Where Fourth Art Thou? The Concepts

[Just to keep up the context, here courtesy of the Kirby Museum archives (and John Morrows’ wicked awesome mag, The Jack Kirby Collector, from whence they were scanned) are the concept drawings Jack used for his presentation to DC Comics in 1970, depicting characters in his Fourth World pitch. Top row: Darkseid (left) and Metron on his Mobius Chair (right); inks by Jack Kirby. Second row: Orion (left) and Lightray (right); inks by Don Heck. Third row: Mister Miracle (left) and Mantis (right); inks by Don Heck.]

4 thoughts on “Where Fourth Art Thou? The Concepts

  1. J.A. Fludd

    I love how these shots demonstrate that Jack’s visualizations were always evolving, as witness Darkseid’s ears (losing them or covering them up was a good call), Lightray’s here-now-then-gone mask, and Mister Miracle’s color scheme. I also loved the “Gods” portfolio that Jack did during the Fourth World period, his little glimpse at what some of “The Old Gods” looked like.

  2. John S.

    Jon,

    I’m pretty sure the Orion, Lightray, Mister Miracle and Mantis drawings were inked by Frank Giacoia, not Don Heck. Compare them to the pictures in the GODS Portfolio, which WERE inked by Dashin’ Donnie, and you’ll see the differences in style.

  3. JonBCooke Post author

    I always thought the embellisher was Frank Giacoia, too, but Mark Evanier’s Kirby: King of Comics has the Orion image as inked by Don Heck… Gotsta defer to ME, my friend…

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