stuff :: Jack Kirby

Kirby Starman Zero second Sunday

Artist: Jack Kirby (All)

3 Comments - 181 Views - 4 Likes

Kirby Starman Zero second Sunday Comic Art

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Additional Images:

We won the planets by throwing men at them

Inter-galactic, no less!

There was a girl

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Kirby Starman Zero fourth Sunday

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Artwork Details

Title:	Kirby Starman Zero second Sunday
Artist:	Jack Kirby (All)
Media Type:	Pencil
Art Type:	Comic Strip
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	181
Likes on CAF:	4 5
Comments:	3
Added to Site:	2/9/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

This is the second of six boards (see the first and fourth elsewhere in my gallery) that Kirby wrote and pencilled around 1948 as samples for a proposed syndicated Sci-Fi strip called Starman Zero. Tiger 21 is a star system that features in the strip, which became the overall name of the project when it was reworked in the '50s as a pitch to NBC for a TV show. This (rather large: 20"x30", image area 18"x27") board comes from the Joe Simon estate, but it's unclear whether Joe had creative input. Kirby's own handwriting is visible under the inked lettering.
In any case, it's a remarkable, deeply Kirbyesque work which introduces themes that Jack would later develop in characters like the Silver Surfer, Metron, and Machine Man. The second episode develops the psychology of the protagonist, who almost seems to be trying to talk himself into an acceptance of his new non-human status. The institutional setting is obviously informed by Kirby's recent military experience. This was the period of Kirby's arrival at his first, IMHO, artistic peak, both as writer and draftsman, mostly seen in his Crime and Romance comics.
See additional images for close-ups of some of the nicer panels.

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About the Owner

	Aaron N. ( 6 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	November 2009
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 2/9/2025

Kirby pencils during this time were so smooth and had the good looking soap opera cast of his romance comics combined with sci-fi influences!

John Papandrea
Member Since 2004

Posted on 2/20/2025

Great Stuff. Shows how fantastic Kirby was with just a few lines. (First saw this in the Jack Kirby Collector)

Joe Murray
Member Since 2006

Posted on 2/22/2025

Wow, historic and so cool, even these raw pencils are so rich with story, congrats!

All
	Paul Handler 9/6/2025 2:57:00 PM
	Peter Venkman 9/6/2025 2:54:00 PM
	J Murdock 9/6/2025 2:47:00 PM
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	Chris Johnson 9/6/2025 2:36:00 PM
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