You might have heard by now – this month marks what would have been the 100th birthday of “The King” Jack Kirby.
August 28th to be precise.
We here at Biff Bam Pop! are big fans of the “The King”. How could we not be?
If you’re a fan of comic books and all those movies they’ve produced over the last few decades based on them, then you’re a fan of Jack Kirby, whether you know it or not. The man created pretty much all of your favourite heroes – especially if you’re a Marvel Comics fan.
Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men and the Hulk are just a small smattering of Kirby’s imaginative pop culture creations during the middle part of the last century.
But for a time, he worked at rival publisher, DC Comics, as well – and created an entire world of heroes and villains and long-lasting characters that some say could have rivaled the ones he created at Marvel in popularity, if not for decades of poor marketing and company indifference.
DC Comics is celebrating #Kirby100 all month long with a series of special publications – the first of which drops today in the form of The New Gods Special #1.
Let’s get on it!
The New Gods Special #1
Written By: Shane Davis and Walter Simonson
Illustrated By: Shane Davis, Michelle Delecki and Walter Simonson
Published By: DC Comics
Good on DC Comics.
This is a month that must be celebrated and, as mentioned, the writers and editors of Biff Bam Pop! have been doing just that, sharing their love of #Kirby100 regularly. You can catch up on those columns, insights, editorials, and all-round love affair, right here!
DC Comics is in on the act every week this month, publishing a Jack Kirby related creation and there’s no better way to start than with the backdrop of all great Kirby DC creations: The New Gods!
Written and illustrated by Shane Davis, The New Gods Special #1 is a brand new story featuring Kirby creations, Orion, Lightray, Forager, Kalibak and others.
Here, the evil Kalibak has established a dictatorship over a colony of peaceful people. The “Gods” of New Genesis and Apokolips might consider them “bugs”, but these are a people that the heroic Orion must save –but he must also save himself from his own darker nature!
That’s not all this party has to offer! The double-sized The New Gods Special #1 also offers a back-up story by comic book legend Walter Simonson, who weaves a tale from Orion’s youth.
And, of course, the big celebration necessitates a reprint of a classic New Gods tale by “The King” Jack Kirby himself!
Celebrate the greatest of the great creators! Celebrate the month of #Kirby100 and make the run to your local comic book shop today and pick up The New Gods Special #1 – and introduce yourself (again) to an everlasting creation that gets better and better with each passing year!
Reblogged this on JP Fallavollita.