review by VJ Miller, Sr.
A Little Personal History
I know this comic book of Jack Kirby illustrations is a publication of DC but I want to take you back to 1959 when I first saw a comic book with Jack Kirby art. It was a collaboration of Joe Simon writing and Jack’s renderings. The First issue of The Fly by Red Circle Comics got to my 11 year old curiosity.
I had been reading Superman and Batman comics since I was five, penciled by Wayne Boring and Dick Sprang, respectively. Jack Kirby’s rendering had something much different with the bold lines and the action scenes with larger than life characters. there was a darkness to the style that impressed my young mind. One should realize that credits were not given to who worked on any issue; I never found that out until years later. But I soon learned that I could recognize my fav artists in whatever book they were rendering even when the inkers were not always the same person.
To my disadvantage, I had never heard of Captain America that was also drawn by Jack. My
only excuse was that after WW2 CA disappeared for several years. Comics back then were only a dime but I hadn’t enough dimes to keep up with all the other issues that caught my eye.
Now Where Was I?
Oh yes, The title of this post was about the Jack Kirby Omnibus Sampler #1. Unfortunately The writer(s) of these strange tales are lost to the nether world of time and fate. The art though is definitely Kirby.
The House of Secrets
The first offering is from this title from 1957, The Three Prophecies. It’s just another con game to separate some unfortunate person from his hard earned money. The twist at the end is similar to a Twilight Zone-like ending that won’t be seen for two years.
The Cat Who Knew To Much: the butler did it. Doesn’t he always? But he tripped himself up this time like they always do.
My Greatest Adventure
Another series from 1957: I Found the City Under the Sea, Suspense and a selfless act of sacrifice to save the world above.
I Doomed the World: A brain washed adventurer elicits help to doom the world but only a mistake saves the day.
Tales of the Unexpected
From 1957, The Face Behind the Mask, Deception and then a fearful confession land the perp in jail.
The Two Dimensional Man, A tragic mistake, a flight to a small island for the antidote just in the nick of time.
House of Mystery
From 1958: The Artificial Twin, A clone, a marriage proposal jilted, a mad scientist bent on embezzlement, caught in the act before he can abscond with the cash.
Adventure Comics
The volume ends with a Green Arrow story from 1954: The Case of the Super Arrows, A gift from the future falls into the hands of crooks. Can Green Arrow succeed in recapturing his gift? Of course he can.
There are other excellent stories in this volume but I can’t give it all away now can I?
Impressions
The scenes depicted in this volume are dark and brooding for the most part. The suspense is enhanced by the abrupt change of color in some of the faces. These are not the so-called “pretty faces” that some might expect from other magazines of their ilk. No, these faces are full of character lines; hate, fear, shock, anger, or surprise are defined by the expression and the pose of the body. Jack had an excellent take on this. Some might call them ugly but I like to think of them as human.
His props, background shots and other-worldly character animals and humanoids were unique in my opinion and led the way for future artists to emulate. Most Marvel artists have used Kirby Dots to depict outer space scenes or explosions.
He is definitely one of the finest artists that ever put pencil to paper to depict the life and times of a comic book hero or villain or anything in-between.