Kirby/Colletta - Thor 152, pg 1, Title Splash
Artists: Jack Kirby (Penciller) , Vince Colletta (Inker)
3,859 Views - 52 Comments - 6 Likes
Artwork Details
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DescriptionMarvel Comics as we know it today would not exist without Jack Kirby. Regardless of which side of the Stan / Jack debate you may ultimately take, the characters, books, comics, Marvel Universe would simply not look the same without Jack Kirby's astonishingly fertile imagination.The magic that Kirby and Lee concocted together created a modern mythology that has endured for over a generation, and with the first Avengers movie sprinting to become one of the highest grossing movies of all time, this mythology likely will endure for generations to come. This hobby educated me about the greatness of Jack Kirby's creativity and artistry and introduced me to his earlier work when his health was better, his pencils were stronger and he was at the peak of his creativity. For some reason, I always liked Kirby's Thor and always wanted a Silver Age Kirby Thor piece. There were some near misses but ultimately I found a piece I really liked. Indeed, it was this piece in which Thor, one of the original Avengers, is locked in battle with one of his arch-villains, the Destroyer, and fighting for no less a noble cause than Asgard itself. While it is rather hard to tell from the scan, when you look at this piece in real life, you can see a very slight fish-eye lens effect where the center focuses on the Destroyer's back and slightly bows out from there. Other than Neal Adams, I can't imagine a single artist working in comics today (or ever) who could carry this off and have it be so subtle and look so naturally fantastic. Another testament to Kirby's greatness. After literally years of asking about it, I was finally able to pry this piece out of fellow collector and my good friend Nick Katradis' collection. For those of you who don't know him, Nick is a mega-collector, has thousands of pages in his collection spanning literally decades of comic artistry and containing amazing examples from each. His collection is a veritable museum of comic art. While Nick is a tremendously nice guy, he is a tough but fair negotiator. If you happen to notice Nick walking around with a couple of extra arms and legs it is not because he lives next to a nuclear reactor, but rather because those are just some of the things that I had to give up to get this piece. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you so very much again Nick! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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robert frey 
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/14/2012
wow!!!!! now that is what i am talking about! what sensational piece. who needs arms and legs anyway when you have a kirby thor on the wall?
Malvin V
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/14/2012
Congrats on this great piece Artemis, I'm glad you are buying art again :P
Ron S
Member Since 2007
Posted on 5/14/2012
THIS IS JUST AWESOME!! I'm not sure if you're now typing left-handed, but it was worth it.
E DLS
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/14/2012
I bow to you my friend. Actually, I'm just sitting in my office chair. I tried bowing, but I ate too much this weekend and my pants are too tight. Anyway, massive, massive congratulations on this spectacularly awesome addition! It certainly kicks the crap out of anything I have in MY collection! And I see the whole fisheye thing you're talking about, but not so much from the Destroyer's back, but from Thor's rear leg. In any case this is certainly a special piece and I'm glad you and Nick worked it out. As soon as I drop a few pounds from my mid section, I'll perform a proper bow. For now, congrats again!
Mike W
Member Since 2007
Posted on 5/14/2012
Vintage Marvel Magic!!!! First, HUGE congratulations on acquiring one of the best Kirby Thor splashes I've ever seen!!! Second, I agree totally that without the magic of Lee and Kirby, the Marvel Universe as we know it would not exist!! Finally, Nick Katradis is tops in this hobby - I'm glad you gave him his props!!! Well done, my friend!!
Romain Verlier
Member Since 2009
Posted on 5/14/2012
Fabulous splash !!!! And a great title too !!!! No one seems to complaint about the inks and this is certainly because they are just so awesome !!!! Nick is a great person to deal with and a fierce opponent on ebay :) I'm happy for you !!!
Maria Coppola
Member Since 2011
Posted on 5/14/2012
Iconic! Legendary piece by one of comics legends. Bravo, truly a classic.
David Grisez
Member Since 2009
Posted on 5/14/2012
Kirby! Thor! The Destroyer! Mega Splash! Droolo-rama!
David K
Member Since 2008
Posted on 5/14/2012
Kirby, Thor, and a Title page!!!!!!!!!! It just does not get better.
J L
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/14/2012
Spectacular example!!!! Whatever you had to do to achieve this, it's worth it. Congratulations!!!!
Felix Lu
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/14/2012
You picked well. I can't believe Nick let this one go. MARVELous!
Crees Tyler
Member Since 2008
Posted on 5/15/2012
THE perfect Thor splash !!! Congrats !!! that's awesome !
Steve Welch
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/15/2012
YAYY!!!! I am so glad you landed a killer Kirby Thor piece. You can't do any better than a Thor/Destroyer battle splash page: Go big or go home! Congrats on a spectacular pickup!
Lee Benaka
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/15/2012
I love the Destroyer, and I love this splash! I can't imagine a better piece of Thor art. Big congrats on this one!
Dewey Cassell
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/15/2012
Holy cow. Absolutely amazing. Kirby at his best.
Nick Katradis
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/15/2012
Artemis, you can't get a better Kirby Thor splash than this one - enjoy it, my friend! When we met about 5 years ago, I remember you mentioning this page as being the one in my whole collection that you wanted to own! so I am truly glad I sold it to a good friend!
Nelson Animated Ink
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/16/2012
All this time, I actually believed Nick was going to leave this in his will for me someday ..... lol. The power of Kirby's pencils are evident in this splash. I'm glad you finally got around to posting a hi-res scan. Congratulations buddy. Cheers! N.
John Voytek
Member Since 2008
Posted on 5/16/2012
WOW! That's amazing! And as good as the best Thor covers!
Dan P
Member Since 2009
Posted on 5/16/2012
What a great silver-age piece! A Thor splash by Kirby demands respect from all comic art collectors.
alessandro gentili
Member Since 2011
Posted on 5/17/2012
INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HISTORIC PAGE!! CONGRATS!!!
COL (Ret) Churchill
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/17/2012
Nick told me part of the backstory on your acquiring this page (no price information passed) six months ago. Based on the comments received thus far, you were waiting for the right opportunity to spring this beauty upon an unsuspecting CAF.....Congratulations.
Mike Rice
Member Since 2003
Posted on 5/17/2012
This is the kind of Kirby piece we all dream of owning. Amazing.
COMIC PARADISE
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/17/2012
congrats buddy...another great piece to the collection.
Lorenzo Fratini
Member Since 2008
Posted on 5/19/2012
This is history of modern pop culture - not just original comic art. Your legs and arms were definetely well spent. The piece is obviously a paper monument: thank you for sharing it with such a detailed description that really adds something to it - I almost had the impression of seeing the piece "live"!.
Vincent Pioli
Member Since 2009
Posted on 5/23/2012
this is one the best thor splashs ! congratulations
Dean Abraham
Member Since 2008
Posted on 6/1/2012
This is such an amazing piece, and part of comic History!! Wow!!
Jonathan Mueller
Member Since 2005
Posted on 6/13/2012
I'm dumbstruck by this post... jaw is on the floor... congrats!!!! And thanks for sharing!
Gal Schwartz
Member Since 2005
Posted on 5/21/2013
Wow !! A vintage Kirby splash and a GREAT image !! So good !
Edgewood Ooo
Member Since 2010
Posted on 10/1/2013
We will never see the likes of Kirby and Colletta again. Sigh...
Lenny Da Collector
Member Since 2005
Posted on 7/16/2014
Kirby! Thor! The Destroyer! All in a splash page! What a blue chip piece
Jason Versaggi
Member Since 2005
Posted on 11/21/2014
Quite possibly one of the greatest Thor splashes ever and a stunning piece of Marvel history. It is a great addition to any collection and a testament to the depth of Nick's collection - he has parted with more great comic art than scores of collectors will ever own! Bravo.
Lou Haberman
Member Since 2005
Posted on 6/14/2017
Now, this is truly memorable. Congrats on getting Nick to part with it. Heh ... my email is "arm en leg ..." Great collection too!
alessandro gentili
Member Since 2011
Posted on 9/16/2018
I have to leave another comment : Museum piece. Simply Timeless!
Bill J
Member Since 2009
Posted on 11/26/2018
What a fabulous splash! I love Kirby's work. Thanks for sharing!
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