Marvel Comics has announced via a press release the forthcoming arrival of the "King-Size Kirby" hardcover.
Hailed as monumental and decades-spanning, the 800-page collection will collect material from more than 40 Marvel comics published between 1940 and 1978 to showcase and celebrate the career and art of Jack Kirby.
Along with Stan Lee, Jack Kirby helped create the modern Marvel Universe with 1961's "Fantastic Four" #1 and went on to co-create and illustrate the adventures of the Hulk, the X-Men, the Avengers, Sgt. Fury, and Thor among many others. "If there were a Mount Rushmore of American comic book artists, Jack Kirby would be front and center," said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in the release.
The hardcover will come in Marvel's relatively new Adamantium-sized format, which they previously used for the similarly hefty "Wolverine: The Adamantium Collection." Like that 2013 release, the "King-Size" volume will stand at over a foot tall.
"Fans should reinforce their bookshelves and coffee tables," said Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. "This one is going to be huge... literally! We're aiming to bring fans the ultimate collection, the ultimate collectable and the definitive Jack Kirby experience. The King of Comics deserves no less."
I myself was never a massive of fan of Kirby's work, especially when I was a kid, but as I grew into adulthood I began to see the sheer creative genius in his work. I can't help by wonder though if Marvel is publishing this book as part of the deal they made with the Kirby estate back in September. Guess we'll never truly know...
The "King-Size Kirby" hardcover will go on sale in July 2015. A list of comics included in the collection is as follows: RED RAVEN #1; MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #13; CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS (1941) #1, 7; TALES TO ASTONISH #5; RAWHIDE KID #17; AMAZING ADVENTURES (1961) #1, STRANGE TALES #89, #94 and #114; TEEN-AGE ROMANCE #84; FANTASTIC FOUR #1, #48-51, #57-60 and ANNUAL #5; INCREDIBLE HULK #3; TWO-GUN KID #60; LOVE ROMANCES #103; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #8; SGT. FURY #6 and #13; AVENGERS #4; TALES OF SUSPENSE #59; X-MEN #9; THOR #134-136 and #155-157; NOT BRAND ECHH #1; AMAZING ADVENTURES (1970) #1-2; CAPTAIN AMERICA'S BICENTENNIAL BATTLES; CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #200; ETERNALS #7; DEVIL DINOSAUR #1; and WHAT IF? #11