Kirby: King of Comics

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Overview

Jack Kirby created or co-created some of comic books’ most popular characters including Captain America, The X-Men, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor, Darkseid, and The New Gods. More significantly, he created much of the visual language for fantasy and adventure comics. There were comics before Kirby, but for the most part their page layout, graphics, and visual dynamic aped what was being done in syndicated newspaper strips. Almost everything that was different about comic books began in the forties...
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More About This Book

Overview

Jack Kirby created or co-created some of comic books’ most popular characters including Captain America, The X-Men, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor, Darkseid, and The New Gods. More significantly, he created much of the visual language for fantasy and adventure comics. There were comics before Kirby, but for the most part their page layout, graphics, and visual dynamic aped what was being done in syndicated newspaper strips. Almost everything that was different about comic books began in the forties on the drawing table of Jack Kirby. This is his story by one who knew him well—the authorized celebration of the one and only “King of Comics” and his groundbreaking work.

“I don’t think it’s any accident that . . . the entire Marvel universe and the entire DC universe are all pinned or rooted on Kirby’s concepts.” —Michael Chabon

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Editorial Reviews

Glen David Gold
…a stunning new collection of [Kirby's] art…Setting the record straight after years of distortions, lies and bad memories is one of Evanier's fortes. Another is to explain how Kirby went from simple adventure tales to tangling, in the '70s, with theology and social upheavals. Evanier's style is informal and informative, and, as befits his career in television writing, he's quick with the story twists and turns…It's extraordinary that Abrams, a publisher of art books—rather than a fanzine or specialty press—has produced a volume about a comic book artist. But the result is an exuberant celebration of a pop-art cornucopia. Like Mister Fantastic, Jack Kirby really did throw us into a world of limitless dimensions. It's a fun trip.
—The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly

As a teenager, future television and comics writer Evanier became an assistant to Jack Kirby, one of the foremost artists in the history of American comics. Kirby played a major role in shaping the superhero genre, not only through his innovative, dynamic artwork but through collaborating with Stan Lee to create classic Marvel characters like the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and the X-Men. Evanier has now written this magnificently illustrated biography of his mentor. Rather than employing the academic prose that one might expect from an art book, Evanier, a talented raconteur, tells Kirby's life story in an informal, entertaining manner. Although Evanier does not delve into psychological analysis, he brings Kirby's personality vividly alive: a child of the Great Depression, a creative visionary who struggled most of his life to support his family. The book recounts how Kirby was insufficiently appreciated by clueless corporate executives and close-minded comics professionals. But the stunning artwork in this book, taken from private collections, makes the case for Kirby's genius. A landmark work, this is essential reading for comics fans and those who want to better understand the history of the comics medium-or those who just want to enjoy Kirby's incredible artwork. (Mar.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780810994478
  • Publisher: Abrams, Harry N., Inc.
  • Publication date: 2/1/2008
  • Pages: 224
  • Product dimensions: 9.30 (w) x 12.50 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Meet the Author

Mark Evanier met Jack Kirby in 1969, worked as his assistant, and later became his official biographer. A writer and historian, Evanier has written more than 500 comics for Gold Key, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics, several hundred hours of television (including Garfield) and is the author of several books including Mad Art (2002). He has three Emmy Award nominations, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award for animation from the Writers Guild of America.
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Sort by: Showing all of 6 Customer Reviews

  • Posted August 13, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Best biography of a comic artist

    I loved this book. From the art to the prose it was a great read. Jack was a lightning rod for ideas, creating new myths for the modern world. It's a story that is some times tragic, but always entertaining. If you even have a passing interest in where those super hero movies got their start look no further. The King of Comics indeed.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 23, 2008

    Thanks You King Kirby

    One of the greatest creative Artists and Minds of the 20th Century. Jack Kirby created the Mythology of our Age. From the mind of a simple Artist came the stories, the Heroes, that define an Age and span the entire globe. (Not to mention singlehandedly having generated BILLIONS of dollars in Industry.) This is a beautiful book full of knowledge only Mark Evanier, a man who worked for Kirby, could know. The Artwork prints in this book are amazing. Lets face it, NO ONE could Layout like the King. His People were filled with Power and Pathos, and its never mentioned that NO ONE could draw Machines, and Architecture like Kirby. To many of us Kirby is 'the' definitive artist. Greater then Picasso, Greater then JK Rowling Jack Kirby was the essence of a true American. Congratulations on a Great Book!!!

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    Posted November 12, 2008

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    Posted October 25, 2008

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    Posted February 15, 2010

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 12, 2008

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