Ah, the Invaders defending a homefront parade from the menace of a giant Red Skull. There’s an image for you. It’s like a combination of a monster cover and a super-hero cover. I know the layouts for these covers were done in New York (by Marie Severin for this one, I’m pretty sure. I think her layout ran in ALTER EGO a while back), but she really knew how to play to Kirby’s strengths with them.
Joe Sinnott inks.
Published 1976
This issue features a reprint from TALES OF SUSPENSE #81 (1966) starring Captain America. As the story opens, the Red Skull has gotten the Cosmic Cube and all the power it gives, and is boasting of his plans to use it to conquer the world and then build an intergalactic empire.
Fortunately for the galaxy, his hatred of Cap doesn’t let him just use the cube to destroy Cap, but instead he creates a being powerful enough to beat Cap in battle, not counting on Cap’s usual determination and battle skills to overcome raw power. Finally the Skull’s pride defeats him, as Cap pretends to surrender and be the Skull’s servant, leaving an opening for Cap to wrest away the Cube.
Some excellent stuff in here, showing Cap at his battling best, the Red Skull at his most conniving but foolish and loads of cosmic energy. Frank Giacoia inks the 10-page story.
Published 1974
Pressed for time today, here’s a gorgeous Kirby/Stone war cover guaranteed to knock your socks off.
Published 1964
Odin on a rampage, gotta like that. See those Asgardians quivering in the face of his just and merciful wrath.
![Thor #145 [1967]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/07/Thor-145-1967.jpg)
Odin cracks me up every time.
In “Abandoned on Earth”, Thor feels the anger of Odin in this issue as he’s stripped of his powers, other than his strength, and left on Earth following a major battle. He decides to try this out and get a job, and ends up applying as the strongman at a circus, not knowing that it’s a front for the Circus of Crime, who are planning a major theft that needs a strongman. Thor impresses them but then gets hypnotized by the ring-master to prepare for their heist.
The “Tales of Asgard” back-up concludes in this issue with “The End”, with the final battle against Mogul, the tyrant who has enslaved various lands, including that of Hogun the Grim. Ends kind of abruptly, but has a lot of action leading up to there, capturing the grandeur of the modern myths they were weaving.
Colletta inks the cover, 16-page lead and 5-page backup.
Published 1967
“Hell at Hialeah” is the action-packed middle of the “Sackers” saga in KAMANDI finds out hero enslaved at a racetrack in what was once Florida, part of the empire of the snake trader Sacker (people have read some allegorical bits into this story about Kirby’s feelings towards DC at this time, and they’re probably there, but at its core it’s an action story). Lots of fun, as Kam goes from being almost trampled in a horse-race to witnessing a motorcycle race with an odd prize and violent rules:
![Kamandi, The Last Boy On Earth #13 [1974]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/07/Kamandi-The-Last-Boy-On-Earth-13-1974.jpg)
Somehow Kirby can sell dialogue like “I’d rather ‘Do or Die’ for Kamandi Enterprises’ than the Sacker’s Company”.
The story just gets more exciting with Kamandi chased by helicopters while riding his giant grasshopper pet Kliklak and then finally being drawn into battle with one of the savage humans, Bull Bantam, who sees Kamandi as a rival for Spirit, the sister of Kamandi’s recently deceased love Flower.
Mike Royer inks the 20-page story and cover.
Published 1974
And thanks to James Burns for the new logo uptop, inspired by Kirby’s wayout tech designs
Another Kirby/Ayers western cover.
I especially like faces of the leads on this cover. Drawn very small, but very clear and expressive. Let’s take a closer look:
No question there about what emotion the Kid is expressing, and a great classic Kirby heroic face on the sherrif (looks a bit like Reed Richards, actually).
Published 1963
This story (technically retitled “Krang” from the original “I Created Krang”) is reprinted from TALES TO ASTONISH #14 (1960), a 13-page Kirby/Ayers story featuring one of the classic elements of stories from that era, giant insects. In this case, Professor Carter wants to employ giant insect power, but can’t get funding for his formula. He goes to Europe, where a key ingredient can be found, and sets up shop in an old castle where a servant named Ludwig works. Unfortunately, in his greed Ludwig plans to steal the formula and gives an overdose of it to an ant, causing it to quickly grow and gain intelligence.
![Weird Wonder Tales #18 [1976]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2005/07/Weird-Wonder-Tales-18-1976.jpg)
Krang goes on a rampage trying to get the formula so he can rule an insect army and rule the world. Fortunately Ludwig redeems himself (I suspect the art was meant to show him dying, though the script just has him injured) letting Carter escape and use the formula to come up with a natural foe for Krang.
Very fun story, there’s just something about seeing a giant Kirby/Ayers ant running up the stairs of an ancient castle that cracks me up. Definitely one of the better of the monster stories of that era.
Kirby did a new cover for this issue, inked by Klaus Janson, with the usual elements of a fleeing crowd, a monster causing great damage and a hidden menace.
Published 1976
Here’s a particular favourite among Kirby’s 1970s covers for other editors, featuring the Impossible Man. Not one of the great Kirby villains, true (I think this is only his second story, maybe the longest gap between a Kirby FF villain’s first and second major appearances), but I love the pose and especially the Iron Man and Mjolnir hands.
Joe Sinnott inks, of course.
Published 1976
Here’s a nice different kind of cover from Kirby/Ayers featuring Kid Colt. Obviously not the kind of design that works if you do it every issue, but good for a change of pace, as a nice little mini-story. I especially like the posing on the third panel.
Published 1963
Beautiful crime cover from S&K, their last for this title as the romance and horror comics for Prize dominated their time (plus BOYS’ RANCH over at Harvey). Love that distinctive inking over on the cops’ uniforms.
Published 1951