JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR (2023)

"Kirby Five-Oh! looks at the best of everything from the 50-year career of Jack 'King' Kirby, co-creator of the Marvel Comics universe! The regular columnists from The Jack Kirby Collector magazine exmaine: The best Kirby story published each year from 1938-1987! The best covers from each decade! Jack's 50 best unused examples of art! His 50 best character designs! And profiles of, and commentary by, 50 people from all media influenced by Kirby's work! Plus there's a 50-page gallery of Kirby's powerful raw pencil art."

"Celebrate 'The Magic of Stan & Jack,' the timeless work of the duo who created the Marvel Universe. Stan Lee reminisces about working with Jack Kirby from the 1940's through the 1960's. Plus, there's a re-evaluation of the 'lost' Fantastic Four #108 unused story, including a missing page that just surfaced, still in pencil. And 'What if Jack Hadn't Left Marvel in 1970?'"

"Pick up the second part of 'The Magic of Lee and Kirby,' featuring more on the co-creators of the Marvel Universe! Inside, there's a new interview by Bullpenner George Tuska, as he reflects on his days at Marvel in the 1960s, including working over Jack's layouts. There's a look at the differences between Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko's approaches, and Will Murray gives an in-depth examination of the creation of the Fantastic Four."

"'Kirby Goes To Hollywood' as the Jack Kirby Collector examines the King's forays in and out of Hollywood. Inside you will find a comparison of the most recent Star Wars films to 'The Pact' and 'Himon' Fourth World issues, a look at his time at Ruby-Spears animation as a designer on Thundarr the Barbarian, how Kirby inspired Hollywood productions from the 1940s through today, plus how television and film were worked into Kirby's comics work."

"We get Up-Close & Personal with Jack! We feature Kirby interviews you weren't aware of, photos and recollections from fans who saw him in person, personal anecdotes from Jack's fellow pros, a look at comics cameo appearances by both Stan Lee and Kirby, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, and more! But don't let this issue's photo cover fool you; it's chockful of rare Kirby pencil art, both from Roz Kirby's private sketchbook, and Jack's most personal comics stories and characters!"

"The Jack Kirby Collector #59 shifts to a new format and opens 'The Kirby Vault', unlocking a treasure trove of rarities by the 'King' of comics! There's personal correspondence from Jack to fans and co-workers, private photos and accounts from family and friends' interaction with Kirby, a color gallery of his amazing collage work, rare art from Marvelmania, bootleg album covers featuring Kirby art, private sketches, and other artifacts. Plus: A transcript of a never-before released 1969 visit by San Diego fans to the Kirby home (where Jack answers all the questions you would ask if you were there in '69)!"

"Jack Kirby Collector continues in its new format, with a Fantastic Four follow-up issue to #58's 'The Wonder Years.' It starts with a dynamic, never-before published Kirby FF wraparound cover (and wait'll you see the flip side)! Also, we present a dual interview between classic FF inkers Joe Sinnott and Dick Ayers. Then, there's a rare Lee & Kirby interview, and we compare one of Jack and Stan's FF Bullpen story conferences to what ended up on Stan's final script and Jack's penciled pages."

"Jack Kirby Collector #61's theme is Jack Kirby: Writer! Whether creating stories while drawing, or pecking away at a typewriter, Kirby gave his work a unique voice which fans either love or hate. Don't miss this examination of the quirks of Kirby's conceptualizing and wordsmithing, from the operatic Fourth World to melodramatic romance work, and beyond! There's a feature-length Kirby interview, Mark Evanier, and our other regular columnists, galleries of pencil art including New Gods, Destroyer Duck, 2001, and more! Unseen Kirby cover painting!"

"Jack Kirby Collector #63 takes you back inside the creation of the Marvel Universe with the late Mark Alexander, author of issue #58's Lee & Kirby: The Wonder Years! Mark worked tirelessly on a lengthy Lee/Kirby essay entitled 'A Universe A'Borning' before his passing, and we proudly present it here! There's also a Kirby interview, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, a look at key late-1970s events in Kirby's life and career, Stan Lee script pages, unseen Kirby pencils and unused art from Thor, Nick Fury, Hulk and Fantastic Four, plus galleries of Eternals, Black Panther, and more, all behind a wraparound cover inked by Mike Royer! Edited by John Morrow."

"Jack Kirby Collector declassifies confidential information on Kirby's Super-Soldiers! Jack created or co-created an army of fighting men and boys, from Captain America to Fighting American, Sgt. Fury to The Losers, and Pvt. Strong to the Boy Commandos - this issue covers them all, including a tribute to Simon & Kirby! There's also a Kirby interview about Captain America, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, a look at key 1940s-'50s events in Kirby's life and career, unseen Kirby pencils and unused art from OMAC, Silver Star, Captain America (in the 1960s and '70s), the Losers, and more, all behind a cover inked by Kirby himself."

"Jack Kirby Collector goes all-out and all-in with our 'Anything Goes (Again)' issue! This new potpourri issue covers anything and everything from Jack's 50-year career, including a head-to-head comparison of the creative genius of Kirby, against the design expertise of Alex Toth! Who will come out on top? Plus a lengthy Kirby interview, a look at Kirby's work with Wally Wood, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, unseen and unused Kirby art from Jimmy Olsen, Kamandi, Marvelmania, Jack's comic strip and animation work, and more - all behind a classic 1960s cover inked by Kirby himself, complete with our gorgeous new color printing."

"We get Up-Close & Personal with Jack! We feature Kirby interviews you weren't aware of, photos and recollections from fans who saw him in person, personal anecdotes from Jack's fellow pros, a look at comics cameo appearances by both Stan Lee and Kirby, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, and more! But don't let this issue's photo cover fool you; it's chockful of rare Kirby pencil art, both from Roz Kirby's private sketchbook, and Jack's most personal comics stories and characters!"

"Jack Kirby Collector spotlights Key Kirby Characters! In it, we go decade-by-decade to examine pivotal characters Jack created throughout his career (including some that might surprise you)! Plus there's a look at what would've happened if Kirby had never left Marvel Comics for DC, how Jack's work has been repackaged over the decades, the 2015 Kirby Tribute Panel from WonderCon (featuring Neal Adams, Darwyn Cooke, Fred Van Lente, Crystal Skillman, and Len Wein), Mark Evanier and other regular columnists, and galleries of rare and unseen Kirby pencil art! All behind a recently-discovered 1960s Kirby illo of Dr. Doom, newly inked by Concrete's Paul Chadwick! "

"Jack Kirby Collector buddies up with Kirby's Partners, as we spotlight Jack's duos: Captain America & the Falcon (and Bucky, and Rick Jones), Sandman & Sandy, Orion & Lightray, Johnny & Ben, Dingbats, Newsboys, Batman & Robin, and more! We've also scouted high and low for special features on Kirby's creative pals Joe Simon, Mike Royer, Chic Stone, Dick Ayers, Joe Sinnott, Mike Thibodeaux - even Roz Kirby! There's a behind-the-scenes report on Jack's Battle For A 3-D World, with never-seen art and artifacts, courtesy of Ray Zone and David Folkman! Plus there's the 2016 Kirby Tribute Panel from Comic-Con International, Mark Evanier and other regular columnists, and galleries of unseen Kirby pencil art!"

"Jack Kirby Collector presents the first of two bookend issues we're calling Kirby: Alpha (#70) and Kirby: Omega (#71)! Kirby: Alpha looks at the beginnings of Kirby's greatest concepts, and how he looked back in time and to the future for the origins of ideas like Devil Dinosaur, Forever People, 2001, Eternals, Kamandi, OMAC, and more! There's also a rare Kirby interview, the 2016 Kirby Tribute Panel from WonderCon, Mark Evanier and other regular columnists, and galleries of unseen Kirby pencil art, all behind a Kirby/Mike Royer cover! Don't miss next issue's inverse look at endings in the Kirbyverse."

"Jack Kirby Collector presents the second of two 'bookend' issues: Last issue was Kirby: Alpha, and this issue is Kirby: Omega! It looks at endings, deaths, and Anti-Life in the Kirbyverse, including poignant losses and passings from such series as New Gods, Kamandi, Fantastic Four, Losers, Thor, The Demon, and others! Plus: A rare Kirby interview, the 2016 Silicon Valley Comic-Con Kirby Panel, Mark Evanier, unpublished pencil art galleries, and more! Cover inked by Walter Simonson!"

"Tape up your boxing gloves, as Jack Kirby Collector takes you to Kirby's Fight Club, showcasing Jack's most powerful fights and in-your-face action! We've got recollections of real-life war experiences by Jack and his contemporaries from the Greatest Generation, Kirby's quick-trigger work on Marvel's kid cowboys, the Madbomb saga and all those negative 1970s Marvel fan letters, an interview with Scott McCloud on his Kirby-inspired punchfest Destroy!!, a rare Kirby interview, the 2017 WonderCon Kirby Panel, Mark Evanier, unpublished pencil art galleries, and more! Cover inked by Dean Haspiel!"

"Don't blink or you might miss the one-shots issue! In it, we cover Kirby's best (and worst) short spurts on his wildest concepts: animation ideas, Dingbats, Justice Inc., Manhunter, Atlas, The Prisoner, and more! There's also an interview with Mike Royer on his work with Jack and elsewhere, a rare Kirby interview, Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, panels from the 2017 Kirby Centennial celebration, pencil art galleries, and some one-shot surprises! Sporting Big Barda #1 cover finishes by Mike Royer!"

"Travel through the ages in Jack Kirby Collector, the FUTUREPAST issue, featuring two different covers! Set course for 'The World That Was,' documenting Jack's work from Caveman days to the Wild West, behind a Kirby Bullseye cover inked by Bill Wray! And transport yourself to 'The World That's Here' for Kirby's visions of the future that became reality, with a cover featuring his unseen Tiger 21 concept art! Whichever cover you choose, this issue spotlights both eras, plus an interview with Rascally Roy Thomas about Jack's work, a rare Kirby interview, Mark Evanier moderating the biggest Kirby Tribute Panel of all time, pencil art galleries, and more!"

"Dysfunctional relationships abound in Jack Kirby Collector's 'Fathers & Sons' issue! We'll explore the father/son dynamic, Kirby-style, between Odin/Thor, Zeus/Hercules, Darkseid/Orion, Captain America/Bucky, and others. Also: Conducted the week of Jack's 1994 passing, there's a touching unpublished interview with Gil Kane eulogizing his mentor, and heartfelt tributes from a host of Jack's creative offspring: Bill Mumy, Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Quesada, Jim Valentino, Todd McFarlane, Peter David, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, and others. Plus: Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, the 2018 Kirby Tribute Panel, a complete Golden Age Kirby story, a pencil art gallery featuring prodigal sons (and daughters) from Forever People, New Gods, Thor, Machine Man, and a cover inked by Al Milgrom! "

"Break out the DDT and run for your life! It's 'Monsters & Bugs' in Jack Kirby Collector #77! We dig up Jack's monster-movie influences in The Demon, Forever People, Black Magic, Fantastic Four, Jimmy Olsen, and of course his Atlas monster stories! Plus: A look at the twisted path Kirby took with 'B' horror film producer Charles Band's Full Moon Productions! An interview with The Goon creator Eric Powell about his Kirby influences! A look at Kirby's use of insect characters, especially as villains! Also Mark Evanier and our other regular columnists, a Golden Age Kirby story, and a gallery featuring Jack's amazing pencil art! Kirby/Eric Powell cover! "

"Published 25 years after the launch of The Jack Kirby Collector #1, this special Silver Anniversary issue shows how Kirby kickstarted the Silver Age of Comics with Challengers of the Unknown, examines how Jack revamped Golden Age legacy characters for the 1960s and beyond, outlines the lasting influence of his signature creation The Silver Surfer, and more! It includes special shout-outs to the fan and pro contributors who've helped publisher/editor John Morrow celebrate the life and career of the King of Comics for a quarter century. And echoing John's fateful choice to start this magazine in 1994, we'll spotlight pivotal decisions (good and bad) Jack made throughout his comics career. Plus: A Kirby pencil art gallery, regular columnists, a classic 1950s story, and more! The Standard Edition sports an unused Kirby Thor cover with Steve Rude's interpretation of how it looked before alterations, while the Deluxe edition adds a silver cardstock outer sleeve featuring the Surfer with Rude inks."

"Feast your eyes on 'The Big Picture' in Jack Kirby Collector! We give you a glimpse of how Kirby fits into the grand scheme of things, from his creations' lasting legacy, to how his work tackles big issues like illiteracy. There's a huge interview with Jack himself, a look at inconsistencies in his 1960s Marvel work, a visual before-&-after showing large and small changes in his comics, the big concepts he conveyed in OMAC, his best double-page spreads, and more! Plus Mark Evanier's 2019 Kirby Tribute Panel (with Kurt Busiek, Buzz Dixon, and others), a pencil art gallery, and a new cover based on Kirby's original, unaltered cover art from OMAC #1!"

"Peer into comics most prodigious imagination in the 'Beta' issue of the Jack Kirby Collector! We'll take a tour of his wildest, most experimental ideas, characters, and series, from the unhinged lunacy of Fighting American, to the non-stop inventiveness of Jimmy Olsen! There's an interview with Jack himself, a look at Kirby's inspirations for the 'secret societies' that permeated his work (from The Project and Habitat to Wakanda and the Night People), the failed genius behind Kamandi's 'UFO Saga,' the many non-superhero genres the King explored during his career, and more! Plus there's Mark Evanier's Kirby Tribute Panel from the 2019 Heroes Con (with Mike Royer, Jim Amash, and Rand Hoppe), a pencil art gallery, and our cover featuring Kirby's unused illo for Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141, inked by Vince Colletta!"

Strap in for the ride of your life, as Jack Kirby Collector boldly goes where no Kirby publication has gone before! It's "The Many Worlds of Jack Kirby," from exploring the depths of Sub-Atomica, to the cosmic expanse of outer space in Jack's strips. We'll visit Kirby's work from World War II, the Fourth World, and his hidden worlds of Subterranea, Wakanda, Olympia, Lemuria, Atlantis, the Microverse, and others! Then we'll travel across the pond for the 2021 WonderCon Kirby panel, featuring true Brits Jonathan Ross and Neil Gaiman, and moderated by Mark Evanier. Plus a gallery of Kirby pencil art from 2001, Machine Man, Devil Dinosaur, and more!

Jack Kirby Collector presents "Famous Firsts," documenting the ways Jack was a pioneer in comics and life! From being the first mainstream creator to work coast-to-coast, to helping launch today's Direct Market of comic book distribution, his innovations are countless, and we're showcasing some major ones, including: the Romance Comics genre, Kid Gangs, double-page spreads, Black heroes, new formats, super-hero satire, and more! Featuring our regular columnists, and the 2020 Kirby Virtual Panel from Comic-Con International, moderated by Mark Evanier. Plus a gallery of Jack's pencil art from Captain America, Jimmy Olsen, Captain Victory, Destroyer Duck, Black Panther, unseen animation concepts, and more! Featuring a Fighting American cover by Kirby and Mike Machlan.

Steve Sherman Tribute! Kirby family members, friends, comics creators, and the entertainment industry salute Jack's assistant (and puppeteer on Men in Black, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and others). Mark Evanier and Steve recall assisting Kirby, Steve discusses Jack's Speak-Out Series, Kirby memorabilia from his collection, an interview with wife Diana Mercer, and Steve's unseen 1974 Kirby/Royer cover!

Jack Kirby Collector #85 brings to life "Kirby: Animated", detailing how Kirby and his concepts leaped from celluloid, to paper, and back again! From his 1930s start on Popeye and Betty Boop and his work being used on the 1960s Marvel Super-Heroes show, to Fantastic Four (in both 1967 and 1978), Super Friends/Super Powers, Scooby-Doo, Thundarr the Barbarian, and Ruby-Spears: it's the ultimate look at Jack's work in, and influence on, animation! Then comics and animation's Evan Dorkin talks about his Kirby inspirations and an abandoned Kamandi animated series. Plus our regular columnists, and from 2017's Baltimore Comic-Con: Mark Evanier celebrates Kirby's 100th birthday with Tom King, Walter Simonson, Mark Buckingham, Jerry Ordway, Dean Haspiel, John K. Snyder III, and the Kirby Museum's Rand Hoppe.

What you saw isn't all you got with Jack, as our Kirby Comparisons issue will reveal! Take a curated trip through the most amazing art assemblage ever, as we offer side-by-side analyses of unused vs. known covers and art, uncorrected images against the published versions, and more! There's Barry Windsor-Smith on his stylized interpretation of Kirby's pencils in Captain America's Bicentennial Battles, newly discovered filler panels from Sky Masters, Kirby's incorporation of real-life images in his work, how Jack deviated from cover layouts he was given, and more! Featuring our regular columnists, and Will Murray's conversations with Joe Simon, Stan Lee, Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, and other pros conducted just after Jack's passing. Plus a Kirby 100th Birthday Panel featuring Tom King, Walter Simonson, Mark Buckingham, Jerry Ordway, Dean Haspiel, John K. Snyder III, and Rand Hoppe! And an unused Kirby cover inked by Walter Simonson (and if you think you recognize that image, take a closer look!). Edited by John Morrow.

Book 'em, Jack-o! It's time for a gritty Law & Order issue! We examine how Kirby's lawmen kept the peace, from beat cops like the Newsboy Legion's Jim Harper and "Terrible" Turpin, to Western gunfighters of the 1950s and '60s-and even future policemen like OMAC and Captain Victory! Also: how a Marvel cop led to the creation of Funky Flashman! Kirby's Justice Traps The Guilty and Headline Comics! Plus a pencil art gallery, our regular columnists, and Mark Evanier moderating the 2022 Kirby Tribute Panel from Comic-Con International (with Sin City's Frank Miller). All behind a cover featuring the 1940s Sandman and Sandy, inked by Mike Machlan. Edited by John Morrow.