New Kirby – SPIRIT WORLD hardcover

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Bob

So, apparently this is in stores this week:

 

SPIRIT WORLD: Hardcover edition of Kirby’s early 1970s horror/fantasy work for DC, including SPIRIT WORLD #1 and some stories intended for #2 but later published elsewhere after that was cancelled.  I’d be very curious to read a description of the book if anyone gets a copy right away, including the size of the book and if they attempt to replicate that sickly blue printing and ink wash of the the original comic.

Harry comes through with some scans here in his review.  #1 is in the blue ink wash, but better looking than the original printing, the stories intended for #2 are in glorious black and white.

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-Link- Roundtable on Kirby and HAND OF FIRE

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Bob

The Comics Journal is hosting a roundtable discussion (part one, part two, part three) about Jack Kirby, specifically some issues raised by Charles Hatfield’s recent publication HAND OF FIRE, featuring contributions by Jeet Heer, Sarah Boxer, Robert Fiore, Glen David Gold, Doug Harvey, Jonathan Lethem, and Dan Nadel. And I just noticed that HAND OF FIRE is also available as an e-book for the Kindle and other formats, significantly more affordable (and searchable) than the print formats, so I’ll probably pick that up when I have the time to read it.

I just quickly skimmed through, since I haven’t read HAND OF FIRE yet, but I see SILVER STAR is discussed quite a bit in the roundtable, if not in the book, so a good chance to remind you that it’s available digitally from Image for just $9 (also available directly in the Comixology and Image apps). Haven’t checked it, since the three different print editions I have are enough for now, but from the page count I’m pretty sure the digital version includes the 1970s screen treatment by Kirby and Steve Sherman.

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Upcoming Kirby – Challengers tryouts in SHOWCASE reprint

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Bob

Coming this summer from DC, a big black and white collection of the first 21 issues of SHOWCASE from the 1950s in the redundantly titled SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHOWCASE VOL. 1, so including the first four Challengers of the Unknown stories.  Oddly it’s currently scheduled to come out the same day as the hardcover that will reprint those four issues and the first eight issues of the regular series by Kirby.  That’s a lot of Challengers to come out in one day…

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: SHOWCASE VOL. 1 TP
Written by VARIOUS • Art by VARIOUS
Cover by GIL KANE and BERNARD SACHS
On sale JUNE 20 • 544 pg, B&W, $19.99 US
• DC’s legendary try-out title is reprinted from the start for the first time!
• Includes the debuts of the Silver Age FLASH, THE CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN and ADAM STRANGE!
• Collects SHOWCASE #1-21!

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-Link- Kirby in 1975 Science Fiction anthology

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Bob

This is a neat little discovery.  FOREVER PEOPLE #1 [1971] was reprinted in a 1975 anthology LOOKING AHEAD, along with some study guide questions (Do you think the symbolism of “boom tube” and “mother box” would be lost on young readers?). Rand Hoppe has some images and excerpts.

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Upcoming Kirby – CHALLENGERS Omnibus

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Bob

Coming in June from DC, a single volume hardcover of Kirby’s 1950s run on CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN in a format to match the other recent Kirby reprints from DC.  The stories were previously collected in two Archives hardcovers and in the black and white Showcase Presents format.

CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN OMNIBUS BY JACK KIRBY HC
 Written by DAVE WOOD and JACK KIRBY • Art by JACK KIRBY, WALLACE WOOD, MARVIN STEIN and others • Cover by JACK KIRBY
On sale JUNE 20 • 320 pg, FC, $39.99 US
Now in one amazing volume collecting SHOWCASE 6, 7, 11 and 12 and CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #1-8, these are the original 1950s tales of four death defying adventurers and their incredible exploits.

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