Here’s a neat rarity. In 1973 one of the earliest and longest running fanzines, THE COMIC READER, at that point edited by Paul Levitz (though not for much longer), reached #100, and ran front and back colour covers by Jack Kirby to celebrate (at the time they usually had black and white covers, art on the front only). The front had Superman and Captain Marvel, while the backcover had, well, these guys:
This issue of BLACK PANTHER brings to a close T’Challa’s adventures with Abner Little and his society of “Collectors”, putting him on the road back to Wakanda. Little was a pretty funny character, bringing a lot of charm to the first half of this series. It’s also nice how Kirby has T’Challa acting very much as a king in this story.
![Black Panther #7 [1978]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2004/12/Black-Panther-7-1978.jpg "Black Panther #7 [1978]")
This issue also gives some background of the history of Wakanda and the Vibranium Mound which forms the basis of the Panther Cult and the Wakandan royal family, also introducing some more of the family and setting up the next story.
Mike Royer inks the story while Ernie Chan (or is the proper name Ernie Chua? I never could remember) inks the cover.
Published January 1978
See, this weblog isn’t as monomaniacal as all that. I’m more than happy to cover major Kirby inkers as well as Kirby…
Anyway, Mike Royer makes a rare return to comic books by providing the inking, over Batton Lash script and layout and Mike DeCarlo pencils, for the lead story in Bongo’s RADIOACTIVE MAN #9 (numbered #197 on the cover), which has a story featuring RM going up against Obrian of the New Guards. There’s even a story of the golden age “Radio Man”.
Something about this seems familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh well, as the cover says, “Dont Speak! Don’t Think!! Just Buy It and Shaddap Awready!!!”.
Leaping out of the pages of his origin in the last three issues of 2001 – A SPACE ODYSSEY, X-51 got a new name and his own series in 1978 (though the 2001 connection isn’t mentioned anywhere in #1, despite it being footnote-happy 1970s Marvel, presumably for some sort of trademark or copyright reason).
“Machine Man” opens up with Machine Man rescuing a hiker who somehow wound up hanging on a cliff. I like this page, which is a layout one doesn’t associate with Kirby, but which works nicely here.
![Machine Man #1 [1978]](http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/kirby/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2004/12/Machine-Man-1-1978.jpg)
It’s a layout that doesn’t work if overused, but it does fit the situation here, and gives a nice feeling of vertigo in the first panel, and danger in the next two.
Anyway, after the events of 2001, Machine Man is walking the Earth, like Cain in Kung Fu. Oddly people don’t seem that shocked by his abilities like flight, extendable arms, superhuman strength and all that, accepting that it’s all experimental equipment he’s wearing. Whatever. He gets a ride from a psychiatrist who asks too many questions, so he takes off, only to be attacked by the army, still under the command of Colonel Kragg.
Fun start to what would be an uneven, but interesting, short-lived series. Royer inks the 17 page story (and really, man, 17 pages of story in a 36 page book? Who thought that was a good idea?), Giacoia inks the cover and Kirby provides a text page about some of the themes of machine sentience he plans to explore in the series.
Published 1978
This is Kirby’s second last issue of THOR (with a fill-in before the last one), featuring the story “To End in Flames”, ending an epic where Loki had managed to get rid of Odin and unleashed Surtur upon Asgard. In this issue, Loki flees to Earth, while Balder and Sif go to rescue Odin while Thor and the other warriors of Asgard attempt to defeat Surtur.
A very exciting action based issue, with lots of great scenes of Thor and his army fighting against impossible odds. The ending is a bit of an almost literal deus ex machina, but when you’ve got a character like Odin that’s going to happen from time to time.
The story is a page short, as this is from that period when Marvel was running two pages with half page ads. Annoying. Colletta inks the story, but it mostly looks good for Colletta. John Verpoorten inks the cover, which is nicer.
Published 1970
A few other publishers have stuff of interest for March, in addition to the Marvel books listed in the last post. The stories in the AC book are from, respectively, BATTLE #68 and BLACK MAGIC v3#5. No idea what’s in the MODERN ARF thing, if it’ll have a full story or just a sample of art for an article.
AC
AMERICA’S GREATEST COMICS #11
Artists include Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Alex Toth and writers include Joe Gill. Special Steve Ditko issue featuring seven early classics: “3-D Death,” “The Night People,” “Night of the Red Snow”,”He’s Coming For Me,” “Little Boy Blue” (starring Mysterious Traveler ) and “The Shadow”. Plus, “Guard Duty”, penciled by Jack Kirby with inks by Ditko. Also. “Those Who Are About To Die” by Simon & Kirby and “Buster Crabbe” by Toth.
52pgs, B&W SRP: $6.95
Fantagraphics
MODERN ARF VOLUME 1 GN
edited by Craig Yoe
An irreverent new journal devoted to the art of the comics, Modern Arf is the first in a series of volumes in which the award-winning artist and editor, Craig Yoe, explores the unholy marriage of Modern Art and the Funnies, in a bombastic and entertaining way. The first blast features material created just for this book as well as classic material by Rube Goldberg, Jack Kirby, Hy Mayer, Winsor McCay, and Patrick McDonnell at the zenith of their wacky, surreal, and innovative best. Did you know Salvador Dalí drew comics? You’ll be able to see them in this first volume of Modern Arf accompanying an essay exploring his influence on comics, his animated cartoon, and examples of comic artists such as Steranko and Crepax who paid homage to the Spanish surrealist. Modern Arf is stunningly designed in an oversized format to give justice to the incredible art collected between its covers.
SC, 9×12, 128pgs, PC SRP: $19.95
TwoMorrows
ALTER EGO #46
This a special issue featuring the “Very Best of the 1960s-70s Alter Ego!” Behind a full-color cover by Bill (Sub-Mariner) Everett and Marie Severin (featuring all of Wild Bill’s greatest creations), there’s a kaleidoscopic cornucopia of the best and brightest stuff from the 1961-78 Alter Ego era! Features lots of newly-discovered art! Plus, there’s a classic 1969-70 interview by Roy Thomas with Bill Everett, the creator of Sub-Mariner, Amazing-Man, and Hydro-Man. In the interview, Bill tells of the early days, from Marvel Comics #1 through his 1960s work on Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Incredible Hulk, and more. In this issue you’ll also have tons of rare vintage art by Carl Burgos, Paul Gustavson, Simon & Kirby, and many others! Plus 1960s A/E gems by Steve Ditko, E. Nelson Bridwell, Comics Code authority Len Darvin, Jerry Bails, Roy Thomas, and more. Rounding things out is Jim Amash’s interview with Lou Glanzman, the Golden Age artist of Amazing-Man, The Shark, and Air. Also, special tributes to Irv Novick and Christopher Reeve.
Magazine, 8×11, 100pgs, B&W SRP: $5.95
Three Kirby reprints from Marvel in March of 2005. This new MARVEL MILESTONE monthly book might prove interesting, especially if they don’t stick with the usual suspect reprints (we needed another reprint of the first Captain America story? Hopefully it’ll look nicer than the last reprint). The first Ant-Man will be nice, as I don’t think it’s seen a colour reprint in decades outside of a rather rare hardcover. I assume there’ll be other stories in #1, as those three listed only come to 28 pages.
Another FF Masterworks is good to see. Should just be two more to complete Kirby’s run (minus the cut together #108), as this has the last original material annual.
The Golden Age Cap hardcover is rescheduled from last month. Hopefully it’ll look good, as I’ve heard very little good about Marvel’s other recent hardcover of non-Kirby work from the era. For those who have the previous hardcover or softcover reprints, this will have a number of stories (mostly the non-Cap stuff) that haven’t been reprinted before.
MARVEL MILESTONE: IRON MAN’S FIRST APPEARANCE
Written by STAN LEE, LARRY LIEBER, JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Penciled by DON HECK, DICK AYERS, JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Celebrating 65 years of titanic tomes from the House of Ideas, MARVEL MILESTONES makes its triumphant return to the comics scene! The first issue of this new monthly series features key reprints of your favorite Avengers; Iron Man, Ant Man and Captain America. Just in time for ULTIMATE IRON MAN #1 comes a true tale of suspense! Iron Man lives in TALES OF SUSPENSE #39! Plus: the first appearances of Ant-Man from TALES TO ASTONISH #27 and Captain America from CAPTAIN AMERICA
COMICS #1!
48 PGS./All Ages …$3.99
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 8
Written by STAN LEE
Pencils & Cover by JACK KIRBY
Pony up, True Believer, the amazing eighth manic Masterworks featuring the First Family of Funnybooks is coming your way! Collecting an ironclad cadre of consecrated classics, this one’s packed with more drama than you can shake a Skrull at! Let’s break it down: the Silver Surfer pursued by none other than the world-devouring Galactus; the FF vs. Spidey, DD and Thor in a barnstorming brouhaha; a fantastic voyage into the Microverse to battle the Psycho Man; the Thing—cured!; the first appearance of Annihilus; Crystal, the Inhuman, joins the FF, and one of comics’ most historic moments, the birth of Franklin Richards—it just doesn’t stop!
This one’s a humdinger so chock-full of excitement it’s ready to burst! And it’s all
brought to you by no less than the minds that made Marvel magnificent, Stan and Jack!
‘Nuff Said!
Collecting FANTASTIC FOUR (VOL. 1) #72-81 and ANNUAL #6
272 PGS./All Ages …$49.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1694-X
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 1 HC
Story & Art by JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Continuing the celebration of its 65th anniversary, Marvel Comics is proud to re-present the earliest adventures of Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty! This monumental hardcover volume re-masters and restores the first four historic issues of Captain America from 1941. Return to the Golden Age of comics as Cap and Bucky come face to face with the Red Skull, the Ringmaster of Death, Nazi minions and more!
264 PGS. / ALL AGES . . . $49.99
UPC: 5960611619-00111
ISBN: 0-7851-1619-2
Since I had the few trading cards I have out from the posts about the Topps stuff last week, thought I’d mention these. Just about everything got a trading card set back in the early 1990s, and in 1994 one thing released was the “Jack Kirby – The Unpublished Archives” set, with art from Kirby’s years working on animation design for Ruby Spears. 90 cards in all, although a handful aren’t by Kirby for reasons that evade understanding (I only have about half the cards, one of them is definitely Gil Kane, another looks like Doug Wildey).
The cards are fun, with lots of wacky characters, insane vehicles and fantastic scenarios. None of these ever did get produced (though Kirby did of course work on many things that did get produced).
Some of the concepts featured are Animal Hospital, a funny animal soap opera, and Roxie’s Raiders, a 1930s set action comedy, featuring Toad:
Lots of grotesque villains that I have trouble imagining animated on a TV cartoon, but look fun.
If you can pick up a set or a few packs of the cards cheap, they’re good for a laugh. Obviously the small size doesn’t really show off the art at all (the originals are apparently really big), and hopefully someday we’ll see a decent book or portfolio of the best of Kirby’s animation work (this set apparently only has a fraction of his designs) with larger images and better supporting material, but until then this is a nice glimpse at his work in his last decade.
Published 1994
MARVEL DOUBLE FEATURE #13, 1975. Kirby did a handful of new covers for this reprint book (generally for issues where the original TALES OF SUSPENSE cover featured the Iron Man story, and one featuring Modok which I’ll have to post for all you Modok lovers, and I know they’re out there), including this one inked by Frank Giacoia. Those dead sidekicks are nothing but trouble. The interior Cap reprint is a Gil Kane issue, from Kirby’s brief gap drawing the feature in 1967.
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #19, 1976. Man, for an idol o’ millions, Benjy got no respect, having to be rescued by Tigra the Were-Woman (a name which somewhat confused me, since a werewolf is a person who turns into a wolf, so shouldn’t she be a were-tiger or something?). Anyway, Giacoia on inks again.
FANTASTIC FOUR #172, 1976. Joe Sinnott inked this cover, though it’s one of those that was somewhat modified, around the faces of the non-rocky FF members. I’m not sure why anyone would think Kirby drawings of the FF need correcting, either. Pitting the Thing up against an old Thor villain. I wonder if Kirby came back to Marvel, saw every old, obscure character he created in the 1960s being brought back and wondered if anyone had created anything new in the five years he was gone. Well, other than Tigra…
This is one of those trivial entries in a Kirby bibliography, but I’m not going to win that award for “Most Monomaniacal Comics Weblog” with half-measures now, am I? Anyway, the just released ESSENTIAL IRON MAN #2 has about a half-dozen Kirby covers from the last bit of IM’s run in TALES OF SUSPENSE. Doubly trivial because all of those covers were reprinted in the same format in ESSENTIAL CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 a few years back.
Less trivial, there should be a new JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR in the next few weeks, and hopefully the updated KIRBY UNLEASHED portfolio will be out soon.
And request for information, anyone know what Kirby work is in the recent ART OF MARVEL v2 hardcover? Is it strictly previously published and/or fairly common stuff, or did they sneak in something unpublished and/or rare?