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!