Jack Kirby, born Jacob Kurtzberg on August 28, 1917, was a trailblazing American comic book artist, writer, and editor who left an indelible mark on the industry. Growing up in poverty-stricken New York City, Kurtzberg's early life was marked by hardship, but he persevered and eventually entered the burgeoning comics industry in the 1930s.
As Jack Kirby, he drew various comic strips under different pseudonyms, ultimately finding his calling in the world of superheroes. In 1941, Kirby, alongside writer Joe Simon, created the iconic Captain America for Timely Comics, a character that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon.
Throughout the 1940s, Kirby continued to create comics for various publishers, often partnering with Simon to produce some of the most memorable and enduring characters of the era. After serving in World War II, Kirby returned to comics, working in a variety of genres and contributing to the likes of Archie Comics and DC Comics.
In the 1950s, Kirby found himself at Timely's Atlas Comics, which would later evolve into Marvel Comics. It was during this period that Kirby, alongside writer-editor Stan Lee, co-created some of Marvel's most beloved characters, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Hulk.
Despite the immense commercial and critical success of the Lee-Kirby titles, Kirby felt undervalued and ultimately left Marvel in 1970 for rival DC Comics. While working for DC, Kirby embarked on his Fourth World saga, a sprawling epic that spanned multiple comic book titles.
Although the Fourth World series was met with commercial disappointment and cancellation, its characters and mythos have continued to play a significant role in the DC Comics universe. Kirby returned to Marvel briefly in the mid-to-late 1970s before exploring television animation and independent comics.
In his later years, Kirby received widespread recognition for his groundbreaking contributions to the comic book medium, and is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential creators in the industry. In 1987, Kirby was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame, alongside Carl Barks and Will Eisner, as one of the inaugural class of honorees.
