{"id":2347,"date":"2015-03-02T15:20:39","date_gmt":"2015-03-02T20:20:39","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/?p=2347"},"modified":"2015-03-02T15:20:39","modified_gmt":"2015-03-02T20:20:39","slug":"key-late-career-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/2015\/03\/02\/key-late-career-moments\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Late Career Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"

This timeline was first published in TwoMorrows Publishing’s Spring 2014 The Jack Kirby Collector 63<\/a>. Many thanks to John Morrow for allowing us to publish it here. Suggestions or corrections are welcome, please use the comments section below. – \u00a0Rand<\/em><\/p>\n

Continuing our look at key moments in Jack\u2019s life\u00a0and career from TJKC #60 (which covered Marvel\u00a0in the 1960s<\/a>) and #62 (which covered 1970-1975<\/a>),\u00a0we present this timeline of key moments that affected\u00a0Kirby\u2019s tenure after he left DC Comics in 1975. Of\u00a0invaluable help were Richard Kolkman (who sent me an\u00a0extensive list to begin work from), Eric Nolen-Weathington,\u00a0Ray Wyman, Tom Kraft, Glen Gold, and Rand Hoppe,\u00a0as well as Mark Evanier\u2019s book KIRBY: King of Comics\u00a0and Sean Howe\u2019s Marvel Comics: The Untold Story.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t a complete list of every important date in\u00a0Kirby\u2019s later career history, but should hit most of the\u00a0main ones. Please send us additions and corrections.\u00a0Next issue, I’ll work on pivotal moments in Jack\u2019s 1940s-1950s career with Joe Simon.<\/p>\n

My rule of thumb: Cover dates were\u00a0generally two-three months later than the\u00a0date the book appeared on the stands, and\u00a0six months ahead of when Kirby was working\u00a0on the stories, so I\u2019ve assembled the\u00a0timeline according to those adjusted dates\u2014not the cover dates\u2014to set it as close as\u00a0possible to real-time.<\/p>\n

Early 1970s<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • May 30, 1972:<\/strong> Kirby signs an agreement with\u00a0Marvel, effectively relinquishing any claim he\u00a0might have to the copyright on Captain\u00a0America. This document is used against Joe\u00a0Simon\u2019s efforts to secure the copyright on\u00a0Captain America Comics #1-10.<\/li>\n
  • Late 1972:<\/strong> Rocket\u2019s Blast Comic Collector #94\u00a0features an erroneous newsflash titled \u201cKirby\u00a0Leaves DC,\u201d which speculates what might\u00a0happen if Kirby returned to Marvel. The article\u00a0creates quite a stir in fandom.<\/li>\n
  • Summer 1974:<\/strong> Neal Kirby\u00a0asks Roy Thomas to meet the\u00a0Kirbys for coffee at the San\u00a0Diego Comic-Con, to determine\u00a0Marvel\u2019s possible interest\u00a0in having Jack return. Roy\u00a0tells Jack he and Stan would\u00a0be glad to have him back.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    1975<\/h2>\n
      \n
    • Early 1975:<\/strong> It is presumed\u00a0that Kirby talks with Stan Lee\u00a0regarding the possibility of\u00a0Kirby returning to Marvel.<\/li>\n
    • February 20:<\/strong> Longtime Marvel\u00a0letterer Arthur \u201cArtie\u201d Simek\u00a0dies.<\/li>\n
    • March 18:<\/strong> Kirby visits the\u00a0Marvel offices for the first\u00a0time since his departure in\u00a01970. The visit takes place on\u00a0the Monday before the 1975\u00a0Mighty Marvel Con (March 22\u201324). Marie Severin spots\u00a0Kirby going into Stan\u2019s office, and yells down the Marvel\u00a0halls, \u201cKirby\u2019s back!\u201d<\/li>\n
    • March 24:<\/strong> Kirby signs a three-year contract with Marvel\u00a0(valid through April 30, 1978), and appears at the Mighty\u00a0Marvel Con held at the Hotel Commodore in New York City.\u00a0Kirby stuns MMC attendees with the announcement of his\u00a0return, and in regards to what he will be doing for Marvel,\u00a0Kirby says, \u201cIt\u2019ll electrocute you in the mind!\u201d<\/li>\n
    • May:<\/strong> Barry Alfonso\u2019s fanzine Mysticogryfil #2 features an\u00a0interview with Kirby.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • May 25:<\/strong> Wings\u2019 album Venus and Mars featuring the song\u00a0\u201cMagneto and Titanium Man,\u201d is released (the cover of the\u00a045 rpm single is shown above, which featured re-purposed\u00a0non-Kirby art from Marvel).<\/li>\n
    • June 2:<\/strong> Menomonee Falls Gazette V4, #181 features an\u00a0interview with Kirby.<\/li>\n
    • July:<\/strong> Mediascene #15 features a preview article entitled\u00a0\u201cThe King Returns.\u201d<\/li>\n
    • August (October cover date):<\/strong> The Marvel Comics Bullpen\u00a0page announces, \u201cThe King is Back! \u2019Nuff said!\u201d and lists\u00a0his future projects as 2001, Captain America, and a giant\u00a0Silver Surfer book.<\/li>\n
    • September (November cover date):<\/strong> New Kirby covers hit the\u00a0stands: Fantastic Four #164, Invaders #3, Iron Man #80,\u00a0Ka-Zar #12, Marvel Premiere #26 (featuring Hercules),\u00a0Marvel Super-Heroes #54 (featuring Hulk), Marvel Two-in-\u00a0One #12 (guest-starring Iron Man), and Thor #241.<\/li>\n
    • September:<\/strong> Captain America #192 features a next issue\u00a0promo with art by Kirby and Frank Giacoia (next page, top).<\/li>\n
    • September:<\/strong> FOOM #11 features a preview of 2001: A\u00a0Space Odyssey, cover art for Captain America #193 and\u00a0#194, and \u201cKirby Speaks,\u201d an interview with Kirby.<\/li>\n
    • September:<\/strong> Kirby ignores editorial pleas to integrate the\u00a0rest of the Marvel Universe into his Captain America series.<\/li>\n
    • November (January 1976 cover date):<\/strong> Captain America\u00a0#193 is published, beginning the \u201cMadbomb\u201d storyline,\u00a0which is timed to end on America\u2019s bicentennial.<\/li>\n
    • November 15:<\/strong> Jack completes the first draft of his Silver Star screenplay.<\/li>\n
    • December:<\/strong> FOOM #12 features preview art for an \u201cIkaris the Eternal\u201d\u00a0series, later to be renamed The Eternals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      1976<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • January (March coer date):<\/strong> The Bullpen Bulletins page features the\u00a0blurb, \u201cWho Is He?\u201d with an image of Ikaris.<\/li>\n
      • February (April cover date):<\/strong> Kamandi #40, featuring the last of Kirby\u2019s\u00a01970s art for DC, is published.<\/li>\n
      • February:<\/strong> The Comic Reader #127 announces a new Marvel series\u00a0Return of the Gods (ie. The Eternals) along with Kirby\u2019s cover art for the\u00a0first issue.<\/li>\n
      • May (July cover date):<\/strong> Bullpen Bulletins page announces The Prisoner.\u00a0According to Mediascene (Nov.\u2013Dec. 1977), Marvel\u2019s Prisoner series\u00a0began as a proposal by editor Marv Wolfman, followed by a Steve\u00a0Englehart and Gil Kane effort which Stan Lee rejected. Lee then gave the\u00a0series to Kirby to write and pencil. Kirby penciled one 17-page issue,\u00a0which was partially inked by Mike Royer, before Lee cancelled the project\u00a0altogether.<\/li>\n
      • May (July cover date):<\/strong>\u00a0Eternals #1 published.<\/li>\n
      • June (August cover\u00a0date):<\/strong> Captain America\u00a0#200 is published.<\/li>\n
      • June 8:<\/strong> The treasury sized\u00a0Captain\u00a0America\u2019s Bicentennial\u00a0Battles is published.<\/li>\n
      • June 22:<\/strong> Kirby and his\u00a0family meet Paul and\u00a0Linda McCartney\u00a0backstage at a Wings\u00a0concert at the L.A.\u00a0Forum via Gary\u00a0Sherman. Kirby gives\u00a0McCartney a drawing\u00a0of Magneto (referencing\u00a0McCartney\u2019s song) to\u00a0commemorate the\u00a0occasion.<\/li>\n
      • July (September cover date):<\/strong> Bullpen Bulletin page announces that Roy\u00a0Thomas is to join \u201cMarvel West\u201d along with Kirby and Mike Royer.<\/li>\n
      • July:<\/strong> The Marvel Treasury Special 2001: A\u00a0Space Odyssey movie adaptation is\u00a0released.<\/li>\n
      • August (October cover date):<\/strong> Hulk Annual #5\u00a0is published. The story features a bevy of\u00a0Jack\u2019s Atlas-era monsters, such as Groot,\u00a0Titan, and Goom, with a new cover by Kirby.<\/li>\n
      • September (November cover date):<\/strong> Fantastic\u00a0Four #176 is published featuring a Kirby\/Joe\u00a0Sinnott cover with Impossible Man. Kirby,\u00a0along with the Marvel Bullpen, appears as a\u00a0character in the George P\u00e9rez-drawn story\u00a0inside.<\/li>\n
      • October (December cover date):<\/strong> 2001: A\u00a0Space Odyssey #1 (a new ongoing series) is\u00a0published.<\/li>\n
      • Late October-Early November:<\/strong> Kirby visits Lucca, Italy as Guest of Honor at the Lucca Comic Art\u00a0Festival, his first international comics convention appearance.<\/li>\n
      • November (January 1977 cover date):<\/strong> Black Panther #1 is published. As\u00a0with his Captain America stories, Kirby isolates the title from the rest of\u00a0the Marvel Universe.<\/li>\n
      • December:<\/strong> FOOM #16 features a preview of the Marvel 1977 Calendar,\u00a0featuring artwork by Kirby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        1977<\/h2>\n
          \n
        • January:<\/strong> \u201cStan\u2019s Soapbox\u201d announces the Silver Surfer graphic novel is\u00a0to be written by Lee and drawn by Kirby.<\/li>\n
        • February 1:<\/strong> Kirby submits his\u00a0art for The Prisoner.<\/li>\n
        • March (May cover date):<\/strong> Marvel\u00a0Two-in-One #27 is released,\u00a0featuring a Kirby\/Sinnott cover\u00a0with Deathlok.<\/li>\n
        • March 14:<\/strong> Kirby hands in concept\u00a0art and plot concept for the Silver\u00a0Surfer graphic novel to \u201cStanley\u201d\u00a0Lee, and Lee begins scripting.<\/li>\n
        • May (July cover date):<\/strong> 2001 #8 is\u00a0published, introducing Mister\u00a0Machine. Ideal Toys, having rights\u00a0to the name, convinces\u00a0Marvel to rename the character,\u00a075\u00a0and Kirby re-dubs him \u201cMachine Man\u201d in the first issue of\u00a0his solo series.<\/li>\n
        • May (July cover date):<\/strong> \u201cBullpen Bulletins\u201d announces an\u00a0adaptation of the forthcoming Star Wars movie, which\u00a0would open to general audiences on May 17. Though not\u00a0known at the time, Star Wars would feature themes and\u00a0characters remarkably similar to Kirby\u2019s Fourth World\u00a0series.<\/li>\n
        • May 12:<\/strong> The Star Wars movie premieres.<\/li>\n
        • May 20:<\/strong> Kirby works on concept art for Devil Dinosaur\u00a0under the working title Devil Dinosaur of the Phantom\u00a0Planet. An earlier working title was Reptar, King of the\u00a0Dinosaurs.<\/li>\n
        • June (August cover date):<\/strong> Eternals #14 is published, featuring\u00a0a cosmic-powered Hulk, in a feeble nod to tying the\u00a0series to the Marvel Universe.<\/li>\n
        • July (September cover date):<\/strong> 2001 #10 is published, announcing\u00a0Machine Man will receive his own title.<\/li>\n
        • August (October cover date):<\/strong> Captain America #214 is published, marking\u00a0the final issue of Kirby\u2019s run.<\/li>\n
        • October:<\/strong> Pizzazz #1 features a page of Kirby artwork for \u201c2001 Compute-a-Code\u201d. It is the only published artwork Larry Lieber would ink\u00a0over Kirby pencils.<\/li>\n
        • November (January 1978\u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Eternals #19,\u00a0the final issue of the\u00a0series, is published.<\/li>\n
        • November 19:<\/strong> Longtime\u00a0Marvel production staffer\u00a0and occasional Kirby inker\u00a0\u201cJumbo\u201d John Verpoorten\u00a0dies at age 37.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          1978<\/h2>\n
            \n
          • February (April cover date):<\/strong> Machine Man #1 and Devil Dinosaur #1 are
            \npublished.<\/li>\n
          • Early 1978:<\/strong> DePatie-Freleng begins development of a Fantastic Four half-hour\u00a0cartoon to air in 1979, with Kirby drawing storyboards.<\/li>\n
          • Spring:<\/strong> FOOM #21\u00a0introduces H.E.R.B.I.E.\u00a0(earlier named Charlie\u00a0and Z-Z-1-2-3), a robot\u00a0member of the\u00a0Fantastic Four team\u00a0designed by Kirby for\u00a0the DePatie-Freling FF\u00a0cartoon. The\u00a0rights to Human Torch\u00a0were tied up with\u00a0another production\u00a0company, so DePatie-Freleng used\u00a0H.E.R.B.I.E. as a\u00a0stand-in.<\/li>\n
          • March:<\/strong> Ballantine Books publishes\u00a0Sorcerers: A\u00a0Collection of\u00a0Fantasy Art, featuring\u00a0an essay by\u00a0Kirby, showcasing several unpublished pieces of his personal art.<\/li>\n
          • April:<\/strong> The Comics Journal #39 features an article titled, \u201cFrom\u00a0Dinosaurs to Rockets: Kirby Strikes Out Again.\u201d The article\u2014along\u00a0with letters printed in the Marvel letters\u2019 pages and petty cruelty\u00a0from members of the Marvel Bullpen staff\u2014adds to Kirby\u2019s growing\u00a0discontent.<\/li>\n
          • April 30:<\/strong> Kirby\u2019s contract with Marvel expires and he decides not to\u00a0renew it, and instead focuses on his animation career.<\/li>\n
          • Late Spring:<\/strong> Kirby begins development on Captain Victory and His\u00a0Galactic Rangers, including concept art and co-writing a screenplay\u00a0with Steve Sherman.<\/li>\n
          • July:<\/strong> Kirby begins working on concept art for The Lord of Light movie\u00a0and theme park (based on Roger Zelazny\u2019s novel of the same name).\u00a0This artwork would later be used as part of a real-life CIA operation\u00a0to rescue kidnapped diplomats, as depicted in the 2012 film Argo.<\/li>\n
          • August (October cover date):<\/strong> What If? #11 is published. Written and\u00a0penciled by Kirby, the story, titled \u201cWhat if the Fantastic Four Were\u00a0the Original Marvel Bullpen?\u201d features Kirby, Stan Lee, Sol Brodsky,\u00a0and Flo Steinberg as the FF.<\/li>\n
          • August:<\/strong> The Comics Journal #41 features an article titled, \u201cKirby\u00a0Quits Comics.\u201d<\/li>\n
          • September (November\u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Fantastic\u00a0Four #200 is published,\u00a0the cover of which\u00a0being Kirby\u2019s final work\u00a0on the FF in comics.<\/li>\n
          • October (December\u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Machine\u00a0Man #9 and Devil\u00a0Dinosaur #9 are published\u2014Kirby\u2019s last\u00a0ongoing series work for\u00a0Marvel.<\/li>\n
          • Fall:<\/strong> The Silver Surfer\u00a0graphic novel is published\u00a0by Simon &\u00a0Schuster. Kirby and Lee\u00a0share the copyright.<\/li>\n
          • Late 1978:<\/strong> Development\u00a0begins on the unrealized\u00a0\u201cJack Kirby Comics\u201d\u00a0line of titles: Bruce Lee;\u00a0Captain Victory and His\u00a0Galactic Rangers;\u00a0Reptar, King of the Dinosaurs; Satan\u2019s Six; Silver Star (based on the\u00a0existing screenplay co-written with Steve Sherman); and Thunder Foot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            1979<\/h2>\n
              \n
            • Kirby produces an unfinished 224-page version of his novel The Horde,\u00a0which is edited by Janet Berliner.<\/li>\n
            • The Jack Kirby Masterworks portfolio is published by Privateer Press.<\/li>\n
            • January:<\/strong> The Marvel 1979 Calendar features a Kirby Hulk drawing inked\u00a0by Joe Sinnott. It is\u00a0Kirby\u2019s final published\u00a0artwork for Marvel.<\/li>\n
            • Early 1979:<\/strong> Stan Lee\u00a0options the Silver\u00a0Surfer graphic novel\u00a0movie rights to producer\u00a0Lee Kramer.\u00a0The film is set to have\u00a0a $25 million budget,\u00a0with Olivia Newton-John attached to play\u00a0the role of Ardina (as\u00a0related in Marvel\u00a0Comics: The Untold\u00a0Story, pg. 215).<\/li>\n
            • Kirby appears in a cameo role on the Incredible Hulk TV series\u00a0as a police sketch artist.<\/li>\n
            • June (August cover date):<\/strong> Fantastic Four #209 is published, introducing\u00a0the Kirby-designed H.E.R.B.I.E. to comics.<\/li>\n
            • September 2 (through January 13, 1980):<\/strong> Kirby\u2019s adaptation of Walt\u00a0Disney\u2019s film The Black Hole appears in Sunday newspapers across\u00a0America, and is later translated for foreign publications as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              1980<\/h2>\n
                \n
              • Kirby continues working as a storyboard and concept artist in the animation industry, particularly for Ruby-Spears Productions on Thundarr The\u00a0Barbarian (example shown below). Kirby receives some of the best pay\u00a0of his career, and for the first time, health insurance benefits.<\/li>\n
              • October 11:<\/strong> The first episode of Thundarr The Barbarian airs, starting a\u00a0highly successful syndication run for the series.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                1981<\/h2>\n
                  \n
                • September (November cover date):<\/strong>\u00a0Captain Victory and His Galactic\u00a0Rangers #1 is published through\u00a0Pacific Comics.<\/li>\n
                • September (November cover date):<\/strong>\u00a0Fantastic Four #236\u2014the 20th\u00a0anniversary issue\u2014is published. Kirby\u00a0demands the removal of his name from\u00a0the cover, citing unauthorized use of\u00a0his Fantastic Four storyboards inside\u00a0for nefarious \u201ccelebratory purposes.\u201d<\/li>\n
                • Kirby works with Steve Gerber on the\u00a0unused Roxie\u2019s Raiders newspaper\u00a0strip, comic book, and animated series\u00a0for Ruby-Spears.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  1982<\/h2>\n
                    \n
                  • Battle For A 3-D World is published, with Kirby pencils, Mike Thibodeaux\u00a0inks, and 3-D conversion by Ray Zone. The 3-D glasses that come with\u00a0the comic state \u201cKirby: King of the Comics,\u201d which is later misconstrued\u00a0by Johnny Carson when he uses a pair as a prop on The Tonight Show,\u00a0and inadvertently insults Jack on the air. He publicly apologizes to Jack\u00a0on-air two weeks later.<\/li>\n
                  • January (March cover date):<\/strong> Destroyer Duck #1, featuring Kirby pencils,\u00a0is published in an effort to raise money for Steve Gerber\u2019s lawsuit\u00a0against Marvel for the rights to Howard the Duck. Kirby also donates the\u00a0cover art for the F.O.O.G. (Friends of Old Gerber) benefit portfolio.<\/li>\n
                  • January (March cover\u00a0date):<\/strong> Kirby\u2019s unpublished\u00a01975 story for DC\u2019s\u00a0Sandman #7 is finally published\u00a0in Best of DC Digest\u00a0#22. It had previously\u00a0only appeared, for copyright\u00a0purposes, in DC\u2019s Summer\u00a01978 in-house ashcan\u00a0inventory book Cancelled\u00a0Comics Cavalcade, of which\u00a0only 35 copies were produced\u00a0by photocopying.<\/li>\n
                  • October 28:<\/strong> Kirby is interviewed\u00a0on the TV show\u00a0Entertainment Tonight by\u00a0Catherine Mann.<\/li>\n
                  • December (February\u00a01983 cover date):<\/strong> Silver\u00a0Star #1 is published by\u00a0Pacific Comics, based on\u00a0Jack\u2019s 1975 concept.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    1983<\/h2>\n
                      \n
                    • Kirby is commissioned by Richard Kyle to draw the autobiographical\u00a0story \u201cStreet Code\u201d.<\/li>\n
                    • February:<\/strong> Will Eisner\u2019s \u201cShop Talk\u201d interview with Kirby is published in\u00a0Spirit magazine #39, featuring controversial comments by Kirby.<\/li>\n
                    • October (December cover\u00a0date):<\/strong> Destroyer Duck #5\u00a0(Kirby\u2019s final issue) is published.\u00a0Pacific Comics would\u00a0publish one additional issue,\u00a0without Kirby art.<\/li>\n
                    • November (January 1984 \u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Captain Victory\u00a0#13 and Silver Star #6 (the\u00a0final issues) are published.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      1984<\/h2>\n
                        \n
                      • April (June cover date):<\/strong> New\u00a0Gods reprint #1 is published,\u00a0beginning a full reprinting of\u00a0the 11 original New Gods\u00a0issues.<\/li>\n
                      • May (July cover date):<\/strong> Super\u00a0Powers #1 (first series) is\u00a0published by DC Comics,\u00a0featuring a Kirby cover, and\u00a0Jack\u2019s plotting (Kirby plots and draws only covers for #1-4). Jack agrees\u00a0to tackle this series, in appreciation for DC retroactively making him eligible\u00a0for royalties on the creation of the New Gods characters that\u00a0appear in the Super Powers toy line.<\/li>\n
                      • August:<\/strong> Kirby receives a 4-page legal document from Marvel Comics,\u00a0drafted especially for him, that contains numerous excessive stipulations\u00a0around the possible return of his 1960s artwork\u2014including\u00a0denying him the ability to sell the artwork, and with no guarantee of\u00a0how many pages he would receive if he did sign the document. Kirby\u00a0refuses to sign, and attempts to negotiate behind-the-scenes with\u00a0Marvel, with no success.<\/li>\n
                      • September (November cover date):<\/strong> New Gods reprint #6 is published,\u00a0containing the new story \u201cEven Gods Must Die\u201d which attempts\u00a0to bridge the narrative between the original New Gods #11, and Jack\u2019s\u00a0upcoming Hunger Dogs graphic novel.<\/li>\n
                      • September (November cover date):<\/strong> Super Powers #5 is published, the\u00a0final issue of the first series, featuring Kirby plot, cover, and full pencils.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        1985<\/h2>\n
                          \n
                        • The Hunger Dogs graphic novel is published, giving Kirby a chance to put\u00a0a pseudo-ending to his New Gods saga.<\/li>\n
                        • February (April cover date):<\/strong> Who\u2019s Who #2 is published by DC Comics\u2014the first of numerous issues to feature single-page illustrations by Kirby,\u00a0of his DC characters.<\/li>\n
                        • March 6:<\/strong> A Cannon\u00a0Films ad in Variety\u00a0magazine erroneously\u00a0credits Stan\u00a0Lee as the creator of\u00a0Captain America.\u00a0The Kirbys\u2019 attorney\u00a0contacts Marvel\u00a0Comics about the\u00a0error.<\/li>\n
                        • June (August cover\u00a0date):<\/strong> DC Comics\u00a0Presents #84 is\u00a0published, featuringa Kirby-drawn story\u00a0teaming Superman\u00a0and the Challengers\u00a0of the Unknown.<\/li>\n
                        • July (September\u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Super\u00a0Powers (series two) #1 is published, with pencils only by Kirby.<\/li>\n
                        • July:<\/strong> The Kirbys\u2019 legal\u00a0dispute with Marvel\u00a0over the ownership of\u00a0original artwork plays\u00a0out publicly, in the first\u00a0of several issues of\u00a0The Comics Journal to\u00a0bring public awareness\u00a0to the issue.\u00a0Issue #105 (February\u00a01986) is\u00a0pivotal in its coverage\u00a0of the situation.<\/li>\n
                        • August 2:<\/strong> Kirby\u00a0appears on a panel at\u00a0the San Diego Comic-Con with Jim Starlin,\u00a0Greg Theakston, and\u00a0Gary Groth, to discuss\u00a0the situation of Marvel\u00a0Comics not returning\u00a0his original artwork.<\/li>\n
                        • December\u00a0(February 1986\u00a0cover date):<\/strong>\u00a0Super\u00a0Powers (series\u00a0two) #6 is published,\u00a0featuring\u00a0Kirby\u2019s final penciled\u00a0story in\u00a0comics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          1986<\/h2>\n
                            \n
                          • New World\u00a0Entertainment\u00a0acquires Marvel\u00a0Comics.<\/li>\n
                          • Heroes Against\u00a0Hunger is published\u00a0by DC\u00a0Comics to benefit\u00a0famine relief,\u00a0featuring a 2-page sequence\u00a0donated by Jack.<\/li>\n
                          • August:<\/strong> The\u00a0Comics Journal #110 includes a petition signed by numerous industry\u00a0professionals, appealing to Marvel Comics\u00a0to give Kirby back his original art.<\/li>\n
                          • August 3:<\/strong> Kirby appears on a panel at\u00a0the San Diego Comic-Con with Frank\u00a0Miller, Alan Moore, Marv Wolfman, and\u00a0Gary Groth, to discuss the situation with\u00a0Marvel Comics and the return of his\u00a0original artwork. Marvel editor-in-chief\u00a0Jim Shooter was in the audience, and\u00a0spoke briefly from the floor to clarify\u00a0Marvel\u2019s position.<\/li>\n
                          • September:<\/strong> Marvel Age Annual #2\u00a0is published, reprinting a \u00bd-page text\u00a0piece by Kirby titled, \u201cJack Kirby by\u00a0Jack Kirby,\u201d reprinted from the Merry\u00a0Marvel Messenger newsletter of 1966.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            1987<\/h2>\n
                              \n
                            • Kirby appears on Ken Viola\u2019s Masters of Comic Book Art documentary,\u00a0offering many fans their first chance to actually hear and see Kirby\u00a0speak about comics.<\/li>\n
                            • January (March cover date):<\/strong> Last of the Viking Heroes #1 is published by\u00a0Genesis West, featuring a Kirby cover.<\/li>\n
                            • Pure Imagination publishes Jack\u00a0Kirby\u2019s Heroes & Villains, reprinting\u00a0the Valentine\u2019s Day pencil sketchbook\u00a0Jack drew for his wife Roz in\u00a0the late 1970s.<\/li>\n
                            • Summer:<\/strong> Kirby is inducted into the\u00a0Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of\u00a0Fame.<\/li>\n
                            • Summer:<\/strong> Under pressure from\u00a0comics creators and the fan community,\u00a0Marvel Comics sends Kirby\u00a0the standard form other artists\u00a0signed, and upon Jack signing it,\u00a0finally returns approximately 2,100\u00a0of the estimated 13,000 pages\u00a0Kirby drew for the company.<\/li>\n
                            • August (October cover date):<\/strong>\u00a0Kirby\u2019s half of a \u201cjam\u201d cover with\u00a0Murphy Anderson for DC\u2019s Secret Origins #19 sees print.<\/li>\n
                            • November:<\/strong> Marvel begins their\u00a0hardcover Marvel Masterworks\u00a0collection of early Lee\/Kirby\u00a0stories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                              1988<\/h2>\n
                                \n
                              • December (February 1989\u00a0cover date):<\/strong> Action Comics\u00a0Weekly #638 is published,\u00a0featuring a Kirby\u00a0Demon cover\u2014his last new\u00a0work for DC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                1989<\/h2>\n
                                  \n
                                • Monster Masterworks Vol. 1 is\u00a0published, featuring \u201cMonsters\u00a0of the Shifty Fifties,\u201d a text\u00a0piece written by Kirby.<\/li>\n
                                • Marvel publishes a collection of Simon & Kirby\u2019s Fighting American,\u00a0including a two-page introduction by Kirby.<\/li>\n
                                • Glen Kolleda releases\u00a0a pewter sculpture\u00a0based on\u00a0Kirby\u2019s \u201cJacob And\u00a0The Angel\u201d drawing. It comes\u00a0with a print of\u00a0Jack\u2019s illustration; a\u00a0second sculpture\u00a0and print (Beast\u00a0Rider)\u00a0was planned, but\u00a0never produced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                  1990<\/h2>\n
                                    \n
                                  • February:<\/strong> The\u00a0Comics Journal\u00a0#134 (left) is published,\u00a0featuring a\u00a0controversial interview with Kirby, including derogatory comments about\u00a0Stan Lee, and Jack\u2019s own involvement in the creation of Spider-Man.<\/li>\n
                                  • May:<\/strong> Robin Snyder\u2019s fanzine The Comics Vol. 1, #5 prints a 4-page\u00a0essay\/rebuttal by Steve Ditko entitled \u201cJack Kirby\u2019s Spider-Man,\u201d giving\u00a0Ditko\u2019s recollection of what\u00a0Kirby\u2019s involvement on Spider-Man was prior to Ditko taking\u00a0over. It includes a Ditko sketch\u00a0of what Kirby\u2019s version looked\u00a0like.<\/li>\n
                                  • November:<\/strong> Kirby\u2019s 1983 \u201cStreet\u00a0Code\u201d story finally sees print in\u00a0Richard Kyle\u2019s Argosy magazine,\u00a0Vol. 3, #2.<\/li>\n
                                  • December:<\/strong> Marvel Age #95 is\u00a0published, featuring \u201cBirth of a\u00a0Legend,\u201d an interview with\u00a0Kirby (as well as a separate\u00a0interview with Joe Simon) to\u00a0commemorate Captain\u00a0America\u2019s 50th anniversary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                    1992<\/h2>\n
                                      \n
                                    • January:<\/strong> Marvel publishes a collection of Simon & Kirby\u2019s Boys\u2019 Ranch,\u00a0including a two-page introduction by Kirby.<\/li>\n
                                    • The Art of Jack Kirby is published. Jack and author Ray Wyman conduct\u00a0a book tour from November 7-December 12, at five stores in California\u00a0and Tucson, Arizona.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                      1993<\/h2>\n
                                        \n
                                      • January 22:<\/strong> Kirby appears in a cameo as himself, on the shortlived\u00a0Bob Newhart sitcom Bob (below).<\/span><\/li>\n
                                      • February (April cover date):<\/strong> Topps Comics begins publishing their\u00a0\u201cKirbyverse\u201d titles\u2014Bombast, Captain Glory, Night Glider, and\u00a0Jack Kirby\u2019s Secret City Saga\u2014based on unused Kirby concepts\u00a0from the 1970s. They also publish Satan\u2019s Six #1, which includes\u00a0a previously unpublished 8-page Kirby sequence from the \u201970s.<\/li>\n
                                      • March 14:<\/strong> Jack and Ray Wyman appear at Comics & Comix in\u00a0Palo Alto, California to promote The Art of Jack\u00a0Kirby. A lengthy fan video of Jack\u2019s appearance exists.<\/li>\n
                                      • September (December cover date):<\/strong> Phantom Force #1 is\u00a0published\u00a0by Image Comics.\u00a0The Image\u00a0founders\u00a0form a sort\u00a0of solidarity\u00a0around\u00a0Kirby.<\/li>\n
                                      • October (January cover date):<\/strong> Monster Menace #2 is published, featuring a \u00bd-page text piece by Kirby\u00a0titled \u201cJack Kirby, Atlas Comics and Monsters\u201d\u2014Kirby\u2019s final work of any kind for Marvel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                        1994<\/h2>\n
                                          \n
                                        • January (April cover date):<\/strong> Phantom Force #2 is published\u2014Kirby\u2019s final comic book work published\u00a0during his lifetime.<\/li>\n
                                        • February 6:<\/strong> Kirby dies at his home in Thousand\u00a0Oaks, California at age 77.<\/li>\n
                                        • March 4:<\/strong> Comics Buyer\u2019s Guide #1059 begins coverage of Kirby\u2019s passing, including the first\u00a0part of a revealing personal recollection by Mark Evanier.<\/li>\n
                                        • Dr. Mark Miller starts an industry petition to persuade\u00a0Marvel Comics to credit Kirby on his creations. His\u00a0behind-the-scenes discussions with Marvel\u2019s Terry\u00a0Stewart would play a role in Marvel granting a pension\u00a0to Jack\u2019s wife Roz in September 1995, which lasted\u00a0until her death on December 22, 1997.<\/li>\n
                                        • June 18:<\/strong> Sotheby\u2019s Auction House auctions Kirby cover\u00a0recreations produced prior to his death.<\/li>\n
                                        • July:<\/strong> A 9-page excerpt from Kirby\u2019s unfinished novel The Horde is published in Galaxy Magazine #4. To date, two\u00a0others excerpts have been published: in David Copperfield\u2019s anthology Tales of the Impossible (1995), and the\u00a0anthology book Front Lines (2008)<\/li>\n
                                        • Summer:<\/strong> Chrissie Harper publishes Jack Kirby Quarterly #1\u00a0in the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n
                                        • September:<\/strong> John Morrow publishes The Jack Kirby\u00a0Collector #1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                          This timeline was first published in TwoMorrows Publishing’s Spring 2014 The Jack Kirby Collector 63. Many thanks to John Morrow for allowing us to publish it here. Suggestions or corrections are welcome, please use the comments section below. – \u00a0Rand Continuing our look at key moments in Jack\u2019s life\u00a0and career from TJKC #60 (which covered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2347"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2349,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347\/revisions\/2349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/effect\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}