Books: Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus v1

[woodwardiocom]

In the early 1970s, Jack Kirby decided he was sick of the treatment he was receving from Marvel Comics, for whom he had created or co-created a few characters you may have heard of: the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, the Avengers, Daredevil, etc. He went over to DC Comics, where they said, "Do three titles, on anything you want, but pick one existing title to take over, please?"

He picked Jimmy Olsen, mostly because it had no regular creative team attached, and he didn't want to deprive anyone of work. He then proceeded to create a whole new mythology called the Fourth World in his three carte blanche titles, The Forever People, The New Gods, and Mister Miracle. It was . . . it was, in its way, as big a deal as Gaiman's Sandman, in terms of being a new vision of what comics could do. Except that Kirby was also an artist, and the Fourth World wasn't finanically successful.

Nevertheless, there are more new ideas in a handful of Fourth World pages than in any dozen mainstream comics. Kirby constructed an enormous legendarium around the warring alien worlds of Apokolips and New Genesis, and peopled those worlds with dozens of strange and powerful characters: granite-faced Darkseid, tormented Orion, super-escape artist Mister Miracle, warrior woman Barda, uber-creepy Granny Goodness. He was one of the first to think in terms of the long-term comic epic, and he set up complex revelations and backstory that took months to play out. He did not forget the merely human scope, either, by placing in the minds of humans the Anti-Life equation, the formula for overcoming free will.

In this volume, Kirby's complete epic is being released for the first time in a color collection. About darn time.

Comments

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

First of all, you're absolutely right: the sheer creativity displayed in the first New Gods issues (I have some reprints) it's nothing short of astounding.

Second of all: dammit, I don't want to buy more trades...

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

dammit, I don't want to buy more trades...

Oh, don't worry.

These are hardcovers.

(Also, much as I support my friendly local comics store, you can get 'em for 35% off at Amazon.)

[dariusk.livejournal.com]

Have you read GØDLAND?

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Not as yet. Recommended?

[dariusk.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's... Fourth World plus some rather funny writing. I believe the first 8 or so issues are collected in trade.

[badger.livejournal.com]

I have all four of the Omnibus volumes, and I'm glad. I loved Mr. Miracle, and Darkseid has been part of the back of my head ever since, even during a long time when I wasn't reading comics. Amazing stuff.

[herbmcsidhe.livejournal.com]

Awesome news, thanks! This is a must-buy.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Gaiman brings some of that into Sandman at some point, in someone's dream.

I'd like to read that stuff, maybe. I think some of it was discussed in a panel I attended at Arisia.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Gaiman brings some of that into Sandman at some point, in someone's dream.

Mmm-hmm. In an early issue we spend time with Mister Miracle; in "Doll's House" we meet the Bronze Age Sandman, another Kirby creation; and Darkseid shows up for the wake; among numerous other bits. Kirby's impact is hard to overstate.

[sleepyworm.livejournal.com]

I dunno, none of those marvel characters you mentioned are ringing a bell...now, if he had created the goddamned batman... ;)