Books : Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus, Vol. 1

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- The First Appearance of Many Great Characters!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus is another Kirby hit!
Superman, Jimmy Olsen, Orion, Lightray, Mister Miracle, and Darkseid is just a fraction of the number of heroes and villians in this book.

After reading the reviews for this omnibus, I was worried that the paper quality wasn't going to be good. The first time I opened it I was
relieved that the paper is thick, just not glossy. The paper will not yellow.

This comic is well balanced with action, conversation, new concepts, new designs, that only kirby could create.

I highly recommnd this to anyone. The comic has no flaw.

Rating:

- Volume one: Off to a rough, but interesting start

Kirby's move to DC after his incredible run at Marvel was one that had long range effects on DC comics. He introduced Darkseid and The New Gods, characters that DC has been going back to you for over three decades. This first volume introduces the characters of Kirby's "Fourth World," his concept of an epic battle between good and evil, where Earth is caught in the middle. It's uneven in quality and the ideas are not fully developed in the beginning but this is where some of comics most outlandish and fascinating stories began. One thing you'll find won't improve is Kirby's dialogue, which is often ungainly and at times painful, but the concepts and art move it all forward. And it all started with..."Jimmy Olson?"
Jimmy Olsen-Yes Kirby wanted to start where his grand plans would not be weighed down by expectations. But Olsen didn't work out. DC in their fear of change redrew Superman's face, a noticeable and odd action that actually distracted from the art. The art also suffered from the inking of Vince Colletta, an inker known for his speed, not his talent. The story kicks right into gear re-introducing The Newsboy Legion and The Guardian in the midst of stories about cloning run wild. I wish I could say it works, but this was a bad fit from the beginning. A Don Rickles storyline? Ouch!
The Forever People- This group of "super kids," as Superman refers to them, is visually interesting, but lacks the template that Kirby puts in place for The New Gods or Mister Miracle. The characters remain ciphers and with the exception of Big Bear, the well-spoken strong man no one stands out in these early stories. The deus ex machina of Infinity Man, who arrives when The Forever People switch places with him, makes the stories predictable form early on.
Mister Miracle- Kirby's master escape artist plays to Kirby's strengths. Kirby's incredible mechanical designs with their futuristic, almost organic feel, coupled with the constant action makes these comics come alive in ways that Jimmy Olsen and the Forever People do not. Creating a very likeable lead with Scott Free, Mr. Miracle has all the elements that will make it the most successful of Kirby's series.
The New Gods- This is the book where Kirby's ideas really come to fruition. The setting of New Genesis with its pastoral beauty against the techno-horror of Apokolips is a wonder, but the characters are the true essence of the story. The brutal warrior, Orion becomes New Genesis' main champion against the menace of Darkseid and his minions. Kirby starts this book with immediate action moving the battleground from Apokolips to Earth and creating a sense of impending danger much more forcefully then he does in the other books.
While not as successful here as he will be in later stories, Kirby sets the tone for his work in Volume I. If your reliving your youth have fun, and if you are new, hang on; the ride gets better.

Rating:

- Read Greatness Again!!!
Jack Kirby was the King of Artists. I would look forward to his comics each month and lose myself in his genius story-telling. His work was always a visual feast of the fantastic. This first volume (of 4) of Kirby's Fourth World for DC Comics is a treasure to read again. I love it so much that I've purchased all four volumes for summer reading enjoyment.

Rating:

- decent kirby book, skip the jimmy olsen stories..........
I bought this book thinking of getting the rest of the volumes, but after reading thru this one, i'll pass on those other volumes. It's not terrible but seriously..... the jimmy olsen stories were hilariously goofy. if i was 12 yrs. old i'd still laugh out load on how silly those stories were...."newboy legion"? come on now! even for a comic story it's quite funny to me...had a hard time getting into the silly storyline. ON the otherhand the "New Gods" stories were solid! the other title in this book was "the forever people"- hippies from another dimension is as best as i can describe it.
I'm an illustrator and bought the book more for Kirby's amazing artwork, kirby as a writer? well that's another story. Sorry Kirby...i love ya, but your writing wasn't the best.
Why in the world did jimmy Olsen have his own comic??! What the f@#K DC?!? those were different times..different times.....

Rating:

- A MUST BUY!!!!
LOTS OF KIRKY HERE!!!! A MUST BUY, IF U ARE A KIRBY FAN, GO AHEAD AND GET THIS ONE AND VOL. 2 ALSO...

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