Author Archives: Bob

Upcoming Kirby – Silver Surfer Omnibus

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Since he’s going to be in a movie, the Surfer gets a big book. Mostly Buscema, of course, but Kirby’s there for #18, and if Marvel follows the precedent of their other recent Surfer reprints this book might include the Kirby Surfer solo story from FF ANNUAL #5.

A second FF OMNIBUS, including the original Surfer story and a whole lot more, will also be out this summer.


SILVER SURFER OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA with JACK KIRBY
Cover by JOHN BUSCEMA

Born by the hand of the world-devourer, Galactus, Norrin Radd sacrificed himself to save his home planet and his true love, Shalla-Bal, but the price of their lives was servitude to the mighty Galactus – as his herald, the Silver Surfer! Now, exiled upon Earth, he struggles to understand the beauty and humanity of mortal men, and nobly seeks to heal the rifts that separate man from his brothers. Created by the titanic team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR, the Silver Surfer went on to become one of the most-beloved characters in all comicdom. Embodying the mind-blowing concepts of Kirby and Stan’s socially conscious writing craft, the Surfer’s stories expressed their creative vision in staggering and unique tales. Another talent would touch the character, however, granting him a soul-wrenching humanity that helped define him to this very day: the one and only John Buscema! A master of the craft, Buscema’s Silver Surfer is considered by many to be the peak of comic-book art.

Now, the original adventures of the Silver Surfer are presented in one complete volume! Containing every story and letters page, restored and recolored to match the original issues, plus behind-the-scenes bonuses and critical essays, this book is the guaranteed way to get in on the character in the upcoming Fantastic Four film!
Collecting SILVER SURFER #1-18.
576 PGS. $74.99
ISBN: 0-7851-2752-6

-Link- Larsen on 1980s Kirby (with reprint news)

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Image Comics publisher Erik Larsen writes about Jack Kirby, in particular the 1980s work published by Pacific, confirming the rumour that Image will be reprinting SILVER STAR and CAPTAIN VICTORY in the near future, in single full colour volumes for each. He also talks a bit about how they’re handling the colouring, which was pretty inconsistent in the originals.

Star Spangled Comics #51 [1945] – Cover

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Some nice goofy Golden Age fun on this cover, from the robot having a machine gun hand to it being clearly labelled “Robot Robber”. a lot of nice detailing on the robot, where you can see the genesis of some of the increasingly wild machines Kirby would design in later years.

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Published 1945

Devil Dinosaur #6 [1978] – Eev

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Kirby continues to improve on the Bible’s Garden of Eden story by exploring how the real story that inspired it had giant ants, space aliens and a giant red Dinosaur named Devil all in the Valley of Flame. This time around Devil continues to fight the ants with the allies he made in his quest to free Moon-Boy from the aliens.

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The swarm of ants overwhelms the aliens just as their analysis of Moon-Boy indicates that he carries the “seeds of potential greatness”, and his kind has to be eliminated as a threat to the alien domination of the world. Moon-Boy is able to escape in the confusion, but ends the issue still far from his giant brother, while the others encounter the alien computer, which has planted itself as the “Demon Tree”.

Mike Royer inks the 17-page story and Joe Sinnott inks the cover.

Published 1978

-Link- Call for Kirby art

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Mark Evanier has more on his upcoming Kirby book, including a request for images of any especially noteworthy pages, in particular from the era where not a lot of those pages survived. If you have anything that he might be interested in including, or know anyone who might, get in touch with him and help make this book the definitive Jack Kirby art book.

And, of course, if you have anything like that or even less rare (well, I guess all original art is one of a kind, so less rare isn’t exactly the right phrase), the Kirby Museum Original Art Digital Archive would be interested in it as well.

Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth! #11 [1973] – The Devil

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Leaving Tracking Site, Kamandi and his friends crash in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida. Kamandi gets picked up by a ship of leopards who go out and gather pre-Great Disaster goods and slaves for the Sacker Department Store. They’re sure a talking animal like Kamandi will fetch a good price in the market, as will another captive from the north, called “The Devil”.

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After they get to shore Kamandi is able to escape again, and decides that freeing the Devil will give him the distraction he needs to get away. He finds out that the Devil is in fact a gigantic mutated insect.

Strong start to one of the best of the extended Kamandi stories. The Sacker ship shows a lot of Kirby’s talent for background business.

Mike Royer inks the cover and 20-page story.

Published 1973

Thor #257 [1977] – Cover

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Crackling energy dots at their finest and a good look at some of Thor’s Asgardian supporting cast in this Kirby/Sinnott cover. Makes me impatient to see what Sinnott’s new inks over Kirby’s old pencils will look like on FF – LOST.

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Published 1977

Challengers of the Unknown #77 [1971] – Menace of the Ancient Vials

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This issue reprints the 24-page story and cover from SHOWCASE #12 [1958], the last of the four Challengers of the Unknown issues of the series before they got their own book. The Challs begin the story in flight in pursuit of the gang of Karnak. The criminals take refuge in the isolated island home of an archaeologist doing experiments on some ancient vials he found. As the Challengers approach, Karnak has his men drink the contents of the first vial, turning them into giants who go out and fight and are defeated by the Challs.

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Two other vials release a fire monster and a sea monster, allowing Karnak to escape back to the mainland with the two remaining vials, one of which creates fifty clones of him which go on a crime wave. The Challs track down the real Karnak, who tries to escape using the final vial, which turns out just to be an antidote for the previous one.

The plot this time, especially the ending, is kind of a letdown, but along the way there are some cool things for Kirby to draw, especially the flame monster.

The art on this story seems to have been credited to every Kirby inker of the period at one time or another. DC seems to have settled on George Klein on their recent reprints.

Published 1971

-Link- Evanier announces Kirby book(s)

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Mark Evanier has the skinny on his long-in-progress Jack Kirby biography, namely that he’s split it into two books, one of which (basic biography, heavily illustrated) will be out this October as KIRBY: KING OF THE COMICS, the other (heavily detailed on all aspects of Kirby’s life) will come out sometime later, whenever he’s satisfied that it’s done. More details on the first will follow on his site.

-Link- FF – LOST info on TwoMorrows blog

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John Morrow has been posting up a storm on the new TwoMorrows Blog, including this post which drops some information (including the cover) of the upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR – LOST special, recreating Kirby’s version of what became FF #108. Check it out.

Also on the TwoMorrows front, if you’ve been wanting to get a lot of their back-issues, their online store now offers some great deals on complete bundles of their major mags for half price, like this offer to get every available KIRBY COLLECTOR issue.