--Link-- Spirit World review

Steve Thompson takes a look at Jack Kirby's SPIRIT WORLD, one of the two black and white (or blue and white in this case) magazines that DC released in the early 1970s.

http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2006/03/jack-kirbys-spirit-world.html

--Link-- Self promotion

Yeah, linking to my own other weblog, how gauche.

Inspired by comments on a recent post, I've started a little gallery of creators being credited on comic book covers prior to 1980. Of course, most of the examples I know off-hand are Kirby (Don't Ask! Just Buy It!) and S&K, but there are some other interesting ones. Let me know about the many I probably missed.

http://fourrealities.blogspot.com/2006/03/credits-on-comic-book-covers.html

--Link-- New S&K Blog

Long time readers know that one of the biggest gaps in this weblog is my lack of access to the bulk of the Simon&Kirby material, in particular from the post-war period to when the team split in the mid-1950s. Harry Mendryk solves that problem by giving me a new Simon & Kirby blog to point you to, where you'll learn a lot about their work together, as well as the many other fine artists who worked for the busy S&K studio, plus work from other time periods. Harry's got access to some amazing first hand research material, and the first few posts already have a lot on editing in the S&K books and the scripting technique than can be seen on some early 1960s Marvel art.

So give it a read, bookmark it and spread the word.


http://simonandkirby.blogspot.com/

--Link-- Kirby Museum update

A few updates on the Kirby Museum website, including a short video of Kirby's cameo on the 1970s Hulk TV show and the start of their Original Art Digital Archive. Pass the word on the latter to anyone you know who owns any Kirby original art.

--Link-- Old Kirby - F.O.O.G. Portfolio

Via Tom Spurgeon, Bud Plant has a warehouse find of the 1982 F.O.O.G. Portfolio (Friends of Old Gerber), which comes wrapped in a Kirby/Alcala Destroyer Duck envelope, on sale for just $10.

--Link-- Kirby Museum Update

There have just been some updates on the Kirby Museum and Research Center site, including adding an online payment option for donations through PayPal, and some pencil pages from this story, including transcripts of Kirby's margin notes.

http://kirbymuseum.org/index.html

--Link-- DC Stamps (one with Kirby art)

The US Post Office is releasing some stamps next year featuring DC super-heroes. Among the 20 stamp set is one featuring Green Arrow by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer (taken from the cover of GREEN ARROW BY JACK KIRBY, which was actually a Bulls-Eye image modified to look like GA in the inks).

Apparently 2007 will feature a similar set for Marvel, which should have significantly more Kirby.

Comicon Pulse story

--Link-- 1964 MMMS Record

Mark Evanier is talking about old comic company fan clubs, in this post about the Merry Marvel Marching Society records of the 1960s, including a short bit of an interview with Kirby about the record which featured the Marvel Bullpen of 1964 and a link to mp3 format files of the two MMMS records.

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2005_10_12.html#010446

Link -- Publishers Weekly on MAXIMUM FF

Publishers Weekly has an article on the genesis of the upcoming MAXIMUM FANTASTIC FOUR coffee-table book reprint of FF #1, with comments from Walter Mosely. Apparently the book jacket will fold out to a poster with photo reproductions of every page of the comic (it doesn't say, but presumably full size) while inside every panel will be printed as a full page. If that's your kind of thing.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6260703.html

--Link-- Evanier on Kirby bio

Mark Evanier has a few comments about the recent Kirby panel, as well as an update on the status of his upcoming biography of Kirby and efforts to make it as complete and accurate as possible.

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2005_07_31.html#010154

--Link-- Sanderson on Kirby panel

Peter Sanderson's "Comics in Context" column has a lengthy rundown of the San Diego Con panel on Jack Kirby from a few weeks ago. There's a brief bit in the intro, then the actual article on the panel starts on page two. Some interesting stuff, a lot of stuff about credits and compensation for Kirby's work. Mark Evanier mentions that the first draft of his Kirby bio is almost finished and he hopes to announce publishing plans next year. Plus there's a comment suggesting not buying the upcoming MAXIMUM FANTASTIC FOUR reprint of FF #1 [Evanier later clarifies on his site that he meant not buying it just for Evanier's commentary]. Some info on the Kirby Museum as well, and lots of fun anecdotes about the Kirbys to balance out the darker parts of how he got ripped off. Good reading, I can't wait until the transcript appears in TJKC (presumably in #44). While you're there, you can read Sanderson's coverage of the 2003 panel (transcribed in TJKC #40)

http://comics.ign.com/articles/637/637694p1.html

--Link-- Sinnott gallery of Kirby/Sinnott FF

Latest monthly feature on Joe Sinnott's website is a gallery of his collaborations with Jack Kirby on FANTASTIC FOUR. Check it out.

http://www.joesinnott.com/pages/1/index.htm

--Link-- Saavedra anecdote on Kirby

Scott Saavedra posts over on his always fun Comic Book Heaven site about Kirby attending a charity event hosted by his father back in the 1970s.

http://comic_book_heaven.blogspot.com/2005/07/quick-jack-kirby-story.html

--Link-- Neal Kirby article

The Orange County Register has a nice article interviewing Neal Kirby, Jack and Roz's son. Includes three photos, Neal with the Hunger Dogs cover, with a huge colour FF poster and other original artwork and a signed photo of Jack Kirby.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/07/09/sections/news/news/article_591195.php

--Link-- Kirby Museum announcement

Mark Evanier has the full press release about the Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center (JKMRC) project coming from the Kirby Estate, Randolph Hoppe and TwoMorrows, including an on-line version of the Kirby checklist. More details will be forthcoming at the San Diego Con next week, or keep an eye on this page.

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2005_07_06.html#010054
http://kirbymuseum.org/

--Link-- FF Movie

No, not any links to the FF movie. As many of you know, there's a movie based on the Fantastic Four due to be released soon. It's not known at this time exactly what, if any, credit Kirby will get on the film, but it will almost certainly be less than he deserves (never mind the financial compensation). Also be prepared for a slew of newspaper, magazine and web articles that mention the film but don't mention Kirby. Given that, I think it would be a good idea, especially among anyone reading this who has a weblog or site, or post on related message boards, to make sure you always mention Jack Kirby as creator or co-creator of the FF whenever the movie comes up, and maybe link to a relevant web site. A few recommended ones:

Mark Evanier's Kirby stuff:
http://povonline.com/Jack%20Kirby.htm

The Jack Kirby Collector:
http://www.twomorrows.com/kirby/

In particular #9 and #33
http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=57&products_id=281
http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=57&products_id=235

A few TJKC articles:
http://www.twomorrows.com/kirby/articles/33ff15.html
http://www.twomorrows.com/kirby/articles/23notes.html

Google search for TJKC articles on FF

A few from this particular site, if I may
http://jackkirbycomics.blogspot.com/2004/09/fantastic-four-51-this-man-this.html
http://jackkirbycomics.blogspot.com/2005/03/marvel-milestone-edition-fantastic.html

--Link-- San Diego Kirby panel

Mark Evanier has posted his San Diego Con panel discussion schedule, including as in most years a Jack Kirby panel. If you'll be there, here's the time. If you're not, THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR will no doubt run a transcript in a future issue as usual (recent comments on the Jack Kirby Mailing List suggest that the TwoMorrows folks might have another thing related to Kirby for the Con)

Friday, July 15
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM / Room 8

THE ANNUAL JACK KIRBY TRIBUTE PANEL

Another gathering, another batch of recollections about the
man they still call the King of the Comics. With STEVE SHERMAN, SCOTT
SHAW!, Kirby lawyer PAUL S. LEVINE and ROBERT KATZ, manager of the Kirby estate, plus others to be named later.

Full Evanier Schedule

San Diego Comic-Con site

--Link-- Chabon on Barda

Author Michael Chabon writes about his admiration for Big Barda and about Kirby in general in an essay posted on his website.

http://www.michaelchabon.com/archives/2005/03/a_woman_of_valo.html

--Link-- Isabella on Unleashed

Tony Isabella's online column Tony's Tips takes a look at KIRBY UNLEASHED, as well as a vintage 1950s DC cover.

http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/back20050328.shtml

--Link-- Get Well Joe Sinnott

Joe Sinnott, as I'm sure you're all aware one of my favourite Kirby inkers, broke his shoulder recently. It's healing, but he can't draw for now. Visit his site for details on where to send well wishes, as well as a funny Hulk drawing.

http://www.joesinnott.com/pages/1/index.htm