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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2015 15:58:00 GMT -5
I ordered Silver Star last night. I don't know if it's the graphite edition? Does it state that on the book? Or if you order the hardcover is it automatically the graphite edition? Sorry, I don't know these things. You'd have to ask for it. I don't have the Graphite edition but plan to wish my next order. This is so cool ... I'm going to have to get this and I know how to. Thanks for posting this!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 9:18:44 GMT -5
How's Simon's and Kirby's The Sandman? I'm thinking about picking up the hardcover if for nothing other than Kirby's art. But how goes it? I mean, I'm going to pick it up anyway, I should say, because he's my son's favorite artist so I am going to try to get everything I can that Kirby has ever done, but I was curious as to how the stories are.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 11:46:03 GMT -5
I haven't read it in 30 or so years but remember liking it. BTW, TwoMorrows, who publish the excellent Jack Kirby Collector, also offer Silver Star in a special Graphite edition, which I think is shot directly from Kirby's uninked pages IIRC. I need this in my life!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 11:54:28 GMT -5
How's Simon's and Kirby's The Sandman? I'm thinking about picking up the hardcover if for nothing other than Kirby's art. But how goes it? I mean, I'm going to pick it up anyway, I should say, because he's my son's favorite artist so I am going to try to get everything I can that Kirby has ever done, but I was curious as to how the stories are. I have yet to read Simon and Kirby's Golden Age Sandman stories, so let me know what you think. I do however own Kirby's six-issue run of his 1974 Sandman series, which I absolutely love.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,700
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Post by shaxper on Jan 10, 2015 12:11:29 GMT -5
I haven't read it in 30 or so years but remember liking it. BTW, TwoMorrows, who publish the excellent Jack Kirby Collector, also offer Silver Star in a special Graphite edition, which I think is shot directly from Kirby's uninked pages IIRC. I need this in my life! I reviewed Silver Star a few years back on Amazon. For anyone that's interested: Silver Star is very much a "phoned in" effort by Kirby, an attempt to make a little more cash towards the end of a brilliant but largely unprofitable career, without much concern for care and quality. Norma Richmond's face frequently and spontaneously turns into the shape of a football as her breasts explode and jut out to the sides, only to have both return to normal proportions a panel later, a key character who dominates the first half of the first issue is completely forgotten by the third, and the dialogue is horrendously stilted and corny...even by Kirby standards.
Still, the one quality that stands out as being worthwhile in this volume is the villain. This should be no surprise as Kirby has always been the king of arch villains, frequently making them even more appealing than his heroes. How many of us are bigger fans of Doctor Doom than Reed Richards, Galactus than Silver Surfer, Darkseid than Orion? Indeed, the mad and religiously fervent demigod Darius Drumm is a fascinating speciman, and Kirby clearly understands that, giving him the center stage in this series. For, even though it's called "Silver Star," we learn more about Drumm's origin than Silver Star's, spend far more time analyzing his psychology and world views while SS is just a goodie goodie trying to stop him, and even the climax of the series, though involving SS from the sidelines, is more about Drumm standing in the way of himself. Drumm is the star of this series and the one quality that makes it worth reading.
Unfortunately, in contrast, Silver Star is a dull and relatively useless hero, bringing no personality to the story and repeatedly failing to save literally millions of lives while only managing to protect the three people closest to him. In all the Kirby classics, even while the villain stole the spotlight, he shared a special connection with the hero that somehow made the hero and his struggle more interesting. For Doom, it was his rivalry with Reed Richards and his hopeless love for Sue Storm. For Galactus, it was his reluctance to harm his formerly loyal servant. For Darkseid, his secret relationship to Orion was virtually all that made Orion an intriguing character.
Drumm and Silver Star bear uncanny resemblances to Darkseid and Orion, both visually and by the fact that they are both uber-powerful gods, even while the villain is hopelessly more powerful than the hero. Yet Darkseid and Orion share that secret relationship, and from that stems so much of the interpersonal drama of the series, so much of the investment in Orion's struggle. In contrast, Silver Star and Drumm have no deeper connection beyond the fact that they are both near-gods and SS is bent on stopping him. There's no buy-in for SS's character beyond the hopeless frustration he feels as he repeatedly fails to stop Drumm (though this borders on Kamandi-level whining).
In the end, there's a lot wrong with this volume, but if you can tolerate the hero long enough, the villain just might make the read worthwhile. And be sure to read Jack's original movie treatment from which this comic was derived at the end of the volume. Jack clearly put a lot more care into the would-be Silver Star movie than he did the comic. And Norma Richmond/Jayne Davidson, the invulnerable movie star who drives herself off of cliffs and straps herself to bombs, had serious pin-up potential.
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Post by hondobrode on Jan 10, 2015 13:02:33 GMT -5
Jack Kirby Collector previewBTW, www.TwoMorrows.comalso offers a Captain Victory Graphite edition I'd forgotten about as well as over 50 issues of the excellent Jack Kirby Collector I'm not an artist, so I haven't gotten Draw !, and I only have 1 issue of Write !, but I have dozens of The Jack Kirby Collector, Back Issue, Alter Ego, Comic Book Artist and other assorted books they've published. Highest possible recommendation !
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 13:58:38 GMT -5
I reviewed Silver Star a few years back on Amazon. For anyone that's interested: Silver Star is very much a "phoned in" effort by Kirby, an attempt to make a little more cash towards the end of a brilliant but largely unprofitable career, without much concern for care and quality. Norma Richmond's face frequently and spontaneously turns into the shape of a football as her breasts explode and jut out to the sides, only to have both return to normal proportions a panel later, a key character who dominates the first half of the first issue is completely forgotten by the third, and the dialogue is horrendously stilted and corny...even by Kirby standards.
Still, the one quality that stands out as being worthwhile in this volume is the villain. This should be no surprise as Kirby has always been the king of arch villains, frequently making them even more appealing than his heroes. How many of us are bigger fans of Doctor Doom than Reed Richards, Galactus than Silver Surfer, Darkseid than Orion? Indeed, the mad and religiously fervent demigod Darius Drumm is a fascinating speciman, and Kirby clearly understands that, giving him the center stage in this series. For, even though it's called "Silver Star," we learn more about Drumm's origin than Silver Star's, spend far more time analyzing his psychology and world views while SS is just a goodie goodie trying to stop him, and even the climax of the series, though involving SS from the sidelines, is more about Drumm standing in the way of himself. Drumm is the star of this series and the one quality that makes it worth reading.
Unfortunately, in contrast, Silver Star is a dull and relatively useless hero, bringing no personality to the story and repeatedly failing to save literally millions of lives while only managing to protect the three people closest to him. In all the Kirby classics, even while the villain stole the spotlight, he shared a special connection with the hero that somehow made the hero and his struggle more interesting. For Doom, it was his rivalry with Reed Richards and his hopeless love for Sue Storm. For Galactus, it was his reluctance to harm his formerly loyal servant. For Darkseid, his secret relationship to Orion was virtually all that made Orion an intriguing character.
Drumm and Silver Star bear uncanny resemblances to Darkseid and Orion, both visually and by the fact that they are both uber-powerful gods, even while the villain is hopelessly more powerful than the hero. Yet Darkseid and Orion share that secret relationship, and from that stems so much of the interpersonal drama of the series, so much of the investment in Orion's struggle. In contrast, Silver Star and Drumm have no deeper connection beyond the fact that they are both near-gods and SS is bent on stopping him. There's no buy-in for SS's character beyond the hopeless frustration he feels as he repeatedly fails to stop Drumm (though this borders on Kamandi-level whining).
In the end, there's a lot wrong with this volume, but if you can tolerate the hero long enough, the villain just might make the read worthwhile. And be sure to read Jack's original movie treatment from which this comic was derived at the end of the volume. Jack clearly put a lot more care into the would-be Silver Star movie than he did the comic. And Norma Richmond/Jayne Davidson, the invulnerable movie star who drives herself off of cliffs and straps herself to bombs, had serious pin-up potential.Your review makes me very sad for the book I just bought.
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Post by hondobrode on Jan 10, 2015 15:55:34 GMT -5
Decide for yourself CW. YMMV
Brian and I don't agree with Shax on this, and that's fine. No disrespect to our Fearless Leader and I'm sure none was taken.
I'm sure we'll be interested to see what you think of it. Like most creators, there are greater and lesser works, and peaks and valleys in a creator's career, though different people would have their own opinions of what those works would be or the different time frames and reference points of diffferent phases.
In short, I suspect that if you appreciate Kirby, you'll probably find something to like in Silver Star.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 16:27:44 GMT -5
Decide for yourself CW. YMMV Brian and I don't agree with Shax on this, and that's fine. No disrespect to our Fearless Leader and I'm sure none was taken. I'm sure we'll be interested to see what you think of it. Like most creators, there are greater and lesser works, and peaks and valleys in a creator's career, though different people would have their own opinions of what those works would be or the different time frames and reference points of diffferent phases. In short, I suspect that if you appreciate Kirby, you'll probably find something to like in Silver Star. Exactly this. And honestly, Jeff's review is fair and reflects the majority of opinions on Silver Star. I'll confess that my reviews are likely biased due to being a big Kirby fanboy, and the artwork and Kirbyisms in the majority of his work will usually be met with my approval and two thumbs up. If Kirby is your son's favorite artist then I think he will definitely enjoy it if nothing else.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 16:28:17 GMT -5
Decide for yourself CW. YMMV Brian and I don't agree with Shax on this, and that's fine. No disrespect to our Fearless Leader and I'm sure none was taken. I'm sure we'll be interested to see what you think of it. Like most creators, there are greater and lesser works, and peaks and valleys in a creator's career, though different people would have their own opinions of what those works would be or the different time frames and reference points of diffferent phases. In short, I suspect that if you appreciate Kirby, you'll probably find something to like in Silver Star. Oh, I will make up my own mind for sure. And if I do not care for it, I'm sure my son will.
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Post by junkmonkey on Jan 10, 2015 20:12:33 GMT -5
Rereading this thread, while rediscovering my Joy of Comics, I also rediscovered my first Comic Crush: Big Barda from the Kirby's Mister Miracle books. Unlike most of the female superheroes of the time she was not a girly girl with girly superpowers but a real big-hipped woman with the strength of any two or three lesser members of any other superhero squad you care to mention. I adored her. How the hell could I have forgotten her? I spent the last couple of nights doing a bit of fan art to keep my Photoshopping skills a step ahead of my twelve year old daughter - who is constantly finding shortcuts I never knew existed. (Said daughter is also discovering cosplaying and refuses to contemplate me going to the next Comicon in Glasgow as Big B. I said I'd even shave the beard off but it didn't persuade her.) Big Barda Boom 2 by the_junk_monkey, on Flickr EDIT: Amzing innit? You spend a couple of hours on a drawing feel moderately chuffed with it and, three minutes after posting it for the world to see, you look at it again and spot a bloody huge mistake that any idiot could see from Mars if they were facing the other way. Fixed. ANOTHER EDIT: (I forgot her cape too.... bum!)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2015 7:38:53 GMT -5
Rereading this thread, while rediscovering my Joy of Comics, I also rediscovered my first Comic Crush: Big Barda from the Kirby's Mister Miracle books. Unlike most of the female superheroes of the time she was not a girly girl with girly superpowers but a real big-hipped woman with the strength of any two or three lesser members of any other superhero squad you care to mention. I adored her. How the hell could I have forgotten her? I spent the last couple of nights doing a bit of fan art to keep my Photoshopping skills a step ahead of my twelve year old daughter - who is constantly finding shortcuts I never knew existed. (Said daughter is also discovering cosplaying and refuses to contemplate me going to the next Comicon in Glasgow as Big B. I said I'd even shave the beard off but it didn't persuade her.) Big Barda Boom 2 by the_junk_monkey, on Flickr EDIT: Amzing innit? You spend a couple of hours on a drawing feel moderately chuffed with it and, three minutes after posting it for the world to see, you look at it again and spot a bloody huge mistake that any idiot could see from Mars if they were facing the other way. Fixed. ANOTHER EDIT: (I forgot her cape too.... bum!) You did this? That is AWESOME. I mean, I am not familiar with the character, but your art is fantastic.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 17:08:04 GMT -5
Green Arrow by KirbyI just got this artwork a couple of days ago. I just loved it very much!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 17:15:10 GMT -5
Jack Kirby's Art at Marvel ComicsIncredible Hulk by KirbyA dear friend of mine went vacationing in Los Angeles and picked this up for me at a Comic Book Store that they held it in my honor. He picked it up last Monday and now I just got it scanned and uploaded to my Imgur Account. Gorgeous Picture of the Incredible Hulk here. Fantastic Four meets the Hulk - A Cover ReproductionI brought this from a store in Canada via mail - they mailed this reproduction of this fantastic cover and I was thrilled to get it. Store in Calgary, Alberta.
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Post by Rob Allen on Jan 16, 2015 19:19:52 GMT -5
Green Arrow by KirbyI just got this artwork a couple of days ago. I just loved it very much! Do you mean you bought the original art? I've seen it at cons a few years ago - Mike Royer was selling it. Here's a blog post with a long quote from Mike about the piece: comicfdc.blogspot.com/2013/01/mike-royer-green-arrow.html
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