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Artists: Jack Kirby (Penciller) , Vince Colletta (Inker)
16 Comments - 712 Views - 6 Likes
Artwork Details
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Description1966: Kirby puts a marker down on the idea of a new race of gods arising in the wake of Ragnarok, an idea which would bloom into his magnum opus about five years down the road.In this magical year (Revolver! Pet Sounds! Blonde on Blonde! Star Trek! Endless Summer! Spidey 31-33!) Kirby’s imagination had reached escape velocity. He had started evolving the Inhumans the year before and ’66 would bring the Galactus trilogy, Wakanda, the Cosmic Cube…you get the idea. In his spare time at home he drew the first concept drawings of Orion, Lightray, Mr. Miracle, Darkseid and Metron, though I’m not sure he had yet linked all those characters up with his idea for a sequel to Norse mythology. Stan mostly follows Jack’s notes in the the top tier, except for leaving out the single most interesting idea, that the new gods “arise in the image of Thor.” The circular caption in panel two, with its note of manifest destiny, sounds like pure Stan. Tragically, none of Jack’s notes for the bottom panel survive, so we can only speculate based on hindsight and Lee’s revision. I would guess that panel three follows the pattern of panel two, with the top caption being adapted from Kirby, and the second caption, based on content, being all Stan. “New race,” “new civilization,” new golden age,” “new rebirth”—one imagines Jack may have been more concise. In particular, the phrase New “Rebirth” seems faintly redundant. I’ll always wonder if Jack, efficient writer that he was, may have jotted down a different word there, under the city of the new gods—something both more expansive and at the same time evocative of the biblical imagery above. I know it isn’t customary to trash one’s own collection on CAF—and don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic to own this page—but it must be said that Colletta’s inks here are a crime against humanity. Besides the overall carelessness of his mark making, he’s erased a couple of small figures and several architectural details in panel three. But the real atrocity is panel one. Kirby is the absolute master of scenes like this, elemental forces at monumental scale. The pencils must have been awe-inspiring. To get a sense of how the panel should look, I’ve added an (admittedly larger) FF panel from three years later in the additional images. The dynamic structure of the water, the play of energy krackle, the interesting crater-like forms in the rock: pencil traces of all this can be made out beneath and between Vinnie’s faithless brush-stabbings, dumb holding lines, and compensatory white-out. Rewritten by a bullshit artist, redrawn by a pimp...but still the grandeur of Jack’s conception can be felt: a continent emerging through a fog. Social/Sharing |
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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 12/21/2022
The page would have been even more biblically epic as Kirby intended. But it's a backup story and ultimately not the end of the world with the distinct Kirby touches of this era.
Mark Howland
Member Since 2004
2 - Posted on 12/21/2022
A second (or third or fourth) Eden, complete with marriage of nature and technology! Pet Sounds!
Len G
Member Since 2004
1 - Posted on 12/21/2022
Incredible page - awesome art - and the best write-up on CAF in a long, long time
DC's Showcase
Member Since 2006
2 - Posted on 12/21/2022
CAF needs a Best Description category in their annual Best Of. This one has my vote for 2022 :)
Aaron N.
Member Since 2009
Posted on 12/21/2022
Nils E wrote:
Aren't the notes on the top by Lee?
No, the main story notes are by Kirby. Lee wrote the word "waters..." over the left paragraph, directing a correction at the end of the panel 1 caption. There's also something in Lee's writing slanting up from the date '66 in top center, which I can't read, & then the words "A LIFE" next to that appear to be Lee as well.
Michael McIsaac
Member Since 2020
Posted on 12/21/2022
Amazing how Kirby created three such distinct images on the same page, and all three are amazing.
Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006
Posted on 12/22/2022
I think we can safely say that the more verbose, dictionary in hand, writing is by Stan The Ham. A teacher to many bad comic writers, who for some reason are venerated. Read more books by real writers guys! They did not call them books for kids for nothing. The arts spectacular. Jacks proposals are better than the finished product. Lol.
Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006
Posted on 12/22/2022
I forgot to add that I agree that Colettas inks are rubbish but he was getting paid a pittance for inking them so the more he did the more he got paid. Still not as bad as Stone inks ....Sweet Jesus, the guy was a true art killer.
Aaron N.
Member Since 2009
Posted on 12/23/2022
Peter Sullivan wrote:
I forgot to add that I agree that Colettas inks are rubbish but he was getting paid a pittance for inking them so the more he did the more he got paid. Still not as bad as Stone inks ....Sweet Jesus, the guy was a true art killer.
I love Stone inks on Kirby! Slightly coloring book style, but crisp and accurate to Kirby overall. Check out this Cap splash: https://cafurl.com?i=28475
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