We barely have time to get used to Mister Miracle as a super-escape artist when Big Barda arrives via Boom Tube and basically steals the show from her future husband. You are barely beginning to keep all the members of the Forever People straight when Sonny Sumo turns up. These comics are meant to be read episodically, off the newsstand, with a few weeks’ interval in between, and can be overwhelming if you try to read them in large, novel-length chunks.įor one thing, Kirby just begins firehosing you with concepts and does not let up. I have finally come around to see the wisdom of this. I own the four hardcover volumes DC put out around 2007 - Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus - and originally it seemed odd to me to run the quartet of titles in publication order, rather than group each title individually in numerical order. I’ve been moving backward through the King’s career, starting with his swan song in mainstream comics at ’70s Marvel, then his final creations at DC, which means that in 2022 I am tackling what many believe to be his masterpiece - the trilogy of cosmic hero books he created (along with bringing pre-existing title Jimmy Olsen into that same fold) for Marvel’s Distinguished Competition after becoming finally fed up with his boss and co-creator, Stan Lee. 28, 1917 - to celebrate another segment of the endlessly fertile career of my favorite comics creator and, statistically speaking, yours. Heigh-ho, classic comics lovers! Fred Van Lente here, professional writer and amateur historian, back on Jack Kirby’s birthday - he was born Aug.

Erstwhile columnist Fred Van Lente is back to celebrate the King’s birthday!

Jack kirby mr miracle