Old Gods & New: A Companion To Jack Kirby’s Fourth World

Received this following a purchase recommendation from one of Jack Kirby's grandsons.Excellent value, as most Kirby collector editions are. Including lots of quotes from Jack and his collaborators and stuffed full of pencil, ink and coloured art, this collection pulls together everything you will ever know about Jack's interest in mythology and the impact it had on the formation of the characters we thought we already knew. For instance, this morning I discovered that not only did Jack invent the Silver Surfer, Jack saw him as a fallen angel. The idea came to him when he was considering the need for ultra powerful villains who would be a real test for the heroes. That led to the formation of Galactus, who had the powers of (a) God. Jack then thought that if Galactus was that powerful, he would probably need a herald and the original intent behind FF 48-50 was to create the Silver Surfer as a fallen angel. (Stan subsequently usurped the whole idea when he created a new origin in Silver Surfer #1, without telling Jack. No wonder the poor guy felt snubbed.)if you're at all interested in the story behind the origins of some of the greatest Kirby characters, this is the book for you.

A perfect companion for the comics, and an insight into the mind, and character, of the worlds most prolific comic creator !

Beginning publication in 1970, the four comic series that collectively came to be known as The Fourth World (New Gods, Forever People, Mister Miracle, Jimmy Olsen) had long been brewing in Jack Kirby's mind. He created many of the characters while he was still at Marvel working on his classic co-creations, such as the Fantastic Four and Thor, but held them back until he could get himself an improved deal. Once DC Comics offered him that, he jumped ship, and started building the concepts in earnest. Sadly, however, what began as a dream project quickly turned sour.OLD GODS & NEW is a book that explores the whole story of the creation of The Fourth World, from its earliest character designs, through the majesty of the comics themselves, and the final, sad decline and cancellation. John Morrow, for many years the publisher of the ongoing JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR magazine, is well-placed to guide the reader through the many twists and turns. He reveals how Kirby attempted to continue his story at other publishers long after the comics had gone, as well as detailing the story of how, in one last hurrah, The King finally got to have a stab at finishing the saga back at DC right before he retired.Highly readable and filled with quotes from Kirby and others, as well as numerous examples of Kirby's pencil art, character designs and finished pages. Well worth checking out for both those familiar with Kirby and The Fourth World, and those wishing to know more.