There is so much beautiful art and so many wonderful stories to read, making this a must have not just for kirby fans but for any comic book fan. King of comics is a 2008 biography of jack kirby written by mark evanier. Spine of cover completely split and reattached with tape. The book won the 2009 eisner award for best comicsrelated book. August 28, 1917 february 6, 1994 was an american comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the mediums major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. Kings comics sydney sells australias best range of popculture products. King of comics, before i got the full measure of the man born jacob kurzberg on august 28, 19 in new york city. Unfortunately, the two books seem to have become genetically confused, as if mutated by gamma rays. While we are talking about amy beauty, skills, and professional life, we want to. Characters and concepts he created and helped create dominate pop culture to this day. Published by the art book publisher abrams books, it is extensively illustrated with kirby s artwork, including original art comic pages with production notes in.
While this book actually tells you the tale of how kirby got this name and how it bothered him, its hard to argue that he isnt the king, as far as the art side of comic book. These days we may be sick of the hype that flows from comic book stardom but kirby. King comics, a shortlived comic book imprint of king features syndicate, was an attempt by king features to publish comics of its own characters, rather than through other publishers. More significantly, he created much of the visual language for fantasy and adventure comics. While much of the information has been covered in other biographies and publications, evanier brings to light many new nuggets of information. The real king of comic books golden age comic books cgc. The second collection of the bestselling comic book series, inspired by stephen king s epic the dark tower. When most think of comic books, and the legends that spawned and created them, many names come to mind. King of comics art book soft spoken flip through lofi asmr the comic book a. Published by the art book publisher abrams books, it is extensively illustrated with kirby s artwork, including original art comic pages with production notes in blue ink. King of comics was the first overview of the legendary comic book creator\s career. Oct 21, 2014 almost singlehandedly, the late jack kirby wrote, designed and illustrated the look of the american comic book and from 1937 until 1983.
Man, is this old fan glad hes lived to see the day when comic book artists get this sort of serious. Jack kirby 101 as surely as elvis presley is the king of rock n roll and michael jackson is the king of pop, jack kirby is the king of comics. King of comics helps us see it in the context of a contrasting age in which namesand the individual talentwere, to be blunt, unimportant. Almost singlehandedly, the late jack kirby wrote, designed and illustrated the look of the american comic book and from 1937 until 1983. Overall, this was one of the best books on comic book creation i have read, for example, better than the basic dc comics guides. This book is the biography of jack kirby s career in comics, written by mark evanier who had worked as his assistant in 1969. In fact, this title was bestowed on my by no less an authority than entrepreneur magazine. A few king comics titles were picked up from gold key comics. Jack kirby the king of comics public group facebook. Almost everything that was different about comic books began in the 1940s on the drawing table of jack kirby. Kirby can throw bombs or set bombs down on the ground. King of comics is like taking a guided tour through a kirby museum. The 8th wonder of the world, a direct comic book adaptation of the 2005 remake.
King of comics is a delightful blend of original sketches, reproduced covers, and reproduced pages. He has three emmy award nominations, and received the lifetime. More than just a narrative, this small coffeetable presented artwork from his days as a comic strip writer working under several pseudonyms and his work for several comic book companies. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular character. Written with depth and detail by animation comic tv writeruberblogger mark evanier, this lavish, 9x12 tome has as much substance as style. Almost everything that was different about comic books began in the forties on the drawing table of jack kirby. Mark evanier chose the perfect format for writing a biography of jack kirby. Decades after his passing, jack kirby is still the undisputed king of comic books.
One of them is that of jack kirby the man became a legend over his long career in the comics industryand this week is dedicated to celebrating all that he gave comic. But all this king of comic book bs can no longer be tolerated. King of comics now available as a way more portable. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the fantastic four, the mighty thor, darkseid, and the new gods. Put together in a way that feels as vibrant and engaging as kirby s artwork, kirby. Culture film features jack kirby the real comic book hero behind todays blockbuster superheroes lies the genius of one man, legendary artist jack kirby. Although ive read a lot about the history of comics, there were new anecdotes and insights. Its a prestigious title certainly befitting for someone who created or cocreated some of the most popular comic characters like captain america, the xmen, fantastic four and many others whose stories are still running in the comics today. From rats misadventures opening a beerthemed amusement park to pigs arrest for flashingking of the comics is sure to keep readers entertained and engaged with extended puns, morbid rewrites of nursery rhymes, and repeated excursions to lemmings leap. Unless you have read the earlier edition of the book you are going to see kirby artwork that you have never seen before. King of comics was the first overview of the legendary comic book creators career. Mar 03, 2008 i bought this book in kindle format because of this selling point. With the form factor of a coffeetable book or tabloidsized comic, kirby. Eisnernominated artist, tom scioli, whose work is greatly.
Inside the epic, 50year battle between marvel and dc illuminate reasons why comic books, once marginal, are now one of the strongest currents in the cultural mainstream. It is now available in a smaller, more affordable package, revised and expanded for kirby s centennial. A long time in coming, mark evaniers biography of comic book giant jack kirby doesnt disappoint. This adaptation was planned to be a threeissue miniseries. King of comics proves a worthy tribute to legendary creator jack kirby on his centennial.
Mark evanier jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters including, captain america, the xmen, the hulk, and the fantastic four. A list of stephen king s comics, organized alphabetically. King of comics anniversary edition by mark evanier. If you love comics and youre not a fan of jack kirby, you might be an evil alien from apokolips. To some extent artists were even considered interchangeable, which is why marvel could see nothing shady about. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular super heroes, including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the. Minecraft flash and bones book 10 minecraft comics. He grew up in new york city and learned to draw cartoon figures by tracing characters from comic strips and editorial cartoons. The book won the 2009 eisner award for best comics related book. Still, for a comics fan, evaniers book is an essential purchase, and if there are few insights into kirby s psychology or zeitgeist, there are some.
In 2005, dark horse comics and dh press were able to strike a deal with universal to license and produce tiein comic books in connection with king kong. One of the mediums most prolific artistic legends, jack kirby, the king of comics, was an artist, writer, and editor whose work spanned the golden, silver, bronze and modern ages of comics. Its a prestigious title certainly befitting for someone who created or cocreated some of the most popular comic. King of comics anniversary edition by readbook 16 august 2017 jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters, including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the fantastic four, the mighty thor, darkseid, and the new gods.
King of comics leaves some of its subjects life storylines in original charcoal sketch form while embellishing some that dont need clarification, but as a final product its a beautiful. Mark evanier met jack kirby in 1969, worked as his assistant, and later became his official biographer. The book won the 2009 eisner award for best comicsrelated. King of comics is the beautiful color art found throughout. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular super.
As a teenager, future television and comics writer. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters, including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, and the fantastic four. The hottest images and pictures of amy are truly epic. Written with depth and detail by animationcomictv writeruberblogger mark evanier, this lavish, 9x12 tome has as much substance as style. But while soviet communism has all but vanished from the planet. Aug 01, 2017 mark evanier met jack kirby in 1969, worked as his assistant, and later became his official biographer. Its 1939 and hes still a few years from establishing himself as one of the most. King features placed former gold key editor bill harris in charge of the line. Synopsis jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the fantastic four, the mighty thor, darkseid and the new gods. It is now available in a smaller, more affordable package. He has three emmy award nominations, and received the. Kirby co, jack kirby art, comic book characters, comic books art, book art, dc comics, anime comics, jack king, comic book collection fantastic four vol. This graphic fiction adaptation of the bestselling authors chilling short story in his recentlyreleased collection, just after sunset, reunites the blockbuster creative team of marc guggenheim and alex maleev, also responsible for the redhot stephen kings n. Almost singlehandedly, the late jack kirby wrote, designed and illustrated the look of the american.
King of comics deserves to be added to your collection as soon as possible and is easily one of the greatest comics driven books weve ever had the pleasure of reading. This is his story by one who knew him wellmark evanier. Comic book pages comic book artists comic artist marvel comic books comic books art marvel comics jack kirby art jack king comic book collection what others are saying fantastic four page 16 is a great example of work by jack kirby. Official kirby biographer mark evanier delivers this authorized celebration of the one and only king of comics and his groundbreaking work. King of comics anniversary edition read book summary. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular super heroes, including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the fantastic four, the mighty thor, darkseid, and the new gods. This year marks the centenary of two worldchanging events. There are almost as many pages of art as there are pages of text, which makes the book a treasure.
Kirby learned his drawings from newspaper comic strips and movies, doodling incessantly whenever possible. Gary martins the art of comic book inking is a professionalgrade guide to inking comic books. A beginners guide to the king of comics, jack kirby. Jack kirby created or cocreated some of comic books most popular characters including captain america, the xmen, the hulk, the. 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. A graphic novel biography of jack kirby, from his days growing up during the great depression and discovering a love for scifi, to his time on the frontlines of world war ii where he experienced the action hed later imbue his comics with, and on to his collaborations at marvel with stan lee, where the pair redefined comics. The webcomics world is attractive to artists because its so wide open that a teenage cartoonist can start by posting comics on tumblr and end up a national. Jack kirby the real comic book hero the independent. 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.
Published by the art book publisher abrams books, it is extensively illustrated with kirbys artwork, including original art comic pages with production notes in blue ink. Feb 22, 2007 mark evanier chose the perfect format for writing a biography of jack kirby. For a wider search result, please check your spelling, try searching for one or two words, andor be more generic in your wording. Large format, or coffee table, books are sometimes more about the visuals than the text, but kirby, king of comics is one of the exceptions.
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