Kirby Top Five — Delayed Until Tomorrow
Author: AF Duncan
June 21st, 2007
Sorry folks, it turns out some things are more important than Kirby — namely, work and babies. So, The King’s top five won’t see the light of day until tomorrow. Can you wait until then?? CAN YOU??
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15 Responses to “Kirby Top Five — Delayed Until Tomorrow”
June 21st, 2007 at 7:16 am
I can’t wait. No man waits for DOOOOOOM!
June 21st, 2007 at 7:34 am
You seem pretty confident that Doom’ll make it into the list there, Murray. Chickens and eggs, my friend. Chickens and eggs.
June 21st, 2007 at 9:23 am
Well, I don’t know how many of the New Gods you can use. Darkseid is the obvious one and he’s accounted for. I’d have to think about Orion, Metron, the Black Racer, most of the Forever People, Big Barda, hell, nearly all of them. But, with only the top 5 spots left, there has to be some room for Ben Grimm, the Silver Surfer, Loki, a great many of the early FF villains (I mean, he’s just a guy, but how creepy is the Puppet Master?), and of course DOOM himself. Gotta figure the Hulk is there. Possibly the Juggernaut. Maybe the Black Panther.
It’s funny, but as I type this list I remember being at the Kirby tribute panel in San Diego that year you and I got drunk alot down there. On the panel, John Romita said “I’ve basically had a great career as a hack - guys like Jack and Steve, they were visionaries, real creators. I just worked on stuff they came up with.” Here’s the politically charged statement of the day - if a guy like John Romita, legend by any account, says that, do we really have many “creators” left at Marvel or DC? Part of my now 10+ year frustration is that very little is new anymore. And this list sort of exemplifies that by picking the Top 20 designs by the master. The really awe-inspiring thing – you and Andrew could do the Top 200 Kirby creations and not run out of characters to put down!
June 21st, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Any single episode of THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN probably had at least one character cooler looking than the career output of most mainstream cartoonists.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Any single episode of THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN probably had at least one character cooler looking than the career output of most mainstream cartoonists.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Uh, I double-posted on purpose- “cuz it’s DOUBLE-TRUTH!
June 21st, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Murray,
Good question. I’d argue that Frank Miller is a bonafide genius — check out this week’s Around Comics podcast, which is all about Miller — and perhaps the last great comic creator? Now, he hasn’t *created* like Kirby, Lee, et al did, but he certainly had a lasting impact.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Miller is brilliant, but no genius. The last great superhero comic creator, though…that’s an interesting thought…
June 21st, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Great superhero comic creators would have to include guys like Morrison and Moore, right? Or do they have to be artists? Either way, there’s plenty since Miller.
Great comic book creators, period, would open things up even wider. Jeff Smith, Kolchalka, Evan Dorkin, etc.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Simonson or Bruce Timm may have been the closest to Kirby…but both were playing with other people’s toys (especially Kirby’s, of course).Someone like Mignola or Eric Powell,who’s working slightly to the side of the genre,is probably doing more to carry on the tradition by creating new characters.(I’ve begun to think every cartoonist is OBLIGED to go off and create their own strip…even though most of them will only be copies of existing stuff,ala Image).
June 21st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Eric Powell is amazing. He’s got the potential to be a complete package creator on the level of Eisner if he keeps growing like he has so far.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Steve, you’re high. Eric Powell, Mignola, Miller, are all great guys who’s work I enjoy a ton. Mignola and Miller have each created things that have leaked into mainstream consciousness to some small level. Eric Powell’s Goon is a great read for 20,000 people a month. He’ll never be Eisner man.
That’s part of the internet’s problem and the problem with modern comics as a whole. In the monthly Marvel checklist of years gone by, it was okay for whoever the Stan-clone with the job was to say “It’s Spider-Man’s greatest threat EVER! By Gaunty Gerry Conway and Glorious Gil Kane.” Now, every month we’re treated to the greatest threat, greatest change, greatest villain, greatest crossover by the greatest writer and greatest artist ever. Hey - fuck off. I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night.
I hope Eric Powell doesn’t think I’m after him…LOL - b/c that’s not the case. I’m after YOU Steve. If, in 50 years, there are hundreds of mainstream artists drawing exactly like Eric Powell did back in the day, I’ll concede he’s at the Eisner level. Until then, let’s not get ridiculous.
In a less insane tone, I’d put Frank Miller on my list of the 10 Best Comic People ever. B/c he did one mini-series and 20 years later, everyone else is still trying to do it as good as he did. (Including Miller himself…but that’s another rant).
Now where’s that Kirby list?
June 21st, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Now, now, Murray - I didn’t say Poweel IS as good as Eisner, I’m saying that if he continues to improve as he has over the last 5 years of his career, he has the potential to be Eisner level. Not only can the guy write, he’s arguably the most talented artist in comics right now.
Remember, we’re both trying to judge the guy’s complete career after he’s been in the biz for only half a decade or so. Look at some of Eisner’s early Spirits - while you can see the seeds of genius, he wasn’t quite there at the 4, 5, 6 year mark.
As much as I like Miller, I can think of a lot of creators I’d put ahead of him. Off the top of my head: Morrison, Moore, Kirby, Lee, Eisner, Cole, Toth, Kubert. Miller’s a borderline top ten.
June 22nd, 2007 at 5:56 am
Steve I don’t disagree at all on Powell’s talent level - the guy’s a keeper. I just get really bothered when a guy does something and gets the “He could be Gretzky” label b/c that’s just not a reasonable expectation.
It’s a funny thing you know - we’ve had discussions about guys who’s art you got and it was what I always called “solid”. You got a book with Sal Buscema, it was solid. It wasn’t Perez or Byrne, but it was good stuff. Yet, you never hear anybody say “Cartoonist X could be the next Herb Trimpe.” The solid guys get no respect.
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:06 am
…just thought of something - while I’ve never read a Spider-Man title drawn by Mark Bagley, I have seen his art somewhere. He’s Trimpe/Sal Buscema - SOLID. Good for him!