ISSUE #0: Wow, at last a “zero” issue that’s not a total waste of money! Some #0s are just numbering stunts and could well be #1s. I’m not talking about those. I’m talking about the ones that are not truly part of the ongoing series, but do actually serve to enhance it and set it up. Kirby Genesis #0 is based on a real world event… sort of. In 1971, NASA launched the Pioneer 10 Jupiter probe complete with a simple, realistic plaque depicting humanity. The Los Angeles Times asked several artists, one of whom was Jack Kirby, to contribute their idea of what should go on the plaque. Kirby’s idea, in a nutshell (read more about it in the zero issue), was to depict mankind’s self image, but not to show the solar system (other than the Earth and Moon) in too much detail, reasoning that history usually favors the discoverers rather than the discoverees. In Kirby Genesis, however, Kirby’s plaque did make onto the Pioneer 10 and out into space. In its course across the universe, it encountered many diverse races and beings, all unused (or little used) Kirby concepts. Presumably, the series proper is going to take place in the present day, but #0’s 12-page story is set in 1996 when the two main characters are children. The rest of the issue is filled with drawings of the series’ characters. Some are penciled, inked, colored and named, some are penciled and named but not inked or colored, and some weren’t even given names by Kirby. The issue also includes pages of art from the series from various stages of production: pencils, inks, colors. But the real draw if the story and art as developed by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross. And it’s only a buck. Ya can’t go wrong for a buck.
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I got this, and I'm pretty excited about issue #1, which I'm hoping to pick up tomorrow.
As Ross declared in his notes to the Marvels TPB, his style is miles different to Kirby's, so this series is going to have to tackle that dissonance head on.
Another factor is that it's one thing to have the likes of Kirby's Captain America or the FF in garish primary colours. Their costumes are basic and incorporate a few basic panels of colour (only one in the case of the FF). Kirby's later period art is very ornate and baroque, with all kinds of abstract ornamentation and patterning on the costumes. Under Kirby's pencil they have the context of being Kirby drawings, something we've all been trained to 'read'. Alex Ross' realistic painterly style just highlights the garish, and baroque elements of the costumes.
Possibly most of these costumes will have an alien origin, (Earthman Silver Star's is quite basic, isn't it?) so perhaps the more ornamented and abstract the better? But Kirby's late period is worlds away from what we think of as comic book costuming today.
It'll be interesting to see how it all works in a 21st Century comic.
I have renewed interest in Busiek's writing since I just read the first collection of Astro City: The Dark Age recently and I was very impressed with how mature, considered and .... masterly Busiek's writing has become, and he was never a lightweight creatively.
I hope this series lives up to the promise. It's unusual creative origins, with a trio of creative giants at the helm, and how different it promises to be to today's comics mean that it should be an interesting series to follow.
Ross is stepping well outside his comfort zone with this, and Busiek must know that he has to do justice in a big way to Kirby's creations. So we have two great creators taking chances while everyone looks on. The stakes are high on this one!
That’s what reading this issue is like. The action starts almost immediately, and when it does it doesn’t stop. Barely does the reader have time to absorb one new character or concept than the next one introduced. Here’s a surprising bit of good news: apparently, Kirby’s Captain Victory and Silver Star series are considered in continuity!
Ross is stepping well outside his comfort zone with this…
I will admit that his style is vastly different than Kirby’s, but if you look at the kinds of projects with which he’s involved himself over the past decade or so, I think Kirby Genesis falls well within his wheelhouse.
Just caught up on Issue No. 0 and Issue No. 1, and I can definitely say that I'm going back for No. 2 as soon as I can.
This is fun stuff so far, and it has a sense of wonder that I desperately miss in most of the comics I read. This is a real gem so far, and I hope it has a long life.
I can't wait to learn more about all these cool characters!
ISSUE #3: Three issues in and the concepts and characters just keep comin' atcha! It's very like a Kirby book in that respect. I can really hardly wait until Dynamite has a dozen or so issues under their belt because I really think this series will read even batter in quick succession. But it's not like some titles, in which one needs to read half a dozen or more issues to even get a story. It's more like it's barrelling full (light)speed ahead and I'm left breathless and wanting more at the end of each issue.
We've spoken elsewhere about the series spinning off this one. What I wish they'd do first, before they spin Captain Victory off into a series of his owm, is release Kirby's original (which is in continuity, BTW) in collected format.
Previously we discussed it being to soon to spin titles off this series, but I’ve since come to reverse my decision. There’s really too much going on to be contained in or to be easily followed a single series. I was looking at Topps Comics’ “Kirbyverse” titles last night, and I think they had the right idea, at least initially. The “zero issue” led directly into three simultaneous standalone one-shots, which in turn led into the Secret City limited series. Satan’s Six and Teen Agents were, IMHO, too far removed from the core appeal of the “Kirbyverse” concept, and should have been held in reserve until later. Where Topps made their mistake, was to delay titles such as Silver Star and Captain Victory. Earlier in this discussion I espoused the opinion that the “Kirbyverse” titles would not be part of Kirby Genesis continuity, but now I’m not so certain. Kurt Busiek was one of the main architects of the “Kirbyverse” and there’s nothing (or little) I see precluding inclusion. I’ll have to read all of both series again to be sure. Darn.
The best line of dialogue this issue was spoken about Captain Victory: “Interesting DNA on the Captain, too.” Kirby Genesis is arguably the prettiest book on the stands today.
This book is an amazing rush of ideas bumping against each other. I'm not entierly convinced it makes sense, but it's such high-spirited fun that I hardly care.
That said, I think I could really use a reread of all the preceding issues before #5 comes out...if that doesn't make my head explode.
SILVER STAR #1: Does this series desserve a thread of its own? No, “Kirby: Genesis!” is plastered across the top, so it gets folded in to this one. Much less cluttered than the series it spun out of, Silver Star #1 is a straightforward linear history of Project: New Breed from 1972 to the present as told from the perspective of various President’s executive orders. A new government liaison is introduced, the origins of the character of Tracy (little more than a cipher in Kirby’s original) are delved into a bit, and Morgan Miller’s long time girlfriend, Norma Richmond, leaves him. At the end of the issue we learn that she has been captured, which sets up the second issue.
So far, so good. Silver Star is off to a good start.
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