reviews
May 28, 2008
Frank
rated it: 
The best thing about this book is that it gave me a few more details on the Kirby/Lee war that I've only gotten pieces of before.
As this is a bio on Kirby, it certainly focused on his side more, though impressively, it wasn't an attack on Stan Lee.
Maybe it should have been though. For the most part it was a bland read, that used phrases like "Once again" or "As always" and repeated a general story of Kirby working hard for little reward.
Th More...
As this is a bio on Kirby, it certainly focused on his side more, though impressively, it wasn't an attack on Stan Lee.
Maybe it should have been though. For the most part it was a bland read, that used phrases like "Once again" or "As always" and repeated a general story of Kirby working hard for little reward.
Th More...
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Jul 29, 2008
kkurtz
rated it: 
to say that I am 'currently reading' this book is a bit of a misnomer. 'continually reading' is a more appropriate term.
my history with Jack Kirby goes back to my earliest childhood memories in the early '70s. Back then every comic on the stand seemed to be drawn & co-created by Jack Kirby. (Kamandi alone was enough of a spark to fuel in me a lifelong obsession with dystopian fiction & films) The fantastical stories & artwork in all of his creations were (& are) something to behold. He wa More...
my history with Jack Kirby goes back to my earliest childhood memories in the early '70s. Back then every comic on the stand seemed to be drawn & co-created by Jack Kirby. (Kamandi alone was enough of a spark to fuel in me a lifelong obsession with dystopian fiction & films) The fantastical stories & artwork in all of his creations were (& are) something to behold. He wa More...
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Mar 03, 2009
Jacobi
rated it:
The term "genius" gets thrown around way too much, but it's always interesting to read about people that term accurately describes. Jack Kirby is definitely one of those people. The grandfather of the superhero comic, and creator of pretty much every major Marvel character, Jack was nothing short of a creative machine. The stories were before my time, and they're hard to read now because of the different writing style, but the art is still wonderful to look at. When it comes to that, t
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Nov 17, 2009
Parka
rated it:
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(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
Jack Kirby, King of Comics. It's a prestigious title certainly befitting for someone who created or co-created some of the most popular comic characters like Captain America, The X-Men, Fantastic Four and many others whose stories are still running in the comics today.
This book is the biography of Jack Kirby's career in comics, written by Mark Evanier who had worked as his assistant in 1969.
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(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
Jack Kirby, King of Comics. It's a prestigious title certainly befitting for someone who created or co-created some of the most popular comic characters like Captain America, The X-Men, Fantastic Four and many others whose stories are still running in the comics today.
This book is the biography of Jack Kirby's career in comics, written by Mark Evanier who had worked as his assistant in 1969.
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Nov 25, 2008
Nick
rated it: 
Jack Kirby is truly the king of comics. His work defines the genre: his stories, layouts, and visual style are the benchmarks for the entire industry. Along with Stan Lee, Kirby was responsible for building the Marvel juggernaut during the 60's, co-creating such stars as Spiderman, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Thor, the Silver Surfer, and many others. Kirby came to Marvel already one of the most successful artists of his generation, co-created Captain America and many ot
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Jan 03, 2010
Martin
rated it:
For as long as I've read comics, Kirby has been praised as the King of Comics. Personally, I've admire his output and creative energy, but was never a fan of his art until I read this book. While this book does a great job as a biography of his life, it does a better job as a coffee book. There are amazing reproductions of his pencils and personal work which is just awe-inspiring.
My only complaint about this book, is that I wish it had more of these quality reproductions and was at More...
My only complaint about this book, is that I wish it had more of these quality reproductions and was at More...
Jul 14, 2010
Justin
rated it:
Full disclosure: I love Jack Kirby. He is one of the few, true comic book geniuses. He transcended his genre and medium (not that there is anything wrong with comics - I am an avowed comic book nerd) and created true art - and if you don't believe me then read this excellent biography.
Well, I say biography but really it is a bit lighter than that I suppose. It is not some warts-and-all, expose on the man, but rather a biography of his working life. It is a quick read, the art/gra More...
Well, I say biography but really it is a bit lighter than that I suppose. It is not some warts-and-all, expose on the man, but rather a biography of his working life. It is a quick read, the art/gra More...
Feb 27, 2009
Cat
rated it:
For the true comics fan, this a is terse history of the man who almost single-handedly brought motion and dynamic graphic storytelling to the comics medium. Piled on with lavish illustrations -- as you might expect -- Kirby's singular and often-imitated style is shown as he goes from post-WWII grind-'em-out basics to becoming "King" Kirby, the premiere illustrator of his times. Although I would have preferred more finished art (mostly we're given his unfinished pencils), and the colors
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Aug 08, 2008
Josephus
rated it:
I find this biography intensely depressing. Kirby created a million different characters, stories, and titles for a jillion different comics companies, yet he never enjoyed anything resembling basic financial security for himself and his family. Not until near the end of his life did he even get health insurance and that was only once he had quit comics and was working as a TV producer for a branch of animation giant Hannah-Barbera.
It's yet one more argument against ever having kid More...
It's yet one more argument against ever having kid More...
Apr 03, 2008
Rick
rated it:
From the age of 17 to his death in 1994, at the age of 76, artist Jack Kirby devoted his life to creating an influential pop-culture iconography for the 20th century. His many accomplishments included creating or co-creating Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, and the romance comic. His concepts fuel the backgrounds for both the Marvel and DC comic-book universes. Kirby's works permeate nearly every fantastical creation of the last 40 years, from prose novels to the biggest
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Dec 02, 2010
Michael
rated it:
Kind of the perfect complement to Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, this is a speedy, breezy bio of the creator whose work underlies all of the greatest comic book characters of the sixties and seventies. More of a hagiography than an in-depth biography, Evanier's book is especially notable for the many stunning reproductions of long out-of-print pages, as well as the original pencils. A visual feast, and the story of a great man who was railroaded by an unscrupulous industry
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Jan 31, 2009
Karl
rated it:
This book is filled with wonderful samples of the man who made super hero comics what they were in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...and what they continue to be...and what they are on screen in big-time Hollywood movies. It is a crime against humanity's culture that people know who Stan Lee is without knowing who Jack Kirgy is. The art included is stunning, varied, and printed in a large format, which shows off Kirby well. It also contains slices of every part of Kirby's profes
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Jun 10, 2010
George
rated it:
A very sympathetic and evocative portrait of one of the most important artists of the last century. It's basically an ongoing epic of Jack getting ripped-off by almost everyone he ever worked for, but there's also a good glimpse of the great personality and uniquely driven character of this guy. I saw Jack once across a room at the San Diego Comicon, but was too shy to walk up and say hello. I was surprised how short he was, and how much he looked like many of the characters he drew.
Nov 17, 2009
Christian
rated it:
Great history of a major major force in the history of comic books. I grew up with plenty of Kirby around me, and having just finished "Kavalier & Clay," I can see where so much of the inspiration came from. Coffee-table size is perfect for a book about a man whose art was larger than life. Engaging prose, and of course so many examples (including behind-the-scenes pencil sketches) of Kirby's unmistakable style.
Aug 11, 2009
Keith
rated it:
Good details on Jack "King" Kirby, who developed great concepts in superhero comics at the beginning of the "Silver Age" around 1960. Created The Fantistic Four, etc. I was addicted to the Marvel Universe when I was 13 to about when I was 16 or so. I loved Fantastic 4, Thor, Iron Man, Capt. America, Daredevil, and Spider-Man!
Jul 08, 2011
Gloriavirtutisumbra
rated it: 
I didn't read every page of text, but i completely ogled how Kirby drew his trademarks, the 'electric haze' of explosions and the blocky solid forms. I would have been happier if there had been even more illustrations in this, but will be satisfied with what i got!
Aug 13, 2008
Joe
rated it:
Enhanced by rich full-page art reproductions, Kirby: King of Comics is the moving biography of comics' greatest illustrator. Biographer and protege Mark Evanier reconstructs Kirby's hard scrabble rise to fame and his innumerable failed attempts at fair compensation. Much like Superman's creators Siegel and Schuster, Kirby never received royalties on the many characters he drew and created (Captain America, Fantastic Four, Thor, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Nick Fury, Darkseid, Etrigan, etc.) but was j
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Aug 05, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
This is THE book about King Kirby. It's an entertaining look at the co-creator of some of the most memorable characters in comics.
And it's an all-too-familiar examination of an artist ced out of his due by corporate manouvering.
And it's an all-too-familiar examination of an artist ced out of his due by corporate manouvering.
Mar 08, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
I saw this at BEA a couple years ago and knew I would own it some day. And now I do. A great coffee table book that I've read so I guess that says something.
Sep 28, 2009
Frank
rated it:
As a Marvel comics fan, this was a very interesting story for me. The amount of artwork is wonderful.
Highly recommended to comic fans.
Highly recommended to comic fans.
Sep 11, 2009
Brad
rated it:
The art alone is worth giving this one a look. Kirby was ahead of his time. More New Gods are would have been preferable.
Jun 22, 2008
Chris
rated it:
A fascinating read on one of the masters of the comic art form, I'd be lying if I didn't say that this version of Kirby: King of Comics reads a little light. Kirby's such a fascinating creator and Evanier's biography glosses over whole periods of his career in the space of a few paragraphs. I've read this is only the first release for the author though- a more in-depth take on Jack Kirby's life and career will be coming out later.
Looking at the book as an art book with interspersed b More...
Looking at the book as an art book with interspersed b More...
Jan 12, 2009
Mark
rated it:
Excellent biography of the co-creator of The Fantastic Four, the Hulk and many, many more.
Aug 26, 2008
j_ay
rated it:
A good biography with lots of artwork. The ‘coffee table’ size, while not making for comfortable reading, lets one enjoy the art. Especially the black and white illustrations, reproduced well enough that you can see the brush strokes.
The biography part, while done pretty well, doesn’t have the voice of someone who worked as Kirby’s assistant, which _can_ be a good thing (too many writers may try to instill themselves in the lives of others), and simply reads like a basic history instead o More...
The biography part, while done pretty well, doesn’t have the voice of someone who worked as Kirby’s assistant, which _can_ be a good thing (too many writers may try to instill themselves in the lives of others), and simply reads like a basic history instead o More...
Jul 13, 2008
Justin
rated it:
This book is amazing!!! As somebody who has loved comics his entire life, this is a great insight to the way comics used to be run, and how the creators were generally screwed over. It's also (and more importantly) a peek into the life of one of, if not the, most influential creator of all time. Before I read this book, I was aware of Kirby's influence, but AFTER reading this book, I can finally say that I can appreciate the impact the man had in the comics world, and appreciate the loss of one
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May 18, 2008
Mark
rated it:
The world will have to continue to wait for a sophisticated analysis of the Kirby the man and Kirby the work, and the connection between the two. As an archival document, however, this is excellent, and provides a good sense of the arc of Kirby's work, its and his development, and the sad story of Kirby's exploitation at the hands of charlatans like Stan Lee. Further proof that, like the Hulk, Kirby was better off alone: titles like the Fourth World and Silver Star serve as a testament to this
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Jul 25, 2008
Jamil
rated it:
As a introduction to Jack Kirby, a glimpse at the power of his creative imagination, this book succeeds. It only fails by its inability to do the impossible, to contain the immensity of that singular imaginative force, hidden behind Ben Grimm's ever-lovin' baby blues, crackling, exploding in black flames & kirby dots, reshaping universes. This book can't be Jack Kirby. But, thank Kirby that he could.
Dec 18, 2008
Michael
rated it:
Text-wise, it's a little light, but the author may do something more comprehensive later down the road. The illustrations and layouts are nice, but I wanted to see three times more than what was presented. In my perfect dream world, it would've been 12 pounds and 1000 pages like the Bava book, and I could spend the rest of my life trying to read it...like the Bava book.
Mar 05, 2008
Eric
rated it:
Admittedly, the writing, though illuminating about Kirby's life, is a bit pedestrian, but you can't go wrong with the amazing reproductions of some key and lesser known Kirby works. Required reading for any comic enthusiast, but I was also struck by how much more I appreciated Kirby's art after seeing its full arc and having some context in which to place it.
