Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 01:16:35 CDT Sender: COMICS Discussion List <[COMICS L] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> From: Bill Hayes <[IANR 012] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> Subject: Volume 4 Issue 6 Part 1 February 9, 1994 The Comics List Weekly Vol. 4 No. 6 Pt. 1 This Week: Administrivia : Jack Kirby - A giant has fallen Jack Kirby Tribute : Strazewski, Hudnall, Windsor-Smith, Gaiman : From Fandom - His work is cherished +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ========================================================================= A giant has fallen Jack Kirby died on Sunday morning at his home in California. He was 79. Born in 1917 as Jacob Kurtzburg, Jack Kirby became one of comics greatest creators, influencing many comic book artists and writers. His energy and imagination gave substance to numerous comics characters, including the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, the X-Men, Captain America, and the Mighty Thor. His brief stint with DC gave birth to powerful characters and invigorated many comic titles for years to come. Mark Evanier <[76556 3724] at [CompuServe.Com]> reports the following: "Funeral services for Jack Kirby will be held Wednesday morning (2/9) in Thousand Oaks, California. Anyone who wishes to attend, drop me a line and I will send you the time and place. "The Kirby family had requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to THE JACK KIRBY EDUCATIONAL FUND, Temple Etz Chaim, 1080 Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360." Persons wishing to send telegrams of condolence to the family, please read Barry Windsor-Smith's note in this section of COMICS-L. Bill Hayes, moderator, [ianr 012] at [unlvm.unl.edu] ========================================================================= Date: 08 Feb 94 16:27:09 EST From: Len Strazewski <[73710 2552] at [CompuServe.COM]> Subject: Re: In Memory of Jack Kirby >From the day I first saw a copy of Fantastic Four in my dentist's office, my vision of comics changed. It became the Jack Kirby vision. Over the years, I enjoyed nearly all of Jack's art and most of his writing and always admired everything about the creative, independent spirit of the man. When I was introduced to him a few years ago at the San Diego Comicon, I was surprised at how tongue-tied I was. As a journalist, I've interviewed celebrities and luminarfies of all sorts, including George Bush, Buckminister Fuller and other. But Jack had me in awe. I asked him a question I am sure he was asked hundreds of times: "What advice do you have for a creator just starting his career in comics?" His response was 'Do it your own way! Don't let the publishers push you around or take control of your work." His advice led me to discussion with Malibu and eventually, to participation in the Ultraverse. I saw him of rhte last time last year at one of the cons and was pleased to be able to thank him for the the advice and inspiration. Len Strazewski ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 08 Feb 94 13:35:06 EST From: "James D. Hudnall" <[76507 1175] at [CompuServe.COM]> Subject: In Memory of Jack Kirby Jack Kirby is the reason I'm working in comics today. When I was a kid, his work was one of the few things I was almost obsessively impressed with. His imagination and amazing energy propelled my own. In the mid-1970s I got bored with comics and stopped reading them. In 1981 I was in a 7-11 and saw an issue of CAPTAIN VICTORY in the comic spinner. Looking at Kirby's art again made me nostalgic so I went looking for a local comics store and was soon introduced to all I had missed since I gave up comics. Works like Frank Miller's Daredevil, Claremont and Byrne's X-Men, ElfQuest, Cerebus were still coming out then and I was once again hooked on comics. When Alan Moore's stuff appeared in the first issue of Warrior, I knew I had to enter the field and become a writer. The business was too exciting. I owe my present career and success to Jack Kirby because his work is an inspiration and his individualism is a shining example of how one should pursue their own creative vision. The man will be sorely missed, but the legend lives on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 08 Feb 94 18:46:02 EST From: BARRY WINDSOR-DMITH <[71514 2573] at [CompuServe.COM]> Subject: Re: In Memory of Jack Kirby Dear Bill, Due to the good graces of Mark Evanier and by way of Harris Miller, I sent a telegram to the Kirby Family at the site of Jack's services, Pierce Brothers-Griffin Mortuary, to be recieved before 11 AM, Wednesday morning. Dear Jack, May All Gods Bless Your Immortal Soul. Unending Love. Barry Windsor-Smith. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 09 Feb 94 00:23:20 EST From: Neil Gaiman Subject: In Memory of Jack Kirby Kirby imagined bigger than any of us. He made us see the world the way he did, and the way he saw the world was unique. He was the father of modern comics, but that's almost beside the point: he touched us personally, and made us dream and wonder with him. Everything he did he made his own -- so completely his own that in every case the Kirby version is somehow definitive. He was the first artist whose work I could recognise. His passing ends an era. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 15:17:52 +0100 From: Magnum <[O--E--O] at [dhhalden.no]> Subject: Jack Kirby - R.I.P. As most of you are probably aware of already (and I'm sure I'm not the first one to post the information to the list), Jack Kirby passed away on Sun 6 Feb 1994, 76 years old. I've always been a fan of Jack Kirby's and was very sad to receive the news. Of course we all knew that he wouldn't live forever, but I guess I sort of hoped he would... At least I'm happy that he got back into producing comics just before he passed away. I'm just sorry that it'll probably all be sold out (partly to speculators and partly to Kirby fans who move quicker than I do) by the time I get the chance to look for it (which I should have done when it was published, of course). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- E-mail: [o--e--o] at [dhhalden.no] -- Snail mail: Ole M. Olsen, Hovsveien 130, N-1769 HALDEN, NORWAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 12:29:46 -0500 (EST) From: [j--e--l] at [moose.uvm.edu] (Justin D. Bell) Subject: Re: COMICS-L Advisory Truly a great and wonderful artist. A pioneer, quite possibly one of the single most important men in comic book history. Rest in Peace, Jack "The King" Kirby...you will be missed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 17:19:40 -0500 (EST) From: [V 092 LRS 6] at [UBVMS.BITNET] Subject: Re: COMICS-L Advisory Jack Kirby truly was the king. A man possessed of incredible artistic talent and a fertile imagination, he created many unforgettable characters that survive to this day in a medium with thousands of forgotten heroes and villains. Rather than blabber on about Kirby's accomplishments (If you don't know who Kirby is and you're a comics fan, then you're truly unfortunate as the man was truly one of the greats. ANGEL ONE "You must be an angel" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 13:42:52 EST From: [t--e] at [atmel.com] (Bradford Tree) Subject: Jack Kirby Passes Away. Bill, I am sure that may people will write you with this sad news, but I wanted to comment on the loss of Jack Kirby, the single most influential comic book creator to ever live. In the paper today, I read that Jack died Sunday of heart failure at the age of 76. He died at home. I never met Jack Kirby, but I felt as though I knew him through his work. Jack Kirby was instrumental in every genre of comics. He did superheroes, westerns, romance, space-opera, war, and horror. The list of characters that Jack Kirby created or helped to create would take far too long to write, let alone put into e-mail. I think that it is important that fans of today's comic book work realize how important that Jack was to our hobby. Without Jack Kirby, the golden-age of comics would not have existed, there would be no Marvel Universe, and nearly every pro in the business today would one less influence. In fact, I think that it is likely that the artform might not exist today without Kirby's influence. Every time we pick up a comic, read a graphic novel, wonder at the excitement of the universe between our fingertips, thrill to the adventures of costumed superhero, admire the pencilling or the inking or the writing of a comic book, we should think of Jack Kirby. This fan misses Jack Kirby. Bradford ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 14:58:15 -0500 (EST) From: Jennifer Barile <[j--r--e] at [acad.bryant.edu]> Subject: Re: COMICS-L Advisory I am sorry to hear about Jack Kirby's death. I am new to the list though so could you please tell me what comics he worked with. Thank You, jen ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 10:38:23 PST From: [s--c--s] at [merak.caltech.edu] (Stacey Scoville) Subject: Jack Kirby Dear Bill, I know you will be inundated with similar requests, but please indulge me. My husband and I have been a long-time Kirby fans and are very sorry to hear about his passing. I am glad, however, that he had finally been acknowledged for the wonderful work he did before his passing. Jack looked healthier than he had in recent years at the last San Diego Comic Con, so this news takes us quite by surprise. By any chance do you know the cause of his death; was it in any way related to stress after the earthquakes? My husband and I live in the Los Angeles area, and I believe Jack lived in the San Fernando Valley area. Do you know if there is any type of memorial service planned where we can send a token of our esteem, or is there a fund or charity to which we can contribute in his memory? He will be greatly missed... Sincerely, Stacey Scoville [s--c--s] at [merak.caltech.edu] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 08 Feb 94 14:48:22 CST From: Garrie Burr <[X 82217 GB] at [WUVMD]> Subject: Jack Kirby and the History of Comics Damn. A couple of months ago, John Byrne reported in his "A Flame About This High" that Dark Horse planned a new volume on the history of comics. He mentioned Steranko's History of Comics -- of which only two volumes have appeared -- to my knowledge, long out of print. It got me thinking on how the Steranko books enhanced my love of comics. Sure, when I was a young man -- when Superman did great things under the pencils of Wayne Boring and Curt Swan, when Gil Kane worked with John Broome on Green Lantern and with Gardner Fox on the Atom, when Fox and Mike Sekowsky brought each meeting of the Justice League to order, when Fox and Broome and Carmine Infantino kept pace with the Flash, when Lee & Kirby were doing almost everything at Marvel -- love was easy. But Steranko showed me the background of those works, their influences, how they got to where they were. Steranko was fortunate enough to be able to interview many of those who survived the Golden Age, too, and comics' readers at the time shared his fortune by gaining new insight into that which they loved. The younger readers of today seem mystified by most anything that appeared before the 80s. Some might blame this on the speculation market bringing those into the fold who have no desire to learn anything more about comics than what's listed in the Overstreet updates. I am sure that without the knowledge I'd learned from Steranko -- which led me to not only searching for and appreciating particular 'unknown' artists like Will Eisner and Jack Cole and C.C. Beck, but also appreciating the long history of hard work, luck and sometime inspiration that went into the craft -- I'd probably have either gone into speculation myself or quit reading comics altogether. A love of comics cannot survive the fickleness of back-issue prices. Each cherished work is worth much more than money. And the love is much more than just a single-mindedness toward minutiae. This wasn't about continuity of past plot-lines. This was about continuity of an art form, the passing of the pencil and brush and typewriter-torch. Jack Kirby's torch is too big and unique to pass on to anyone. It's too bad more of those who 'get into' comics these days don't appreciate that fact. I hope Dark Horse comes out with their 'History of Comics' soon, that it's on a par with the Steranko work that came before it. We've had twenty years without a major evaluation, and someone needs to get down in writing the thoughts of those, like Jack, who lived that time. He shaped a part of our past that I will not forget. Thanks, Jack. --Garrie [X 82217 GB] at [WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 21:40:59 -0500 (EST) From: Brodie H Brockie <[b--ck--b] at [student.msu.edu]> Subject: The King Just a few minutes ago I recieved Bill's notice that Jack Kirby passed away on Sunday. It was the first that I had heard. Like most people that read comic books I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jack Kirby. I can remember reading a bunch of his old Thor stories when I first started collecting comics. I didn't know who Jack Kirby was at the time, and I'm sure I didn't even read the credits on those comics, but I have vivid memories of the powerful towering figures that leaped of the page and I'm sure that they were put there by Jack. What's weird is that this weekend when I was home I was talking about Jack Kirby. On Saturday night I was watching an episode of the old Hanna Barbara Fantastic Four show on the Cartoon Network and I noticed on the flashing credits "Fantastic Four created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby". Surprised to see Jack actually getting the credit he was due for once I went on to explain to my mother who Jack Kirby was and all that he had done for comics. There's been a lot of talk lately about creator ownership and Jack Kirby in particular. It's too bad that Jack Kirby didn't get the monatary rewards for all of his work, but in many ways Jack Kirby was a lucky man. The people who cared always knew what Jack did and his classic stories and characters will probably still be read and loved long after all of us follow him to our final reward. The King is dead. Long live the King. Brodie [b--ck--b] at [student.msu.edu] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 23:48:56 CDT Sender: COMICS Discussion List <[COMICS L] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> From: Bill Hayes <[IANR 012] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> Subject: Volume 4 Issue 7 Part 8 February 18, 1994 The Comics List Weekly Vol. 4 No. 7 Pt. 8 This Week: Kirby Tribute : From Fandom - His work is cherished +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 13:06:00 BST From: [keith d] at [genie.geis.com] Subject: Kirby Jack Kirby was one of the greatest imaginations ever to create comics. From his early days at the Eisner/Iger studios to his collaborations with Joe Simon in the 1940s and 1950s to his collaborations with Stan Lee in the 1950s and 1960s to his work on his own in the 1970s and 1980s to Topps' recent "Kirbyverse," his fertile creativity never abated. Just as Superman and Batman established the two character archetypes in the world of superheroes, so too did Kirby and Steve Ditko establish how they would be drawn. There are few people illustrating superhero comics today who don't owe something to either Kirby or Ditko. His story is such a wonderful one, you half expect a really cheesy biopic-type movie to be made out of his life: son of Jewish immigrants, working in the comics equivalent of a sweat shop, helping create an enduring symbol of America (Captain America), plus conflicts with various people and companies over the years. Capra probably would've loved this story.... Kirby left behind a body of work that =any= artist (and I mean artist in the broadest sense) would be proud of, and which most artists would give their souls to have even a portion of. He's one of the greats, and he will be sorely missed. ---Keith R.A. DeCandido comics critic, CREEM, THE CHRONIC RIFT, LIBRARY JOURNAL, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, WILSON LIBRARY BULLETIN Associate Editor, SF & Fantasy, Byron Preiss Visual Publications ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 11:38:49 -0600 (CST) From: Kenja! <[olso 0294] at [gold.tc.umn.edu]> Subject: Re: Kirby, etc. I haven't been able to respond to the news of Jack Kirby until now because I have been pretty busy (you know, doing that college thing). I know the subject has died down on the net and I hate to re-open any wounds for anybody, but I think this is a good story. Actually, it's less of a story and more of a statement. I've noticed that a lot of what kids know about comics these days is the "cool art". It's rare that I see a kid who actually reads what he's getting. But, what can I expect? They're just kids (I'm speaking between the ages up to about 14 or 15, no disrespect to those on the net between these ages). That's why I'm immensely pleased with any kid who realizes that comics are more than just "cool art", even though that is a big part. Although Kirby was considered "cool art" before my interest picked up in comics (I came in around the J.R. Jr. on Amazing Spider-Man and Byrne on FF), I could honestly say that I recognized his art, and have constantly associated it with the sixties (even though I know his work is timeless, it just all began before my time). I'm blathering. I'll get to the point now. Promise. I just thought everybody would like to know that, although most of the younger generation don't know who Jack Kirby was, there are a few exceptions. I have a thirteen year-old cousin who, when he got into comics a year or so ago, decided that he was going to collect the Avengers. I proudly bought him some of the Avengers back issues for his birthday, x-mas, etc. Now, he'd seen the work of McFarlane and Leifeld (who he abhors),and some of the other "cool" artists of today, but after seeing Kirby's art in the Avengers, announced to me that this was his favorite artist. Jack "King" Kirby had won another fan close to thirty years after the issues I'd given my cousin had been published. To me, this is a good illustration of how much Kirby influenced younger generations. It was my young cousin's dream to someday meet Jack. I can't say how pleased I am with my cousin, and all the younger comic readers who are not sucked into the "glamour art" of many comics today. I think I'm happier with a kid reading an older comic than I am with them reading something just off the shelf. It shows me that their interest in comics stretches beyond "now". To them, a tip of the hat. And to Jack "King" Kirby, thank you for giving me and my cousin something to share. -Kenja ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 23:40:43 CDT Sender: COMICS Discussion List <[COMICS L] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> From: Bill Hayes <[IANR 012] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> Subject: Volume 4 Issue 6 Part 9 February 15, 1994 The Comics List Weekly Vol. 4 No. 6 Pt. 9 This Week: Jack Kirby Tribute : From Fandom - His work is cherished +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 08:59:45 EST From: Rich Atkinson <[ATKINS R F] at [DUVM]> Subject: Re: Volume 4 Issue 6 Part 5 In light of the comments regarding the late great Jack Kirby by both those in the industry and fans of comics in general, I just wanted to reiterate that for me, like many, he is responsible for my continuing enjoyment of the industry. As a matter of fact, if not for Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, I might never have even started reading comics, as FF was the first superhero comic I ever read. Despite a late start in that series (#184), I was hooked by the characterization and the artwork, as well as what was to me an unfamiliar style of comic story telling. I have since backtracked to get as much of the Lee/Kirby run of FF as I can afford and still think that FF 1-100 may be the BEST run in comics ever by the same creative team. The love for these characters that Lee and Kirby had was obvious and true. It set a standard few if any have been able to match. And is credited by many as changing the industry. I think many of today's profeessionals would be very smart if they locked themselves in a closet with those issues and read them straight through. The King will be very missed and much more appreciated now that he is gone. And I will value my early FFs even more than ever before because they are now my last link to this great man. I only wish I could have met him just once to thank him for entertaining me so well. Rich Atkinson +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |My other sig file+-----------------------------------+ If you can read this| | is a Ferrari | [a--in--n] at [dulib.library.drexel.edu] |then you're too close| +-----------------| [atkins r f] at [duvm.ocs.drexel.edu] |---------------------+ | < > | | [atkins r f] at [dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu] | | > < | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 13:30:57 EST From: [s--i--t] at [express.ctron.com] Subject: Jack Kirby: THE man among giants Jack Kirby, THE man among giants I've read the posts about Jack Kirby and Jim Lee. Without getting into a flame war on either's behalf, I would like to add some commentary. Several of you have, in defending and defaming Jim Lee, mentioned that the "new breed" of comics artists (a la Image/Homage/ad nauseum) had labelled Jack Kirby's arts as "cartoony," "void of detail" and ... most annoying of all ... "exaggerated." Let me examine this a bit. As someone who was reading Jack Kirby's word from 1963 on, and noting his art style, I distinctly remember and know Jack Kirby's rendition of superheroes to be .. at the *VERY* least .. within the realm of anatomic possibility. I can't say the same for Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefield, etc. etc. etc. Given that the technology Kirby had at his disposal (i.e. the pens and equipment he used to draw with) was vastly inferior to the state of the art (pardon the pun) today, it is only logical to assume that today's artists would be capable of including more detail in their drawings. Yes, Kirby's characters did have "squiggley lines" for knees. But that's what the audience accepted at the time. Kirby's characters LOOK like people, augmented with whatever powers they had. The pre-mutated Beast *was* appropriate because before his blue fur emerged, Hank McCoy was INTENDED to be a sort of gorilla-man. The Ice Man: Have you ever gotten out of your car after a long drive in the winter, gone out an hour later and found crystalized ice all over the car? That's because of frozen condensation. The Ice Man, based on PURE physics *WOULD* look like a snowman, and NOT a reflective, hardened ice being. Ask yourself, HOW COULD A BEING ENCASED IN SOLID ICE EVEN MOVE?!? Cyclops was originally Scott "Slim" Summers. He was *supposed* to be a thin, nerdy looking character who had superior tactical skills to aid in his leadership of the field team. He wasn't supposed to be a abnormally muscled Schwarzeneggar wanna-be. And as for how "hot" Jean Grey is ... I feel sorry for you if you're reading the X-Men for titillation purposes. Jack Kirby drew people, in the style and with the technology he had for the time. He didn't draw men with 72" barrel chests and 5" heads. Jack Kirby's heroes didn't have thighs the size of 150-year-old tree trunks. Look up the term "musclebound." It means "having stiff, over- developed muscles, causing immobility, slowed reflexes and great neuro-muscular pain." Personally, if my life depended on a superhero, I'd be rooting for the toned, human looking guy -- not the steroid freak who can barely lumber toward me with a grape for a head. Detail? Jack Kirby didn't draw entire books in which the only view of a character was a completely black panel, with one-quarter of a face highlighted. Jack Kirby didn't take one character, change the color scheme of the costume, and present it as his own new character. Jack Kirby didn't *HAVE* to rely on chromium gatefolds, die-cuts and all that other nonsense to sell books. *AND* Jack Kirby never appeared on QVC hawking his latest piece of drivel for disgustingly inflated prices, just because he happened to sign 1,000 of them. But aside from the art question, Jack Kirby literally and physically REDEFINED comic books and superheroes. Those of you among the X-Men fanboyship might want to remember that JACK KIRBY CREATED THEM! Without Kirby, you'd have no X-MEN to flagellate over. Jack Kirby was the first in comics to bring continuity to comics. He was the one who essentially invented the cross-over. He was the first to explore bad-guys-turned-good and vice-versa. He was the one who gave his audience credit for having brains enough to want to explain comics-science beyond the "ray-gun" mentality. Unfortunately, it appears that the Kirby-bashers, who also seem to ever-so-surprisingly be the Image fanboys as well, WANT THE "ray-gun" mentality, and are simply dull-minded enough to settle for poorly scripted, weakly plotted, continuously contradictory stories, loosely woven in between 20-page fight scenes, with little or no originality. I've met him many times over the years. Never once did he swear at a fan, give a kid the finger, charge for autographs, or generally act like a pompous ass at a convention. I don't need to list the names of those who have, do I? Jack Kirby never gave the comics industry a black eye. He gave it a green light. ==================================================== "In 1994, I'll be back with my regular, controversial, pissy attitude. Take care and goodbye." Todd McFarlane Nov. 1993 - E.G.O.* ==================================================== Gary St. Lawrence The Saint [s--i--t] at [ctron.com]