Thanks to a Christmas party conversation I had with Kenichi Sugihara, of the band Stars Bars and Mars, the Kirby Museum now has a copy of what appears to be the first US reprint of Jack Kirby's story "In Search Of A Dream!" (which was first published in National Periodical Publications' (DC Comics) February 1971 Forever People 1).

The publication?

1975 - Looking Ahead: The Vision Of Science Fiction cover

Looking Ahead: The Vision of Science Fiction. Edited by Dick Allen and Lori Allen. Published by Harbourt Brace Jovanovich in 1975. ISBN 0-15-551184-X.

Here's a link to buy the book via Amazon, with a small percentage going to the Kirby Museum.

Described in its preface as "a multipurpose sourcebook/anthology designed for use in college Freshman English courses, Science Fiction courses, and courses in Studies of the Future," Looking Ahead is organized into five sections: "About Now," "Earth Bound," "Breaking Outward," "Aftermath," and "Theories, with ""The Forever People" in the "Earth Bound" section between C.M. Kornbluth's "The Marching Morons" and Robert Frost's "The Star-Splitter."

The Forever People's introduction, on page 139:

"Science fiction is a form of popular literature and as such links up with other media of pop culture, such as comic books, film, and television. Frequently these more visual media borrow their story lines and characterizations from the more verbal medium and in the process bring about a transformation. For example, there are comics in which previously published SF stories such as Frederic Brown's "Area," are illustrated and given surprising new dimensions. There are also comics in which as single character or set of characters based on an original work of fiction undergo a series adventures more or less in keeping with the original author's work. The award-winning comic Conan is a prime example. Finally, and perhaps most interesting, are those comics in which their creators invent their own SF heroes. Superman was a first. The Forever People are in comic book limbo, publication having been indefinitely suspended, but they are an indication of the creative imaginations available in the second golden age of comics. Jack Kirby is an almost legendary figure of the comic book industry."

Looking Ahead - page 139

Pages 140 and 141:

Looking Ahead - pages 140 & 141

Looking Ahead - page 165

Page 165 contains study questions:

1. Do you think the symbolism of "boom tube" and "mother box" would be lost on young readers?
2. Are the Forever people outdated? Do they still function as credible saviors in the context of the 1970s?
3. What does Darkseid symbolize?
4. What does the Infinity Man symbolize?
5. Is Superman a tragic figure? Why?
6. Use this comic as a starting point for discussion the relationships between science fiction and mass culture.
7. Are the comic book pictures in "The Forever People" similar to ones you create in your mind as you read as unillustrated science fiction story? In what ways are they similar, if indeed they are? If not, how are they dissimilar?

Looking Ahead has a section at the end called "Topics for Shorter and Longer Papers." One topic involves "In Search Of A Dream!":

21. Comic books such as Forever People qualify as pop literature. Reread the selection and state the storyline in one or two sentences. Do the same with one of the SF stories in the book. Are there similarities in simplicity or complexity of plot, characterization, theme? Do you have any difficulty in telling which are the "good guys" and which are the "bad guys?" What about plot development? Do you feel any uncertainty about where the story is "going?" Is the point of the story unclear at any time? Compare the SF story and the comic to Hawthorne's "The Artist of the Beautiful" in terms of plot, characterization, and theme. Is the structure of Hawthorne's tale similar to or different from the other two works? In your paper take the Hawthorne story as an example of elite literature and the comic book as its polar opposite and discuss the validity of this distinction in relation to science fiction.

If any more information comes my way about this publication, I'll be certain to share it. Thanks, Kenichi!

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Walking into Maxwell's at Washington and 11th in Hoboken during these last three months, patrons have been greeted by 50 pieces of striking artwork displayed on walls of russet brick. Brightly colored images of fantastic gods, dinosaurs, heroes, and villains fill the space, making one wonder what cryptic theme connects them all. The answer, not surprisingly, is that the 34 artists from such varied locations as Hoboken, Maine, California, and the UK, are paying tribute to the hyper-imaginative and influential comic-book creator, Jack Kirby.

Maxwell's Main Wall - photo by Ben Tudhope

From the dawn of comic books in the early 1940s, through his final years, Jack Kirby created and co-created some of the most enduring characters and stories in comics (Captain America, Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, X-Men, Thor, Hulk, Avengers, Darkseid among hundreds of others). In addition to revolutionizing such comic book genres as crime, war and superheroes, Kirby also co-invented romance comics with his partner Joe Simon. Kirby’s 1960s work with Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee (who dubbed Kirby “King”) may be his best-known, considering the movies that have recently been made based on their work. But another Kirby legacy is his almost single-handed definition of the expressive visual language of comic books, with his dynamic page layouts portraying exaggerated anatomy, heartfelt emotion and explosive movement.

Jack Kirby in 1966

KIRBY ENTHUSIASM has been on display since the mid-October weekend of the New York Comic Con at Manhattan's Javits Center. The well-attended opening featured a Kirby-themed bill of musical acts headlined by Weep, which is led by Doc Hammer of the cult-favorite cartoon show, The Venture Brothers. All of the musical acts donated a portion of their ticket sales to the Kirby Museum. The visual artists have pledged to support the Museum with their art sales, as well.

Kirby Enthusiasm logo

“This was the first exhibit of its kind that the Kirby Museum has mounted,” said Randolph Hoppe, a cartoonist, graphic artist and communications professional who is not only a co-founder of the Kirby Museum, but also a longtime Hoboken resident and Maxwell’s patron. “I’ve participated in other group shows at Maxwell’s, and I hoped that combining a Jack Kirby-tribute art opening with a Kirby-tribute music bill during the New York Comic Con would be a winner. The bands were incredible, and as you can still see, the art is wonderful, too.”

Karl Heitmueller, a cartoonist and writer who co-curated the show with Hoppe, is Maxwell’s house artist, as well as a bartender. “In addition to the nightly original musical acts that co-owner Todd Abramson books in the back room,” Karl noted, “Maxwell’s regularly showcases visual artists on the walls, in the front bar and restaurant. Kirby Enthusiasm may be the most visually dynamic group-show we've displayed,” he added, “which is only fitting, considering the subject. Jack Kirby is the King, after all.”

Flower by Mark Frauenfelder

So, to celebrate this feast for the eyes, and to garner one more blast of support for the artists and the Kirby Museum, Maxwell's is hosting a closing event on Monday, 30 January, starting at 7:00 p.m., with FREE domestic drafts and house wines served from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Artwork may be sold right off the walls! Mark Frauenfelder, co-founder of blog boing boing, contributed a painting, “Flower, Daughter of Goom.” In addition to pledging a portion of the sale of the painting, Frauenfelder has also authorized the Museum to offer a limited edition of prints of the bold, sexy image of one of Kirby’s characters. The Museum has prints available from other participating artists, such as Arlen Schumer, Steven Brower, Ryan Inzana, Karl Heitmueller, R. Sikoryak and Cheese Hasselberger.

Fin Fang Foom by Cheese Hasselberger

New Kirby Museum memberships will be welcomed - posters, prints, portfolios, t-shirts, stickers and more are all offered in return for donations and/or membership dues. Membership dues support the ongoing operations of the 501(c)(3) Museum, convention appearances, its online presence, education programs, publishing efforts, and more. The Museum is also actively building a collection of archival-quality scans of Jack Kirby's original art. Donations outside of membership dues are currently being marked for the Museum’s Brick and Mortar campaign. The Kirby Museum is now engaged in a campaign to raise $30,000 to open a pop-up Museum on New York City's Lower East Side, near where Jack Kirby lived his early life.

Kirby (After Milton Glaser) by Steven Brower

“Jack Kirby is one of the most influential creative forces of the last half of the 20th century, and I’m thrilled to have participated in Kirby Enthusiasm with Maxwell’s and the Kirby Museum,” said painter and cartoonist James Romberger. Having watercolors in collections of organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as producing graphic novels such as “Seven Miles a Second” (with David Wojnarowicz and Marguerite Van Cook), Romberger contributed a large print of an abstract, one-color piece to the show. “The influence of Kirby’s imagination, talent and creativity is deep, far and wide,” Romberger added.

Still 25c by Edwin Vasquez

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As 2011 draws to a close, the Kirby Museum wishes Happy Holidays to all of our patrons and supporters.

And as you finish shopping and wrap your presents, we hope you’ll consider giving one more gift – a donation to our Brick & Mortar Fund.

We know this can be a lot to ask for in any year, and especially so when times are tough. But we’re asking for a very good reason – to make the Kirby Museum even better in 2012.

Please let me explain . . .

1975 - The Seal Men's War on Christmas, page 18, final panel

2011 was a great year for the Kirby Museum. We are very excited about our plans for the Pop-Up Kirby Museum on New York City's Lower East Side! We have garnered a lot of support and hope to meet our fund-raising goal in the coming months. Having an actual brick-and-mortar Kirby Museum for a little while in New York City will help bring Jack Kirby the attention he deserves. (We even have some other exhibit projects in their infancy.) We've set up a Brick & Mortar Fund to help us attain this incredible goal. All revenue we receive other than membership dues are going into this fund.

If you become a Museum member, your dues will go towards our appearances at conventions, our archival projects and publishing efforts:

+ We're also happy to have attended comic book conventions and festivals this past year. Being able to present the Museum's efforts and engage in membership outreach, as we did in Calgary, San Diego, New York and Brooklyn this year, is only possible through the support of Museum members. We hope that we'll be able to do so at even more such gatherings in 2012!

+ The Original Art Digital Archive, where we scan Kirby original art and maintain a digital archive, has grown to include almost 1800 pieces. We are also developing a project involving Jack's pencil art photocopies.

+ There are also some publishing projects in the works - we hope we can announce them soon. This includes exciting limited edition art prints and books.

Sad to learn of Joe Simon's passing today. By all accounts, he lived a great life, surrounded by family and friends, making comics and graphic art.

His recent autobiography, "My Life In Comics," is a treasure.

Thanks, Joe, for everything. You'll be missed, remembered and celebrated.

1946/7 - Jack Kirby & Joe Simon

!974 Comic Art Convention book - Joe Simon 1941 Captain America pitch sketch

1941 - Captain America's debut

1947 - Young Romance 1 Cover

1973 - Jerry Grandenetti & Joe Simon's Prez

Yep, just as we've been offering at our convention tables for the past year (or more?), you can now join the Kirby Museum and choose to receive either the TwoMorrows Deities portfolio or the Fumetto Fighting American silkscreen. These are our top-level premiums, you'll receive them by sending us $60 for your annual membership.

Deities Portfolio - ten 8.5x11 plates

Fighting American silkscreen - 23 5/8" x 19 5/8"

Your membership dues supports all of the ongoing efforts of the Kirby Museum - but we're not using your dues for our Brick and Mortar Campaign. So if you'd like to help us set up shop on NYC's Lower East Side for a while, please make a donation specifically for that purpose, too!