Catching up on some Kirby release info, stuff’s been coming out steadily this year. One I missed on solicitations was that THOR #600 reprinted several “Tales of Asgard” shorts as backups, but more on that in a bit. Biggest release of the year so far is tomorrow, a collection of Kirby’s dozen OUR FIGHTING FORCES issues.
March 11, 2009 – THE LOSERS BY JACK KIRBY HC
March 4, 2009 – COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR – Volume 7
February 25, 2009 – MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 1 TPB
February 25, 2009 – MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE MIGHTY THOR VOL. 8 HC
February 11, 2009 – THOR #600 (several Tales of Asgard short stories)
February 4, 2009 – MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 1 TPB (a few covers and a short back-up)
January 28, 2009 – MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 3 HC
And a few new things announced from Marvel. The TALES OF ASGARD mini-series will presumably include all 49 five-pagers from JIM/THOR #97-#145, and probably six rather than five issues as listed, but with Marvel you never know. I’m guessing a collection of them soon after is likely, if not certain, and hopefully the “modern coloring” won’t be that bad. I assume that recent THOR #600 was a sample of what to expect, so if anyone picked that up and wants to comment, feel free. And all three of Kirby’s YELLOW CLAW issues from the 1950s are included with some other fine stuff , much of it never reprinted before, in one expensive book.
THOR: TALES OF ASGARD BY STAN LEE & JACK KIRBY #1 (of 5[?])
Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by JACK KIRBY
Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
The legend has come true! By the will of the gods, I am alive! I am invincible! I am — THOR!!! And so began the very first epic tale of Marvel’s most revered hero, the mighty Thor, whose legend would grow alongside the success of Marvel comics, making him the most exciting super hero of all time! Never has Thor been more sensational than during these early tales, crafted by Marvel’s greatest, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Re-live classic Norse mythology in the mighty Marvel manner as well as Stan and Jack’s stories of the Norse Gods and Thor before he came to Earth as Don Blake. Witness as these masters breathe life into the thunder god and some of Marvel’s most enduring characters: Helmdall, Balder, Loki, Odin and Hela. Read these stories as never before with all-new, modern coloring and six extraordinary interlocking covers by current THOR artist Olivier Coipel. Collecting the “Tales of Asgard” backup stories from JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #97-104
48 PGS./$3.99
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA BLACK KNIGHT/YELLOW CLAW VOL. 1 HC
Written by STAN LEE, AL FELDSTEIN & VARIOUS
Penciled by JOE MANEELY, JACK KIRBY, JOHN SEVERIN, FRED KIDA & VARIOUS
Cover by JOE MANEELY
From the heroic times of King Arthur to the dangers of the Cold War, the Atlas Era brings you the greatest adventure stories from the 1950s. Presenting the original series of two legendary characters that have bridged the decades – all the way from the Atlas Era to the Avengers and Agents of Atlas – Black Knight and Yellow Claw are must-haves for every Marvel maniac! Sir Percy of Scandia may appear to be a foppish weakling, too timid to fight and the scorn of Camelot, but only Merlin knows the truth: Sir Percy is the gallant Black Knight! Come to drive Modred de Monfort from King Arthur’s court, he wields the ebony blade against Norman invaders, dragons, imposters and usurpers to the throne. With the pencil of Atlas great, Joe Maneely, delineating the action,Black Knight is a sure-fire classic! Then comes Cold War tales of mystery, espionage and world domination from the pages of Yellow Claw! Illustrated by the incomparable trio of Joe Maneely, John Severin and –in a rare mid-50s Atlas appearance– Jack Kirby, F.B.I. Agent Jimmy Woo’s mission to capture the century-old mystic from the root of the Himalayas is packed with gritty crime and unimaginable adversaries, from mind-bending mutants and UFO the Lightning Man to Temujai the Golden Goliath and the Living Shadows! Collecting BLACK KNIGHT #1-5 & YELLOW CLAW #1-4.
256 PGS. $59.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-3515-9