Kirby is ….Mighty over size book

 For my Wednesdays Hump Day:  Odds & Ends, here’s a cool find at the Ollie’s Discount Store, this  massive Marvel Kirby is…MIGHTY! Thor book.  It is the same size as the Artist’s Editions from IDW. You can see the size comparison to a regular comic book.  I paid $29.99 for this $100, 350 page book.  The best thing is I have several of the original Thor comics featuring the stories. 

Any time I can find a bargain like this I just have to jump on it.

Jack Kirby - Absolute Forth World

I recieved the Jack Kirby Jimmy Olson and New Gods collection books from a friend for my birthday , but I couldn't resist this oversided Jack Kirby Absolute Fourth World, vol.1 of 2, the second to be released in Dec. 2021. The Absolute volume present the the Forth World saga in order across all the titles. (Books are becoming my exception to my decluttering effort. Plus it was a birthday present to myself)

Here's the comparison of the printing and coloring. 

The second volume is scheduled for December 2021 release.  it will definitely be on my Christmas gift list.

Old Gods & New - A Companion to Jack Kirby's Fourth World by John Morrow

Happy Father's Day to all dads, present, past, and future. I'll be spending part of my Father's Day with IMOP  the father of modern comic books, Jack Kirby. Old Gods & New - A companion to Jack Kirby's FOURTH WORLD by Hohn Morrow with Jon Cooke is just what I need to dig more deeply into Kirby's FOURTH WORLD as I wasn't a consistent reader of the various series the make this post-Marvel phase of Kirby's career. I'd pick up random issues of Mister Miracle, Kamandi, Demon, and others but enough to get a complete handle on whole concept.  Just browsing through this book there is tons of information and great art I haven' seen before.  I'm looking forward to diving in.  I ordered this week ago, and it arrived this week to make a nice Father Day gift. 

RIP Chadwick Boseman.

Such sad news to heard of the passing actor Chadwick Boseman, best known to comic book fans for role as the Black Panther. His passing the anniversary of Jack Kirby's 103rd birthday is stunning.

I get a chill thinking this Alex Ross art is Jack greeting Chadwick to the Cosmic Realm. I've save copy of this to my screensaver last year, but with the passing of Chadwick Boseman, I need to add this tribute and print this out and put on my wall. 

What more can be said than. Rest in peace, Chadwick Boseman, and thanks for greats role you left behind.

Dime-A-Dozen Project #8 - Joppa of Khad, BLACKWOLF - Part 1

[Dime-A-Dozen Projects is so named from a conversation with creative friends of mine as we lamented that when we were working full-time for someone else, we get these (in our minds) original "million dollar" ideas, that would, somehow, turn into "dime-a-dozen" ideas when we were out of work and on our own.]


Coming of Blackwolf.

Like many professional artists I spent many hours of my youth drawing for pleasure. Prior to entering high school this activity was considered a hobby. Then came the fateful day that my student guidance counselor asked "the" question, what profession do you want to pursue? My first choice was to be an astronaut, (remember we're talking the 60's here, the space race was running hot and heavy). But alas, a quick glance at my math grades killed that notion. So, I figured if I couldn't fly them, I could always draw them. A commercial art career was the logical and practical career choice. With that goal in mind, I graduated high school and entered the School of Visual Arts enrolling as a illustration major. In reality, my aim was to be a comic book artist.

Comic books provided me with one of the richest sources of inspiration. This occurring in the 60's, coincided with the rise of Marvel Comics and the glory days of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and the other masters of that time. My old sketch books are full of original characters modeled after those great Marvel Age creations. Then one day, two new influences entered my artistic life. On the paperback book rack in the local newspaper and candy shop was a cover that just leaped at me, a dagger wielding, dark-haired barbarian atop a red cloaked ape. Thus, artist Frank Frazetta and Robert E. Howard's "Conan" gained a new and loyal fan. This truly "dynamic duo" not only provided endless visual and literary enjoyment but also inspiration. 

The result of that inspiration and others was Joppa of Khad, Blackwolf.
Blackwolf would become my main original character. I drew up a map of his world and slowly developed the character in a series of sketchbook drawings and various spot illustrations. These spot illustrations proved to be pivotal in Blackwolf's development. At my very first comic convention in the summer of 1970, a Phil Seuling event, held at the Statler Hilton (now the Penta Hotel), in New York City, I placed two Blackwolf illustrations in the amateur art contest.  (the one at the top of the post, and the one below)

To my pleasant surprise, I took second place. So with added confidence I entered by second year of art school that fall. Unbeknownst to me, my artwork had attracted the interest of one of the professional guest judges.

That fall at another convention at the same hotel, a classmate told me Jim Steranko, the judge at the art show, was looking for the "artist" of Blackwolf. He had been unable to locate me because he had missed the awarding ceremony. Although skeptical, I presented myself to Steranko and pulled out my Blackwolf illustrations. My skepticism gave way to excitement as Steranko confirmed my classmate's story. But the best was yet to come. Steranko wanted to publish Blackwolf in an anthology he was planning under his Supergraphics Publication banner. Blackwolf would be featured in a book along with Steranko's "Talon" an sword and sorcery character he had in development, and work by a young Howie Chaykin.
At that time there was no complete Blackwolf story. But that following spring and summer with a co-writing assist from a friend`Charlie Hunt, I completed the pencils for the story "The Black Woods" featuring Joppa of Khad, Blackwolf. I mailed the finished pencils to Jim Steranko on Sept 27, 1971.

He loved them and say as much in several postcards. It was hard to contain my excitement. Was this the big break.

Excitement was replaced by disappointment as a year passed and the anthology did not appear any closer to being published. So, with a heavy heart, I asked for the return of my artwork. As a footnote, with the exception of a poster and some promotional illustrations Steranko's "Talon" remains unpublished. As did the anthology.

As for Blackwolf and my comic art ambitions, upon graduation from art school, I made several attempts to submit work to Marvel, but with no good results. So, I placed Blackwolf and other comic projects on the back burner and proceeded with my art career, with some modest success. I progressed to animated adventure shows. I designed characters and storyboarded for the "Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers".

During my tenure at Transcom, the producers of The Galaxy Rangers, I developed a renewed interest in comic art and comic books. This interest has lead to my wanting to produce Blackwolf and other projects. I dug out the old drawing and realized they still looked good.  I was determined to bring Blackwolf to the public and contribute to the comic art and animation fields which inspired me to pursue an art career in the first place.

Next - Part 2 - Blackwolf Art gallery, support characters.

My reflection on Jack Kirby Disney Legends tribute at D23 Expo 2017

As one of the millions of artists who he inspired for the price of a 10 cent comic of my youth, I can't begin to the find words of gratitude to thank Jack Kirby: The King of Comics, the way he influenced, amazed, and encouraged me, without ever knowing me. I did see him once at a comic con, and envy friends who knew him personally. When the desire to do comic books took hold for me in my teens, I thought, it would be the greatest honor to do comics and inspire some future budding artist. I never did many comic books, only a couple of pages, professionally. I can only hope one of the projects I worked on in my art /animation career may have inspired at least one kid to follow their dream of being a artist as Jack Kirby did for me. In many ways. I'll keep trying, because I owe that to Jack.

Throwback Thursday - Masterful Marks - Cartoonist Who Changed the World by Monte Beauchamp

Here's a slight cheat for Throwback Thursday. I found this new book at my library, Masterful Marks - Cartoonist Who Changed the World by Monte Beauchamp. It contains 16 wonderful graphic biographics of some of the pioneers of cartooning, like Siegel and Shuster, Jack Kirby, Charles M. Schulz, Edeard Gorey and others. I posting the first page of each piece, because I couldn't decide who to leave out. Enjoy.

 "Jack Kirby (with Joe Simon). Unpublished pen-and-ink artwork for Stuntman, circa 1946". from Masterful Marks.  Just compare the line work to the Kirby comic art of the 1960's. What a difference.

 "Harvey Kuttzman: original artwork for Frontline Combat #7: ©1952 E.C. Publications. Inc. All Rights Reserved. From the collection of Gleen Bray" - introduction Masterful Marks.