Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The Simon & Kirby Library!





With the recent publication of Simon and Kirby Library - Horror, Titan Books has I think completed its impressive four-volume Simon and Kirby Library. I've talked about these volumes here before, but let recommend these handsome, highly readable and highly colorful volumes to one and all. They capture the work of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby from arguably their most productive period together in the later 40's and early 50's. In these immense but still relatively lightweight tomes you will find brazen street-level thugs, vile black-arts magicians, handsome stout-hearted spacemen, and colorful crime-fighting masked men.

These are the many many tropes and genres of comics which Simon and Kirby had full command. These stories have been collected many times over the years, but never in volumes so bright and readable. The only genre not yet accounted for is the Western. Simon and Kirby did some mighty ones, so I'm curious why they are the focus of a volume. Or maybe they are; I hope I'm wrong on that score. 


And by the way, I love the way Titan has mimicked the faux-book cover look which Simon and Kirby used so effectively on their few issues of Harvey's Stuntman.

Highest recommendation!

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2 comments:

  1. I've read through CRIME a couple times now. Great stories and art! Kirby in his element. I just picked up HORROR last week, and I'm enjoying that too even though I'm not generally a horror fan. Yes I'd also like to see Simon/Kirby Western.

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    1. Western does seem to be the missing piece. With Bulls-Eye and Boys Ranch you'd think there would be ample.

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