTT & BORING! $8 US

#20:(108 (108pgs.) pgs.) AE #27: VINTIMELY/ SULLIMARVEL focus,KIRBY INVADERS VAN intv., “Lost” HULK overview the with1948 KIRBY, covers, NY KANE, CON, ROBBINS,Unknown” BOB DESCHAMPS “Great artists, intv., panel FCA, withALEX FINGER, KURTZMAN, TOTH, BINDER, FOX, & WEISINGER, MR. MONSTER, covers by FCA, rare art, more! $8 $8 US US BURNLEY & KIRBY!

AE #28: (108 pgs.) JOE MANEELY spotlight, scarce Marvel art by EVERETT, SEVERIN, DITKO, ROMITA, extra-size FCA, LEE AMES intv., covers by MANEELY & DON NEWTON! $8 US

AE #29: (108 pgs.) FRANK BRUNNER intv., EVERETT’s Venus, Classics Illustrated adapting Lovecraft, LEE/KIRBY/ DITKO prototypes, ALEX TOTH, FCA with GENE COLAN, BRUNNER cover! $8 US

AE #30: (108 pgs.) SILVER AGE JLA special, ALEX ROSS on the JLA, MIKE SEKOWSKY, DICK DILLIN, GOLDEN AGE SIMON & KIRBY scripters speak, FRENCH HEROES, ROSS & RUDE covers! $8 US

AE #31: (108 pgs.) DICK AYERS intv., HARLAN ELLISON’S Marvel work (with Bullpen artists), LEE/KIRBY/ DITKO prototypes, Christmas cards from cartoonists, AYERS & RAY covers! $8 US

AE #32: (108 pgs.) Golden Age TIMELY ARTISTS intv., MART NODELL, MIKE GOLD on the Silver Age, art by SIMON & KIRBY, SWAN, INFANTINO, KANE, GIORDANO & GIL KANE covers! $8 US

OUT! SOLD

ALTER EGO: THE COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION Reprints the ALTER EGO flip-sides from the out-of-print COMIC BOOK ARTIST #1-5, plus 30 NEW PAGES of features & art! All-new rare and previously-unpublished art by JACK KIRBY, GIL KANE, JOE KUBERT, WALLY WOOD, FRANK ROBBINS, NEAL ADAMS, and others, plus STEVE DITKO on the creation of SPIDER-MAN, ROY THOMAS on THE X-MEN, AVENGERS/KREE-SKRULL WAR, THE INVADERS, color KUBERT COVER, and more! (160-page Trade Paperback) SOLD OUT

ALTER EGO #46

ALTER EGO #47 (APR.)

ALTER EGO #48 (MAY)

ALTER EGO #49 (JUNE)

ALTER EGO #50 (JULY)

The VERY BEST of the 1960s-70s ALTER EGO! EVERETT/SEVERIN cover, classic 1969 BILL EVERETT interview, art by BURGOS, GUSTAVSON, SIMON & KIRBY, and others, 1960s gems by DITKO & E. NELSON BRIDWELL, FCA, TOTH, & more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

MATT BAKER, Golden Age cheesecake artist of PHANTOM LADY, plus art from AL FELDSTEIN, VINCE COLLETTA, ARTHUR PEDDY, JACK KAMEN & others, FCA, BILL SCHELLY talks to BUD PLANT, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, and more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

The late WILL EISNER discusses ’40s Quality Comics with art by FINE, CRANDALL, COLE, & CARDY! EISNER tributes by STAN LEE, GENE COLAN, & others! ’40s Quality artist VERN HENKEL interviewed, FCA, MR. MONSTER, TOTH, & more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

(100-page magazine) $8 US

SUBSCRIBE TO ALTER EGO! Twelve Issues in the US: $60 Standard, $96 First Class (Canada: $120, Elsewhere: $132 Surface, $180 Airmail). NOTE: IF YOU PREFER A SIX-ISSUE SUB, JUST CUT THE PRICE IN HALF! Single Issue Prices Include US Postage. Outside the US, add $2 Per Item Canada, $3 Per Item Surface, $7 Per Item Airmail AE #33: (108 pgs.) MIKE SEKOWSKY tribute, intvs. with wife PAT SEKOWSKY and Golden Age inker VALERIE BARCLAY, art by ANDERSON, ANDRU & ESPOSITO, INFANTINO, FRENZ covers! $8 US

AE #34: (108 pgs.) QUALITY COMICS, intvs. with ALEX KOTZKY, CHUCK CUIDERA, DICK ARNOLD, TOTH, KURTZMAN, art by FINE, EISNER, COLE, CRANDALL and NICHOLAS covers! $8 US

AE #35: #20: (108 (108pgs.) pgs.)STAN TIMELY/ LEE, MARVEL focus,DICK INVADERS JOHN ROMITA, AYERS, overview with KIRBY, KANE, ROY THOMAS, & AL JAFFEE ROBBINS, BOB DESCHAMPS on the 1940s & 1950s Golden intv., FINGER, Age at panel Timely/with Marvel, FCA, BINDER, FOX, & ROMITA WEISINGER, MR. MONSTER, and $8 US FCA, rarecovers! art, more! $8 US JAFFEE

AE #36: (108 pgs.) JOE SIMON intv. & cover, GOLDEN AGE HEROES of Canada, ELMER WEXLER, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on MR. MONSTER’S ORIGINS, FCA, ALEX TOTH, and more! $8 US

AE #37: (108 pgs.) BECK & BORING covers, SY BARRY intv., Superman “K-Metal” story, FCA with C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, DON NEWTON, and Shazam!/Isis!, MR. MONSTER, and more! $8 US

AE #38: (108 pgs.) JULIUS SCHWARTZ tribute & interviews, art by INFANTINO, ANDERSON, KUBERT, KANE, TOTH, SWAN, SEKOWSKY, FCA section, INFANTINO and HASEN covers, more!! $8 US

AE #39: (108 pgs.) Full issue JERRY ROBINSON spotlight, with comprehensive interview and unseen Batman art, AL FELDSTEIN on EC, GIL FOX, MESKIN, ROUSSOS, & ROBINSON covers! $8 US

AE #40: (108 pgs.) JULIUS SCHWARTZ memorial issue with tributes by pros, GIL KANE interview, comprehensive interview and unseen art by RUSS HEATH, GIL KANE and HEATH covers! $8 US

Collector

Comments

Send letters to: THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR c/o TwoMorrows • NEW ADDRESS! 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 E-mail to: twomorrow@aol.com • See back issue excerpts at: www.twomorrows.com Like, all letters will be considered for publication, man, ’cause we’re into peace and love. Can ya dig it?

(Let me welcome aboard TwoMorrows assistant Eric Nolen-Weathington, helping out with the design chores this time. Betcha can’t tell which pages he did, and which ones I did—probably ’cause I’m such a whipcrackin’ taskmaster and control freak. Nice work, ENW! Now on to letters; we expected a deluge about the unpublished HULK #6 pages we ran in issue #41:)

I just got TJKC #41. I notice on page 5 that you mention that “Dick Giordano took a turn at inking Kirby HIS FIRST TIME EVER.” Actually, Mr. Giordano inked a Kirby drawing of “Mr. Miracle” in DC’s WHO’S WHO #15. Attached [above] is a scan of the drawing. Kris Brownlow, Tarpon Springs, FL (Oops! Boy, we sure missed that one. But hopefully you enjoyed those awesome HULK pages we ran last issue.) In Mark Evanier’s column in the latest JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR you have identified the inker of the Kirby drawing on the cover of FANTASY MASTERPIECES #4 as Frank Giacoia. But, in the Bullpen Bulletins appearing in FF #55, it states, “[Jack Kirby] both penciled and inked the fight scene depicting Captain America and Ivan the Terrible on the cover of FANTASY MASTERPIECES #4.” Rod Fong, S. Pasadena, CA (Sorry that slipped past us, but didja see those cool HULK pages we ran last time?)

I just received the new issue of KIRBY COLLECTOR and I’ve stopped on page six because I wanted to mention this before I forget. The Kirby JUNGLE ACTION cover is 78

not “unused,” as the caption indicates. It WAS the cover of JUNGLE ACTION #18, inked by Klaus Janson. Steven Tice, Bellefonte, PA (Gulp! Did I mention we ran some unused Kirby HULK #6 pages last issue? Somebody saw them, right?) Heretofore unseen 1962 HULK pages? I’d like to weigh in. (’Bout time! - Editor) To me, the page numbers (11-13) are the main key: Despite John’s astute observation regarding HULK #3’s odd, three-page “origin-retelling,” the events on these unused pages simply wouldn’t “fit” as the final pages of “Banished to Outer Space.” In my opinion, Kirby’s dense artwork on page twelve’s splash panel left no room for a “Part II” balloon. Here’s something John didn’t touch on: The mustachioed ringleader on the unused pages appears to be in disguise (i.e., dark glasses and a fake mustache). On page 13’s last panel, Hulk appears to be preparing to unmask the crook. Who was he? Because these pages wouldn’t work as pages 11-13 of any published HULK story, I think they’re precisely what Larry Lieber says they are: unused HULK #6 pages. By issue #6, THE INCREDIBLE HULK was heading towards cancellation due to poor sales and artistic failures. These pages (depicting adult crooks disguised as kids, to disrupt a high school basketball game), seem culled from an exceptionally weak Hulk story: Definitely not the type of issue that could pull the book back from the brink of oblivion. Hence, Lee called Ditko in to “pinch hit” on HULK #6 (again, my opinion). Mark Alexander, Decatur, IL (Maybe we finally got one right! Although...) I’m more interested in figuring out what’s going on with those HULK pencils than any sane person should be. First of all, would you agree that it looks like this story should be 14 pages? If you unmask the villain at the bottom of page 13, then odds are, given how stories worked in 1963, there would be one page left. So call that an educated guess. But let’s put that aside for a moment. The pages aren’t from #6. Or #1-3. And the way you can tell is the most simple possible clue: the Hulk’s costume. I know, he doesn’t have a costume. And yet, that’s where it becomes clear: in the first 3 issues, Kirby drew the Hulk with a ripped shirt, hanging toga-style off his chest. He’s bare chested here. Which means it’s not from those earlier issues. BUT he has chest hair, which he lost after page 2 of issue 5’s first story. Both of those details are consistent— no “how many buttons on Thor’s outfit” kinds of questions here. Now, it’s possible this was scheduled for #5, and the Tyrannus story was drawn to replace it. My vote is for #4. I think “The Monster and the Machine,” if you sit down and read it, lacks the dramatic unity (if you can call it that) of all the other stories. Every single other Hulk story has a villain, a conflict, a weapon, a resolution that takes all the ele-

ments into account. Not “The Monster and the Machine.” Check it out—after another recap of the Hulk’s origin (making the 4th time it’s been presented in 4 issues—even the FF had a break in issue #4), three’s an “Iceberg Rocket” test firing to trap the Hulk, and it works, and Thunderbolt Ross is so happy he puts his fingers in his lapels. Now, you know if there’s a gun on the wall in Act I (even if it’s an Iceberg gun), you have to fire it in Act III—but the gun disappears. Instead, there’s some fleeing, some saving of kids in a school bus, the Hulk invading a movie set (which an actress flees, apparently setting the stage for Sue Storm to fill in for her in my beloved FF #15), then a rescue of Rick from soldiers, then a revamp of the Hulk’s powers via a literal deus ex machina, then rescuing people from a fire, then, well you get the idea—it’s a mess. And I suspect it was a fill-in drawn as quickly as Kirby could, with the radio on. And guess what? It’s 14 pages. For no particular reason—it could be 9 pages or 11 or 15 and have exactly the same effect. Exactly that 14 is the likely page count of the unpublished story. Someone send Larry Lieber to clean out his closet—we need more pages! Glen Gold, Ojai, CA (Okay, NOW we’re talking. Next contestant?) I was shocked by TJKC #41 and those unpublished Hulk pages! Here is my opinion: They are from HULK #3. It fits the story— Rick Jones’ hair is identical to the rest of first story (“Banished to Space”). I always was skeptical about that near last panel in the published story where Rick claims to have “luckily fixed” the massive steel bar in that cave. Too ridiculous. I believe the published last page is the original last page to an issue-length story—which was to include those unpublished pages. Rick leaves Hulk with officials and doctors who have patched Hulk’s head after that spacecraft crack-up—Rick still assumes that he now controls Hulk and goes to play basketball—when Hulk is mentally called and creates havoc in the city. After tearing up the city, that’s when the original published last page would have fit into the story as Rick puts Hulk back into the secret location with intact steel bars (that he could not have fixed on his own). The reason it would not have been intended for issue #6 is because Hulk has the full ripped pants instead of those purple panties Hulk wore from issue #4-6 and early AVENGERS issues. Stan Lee would not have messed up THAT continuity. (I always hated that panty look—like all of us readers did). Richard Kolkman, Ft. Wayne, IN (Now if only we could find someone else who’d take a stab at a HULK theory; maybe with a long, well thought-out response...) I’m sure I was not the only long-time Jack Kirby fan to be mesmerized by the dramatic unpublished HULK pencils first seen in TJKC #41. After feasting my eyes on them over and over, I ran to my copies of the original HULK run, one of my favorite Lee-Kirby collaborations ever, in an attempt to see where they fit into the green scheme of things. I think there can be little doubt that those new-found 1962 pencils were from issue #3 or #4. They’re out of continuity after HULK #4, and don’t fit FF #12 or AVENGERS #1,

two long-shot possibilities. Kirby recalled in at least one interview that THE HULK was going to be cancelled with #3, but he lobbied Lee and Goodman to keep it going because college-age readers were writing in for the first time. Mark Evanier once told me that THE HULK went to two stories per issue as insurance in case the book was suddenly cancelled. That way, the shorter stories could be dropped into TALES TO ASTONISH, whereas a book-length Hulk tale would be orphaned and written off. I see two possible scenarios here. Theory #1: With INCREDIBLE HULK #3 in pencil form, the cancellation order comes down. On a bi-monthly book, sales on HULK #1, if not #2, would be in. Kirby buys the Hulk a reprieve. Goodman demands that book-length stories be dropped. Lee and Kirby rip the issue apart, cutting down the main story and throwing in a Hulk origin to catch new readers, then add the back-ofthe-book Ringmaster story. The three pencil pages (and certainly more) are dropped. They probably follow the crash landing of the space capsule with the Hulk in it. In the original version, the Hulk receives a head injury in the aftermath of his return to Earth and is taken to a hospital, probably in a coma. With the Hulk safely under medical supervision, Rick simply returns to his normal life. Remember that after returning from orbit the Hulk no longer reverts to Bruce Banner with each dawn, thanks to his exposure to the Van Allen Radiation Belt. Rick appears free of his Hulk responsibilities now. The key is the strange minor nature of the bad guys—a motley group of high school basketball game throwers. Hardly worthy adversaries for the Incredible Hulk. I think they were in the story for only one purpose: to create a situation requiring the Hulk’s intervention. When Rick Jones gets into trouble, he thinks of the Hulk and the Hulk comes out of his coma. This reads like it’s either the original, more dramatic version of the scene where Rick first discovers that he now controls the Hulk, or, more likely, the one where he first learns they share a telepathic mindlink. There could be no other reason for this odd basketball interlude in THE HULK. (Beyond showing Rick’s personal life, of course, which is also touched on in the Ringmaster story where his Aunt Polly is introduced.) When this sequence was deleted, Lee and Kirby wrapped up “Banished in Outer Space” in a fast page or two, which seem designed only to set up the 3-page origin recap. Note how on page 10 of the story the Hulk escapes while Rick sleeps, briefly battles some State Troopers, only to be brought back under Rick’s control on the next and last page. This is circular action and serves no story purpose—other than a quick wrapup. I think the Hulk may have received his head injury in the deleted portion of this sequence. In that battle, Rick can’t control him because the Hulk can’t hear his commands. But in the Ringmaster story he summons him telepathically. Where did Rick learn the Hulk is responsive to his thoughts? In the newly-discovered 3-page basketball interlude! Here, it may have been an accident. Rick may not be deliberately calling out to the Hulk, only thinking how much he needed him at that moment. Yet the Hulk responds.

I have to wonder where this storyline was going. The Hulk was obviously exposed to the same kind of Cosmic Rays that gave birth to the Fantastic Four. He was briefly glowing after his return. Since this is the first story where he learns to jump vast distances, was the original idea that the Hulk gained the power to fly from exposure to Cosmic Rays? Did Lee and Kirby plan other side-effects for him? Only more pages surfacing can answer that. It’s hard to say how much of this story was reworked. But it was customary that Part 2 of a book-length Hulk story begin on page 7, with Part 3 coming on page 12. There’s no sign of such subdivisions in the published 11-page story, but at the end of page 5, Rick’s thought balloons look like they’d been relettered. Extensive surgery must have been done to eliminate those chapter breaks, and at minimum 13 story pages were abandoned uninked. Theory #2: There’s another possibility here, of course. The surviving pages comprise 11-13. In a long Hulk story, page 12 should have been Part 3. Here, it’s not. Since after issue #3, Hulk stories were either 11 or 14 pages long, we’re looking at a 14-page tale with the first 10 and final page missing. In that case, it can only be the original lead to HULK #4, which was replaced by “The Monster and The Machine,” wherein the Gamma Ray device that allows the Hulk to transform at will is introduced, with the incidental side-effect that he thinks more clearly than the old Hulk. In this scenario, after THE HULK escaped cancellation with issue #3 and surgery was done on “Banished in Outer Space” to make room for the origin retelling, Lee and Kirby decided to further revamp the Hulk character to make him more intelligent and heroic. The basketball story, belonging to the old format, thus became a casualty of the drive to save the Hulk. I have to lean toward theory #2, only because page 12 isn’t in chapter format. I also have to wonder if the mysterious head injury wasn’t also calculated to somehow give the Hulk more intelligence. And I’d love to know what laid the Hulk so low that he had to be hospitalized. Did Thunderbolt Ross finally build a missile to knock him down? It’s always possible that this lost story was never completed. Kirby sometimes penciled a middle sequence, then drew the surrounding pages. Still, I’d like to think there’s more missing Hulk material. Let’s hope it turns up some day. Will Murray, Quincy, MA (Well done, all! Any other Hulk takers out there?) If you’ve been wondering what became of the original art for Kirby’s collage splash page from FANTASTIC FOUR #51 (“This Man, This Monster”)—the one where Reed is entering the Negative Zone as he says, “I’m drifting into a world of limitless dimensions!”—wonder no more. The December 2004 issue of PLAYBOY (I only buy it for the articles) reveals that it resides on the office wall of novelist Glen David Gold. Turns out that Gold has a serious interest in collecting original comics art; he wrote a long story in this issue of PLAYBOY on the psyche of the art collector. Gold says the Kirby collage hangs right over his desk. His article also says that the Kirby/Sinnott cover art for DAREDEVIL #43—DD vs. Captain America in a boxing ring—is now worth $75,000. The story doesn’t say who owns that piece. R.L. Bryant, Columbia, SC (See earlier in this l’col for a letter from the aforementioned Mr. Gold. He’s a peach of a guy who’s helped out on TJKC numerous times. Oh wait, here he comes again:) Just got TJKC #41, and on page 22 you have a story about the Marvel warehouse. I have no idea if any of that is true, but I do have a page to FF #5—page 2 (shown below). And the top

third is missing—it was ripped off. I’ve heard the same about pages 1 and 3, but pages 4 through the end are all complete. No one has ever explained why, so an initiation by a mean warehouse manager is as good a reason as any. I had to have the dialogue balloons re-drawn, but the art was otherwise undamaged. Glen Gold, Ojai, CA

Haven’t finished TJKC #41 yet but as usual I have a couple of things to comment on. 1) The FF #102/Janus splash. Amazing that this has surfaced after all this time. I found the border notes extremely interesting. Jack’s notes at the top talk of a famous archeologist wanting this statue he’s unearthed to be dated by Reed. Then at the bottom Jack writes, “Why should this statue have been unearthed at this particular time?” Stan, obviously uncomfortable with it all, notes changes to be made: “Art Dealer: Why did Alicia do that strange statue?” Then Reed answers, “It represents one of our greatest cases.” Then on the right are Stan’s notes to change Sue to Alicia and Crystal into Sue. So right from page 1 Stan is uncomfortable with the plot. Rather than having the statue being an impetus for the story to follow, he reduces it to be a reminder of a previous adventure and so is changing everything around. How Stan would have then rewritten the dating sequence on page 2 is unclear. Maybe that’s when he decided the story couldn’t be scripted in the form that Jack presented it, leaving it instead to be reworked into a later issue. So what did Jack intend? We know that Jack at this stage was taking a lot of ideas from movies and TV that he’d seen. An idea that popped into my head was that Jack had just seen or heard about THE EXORCIST—where an unearthed artifact has major implications for some far away person and the release of terrible power. Here, Janus is the one afflicted, except that Jack has an evil twin rather than demonic possession. As in the movie, the resolution has nothing to do with the relic therefore it was not seen again in the comic. Rather it is about good triumphing over evil. Stan however, didn’t understand or like that concept of the relic playing no further part and decided to try to rework it entirely. All this adds to my fascination for this difficult period in Jack and Stan’s working relationship at this time. We’ve heard that at this stage Jack was asking for more plots from Stan. How then could Stan find the story to be unworkable if it was his to start with? Was he only providing minimal plot springboards as he’d done for years with Jack still doing the lion’s share of the plotting? Or Did Jack receive a plot but then deviate wildly from it? Wonderful stuff—so glad you were able to print this page. 2) A cover I found fascinating was that of THOR #141. I never realized it was a Kirby pic at all. It seems more ‘fluid’ than most of his during this era—a cut above most. This and the one he did for FF #172, with the Destroyer in space, I think hearken back to days when he cared more for what he was doing. The BLACK GOLIATH cover you showed this time was great too. 3) I still cannot believe how badly Jack drew the Panther in his later issues. A square nose and teddy bear ears—yuk! So different from the magnificent way he drew him in the late ’60s.

Or even in Panther’s first few issues for that matter. 4) You ask about a story where the tearing up of Jack’s art is mentioned. Your opening article in the COLLECTED TJKC VOL. 2 has Glenn Fleming writing of seeing the cover of FF #100 framed on Kirby’s wall—and it had previously been torn in half. Perhaps this is what you were remembering? Shane Foley, AUSTRALIA (No, that’s not what I was remembering, but the next letter, from another great guy, rings a bell:) I noticed a little blurb that talked about people in the Marvel Warehouse destroying some of Jack’s art in the early 1980s. This is the first I’ve heard that this happened, but I do remember that when Jack received his pages back from Marvel, he only got the bottom third of the first three pages of FANTASTIC FOUR #5. I remember this specifically because 1) the bottom tier of panels was the only thing left on these pages, and 2) I remember a collector having Joe Sinnott recreate the top two-thirds of the page one splash, so he could attach the original bottom third of the page to it. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that issue #41 is terrific. As someone who has seen a great deal of Jack Kirby’s artwork over the years, the fact that your magazine allows me to see work from Jack that I’ve never seen before is a great gift. David Schwartz, Calabasas, CA (And on that happy note, I’ll sign off, leaving just enough room to tell our readers all about:) NEXT ISSUE: It’s an Extended Family Affair in JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #43, spotlighting the recipients of the Jack Kirby Award at the 2004 San Diego Comicon! Behind sterling Kirby covers featuring the Silver Surfer (inked by Joe Sinnott) and Silver Star (the original presentation drawing, never-seen and hand-colored by Kirby himself), we present our most personal issue yet, as those closest to the Kirbys share memories, anecdotes, momentos, photos, and never-seen art from Jack and Roz! Included are former Kirby assistant STEVE SHERMAN and his brother GARY in an uproarious feature interview, plus contributions from RAY WYMAN, MIKE THIBODEAUX, and many others! Plus: A never-published 1966 interview with KIRBY himself! Our regular columnists and features, including MARK EVANIER answering Frequently Asked Questions about Jack! A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT that will change Kirby collecting forever! And a special 1960s Gallery showcasing a Kirby-pencils-to-Sinnott-inks comparison of TALES OF SUSPENSE #93, featuring Kirby in his penciling prime, and at whopping TABLOID SIZE! It ships in July, and the submission deadline is 5/15/05.

Classifieds (10¢/word, $1 minimum) KIRBY SKETCHES WANTED of any Marvel characters. Sketches, convention drawings, anything! Contact: Aaron Sultan, 919-954-7111 or email: spiderboop@aol.com AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Original Art Wanted! Any page, any issue! Romita, Ross Andru, Frenz, Ditko, Mooney, etc. Contact: Aaron Sultan, 919-954-7111 or e-mail: spiderboop@aol.com ORIGINAL ART Marvel/DC Wanted! 1960s-80s, Spider-Man, FF, Green Lantern, Iron Man, etc. Contact: Aaron Sultan, 919-954-7111 or e-mail: spiderboop@aol.com FOR SALE: Gold and Silver Age comics with Kirby art including Airboy, Famous Funnies, Journey into Mystery. Silver Age & newer comics with Kirby reprints, including Collectors Item Classics, Marvel Tales and Sky Masters. For complete list and details, contact: Bruce Younger 585-4737567 or email: byounger@frontiernet.net

42 Credits:

John Morrow, Editor Pamela Morrow, Asst. Editor Eric Nolen-Weathington, Production Assistant and Proofreader TwoMorrows, Eric NolenWeathington, & Jon B. Cooke Design/Layout Rand Hoppe, Webmaster Tom Ziuko, Colorist SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS: Neal Adams • Murphy Anderson Murphy Anderson III • Jerry Boyd Bob Brodsky • R.L. Bryant Jon B. Cooke • Shel Dorf Mark Evanier • Chris Fama Shane Foley • Barry Forshaw Glen Gold • Larry Houston Frank Johnson • Lisa Kirby Sean Kleefeld • Tom Kraft Batton Lash • Nadia Mannarino Adam McGovern • Harry Mendryk Bill Morrison • Will Murray Eric Nolen-Weathington Kevin Nowlan • Mike Royer Steve Rude • David Schwartz Steve Skeates • Mike Thibodeaux Michael Vassallo • Tom Ziuko and of course The Kirby Estate If we’ve forgotten anyone, please let us know!

Contribute & Get Free Issues! The Jack Kirby Collector is a notfor-profit publication, put together with submissions from Jack’s fans around the world. We don’t pay for submissions, but if we print art or articles you submit, we’ll send you a free copy of the issue it appears in. Here’s a tentative list of upcoming themes, but we treat these themes very loosely, so anything you write may fit somewhere. So get writing, and send us copies of your Kirby art! GOT A THEME IDEA? PLEASE WRITE US! FAMILY AFFAIR! (#43) We feature the recipients of the Jack Kirby Awards and their relationships with Jack and Roz! MYTHS & LEGENDS! (#44) Jack’s use of legendary figures in comics, including the Demon! KIRBY TIME MACHINE! (#45) Justice Inc., WWII, Losers, In The Days of the Mob, Simon & Kirby, and some prehistoric strips! FOURTH WORLD ISSUE! (#46) A split look at New Gods and Forever People in-depth! KIRBY’S SUPER TEAMS! (#47) We’ll explore Jack’s group mentality, from kid gangs and the Challengers to the big guns like the FF, X-Men, Avengers, Inhumans, even Super Powers! ALL LEADING UP TO OUR SURPRISE 50TH ISSUE!! SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Submit artwork as: 1) Color or B&W photocopies. 2) 300ppi TIFF or JPEG scans 3) Originals (insured). Submit articles as: 1) E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com 2) ASCII or RTF text files. 3) Typed or laser printed pages. We’ll pay return postage and insurance for originals—please write or call first. Please include background information whenever possible.

Parting Shot

From the word “go,” Jack got varying amounts of interference with his work at DC Comics in the 1970s, and nowhere was it more prevalent than on his covers. DC had him redraw his very first one, for Jimmy Olsen #133, and insisted on using Vince Colletta as the inker instead of Mike Royer, Jack’s own choice for the job. Then they slapped an Al Plastino Superman head on it. But here’s vindication: Tom Kraft recently had Mike Royer ink and letter Jack’s original cover (shown on page 21 of this issue). Hoo-aahhh! Characters TM & ©2005 DC Comics.

THE TWOMORROWS LIBRARY NER! D WIN R A W A EISNER OUT! SOLD T S O ALM PANEL DISCUSSIONS

TOP ARTISTS DISCUSS THE DESIGN OF COMICS Top creators discuss all aspects of the DESIGN OF COMICS:

DICK GIORDANO

CHANGING COMICS, ONE DAY AT A TIME MICHAEL EURY’s biography of comics’ most prominent and affable personality!

• Covers his career as illustrator, inker, and • WILL EISNER • SCOTT HAMPTON editor, peppered with DICK’S PERSONAL • MIKE WIERINGO • WALTER SIMONSON REFLECTIONS on his career milestones! • MIKE MIGNOLA • MARK SCHULTZ • DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI • MIKE CARLIN • Lavishly illustrated with RARE AND NEVER SEEN comics, merchandising, and • DICK GIORDANO • BRIAN STELFREEZE advertising art (includes a color section)! • CHRIS MOELLER • MARK CHIARELLO • Extensive index of his published work! If you’re serious about creating effective, • Comments & tributes by NEAL ADAMS, innovative comics, or just enjoying them DENNIS O’NEIL, TERRY AUSTIN, PAUL from the creator’s perspective, this guide is LEVITZ, MARV WOLFMAN, JULIUS must-reading! SCHWARTZ, JIM APARO & others! (208-Page Trade Paperback) $26 US • With a Foreword by NEAL ADAMS and Afterword by PAUL LEVITZ!

STREETWISE

TOP ARTISTS DRAWING STORIES OF THEIR LIVES An unprecedented assembly of talent drawing NEW autobiographical stories: • Barry WINDSOR-SMITH • C.C. BECK • Sergio ARAGONÉS • Walter SIMONSON • Brent ANDERSON • Nick CARDY • Roy THOMAS & John SEVERIN • Paul CHADWICK • Rick VEITCH • Murphy ANDERSON • Joe KUBERT • Evan DORKIN • Sam GLANZMAN • Plus Art SPIEGELMAN, Jack KIRBY, more! Cover by RUDE • Foreword by EISNER (160-Page Trade Paperback) $24 US

CAPTAIN ACTION

THE ORIGINAL SUPERHERO ACTION FIGURE CAPTAIN ACTION debuted in the wake of the ’60s Batman TV show, and could become 13 different super-heroes. With over 200 toy photos, this trade paperback chronicles his history (including comic book appearances), with historical anecdotes by the late GIL KANE, JIM SHOOTER, STAN WESTON (co-creator of GI Joe, Captain Action, and Mego’s World’s Greatest Super-Heroes), and others, plus never-seen artwork by GIL KANE, JOE STATON, CARMINE INFANTINO, JERRY ORDWAY, and MURPHY ANDERSON! Includes a color section! Written by MICHAEL EURY!

G! HIPPIN S W O N “I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS GUY!” Explore the lives of the partners and wives of the top names in comics, as they share memories, anecdotes, personal photos, momentos, and never-before-seen art by the top creators in comics! • ALAN MOORE • WILL EISNER • STAN LEE • GENE COLAN • JOE KUBERT • JOHN ROMITA • HARVEY KURTZMAN • DAVE SIM • HOWARD CRUSE • DAN DeCARLO • DAVE COOPER and many more! (208-Page Trade Paperback) $24 US

TRUE BRIT

CELEBRATING GREAT COMIC BOOK ARTISTS OF THE UK A celebration of the rich history of British Comics Artists and their influence on the US with in-depth interviews and art by: • BRIAN BOLLAND • ALAN DAVIS • DAVE GIBBONS • BRYAN HITCH • DAVID LLOYD

• DAVE MCKEAN • KEVIN O’NEILL • BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH and other gents!

(204-page Trade Paperback with COLOR SECTION) $26 US

ART OF GEORGE TUSKA A comprehensive look at Tuska’s personal and professional life, including early work with Eisner-Iger, crime comics of the 1950s, and his tenure with Marvel and DC Comics, as well as independent publishers. The book includes extensive coverage of his work on IRON MAN, X-MEN, HULK, JUSTICE LEAGUE, TEEN TITANS, BATMAN, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, and many more! A gallery of commission artwork and a thorough index of his work are included, plus original artwork, photos, sketches, previously unpublished art, interviews and anecdotes from his peers and fans, plus George’s own words! (128-page trade paperback) $19 US

(176-Page Trade Paperback) $20 US

COMICS ABOVE GROUND features top comics pros discussing their inspirations and training, and how they apply it in “Mainstream Media,” including Conceptual Illustration, Video Game Development, Children’s Books, Novels, Design, Illustration, Fine Art, Storyboards, Animation, Movies & more! Written by DURWIN TALON (author of the top-selling PANEL DISCUSSIONS), this book features creators sharing their perspectives and their work in comics and their “other professions,” with career overviews, neverbefore-seen art, and interviews! Featuring: • BRUCE TIMM • BERNIE WRIGHTSON • ADAM HUGHES

• LOUISE SIMONSON • DAVE DORMAN • GREG RUCKA & MORE!

MR. MONSTER, HIS BOOKS OF FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE, VOLUME ZERO • 12 Tales of Mr. Monster, with 30 ALL-NEW pages by MICHAEL T. GILBERT! • Collects hard-to-find stories & the lost NEWSPAPER STRIP! • New 8-page FULL-COLOR STORY by KEITH GIFFEN & MICHAEL T. GILBERT! (136-pg. Paperback) $14 US

(168-page Trade Paperback) $24 US

CALL OR WRITE FOR OUR NEW CATALOG, OR DOWNLOAD IT NOW AT www.twomorrows.com

THE

(176-pg. Paperback) $24 US

COMICS ABOVE GROUND

SEE HOW YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS MAKE A LIVING OUTSIDE COMICS

G-FORCE: ANIMATED

THE OFFICIAL BATTLE OF THE PLANETS GUIDEBOOK The official compendium to the Japanese animated TV program that revolutionized anime across the globe! Featuring plenty of unseen artwork and designs from the wondrous world of G-FORCE (a.k.a. Science Ninja Team Gatchaman), it presents interviews and behind-the-scenes stories of the pop culture phenomenon that captured the hearts and imagination of Generation X, and spawned the new hit comic series! Cowritten by JASON HOFIUS and GEORGE KHOURY, this FULL-COLOR account is highlighted by a NEW PAINTED COVER from master artist ALEX ROSS! (96-Page Trade Paperback) $20 US

MODERN MASTERS SERIES Edited by ERIC NOLEN-WEATHINGTON

G! HIPPIN NOW S THE LEGION COMPANION • A history of the Legion of Super-Heroes, with DAVE COCKRUM, MIKE GRELL, JIM STARLIN, JAMES SHERMAN, PAUL LEVITZ, KEITH GIFFEN, STEVE LIGHTLE, MARK WAID, JIM SHOOTER, JIM MOONEY, AL PLASTINO, and more! • Rare and never-seen Legion art by the above, plus GEORGE PÉREZ, NEAL ADAMS, CURT SWAN, and others! • Unused Cockrum character designs and pages from an UNUSED STORY! • New cover by DAVE COCKRUM and JOE RUBINSTEIN, introduction by JIM SHOOTER, and more! (224-page Trade Paperback) $29 US

GET ALL THREE COLLECTIONS OF MARK EVANIER’S ACCLAIMED POV COLUMNS! Each volume includes new essays, plus new illustrations and new covers by Mark’s GROO collaborator and MAD artist SERGIO ARAGONÉS! 200-page Trade Paperbacks • $17 US EACH

BEST OF THE LEGION OUTPOST Collects the best material from the hardto-find LEGION OUTPOST fanzine, including rare interviews and articles from creators such as DAVE COCKRUM, CARY BATES, and JIM SHOOTER, plus neverbefore-seen artwork by COCKRUM, MIKE GRELL, JIMMY JANES and others! It also features a previously unpublished interview with KEITH GIFFEN originally intended for the never-published LEGION OUTPOST #11, plus other new material! And it sports a rarely-seen classic 1970s cover by Legion fan favorite artist DAVE COCKRUM! (160-page trade paperback) $22 US

• Covers by MURPHY ANDERSON! • Issue-by-issue coverage of ALL–STAR COMICS #1–57, the original JLA–JSA teamups, & the ’70s ALL–STAR REVIVAL! • Art from an unpublished 1945 JSA story! • Looks at FOUR “LOST” ALL–STAR issues! • Rare art by BURNLEY, DILLIN, KIRBY, INFANTINO, KANE, KUBERT, ORDWAY, ROSS, WOOD and more!! (208-page Trade Paperback) $26 US

REVISED EDITION! NOW SHIPPING!

AGAINST THE GRAIN: MAD ARTIST

WALLACE WOOD

BEST OF DRAW! VOL. 1

• Covers KURT’S LIFE AND CAREER from the 1940s to his passing in 2002! • Features NEVER-SEEN PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS from his files! • Includes recollections by ANDERSON, EISNER, INFANTINO, KUBERT, ALEX ROSS, MORT WALKER and others!

Reprinting the Eisner Award-winning COMIC BOOK ARTIST #7 and #8 (’70s Marvel and ’80s independents), featuring a new MICHAEL T. GILBERT cover, plus interviews with GILBERT, RUDE, GULACY, GERBER, DON SIMPSON, CHAYKIN, SCOTT McCLOUD, BUCKLER, BYRNE, DENIS KITCHEN, plus a NEW SECTION featuring over 30 pages of previouslyunseen stuff! Edited by JON B. COOKE.

The definitive biographical memoir on one of comics' finest artists, 20 years in the making! Former associate BHOB STEWART traces Wood's life and career, with contributions from many artists and writers who knew Wood personally, making this a remarkable compendium of art, insights and critical commentary! From childhood drawings & early samples to nearly endless comics pages (many unpublished), this is the most stunning display of Wood art ever assembled! BILL PEARSON, executor of the Wood Estate, contributed rare drawings from Wood's own files, while art collector ROGER HILL provides a wealth of obscure, previously unpublished Wood drawings and paintings.

Compiles material from the first two soldout issues of DRAW!, the “How-To” magazine on comics and cartooning! Tutorials by, and interviews with: DAVE GIBBONS (layout and drawing on the computer), BRET BLEVINS (drawing lovely women, painting from life, and creating figures that “feel”), JERRY ORDWAY (detailing his working methods), KLAUS JANSON and RICARDO VILLAGRAN (inking techniques), GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY (on animation and Samurai Jack), STEVE CONLEY (creating web comics and cartoons), PHIL HESTER and ANDE PARKS (penciling and inking), and more!

(128-page Trade Paperback) $19 US

(224-page trade paperback) $29 US

(336-Page Trade Paperback) $44 US

ALL-STAR COMPANION VOL. 1 ROY THOMAS has assembled the most thorough look ever taken at All-Star Comics:

D ST SOL ALMO

HERO GETS GIRL!

THE LIFE & ART OF KURT SCHAFFENBERGER MARK VOGER’s biography of the artist of LOIS LANE & CAPTAIN MARVEL!

COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION, VOL. 3

COMIC BOOKS & OTHER NECESSITIES OF LIFE

First collection includes some of his best essays and commentaries, plus new ones on the state of the art form (as only Mark conveys it), the industry’s leading practitioners (including JACK KIRBY and CARL BARKS), convention-going, and Mark’s old comic book club (with unforgettable anecdotes)!

WERTHAM WAS RIGHT!

Second collection features many never-before published columns on comic book history, creation, and appreciation, including Mark’s diatribe on comic book numbering, and an essay on comics’ greatest villain, DR. FREDRIC WERTHAM!

SUPERHEROES IN MY PANTS! (NOW SHIPPING!)

NEW THIRD COLLECTION about the people who create comics, the people who read them, and why they do these strange things!

READ EXCERPTS & ORDER AT: www.twomorrows.com

WALLACE WOOD CHECKLIST

Lists Wood’s PUBLISHED COMICS WORK in detail, plus FANZINE ART, ADVERTISING ILLUSTRATIONS, UNPUBLISHED WORK, and more. Illustrated with rare and unseen Wood artwork! (68 Pages) $7 US

(200-page trade paperback) $26 US

OUT!

FAWCETT COMPANION THE BEST OF FCA Presenting the best of the FAWCETT COLLECTORS OF AMERICA newsletter! • New JERRY ORDWAY cover! • Index of ALL FAWCETT COMICS! • Looks inside the FAWCETT OFFICES! • Interviews, features, and rare and previously unpublished artwork by C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, KURT SCHAFFENBERGER, MAC RABOY, DAVE BERG, ALEX TOTH, BOB OKSNER, GEORGE EVANS, ALEX ROSS, Foreword by MARC SWAYZE, and more! (160-page Trade Paperback) $20 US

CRAZY HIP GROOVY GO-GO WAY-OUT MONSTERS #29 & #32

PETE VON SHOLLY’s spoof of monster mags will have you laughing your pants off—right after you soil them from sheer terror! (48 Pages) $8 EACH US

SPECIAL! GET BOTH ISSUES FOR $12 US POSTPAID

A new series of trade paperbacks devoted to the BEST OF TODAY'S COMICS ARTISTS! Each volume contains RARE AND UNSEEN ARTWORK direct from the artist’s files, plus a COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW (including influences and their views on graphic storytelling), DELUXE SKETCHBOOK SECTIONS, and more!

VOL. 1: ALAN DAVIS

VOL. 3: BRUCE TIMM

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $17 US

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

VOL. 2: GEORGE PÉREZ

VOL. 4: KEVIN NOWLAN

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $17 US

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

Prices Include US Postage. Outside the US, Add $2 Per Item Canada, $3 Per Item Surface, $7 Per Item Airmail

52 PAGES 25¢

JIMMY OLSEN

52 PAGES 25¢

BIGGER AND BETTER