Jack Kirby’s Lost Art Unearthed! You Won’t Believe What They Found!

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Jack Kirby, who conceived iconic characters like the Avengers, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Thor, and X-Men (to name a few), rightfully garnered the title “The King” in the comic book world due to his extraordinary contributions.

Starting from his debut in comics in 1936 until his passing in 1994, Jack Kirby is said to have produced approximately 20,000 pages of published artwork, around 1,400 cover illustrations, and countless other pieces ranging from initial sketches to animation to fine art. While it’s undeniable that he richly deserves recognition for his influence on popular culture, it’s worth noting that showcasing all of his work would demand more wall space than most museums can provide in their entirety. However, beginning May 1, the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles will host a retrospective exhibition titled “Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity,” featuring rare original artwork, comics, and personal items such as his U.S. army uniform.

Sheri Bernstein, vice president and museum director at Skirball, emphasized the complex layers of the exhibition dedicated to Jack Kirby, a man whose professional achievements were illuminated through the lens of his Jewish heritage. “Born Jacob Kurtzberg in 1917, Kirby rose from humble beginnings on the Lower East Side to achieve greatness,” Bernstein stated during a press preview on April 29. “Much like other Jews in the comic book industry, he did so under an Americanized name and in one of the limited creative fields accessible to his generation.

Kirby blended fantastical tales and dreamt-up universes with legendary and scriptural elements, as well as contemporary significance,” she noted. “This mix, in part, accounts for the enduring appeal of his works, still sparking creativity among artists today.

As the show’s curator, Michele Urton elucidated, “The majority of items on display in this exhibition are original artworks, spanning Jack’s unparalleled career. They offer a glimpse into the diverse universes he conjured up. I encourage you to delve into these pieces with a focus on his remarkable ability to weave tales and construct worlds, but also to appreciate the delightful evolution of his creative style across various mediums over time.

As a passionate movie critic with an affinity for superheroes and comic book art, I found myself captivated by this exhibit. It’s not just a journey through the medium’s transformation—a process I’ve been an integral part of—but also a never-ending feast of timeless visual masterpieces.

Behind the protective glass hangs the very first issue of “Captain America,” while another room showcases original issues of iconic titles like “Thor,” “Iron Man,” “Fantastic Four” and many more, their images now immortalized in the collective memory of comic book enthusiasts (and later reimagined or honored in big-screen adaptations).

In addition to these familiar gems, the exhibit also features original pages and reproductions of lesser-known works from my foray into non-superhero genres like science fiction and fantasy comics. Each piece is striking, unique, and indelible in memory.

As stated by co-curator Patrick A. Reed, gathering all the necessary materials for such a retrospective was usually a challenging task. “Comic books were a disposable medium,” Reed explained to EbMaster, “so none of this work was preserved by publishers. None of it was archived.” He continued, “Most original 20th-century comic art is in the possession of private collectors, and that’s only because those individuals chose to collect it. The hard part lies in locating specific pieces of original artwork.

Despite this, Reed mentioned that they had to pare down the materials not just to the “essentials,” but to an exhibition that could be navigated on foot, detailing both his work and his life. This necessitated some tough choices about which pieces of ephemera to emphasize. “Given Jack Kirby’s immense productivity, finding a balance between covering all the crucial storylines while also omitting some elements we were eager to include in the exhibition due to their beauty and excitement was a challenge from two perspectives.

The first illustration of Captain America battling fascism, depicting a struggle against oppression well before America’s involvement in World War II, also mirrors Jack Kirby’s personal beliefs as an artist. Reed explained, “We aimed to incorporate elements that we believed reflected some of Jack’s viewpoints, some of his ideologies.” This process required striking a balance between presenting the key themes and events of the show. Reed further shared that the curation process was enriched by surprising and thrilling instances of discovery.

Sometimes, discovering something previously unknown happens when all these pieces are held privately. It’s like accidentally unearthing something you never thought existed, causing everything to change and requiring you to redefine your boundaries,” he explained. “When the Kirby family revealed the initial drawing of T’Challa, Black Panther – a character now recognized globally – it was the first time this character had ever been seen.

I recently came across a fascinating collection of art pieces that are hardly ever seen by fans outside the Skirball center. As a passionate enthusiast, I feel like an adventurer in search of rare treasures, constantly discovering new things and reinterpreting stories along the way. Here’s what I found: a vibrant sketch of T’Challa, different from the iconic black bodysuit he’s known for. There’s also an unpublished portrait of DC villain Darkseid, a personally colored page from Marvel’s adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001” by Kirby, and an unpublished piece titled “Paul and Linda Meet Magneto,” a gift given to former Beatle McCartney and his wife by the artist backstage at the LA Forum in 1976, during one of Wings’ tours. Reed humorously likened our quest to that of the world’s nerdiest Indiana Jones.

When asked to choose one specific work of art or collectible he’s most eager for fans to view, Reed hesitates, comparing it to choosing a favorite child. “It’s not quite like that,” he emphasizes, “but it’s similar to picking your favorite resident at an orphanage you frequently visit – it’s hard to single out just one.” Instead, Reed highlights the comprehensive approach of the exhibition, focusing on Kirby as a whole, stating that this approach best communicates the intended message. “Viewing all these pieces really makes Kirby feel more alive, and helps me understand even deeper that he was not just the creator of characters or storyteller,” Reed explained.

Individuals continue to draw inspiration from this visual style, which remains fascinating for me, as both a historian and an ardent Kirby fan. There’s always new knowledge to gain and secrets to uncover.

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2025-05-01 18:50