Class barriers and conflicts were one of the big themes of romance comics. Kirby did that well, with a lot of good visual shorthand no doubt based on his own experiences, with some great work on the background characters. Also of course the usual sexy and stylish main characters.
Inks by Chris Rule.
Published 1959
A nice Kirby/Brodsky cover introducing the Hulk to the title, first through this guest shot leading to his solo run beginning next issue. There are a lot of great Kirby Hulk images on this run of covers, and this is one of my favourites. Just a very powerful and kinetic image, the movement is so clear you can see this as a storyboard for a movie.
Published 1964
Here’s a nice image of the Howler’s circled by what I guess are their German counterparts. For some reason I’m tempted to reverse the logos and present it as the rare Earth-X comic BARON STRUCKER AND HIS BLITZKREIG SQUAD. Although I thought the character was better when they brought him into the modern age as Oberst Strucker, Agent of S.C.H.I.L.D.
The Kirby checklist lists this as Colletta inks, but I’m not seeing it at all. GCD seems to be down, so I can’t cross-check there, but I’m thinking Ayers.
Published 1965
A Kirby/Ayers reprint from STRANGE TALES #102 (1962) in this issue, the second solo Torch story, where we meet the Wizard, a brilliant inventor who for some reason decides that defeating the Human Torch will be his greatest triumph. Just because he’s a genius, doesn’t mean he’s not stupid…
He fakes an accident that only the Torch can rescue him from, and then lures the Torch to his futuristic home and douses the Torch’s flame (this is during that brief period when Johnny had a secret identity, so the flames on his head conveniently stay).
The Wizard then duplicates the Torch’s powers and goes on a crime spree to frame our hero. Fortunately Johnny gets free and then does what he does best, goes running to his big sister for help (and it’s just sad when you get a solo feature and have to go to your sister for help on the second story).
One interesting thing in this story is the depiction of the Wizard’s escape artist routine, which could be dropped in panel-for-panel in a Mister Miracle story from a decade later.
Dick Ayers inks the 13-page story.
Published 1974
An undercover Global Peace Agency investigator reveals the fruits of his investigation to OMAC, a criminal organization that has stolen a machine that can switch minds, and plans to sell the technology to rich old people who want young bodies. Of course, that’s as far as the GPA can go, since they can’t use violence. But they can ask OMAC to use violence all they want, apparently. OMAC and the GPA agent get attacked, giving us the excuse for the Brother Eye wizardry of the issue, protecting them and faking the scene so it looks like they were killed.
![OMAC #5 [1975]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/09/OMAC-5-1975.jpg)
OMAC then traces the criminal organization, bringing in the GPA to mop up after he’s done.
I’m finding I like these OMAC stories more every time I read them. While a fairly minor Kirby creation in the grand scheme, there’s a lot of energetic fun and clever ideas in every issue.
Inks by D. Bruce Berry on the cover and 20-page story.
Published 1974
That’s a really nice horse there on the cover of this western cover, one of the last handful Kirby of western image would draw at Marvel. Chic Stone inks, and makes me wish he had inked at least one Kirby western story in this era, just to see what it would be like.
Published 1965
From the middle of Kirby’s run of covers for the FF during his mid-1970s stint at Marvel, this has a nice image of Ben with one of his last great sparring partners from the original run on the book. I also like that dragon the Torch is fighting a lot.
Inks by Frank Giacoia (with minor modifications by Marie Severin).
Published 1976
A reprint of X-MEN #5 (1964) in this issue, the 24-page Kirby/Reinman story “Trapped: One X-Man”, with the second round of the ongoing battle with Magneto’s Evil Mutants. As we begin, they’re recovering from their last encounter, which has left Professor X without his powers. A few odd scenes follow, with a visit from Jean’s parents and Cyclops accidentally left in the Danger Room to provide an action sequence.
Shortly thereafter, Magneto has the Toad pose as a competitor in a track meet showing mutant powers in order to lure in the X-Men, hoping to reveal their headquarters.
![X-men - The Early Years #5 [1994]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/09/X-men-The-Early-Years-5-1994.jpg)
They unmask him in time, leading to a battle on the subway, and then the Angel is taken prisoner aboard Magneto’s Asteroid M headquarters. The X-Men follow, and are able to prevail and escape thanks to Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch being reluctant to follow Magneto’s commands to the point of murdering the X-Men. I wonder at what point it was decided they would join the Avengers? Anyway, the X-Men return home and find out that, among other things, Professor X is a jerk.
As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of Reinman’s inks compared to some of the other inkers of the era, but he does preserve most of the interesting things in Kirby’s art.
Published 1994
Chris Rule inks Jack Kirby on this early cover on the series. Amusing looking tease for the story, with everyone looking on not knowing what they’re seeing is real. Nice alien robots, too.
Joe Sinnott drew the interior story that goes with this cover.
Published 1959
Two S&K stories in this issue, both fairly short so lacking a bit in the complexity of their early romance classics, but with some good points.
“Wedding Present” is a 6-page story about Hank, a young man who falls for Kay and then plans to ask her to marry him just as he gets his draft notice. Unfortunately for him, Kay has been getting serious about another man and Hank reacts poorly to the news.
![Young Love #50 [v5n8] [1953]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/09/Young-Love-50-v5n8-1953.jpg)
The action then shifts to Korea, where Hank still has trouble accepting his rejection, even to the point of ignoring obvious advances from a pretty nurse. His rival, Charlie, shows up wounded, and a lecture and blood transfusion later and Hank is ready to move on with his life and finally notices the nurse’s attentions.
This could have been a really good story with a few more pages, and still has some nice scenes, but comes across as more of a summary of a story with just six pages.
“Norma, The Queen of the Hot Dogs” is a 4-page story with a pretty odd title and premise. Norma, a fashion model, is unsure of what to do with her life, wanting to live the high-life but unwilling to marry her rich boss. She ends up going into business with a local hot dog vendor after he remarks that business picks up whenever she hangs around his stand. The new concept for the stand is successful, and they franchise it to more stands with other pretty girls. Yes, S&K predicted Hooters… Of course she still wants more and marries their accountant. Bit of a let-down ending, where it turns out all she really wanted was a strong man and beautiful babies.
As the “anniversary” issue, this also has a page with a short note from the editors and a small reproduction of the classic first issue of YL from 1949.
Published 1953