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Post by krusader74 on Aug 8, 2017 18:50:59 GMT -6
I draw a lot of inspiration for playing D&D and other RPGs from comic books. And one man's artwork and storytelling have made a great impact on me... August 28th 2017 is the centennial of Jack Kirby, the King of Comics. There is a campaign already underway to get a Google Doodle for Jack Kirby's 100th birthday. If you want to help, then please send an email like the following to Google today! Use the following as a template. Keep the To: and Subject: as shown but personalize the Body: as you see fit. To: proposals@google.com
Subject: Google Doodle for Jack Kirby - August 28 2017
Body: >
Jack Kirby is the King of Comics. One of the most prolific and
influential innovators in comic book history, Kirby created the most
iconic superheroes (and villains) in the world: The Avengers,
Captain America, Fantastic Four, Sandman, Demon Etrigan, New Gods,
Darkseid, Hulk, Kamandi, Manhunter, Newsboy Legion, Sgt. Fury and his
Howling Commandos, Silver Surfer, Thor, and X-Men. Please do a
Google Doodle to celebrate Kirby's 100th birthday on August 28 2017.There are other tributes to the King going on this month... ComixologyThis week, Comixology has a DC Jack Kirby Sale. Up to 67% off his digital comics. Sale ends Monday, 08/14/2017. Marvel: True BelieversThis month, Marvel is reprinting classic Jack Kirby comics as part of the "True Believers" series. These comics only cost $1 (US) each. Wednesday August 2 they sold the following: Wednesday August 9, they reprinted: Wednesday August 16, they had: - Captain America #1
- Eternals #1
Wednesday August 23, they had: - Devil Dinosaur
- Inhumans
- Nick Fury
UPDATE: This week, Wednesday August 30, they're selling: - Iron Man
- Antman and The Wasp
DCDC also has a number of things going on this month to celebrate the King's centennial. DC is doing a series of one-shot specials: - New Gods Special #1, $4.99, August 2, (featuring Orion) with reprints of Kriby's Lonar and Thunderer. I thought they did a great job with this one-shot and look forward to collecting the rest.
- Newsboy Legion Special #1, August 9
- Sandman Special #1, August 16
- Manhunter Special #1, August 23
- The Black Racer Special #1, August 30
- Darkseid Special #1, August 30
They are also launching a new series based on one of Kirby's iconic Fourth World characters. I have high hopes for this: - Mister Miracle #1, August 9 (UPDATE: First comic book store I went to had already sold out! Second one still had a few copies left. Not dissappointed: I thought this was awesome! Original Mister Miracle was based on Jim Steranko who worked as an escape artist before he became a comic book illustrator. This new take on Mister Miracle reminds me a bit of Joe Chip in PKD's Ubik...)
There is also a tribute book: Please keep this thread going by sharing your own stories of how Kirby has inspired your roleplaying, or if you have any news of other celebrations of Kirby's 100th. And please remember to send an email asking for a Kirby Google Doodle! |
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 8, 2017 19:59:47 GMT -6
Thanks for the info! I happened to be in a comic book store on Sat night & picked up the Avengers #4 and Black Panther #1 reprints.
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 8, 2017 20:50:27 GMT -6
This month, Marvel is reprinting classic Jack Kirby comics as part of the "True Believers" series. These comics only cost $1 (US) each. Last week, they sold the following: This week, Wednesday August 9, they will reprint: Finally some reasonably priced comic books. I used an inflation calculator to determine that a 20 cent comic book in 1974 should cost 99 cents today. What is up with $4 comic books? Good grief. |
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Post by ritt on Aug 8, 2017 22:12:50 GMT -6
Since the late 80's or so most comics have been printed on expensive nice paper instead of newsprint. I love comic art and have no problem with special "Prestige" or "Event" comics being printed on nice stock, but for 90% of mainstream comics it's total overkill.
Comics are no longer a part of mainstream pop culture that any kid can buy at the grocery store or gas station. They have become these dense, hermetic, subcultural talismans/financial investments that you have to get from a special store (If you are lucky enough to have one in your town). While super-hero movies are storming the mainstream, the comics seem to be in total retreat. It's a real cultural loss, particularly considering the role comics played in teaching kids of my generation how to read.
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 8, 2017 22:36:43 GMT -6
I get what you are saying, and I do miss the classic Marvel/DC style of the 60s-80s, which is what I mostly read these days in graphic novel re-print form. But on the other hand Free Comic Book Day draws these huge lines (many of which are families) at our local comic book stores, with plenty of options for kids. And these same stores have huge kids' sections with a diversity of comics covering all sorts of pop-culture such as Star Wars, Smurfs, My Little Pony, Sonic Hedgehog and the requisite superheroes. Plus there are way more graphic novels in both the Children's and Young Adult sections at our local libraries then when I was a kid.
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Post by stevemitchell on Aug 9, 2017 10:10:21 GMT -6
I'm currently reading the first volume of the Marvel "Monsterbus" collection, which contains over 90 science fiction/fantasy/monster stories illustrated by Jack Kirby, all pre-dating Fantastic Four #1. What a trip! Kirby is still the King.
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Post by ritt on Aug 9, 2017 14:59:44 GMT -6
Two great tastes that go great together: The King and Star Wars:  |
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Post by ritt on Aug 9, 2017 15:07:15 GMT -6
This psychedelic masterpiece of majesty and terror is on one of my DM's screens:  |
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 9, 2017 15:23:46 GMT -6
Ah, Devil Dinosaur! I have the collection.  |
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Post by ritt on Aug 9, 2017 15:33:38 GMT -6
Thundarr, who seems to be enjoying a re-discovery these days:  |
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Post by scottenkainen on Aug 9, 2017 16:20:57 GMT -6
Finally some reasonably priced comic books. I used an inflation calculator to determine that a 20 cent comic book in 1974 should cost 99 cents today. What is up with $4 comic books? Good grief. Advertising revenue was always responsible for keeping the price down. No one wants to advertise in comic books anymore. Since they sell 1/10 as much as they once did, can you blame them? |
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Post by ritt on Aug 9, 2017 22:19:23 GMT -6
Finally some reasonably priced comic books. I used an inflation calculator to determine that a 20 cent comic book in 1974 should cost 99 cents today. What is up with $4 comic books? Good grief. Advertising revenue was always responsible for keeping the price down. No one wants to advertise in comic books anymore. Since they sell 1/10 as much as they once did, can you blame them? I have fond memories of the stupid, garish, deceptive ads in old school comics. A live monkey from the jungles of Exotic Asia!!! (Jay Leno's funniest bit is his anecdote about ordering a pet monkey from an ad in a comic book. Google it. Trust me.), A 204-piece Revolutionary War toy soldier army!!! (Mom sent off for it to help teach us history, it never came), A hypnosis coin that would allow you to control any girl!!! (Two grade-school friends of mine pooled their money to get one to use on their hot babysitter. Shockingly, she resisted it's arcane powers), X-Ray Specs!!! (I KNEW they had to be fake... but I just had to see for myself. Still, they freaked out girls). Oh man, I was an idiot when I was a kid. But it was fun. |
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Post by Malcadon on Aug 10, 2017 4:06:42 GMT -6
If I had a time machine, I would use it to convince TSR to hire Jack Kirby to do the art for first edition Gamma World. It would be the greatest RPG book ever! Search your feelings; you know this to be true!  As a dedication, I'm putting this song out. On top of writing heavy metal songs based on the works of Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft, Bal-Sagoth are also HUGE Jack Kirby fanboys. This is The Scourge Of The Fourth Celestial Host, narrated by Uatu, Norrin Radd and others. ( lyrics here) |
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 10, 2017 8:07:53 GMT -6
I'm currently reading the first volume of the Marvel "Monsterbus" collection, which contains over 90 science fiction/fantasy/monster stories illustrated by Jack Kirby, all pre-dating Fantastic Four #1. What a trip! Kirby is still the King. That looks awesome. I far prefer comic stories about giant monsters to any other type of comic. |
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 10, 2017 8:08:24 GMT -6
This psychedelic masterpiece of majesty and terror is on one of my DM's screens: Devil Dinosaur is one of my fondest comic book memories. |
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Post by ritt on Aug 10, 2017 9:01:49 GMT -6
In all seriousness DD would make a great animated kid's TV series.
I would do it with no dialogue- just grunts and howls and roars.
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 10, 2017 9:17:39 GMT -6
The old Devil Dinosaur comics are a definite influence on Carcosa.
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Post by murquhart72 on Aug 10, 2017 9:19:31 GMT -6
I see ulfire, jale AND dolm in that picture!
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Post by stevemitchell on Aug 10, 2017 19:57:32 GMT -6
I like the old Kirby giant monsters so much that I had a friend make special HeroClix conversions for several of them. So I have figures of Taboo, the Monster at My Window, the Blip, and other bombastic menaces that I can unleash in my Clix games. Of course, these are not street legal--I can't take them to use at a Clix tournament--but in the privacy of my own home. . ."I UNLEASHED DRAGOOM, THE FLAMING INVADER, ON MY GAME TABLE!"
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Post by ritt on Aug 13, 2017 11:14:55 GMT -6
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Post by Malcadon on Aug 13, 2017 18:32:01 GMT -6
I'm still waiting on Kirby's Alien comic book adaptation.   |
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Post by ritt on Aug 13, 2017 21:26:49 GMT -6
I'm still waiting on Kirby's Alien comic book adaptation. An awful cultural tragedy. But the Walt Simonson Heavy Metal one we did get was still pretty sweet. |
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Post by Malcadon on Aug 13, 2017 23:12:05 GMT -6
An awful cultural tragedy. But the Walt Simonson Heavy Metal one we did get was still pretty sweet. I looked it up and it looks good. I'll check out the full version as soon as I can. I'm kinda interested an a Kirby-cover of Alien as I seen Kirby's version of 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is something to be said about a comic book artist that makes space in general look as wild acid-trip like with the iconic " Star Gate" scene. And while reading it, you wonder to yourself if he could top that scene in the comic and you remember... He doesn't need to, cuz he's Jack "%$#@ing" Kirby! Maybe... Maybe the world was never ready for such an awesome comic book adaptation?  |
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 14, 2017 9:28:41 GMT -6
Awesome images, guys. I especially like the Inca space god. About the only thing cooler than an ancient astronaut is an ancient astronaut drawn by Kirby. |
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Post by krusader74 on Aug 28, 2017 15:02:31 GMT -6
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