One year ago today (following a few test posts no one saw) I started this weblog (a few earlier admin entries are back-dated to keep them out of the way). It’s gotten a lot further along in that year than I expected, with this book making 457 Kirby related publications covered. That still leaves a long way to go, it’s only a third of the total I can cover even assuming I don’t buy any more in the interim (and I’ve got two in the mail as I write this…), and even that would be less than half of the total (not even counting foreign reprints…). So I’ll be here for a while. Aim for this time next year is 1000. As usual, lists of issues covered in the weblog and recent Kirby publications on the side. And thanks to all who’ve provided help, encouragement, comments and links.

MARVEL’S GREATEST COMICS #80, is an odd choice for the one-year post, I know, but it’s a book that has a lot of sentimental value to me as the first place I ever recall seeing Kirby’s art (and is, I think, the oldest book of any sort I own, in order of acquisition. If I ever sort my collection autobiographically this is on top). My exposure to Kirby was pretty spotty for the next decade (it was a bad decade for newsstand distribution of Kirby’s work and back issues weren’t really available to me in high suburbia), but each of the dozen or so examples I remember coming across sticks out (and of course his characters and influence were everywhere). I don’t know how many times I read this thing. Clearly a lot, as it’s in rough shape and held that way by tape (I actually picked up a nicer copy a while ago, as well as the original of the story it reprints, but I have this affection for my original copy). I know that it stuck with me a lot more than just about anything else I read that year.

Let me say first, I love this image:

I remember trying to trace that and a few others from this issue a few times, just to try to capture some of whatever made it work. Of course, I can’t draw, but I didn’t let that stop me.

As I mention in my post about FANTASTIC FOUR #99 (1970), this is probably the last great FF story. Starting with a great splash page of Ben practicing his skiing in front of a mirror and with a great battle between the Torch and the Inhumans, it’s a visual delight. Got, that splash of the Inhuman royal family? Beautiful. It’s also a story about all those things that make the FF great. Family, responsibility, conflict, misunderstandings, the impetuousness of youth, love. There’s a great sense of history in this story, in a way that enriches it even if you aren’t familiar with the earlier stories.

Joe Sinnott inks the edited to 18-page story and heavily modified for the reprint cover, which is a good reason that on most days I consider him my favourite Kirby inker.

Published 1978

The second coming of Galactus, not quite as good as the first but still a fun story, begins in this issue, as the Surfer visits Alicia, and after the usual bout of Ben’s jealousy announces that Galactus is, contrary to his vow, returning to Earth. Galactus, never one to do things the easy way, first sends his servant the Punisher, who the male members of the FF battle (as they keep the battle a secret from Sue, due to her pregnancy).

The Punisher later vanishes in mid-battle, as the Surfer has gone into hiding and Galactus needs to resort to other means to find him.

Good stuff, but there’s that bit of an odd disconnect that you sometimes find between the lines of work from this era. It would be interesting to see Kirby’s full margin notes from this issue, as a few things seem to have been garbled. But then you see a full-page portrait of Galactus and you really stop caring about the words so much…

Joe Sinnott inks the cover and 20-page story.

Published 1968

The final issue of FOREVER PEOPLE sees the kids on the run from one of Darkseid’s minions, Devilance. They do well, but are sort of hamstrung by their refusal to kill, something Devilance has no problem with. They end up on a pacific island (which I notice has those Easter Island giant head statues that Kirby seems to like so much, although they don’t enter into the story) for their last stand. Meanwhile, in another dimension, the Infinity Man is still where Darkseid banished him, cut off from the Forever People and recovering on the peaceful world of Adon.

For reasons that escape me, he’s able to make contact with the kids again, and trades places with them and battles Devilance to the end, leaving the Forever People on Adon. Obviously a quick wrap-up for the cancelled book, I always get the feeling that I’m missing something obvious in this story, some key to the whole. Nice looking book, though.

Mike Royer inks the 22-page story and cover. And since it’s on my mind, he uses those extra thick panel borders that I mentioned earlier, although less frequently than the once-a-page that he did in the other story where they stood out.

Published 1972

“Now Ends the Universe” is the middle of the big Mangog storyline, as Thor observes the dark storms that portend trouble in Asgard, and finds Sif in a hospital bed from their previous adventure, heals her and departs for Asgard. We also catch up with Balder, having his own troubles with the Norn Queen, and a brief reminder about the colonizers of Rigel, the Recorder and Ego for future storylines.

As usual for this era of Thor, my favourite scene involves the Warriors Three, first doing some of their normal brawling for fun, then informed by Loki that Mangog approaches as Odin sleeps his Odinsleep, and sends them off to do battle.

First the Storm Giants and then the forces of Asgard battle bravely but futilely against Mangog (including, oddly a very futuristic rocket called an Odinian Force Arrow. Always thought the mix of old styles with modern technology in Asgard was weird). Thor follows the trail of carnage, finally finding the Warriors Three imprisoned and coming face to face with Mangog.

Great issue, very densely plotted, fast moving and taking advantage of the various parts of the mythology that had been introduced in the previous years, and the artwork is just gorgeous, full of power and clever storytelling bits.

Colletta inks the 20-page story and cover.

Published 1968

This issue opens with the Evil Factory creation the Four-Armed Terror making its way towards the Project, attracted by the atomic radiation it feeds on, taking out the Outsiders on the way.

Meanwhile, our heroes are participating in a “Hairies” experiment that converts radio signals from the stars into sounds and images, which leads to three collage pages by Kirby before they’re disturbed by the shockwaves from the Terrors attack on the Habitat in the Wild Area. Superman goes out to confront it, with Jimmy and the Newsboys defying his orders and following. As the Terror reaches its destination, Simyan and Mokkari hatch a whole army of Four-Armed Terrors.

It’s pretty amazing how many concepts Kirby had introduced in his early issues on this book, many of them dropped into this issue. Unfortunately a lot of them would sort of fall by the wayside in the second half of the run, and never be as fully explored as I’m sure Kirby planned. Still a lot of fun while it lasted.

A 22-page story inked by Vince Colletta (with Murphy Anderson doing the DC-ification of Superman and Jimmy) and Neal Adams inking Kirby on the cover.

Published 1971

A Kirby/Sinnott cover to this comic, introducing a new character to the team to give it a British flavour and some female presence. I like the inking on the German soldiers, makes me wonder what a Kirby/Sinnott war comic would have looked like. I’ll have to see if I can find some of the issues of BATTLE they had stories in back in 1960.

Published 1977

In this reprint from FANTASTIC FOUR #80 (1968), “Where Treads the Living Totem”, the FF get a note from Wyatt Wingfoot, gone back to visit his tribe, about some mysterious goings-on involving an old legend. Having nothing else to do while waiting for Sue to have her baby, the menfolk go off, and lucky for Wyatt that they do.

The oil-rich land of his people is being attacked by a giant robot in the form of their mythic protector Tomazooma, in hopes of scaring them off the land. Great looking design for the robot, and a lot of fun action with the FF and Wyatt’s tribe against the robot, and a lot of good character interaction among the boys.

One page is edited for this reprint, a splash of Ben dancing with Johnny about the prospect of going on vacation. Joe Sinnott inks the now 19-page story and cover.

Published 1976

Following the Madbomb crisis during the Bicentennial, Cap and the Falcon plan some much needed rest (which includes a comfortable bubble bath for Cap). Unfortunately, over in New York there’s been a plague of attacks from “The Night People”, mysterious underground vagrants who are stealing odd things, everything except money. They overhear Falcon on the phone with his girlfriend Leila, and needing a super-hero for their purposes they kidnap her as bait for the Falcon, who quickly flies in to the rescue.

The Falcon is captured, and back in Washington Cap gets reports that he was seen vanishing in mid-air.

Kirby didn’t stop for a minute on the wild ride that was his last run on Cap, and there are a lot of things to like about this issue. The odd layout on one early page, showing the various thefts the Night People were up to, was really nice, and throwing in a dramatic mid-air rescue was a good way to keep the action flowing.

Frank Giacoia inks the cover and 17-page story.

Published 1976

This whole story, and much more, was recently reprinted in Captain America: Bicentennial Battles.