I'd like to dedicate the first installment of my daily blog to the single most influencial artist of my life: Jack Kirby. For the past 30 years, the work of comic book creator/ artist/ writer Jack Kirby has been a constant source of inspiration, influence, and entertainment for me. Comic books have always been a love of mine. I remember having them from as early as age 4-5, and I can still remember some of my earliest issues with memories of characters and story points.
But the first artist who actually made me take notice to the credits on the splash page, the very first artist who made me aware there was such a thing as a style, or individual way of doing things, was Jack Kirby. His work was so, how can I say...different, from all the others. I soon realized the comics which really caught my eye, the one's I just had to have, the comics which were the most action packed, most thrilling, and most mind-boggling were written and drawn by somebody named Jack "King" Kirby.
I still feel the same way about Kirby's work now as I did those many years ago. His imaginative tales and awe-inspiring art always bring me back to a good, fun place. Maybe that's why comics have always been a love of mine, because of Jack Kirby.
Above is a self portrait of Kirby (done late 60's - early 70's?), with a few characters he created or worked on at Marvel Comics.
Below it is my very first Kirby Comic: Captain America #195, March 1976!!!!!!! My dad got me this in a three pack of comics at a local grocery store (the other two were Capt. Marvel and Spiderman).
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