ABRAMS The Art of Books
115 West Street New York, NY 1001
abramsbooks.com
Editorial Assistant: Sofia Gutiérrez
Designers: Mark LaRiviere and E. Y. Lee
Liam Flanagan (revised edition)
Production Manager: Alison Gervais
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data for the 2008 hardcover edition:
Evanier, Mark.
Kirby : king of comics / by Mark Evanier.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-8109-9447-8 (hardcover with jacket)
1. Kirby, Jack. 2. Cartoonists—United States—Biography. I. Title.
PN6727.K57E93 2007
741.5092—dc22
[B] 2007016321
This is a revised and expanded version of the book first published in 2008.
ISBN for this edition: 978-1-4197-2749-8
eISBN: 978-1-61312-256-3
Text and compilation copyright © 2008, 2017
Mark Evanier
Introduction copyright © 2008, 2017 Neil Gaiman
Cover design: Paul Sahre and E. Y. Lee
Revised cover design: Mark Evanier and Chad W. Beckerman
Title type for revised cover: Todd Klein
Published in 2017 by Abrams ComicArts, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Abrams ComicArts is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Abrams ComicArts books are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below.
ABRAMS The Art of Books
115 West Street New York, NY 1001
abramsbooks.com
All characters, their distinctive likenesses, and related elements are ™ and © 2017. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission:
DC Comics: this page (center), this page, this page (left), this page (right), this page (left and middle), this page, this page, this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page, this page, this page, this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page, this page (left), this page; The Estate of Will Eisner and the collection of Denis Kitchen: this page; Jackie Estrada: this page; David Folkman: endpapers and this page; Steve Gerber and the Rosalind Kirby Trust: this page (right), this page; Gilberton Publications: this page; Hanna-Barbera Productions: this page; Rosalind Kirby Trust: this page–this page, this page–this page, this page, this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page, this page, this page, this page; Samuel J. Maronie: this page (lower right); Marvel Characters, Inc.: this page–this page, this page, this page, this page (left), this page (center and right), this page (left and center), this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page; Alex Ross Art LLC: Back cover (Kirby’s Kingdom originally appeared on the cover of Comic Book Creator no. this page, Spring 2013, TwoMorrows Publishing); Greg Preston: this page; Ruby-Spears Enterprises: this page–this page; The Estate of Joseph H. Simon: this page (left), this page; The Estate of Joseph H. Simon and the Rosalind Kirby Trust: this page (right), this page, this page–this page, this page, this page–this page
CAPTAIN AMERICA
no. 5
August 1941
Art: Jack Kirby and Syd Shores
Marvel Comics
STAR SPANGLED COMICS
no. 28
June 1944
Art: Jack Kirby and Joe Simon
DC Comics
BOY EXPLORERS
no. 1
May 1946
Art: Jack Kirby and Joe Simon
Harvey Publications
YOUNG ROMANCE
no. 1
September 1947
Art: Jack Kirby
Prize Comics
BLACK MAGIC
no. 1
October 1950
Art: Jack Kirby
Crestwood Publications
BULLSEYE
no. 1
August 1954
Art: Jack Kirby
Mainline Comics