Happy Belated Birthday, Jack "King" Kirby!

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This week marks the 95th anniversary of Jack Kirby's birth. Working as an artist, writer, editor and even in film, animation and television from the 1930s through the 1990s, Kirby's impact and influence are inestimable.  He created or co-created countless characters, including Captain America, The X-Men The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, The Silver Surfer and Galactus, and possibly my favorite, Victor von Doom, as well as his cosmic Fourth World--heroes like Big Barda, Mister Miracle/Scott Free, Orion and villains like the master of Apokolips, Darkseid.

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Make sure to check out David Brothers' tribute to Jack Kirby and how Kirby switched the focus of heroic stories from good vs. evil to "freedom vs. slavery."

Kirby redefined good not as a moral issue, but one of freedom. The freedom to love, laugh, share, create, and more. There's the potential for harm, and many of the New Gods struggle with that potential, but just having that potential is vital. It needs to be there. Being able to choose to do wrong is greater than being forced to do good. Free will is everything. The Life Equation is everything beautiful, warts and all.

And feast your everlovin' eyes on The Kirby Museum's amazing gallery of Kirby's art as well as their YouTube Channel, which includes this 1982 Entertainment Tonight interview with Kirby.  Warning: Liberal use of sound zany effects.