What made Jack Kirby’s art so impressive?

Hello everybody!

 

It is mentioned that this blog deals with many subject, discussion included however there is no post dealing with discussion yet. NOW it’s time for it .LET’S DISCUSS! The topic of today is “what made Jack `King’ Kirby’s art so impressive?”

Many people in the comics business consider Kirby a master in the field. Everything that is said has a reason to be said.

1.      Con: Kirby’s drawings are not very realistic: Kirby exaggerate the anatomy of characters, his unrealistic shadings give his characters an extraterrestrial appearance, distorted drawings, rough edges, exaggerated perspective…

 Some people who think what make a good drawing is that it ought to be very realistic fail to understand why Kirby is such a celebrated comics artist. Gustave Courbet who founded the art movement called realism believed that the artist should be realistic and paint everyday events involving ordinary people.

Pro: it seems like many comics fans don’t care if there superheroes looks very realistic or not. Fans are rather more interested in what is expressed in those drawings, and Kirby was a great storyteller. Once Sir Joshua Reynolds a British painter and writer of 18^th century stated: “A mere copier of nature can never produce anything great”

2.      Con: Some of Kirby’s superheroes have same faces. Just look on such superheroes drawn by Kirby: Captain America, Orion of the new gods, Mr. Miracle… you’ll are more likely to find they have unmistakably the same shape.

Pro: he always hides their faces behind masks.

3.      Con: he made his characters wear otherworldly costumes. Have a look at silver surfer, Galactus, high evolutionary, Dr.Doom, Mr. Miracle…

Pro:  some of those characters have weird origins as well.

4.      Con:  his drawings always look distorted, rough as if they need refinement and some adjustments.

Pro: they always look alive and exciting.

      Murphy Anderson interviewed by Gary M. Carter in 1992 said about him: “at the time, I couldn’t quite understand why Kirby drew such ‘distorted’ pictures.  (…. ) It was very effective, and I’ve always admired that about his work”. 

        Jack Kirby’s contributions to the creation and popularity of Marvel comics are immeasurable. He also created the fourth world omnibus for DC comics after leaving Marvel. He is credited many innovative drawing techniques still used in comics industry such the famous ‘Kirby dots’. It’s said that he was the most influential ever to work in comics industry and Mark Evanier called him ‘the king of comics’.