|
|
Post by berkley on Jun 17, 2024 21:25:58 GMT -5
What every body said. A thought I had is the evolution of Kirby's figures from the first Thor in JiM. 83. Lean and strong to pure power. And I think one of the key things to note is that in conveying that image of physical strength, Kirby is very deliberately not adhering strictly to the rules of anatomy and proportion: human beings do not have wrists and forearms, etc that big and wide - but it works in creating the impression he's looking for. Unlike, IMO, the exaggerated bodybuilder-type physiques many superhero artists fall back on when they're trying to so something along these lines. |
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Jun 18, 2024 0:35:56 GMT -5
As Icctrombone mentioned, the panel with Hercules's winning punch is nicely done. It's interesting to imagine how such a scene might have been depicted a few years later - might they not have had Hercules punching Thor so hard he would have went flying through a series of walls or buildings, for example? I think this scene with the blow dropping Thor to the ground, like a real-life boxing KO, is much more effective. I remember Eddie Campbell talking about the cover to this issue and how it conveyed such a vivid impression of physical strength and power - specifically the way Kirby drew Thor and Hercules with such big, blocky forearms and hands. When they grip something you get a striking sense of the force behind it. Campbell said he tried to create the same effect with some of his characters in the mythology-related comic he was doing at the time that I forget the name of. Can't tell if you are being facetious; but, it's Bacchus (aka Deadface) and the storyline, "Hermes vs The Eyeball Kid," in Dark Horse Presents.....  |
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Jun 18, 2024 4:57:56 GMT -5
There seems to be no shortage of Thor 126 homage covers.   |
|
|
|
Post by Cei-U! on Jun 18, 2024 6:02:28 GMT -5
FYI, that Charlton cover is a fake. There is no Hercules #16. The title only ran thirteen issues.
Cei-U!
I summon the phony baloney!
|
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Jun 18, 2024 7:09:39 GMT -5
FYI, that Charlton cover is a fake. There is no Hercules #16. The title only ran thirteen issues. Cei-U! I summon the phony baloney! Yeah, I didn’t think it was authentic. By the way, what’s your take on Heimdal having an Uru sword , Was it ever seen again ? |
|
|
|
Post by Cei-U! on Jun 18, 2024 7:53:13 GMT -5
FYI, that Charlton cover is a fake. There is no Hercules #16. The title only ran thirteen issues. Cei-U! I summon the phony baloney! Yeah, I didn’t think it was authentic. By the way, what’s your take on Heimdal having an Uru sword , Was it ever seen again ? Actually, I never noticed the reference until you pointed it out. That's why I doubt it was ever mentioned again. It does make sense, though. Surely more than one Asgardian weapon was made from the stuff.
Cei-U! I summon the uru guru!
|
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Jun 18, 2024 11:23:40 GMT -5
The Mighty Thor # 126
 I don’t have too much to add to this one. Several people have already commented on how it’s a highlight for the entire run of Thor, and a highlight for the Silver Age. You just need to read it, man! However, I do want to mention how focused it is. There are no subplots. It’s just a fight between Hercules and Thor. We leave the fight a few times to see what’s going on Asgard, but this is relevant to driving the plot. We see that Odin has numerous reasons to be angry, after Thor has disobeyed him and beaten up most of the warriors of Asgard, and Thor continues to defy Odin by pursuing Jane Foster, and THEN, Thor gets into a common brawl inside a soda shop, and the brawl is over this mortal woman that Thor has been forbidden to court. There’s just no need for subplots here.. The main story sets up so much fodder for the following issues. What will happen to Hercules as he wanders around in the mortal world? How will Thor cope with losing his power? How will the thunder god deal with his feelings about Odin? Will Jane Foster be able to reconcile with Thor? It’s also very refreshing to see Jane Foster not being abducted, not fainting, and not having her memory wiped. As for Tales of Asgard … Odin recalls the Asgardonauts back to Asgard to tell them about Ragnarok, seemingly because the creators are a bit bored with a quest that doesn’t actually seem to be going anywhere. Lame. |
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Jun 18, 2024 11:32:23 GMT -5
What about Siedring the merciless?  It’s not an obvious subplot, but we will see something develop out of his presence. |
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,213 
Member is Online
|
Post by Confessor on Jun 19, 2024 8:18:52 GMT -5
I agree with Foxley... Kirby draws great battles and contraptions, but women are not his strong point. I'll third that. But...Kirby sure did draw some dynamic, exciting and hugely imaginative superhero comics. I'm more of a Ditko and a Romita man, myself, but Kirby's work on Fantastic Four in the '60s, for example, was exactly what a comic of that nature required; nobody else drawing/writing in mainstream comics at that time could've done as good a job on that comic as Kirby did. I assume the same would go for Thor too. |
|
|
|
Post by Roquefort Raider on Jun 19, 2024 9:24:19 GMT -5
I agree with Foxley... Kirby draws great battles and contraptions, but women are not his strong point. I'll third that. But...Kirby sure did draw some dynamic, exciting and hugely imaginative superhero comics. I'm more of a Ditko and a Romita man, myself, but Kirby's work on Fantastic Four in the '60s, for example, was exactly what a comic of that nature required; nobody else drawing/writing in mainstream comics at that time could've done as good a job on that comic as Kirby did. I assume the same would go for Thor too. I'd say Kirby was even more uniquely suited to Thor than to Fantastic Four. The latter is pure science-fiction (albeit of a fantastic nature), but Kirby was not the only master of the genre; other great cartoonists back then could do SF. In Thor, however, Kirby could treat us to what nobody else ever managed to such a degree (and then only by aping him): a unique fusion of dream-like visions, mythical themes and hard-metal space fantasy. I have a hard time putting it into words; this was truly a symbiosis of the genres, not a simple case of mixing and matching concepts. Kirby's Thor was not Prince Valiant with ray guns... it was something original, something unique. |
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 19, 2024 9:46:06 GMT -5
Great point RR. Probably why New Gods was the best of the Fourth World books and Eternals was his best when he returned to Marvel.
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,213
Member is Online
|
Post by Confessor on Jun 19, 2024 10:36:27 GMT -5
I'd say Kirby was even more uniquely suited to Thor than to Fantastic Four. The latter is pure science-fiction (albeit of a fantastic nature)... Hmmm...I'm not sure I'd agree that the Fantastic Four is pure sci-fi: it's easily as much about Superman-style superheroics as it is about science fiction. I mean, sure, other artists could've drawn the comic in the 60s -- I'd love to have seen Wally Wood's Fantastic Four, for instance -- but they probably wouldn't have delivered it as effectively as Kirby did. Wood could've handled the sci-fi elements well enough, and the romantic parts too, but it was Kirby's story-telling imagination and his ability to draw dynamic and exciting superhero punch-ups that makes him such a great fit for the series, IMHO. Not to knock Wood's abilities drawing superhero comics, mind you...but you know what I mean. I absolutely take your point regarding how uniquely suited Kirby was to work on Thor though. |
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 19, 2024 12:41:51 GMT -5
Considering the FF was 90% Kirby plots and concepts, what other artist would do would be a totally different book.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cei-U! on Jun 19, 2024 14:39:12 GMT -5
Considering the FF was 90% Kirby plots and concepts, what other artist would do would be a totally different book. Yup. That's why Stan's post-Kirby FFs were almost entirely rehashes of earlier plots. Ditto his post-Kirby Thors. John Buscema was a great illustrator but he didn't have Jack's unique creativity.
Cei-U! I summon the plain truth!
|
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 19, 2024 15:21:16 GMT -5
Buscema was fine at fleshing out a plot and telling a good story. He was not a concept guy and never claimed to be.
I am reminded of those who ask what the FF, Thor or the Hulk would be like if Joe Maneely had lived. There would be no FF, Thor or Hulk of Kirby was not there.
|
|
It’s not an obvious subplot, but we will see something develop out of his presence. 
