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Jack Kirby Was the King of Comics
So, Why Isn’t He a Household Name?
In most cases, calling someone the king of anything would be hyperbole, but for Jack Kirby, it’s an understatement. He didn’t just create or co-create some of the most famous fictional characters of all time; he helped define the comic book medium’s visual language. The fruits of his labor can be seen in comics even decades after he passed away. His work shaped the movies that millions of people love and has influenced countless artists and writers who have become influential in the medium and popular culture. So, why isn’t Jack Kirby a household name?
On August 28, 1917, Jack Kirby was born in the Lower East Side of New York City, but he wouldn’t take that name for many years. His birth name was Jacob Kurtzberg, and his parents, Rose and Benjamin Kurtzberg, were Austrian-Jewish immigrants. His father worked as a garment factory worker.
Like a lot of kids who grow up in rough neighborhoods, Kirby used his imagination as a way to escape his surroundings. As a kid, Jack spent a lot of time drawing. It might be hard to believe, but he was mostly self-taught. Some of his influences were Milton Caniff, Hal Foster, Alex Raymond, among others. At the age of 14, Kirby enrolled at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, but he left after a week.
“I wasn’t the kind of student that…
