DCs Jack Kirby Double Whammo!

The DC Comics full color trade paperback collections offer some of Jack Kirby’s best work for DC, specifically New Gods. The recently released Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsenis also a welcome addition. New Godscollects all eleven of Kirby’s groundbreaking series along with his two later stories which completed the sequence. New Gods is Jack Kirby at his best. His imagination is in full bloom, his panels jump off the page, and the traditional coloring is vibrant. Kirby’s concept of the Fourth World was under-appreciated at the time, but has grown in stature among fans and critics since.  DC is wise in releasing this material, although I see little advertising for these books. They retail at $29.99 and can be found discounted at Amazon. Orion of New Genesis and Darkseid of Apokolips are brilliantly realized, and while Kirby wasn’t the best scriptwriter, he makes up for it with explosive artwork. Kirby’s New Gods is stunning to look at. In retrospect, one wonders how his previous employer, Marvel Comics, could have bungled the relationship thus encouraging Kirby to work for DC. Indeed, DC didn’t exactly nurture a great relationship, as is evident in the Jimmy Olsen issues. DC acknowledges in this edition that Neal Adams redrew Superman for Jimmy Olson # 142 and that Murphy Anderson had a hand in some of the cover artwork. In fact, it is public knowledge that Murphy Anderson redrew both Superman and Olson’s faces for all of Kirby’s issues, and that Al Plastino did some touch up work as well. Inking chores were handled by Vince Colletta and Mike Royer. This creates a visual anomaly among the Jimmy Olson stories. Kirby and Anderson had two distinctive styles, and the morphing is evident. This edition includes some of Kirby’s pencil sketches which clearly show that DC overreacted because Superman’s features are fine. Kirby did struggle with the S-emblem. No matter, Kirby’s stint on Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsenwas memorable, but brief. All fifteen of Kirby’s Olson stories are reprinted. My personal favorite is # 142 which introduced the vampire Count Dragorin. I consider the Olson sequences a minor contribution, while New Gods remains a modern classic. DC has also reprinted Kirby’s Mister Miracle and The Demon. Recommended.