Hierarchical social categories and comic books.
Status, ruling class, and sub species.
And “King” Jack Kirby.
The theme of social status was the starting point of Kirby’s New Gods comic book title when he strode across the publishing divide, walking away from Marvel Comics and turning his talents and ideas to rival DC Comics.
And boy did he bring ideas and characters that still reverberate nearly five decades later: Darkseid, the Anti-Life Equation, New Genesis, Apokolips, gods, monsters, destiny… and politics.
Not to mention the visionary publishing invention of interlocking titles that constitute one, finite story.
Still, social status was only one of the themes of Jack Kirby’s “Fourth World” series of those interlocking comic book titles that included New Gods, Mister Miracle, The Forever People and Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olson.
That story of social status continues, with a new generation of great creators in this week’s release of Bug!: The Adventures Of A Forager #1!
Bug!: The Adventures Of A Forager #1
Written By: Lee Allred
Illustrated By: Mike Allred and Laura Allred
Published By: DC Comics
Affectionately (if that) known as “Bug,” Forager is a hero of the downtrodden, underclass people who live under the surface of the planet New Genesis. While the New Gods like Highfather and Orion live in the floating cities, the “bugs” live in colonies underneath the crust – like earth ants. That’s why they’re known as “bugs.”
It’s an unfair and unabashedly prejudiced nomenclature for the species, which is why it was so in tune with early 1970’s comic book storytelling where the United States of America had civil rights and Vietnam on its collective mind.
Forager was a minor character in the New Gods series, initially cast as a lesser being, but brought to prominence amid respect by the various New Gods as he showed his heroic quality.
Bug!: The Adventures of A Forager follows the further exploits of everyone’s favorite underclass hero.
Written and illustrated by fan, industry and critic favourites Lee Allred, Mike Allred and Laura Allred (all of which worked on the brilliant FF series from a few years ago, with Mike and Laura working on the current and equally brilliant Silver Surfer), Bug is a six-issue miniseries published by DC Comics under their Young Animal imprint.
Here, Forager is on new adventures, meeting oddball characters as well as well-established ones from the DC Universe, in an effort to save the multiverse, no less!
As we celebrate Jack Kirby’s centenary, make the run to your local comic book shop today and discover (or rediscover) a character that makes reading comic books both fun and important! Pick up Bug!: The Adventures Of A Forager today
Reblogged this on JP Fallavollita.