This blockbuster page is from Jack Kirby's final Captain America story before his ballyhooed return in the mid 70's. The story was produced quickly when Jim Steranko, who had taken over for Kirby on the Cap book, fell behind on deadlines. The "King" stepped in and produced a story which was a reprise of sorts of Cap's career as remembered by Avengers colleague Tony Stark.
One page in this epic, inked by George Tuska by the way, was th is one which showcased several of the vintage Simon and Kirby villains from their original Golden Age run on the hero. We see the odd Butterfly, the malicious Ringmaster, the unsettling Unholy Legion, the mysterious White Death and the totally bizarre "Toadman" (a reference to the "Black Toad" I guess).
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I'm pretty certain I read somewhere that Kirby drew this entire issue literally in one weekend.
ReplyDeleteI totally believe it. The King could rock out the pages when the call came, part of being a pro. As sweet as the artwork of Steranko was and is, it's always been a mark against him when it comes to delivering the goods.
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I don't think there has ever been anyone faster.
DeleteThe Black Toad was originally called the Black Bat, and somebody had legal qualms so he was changed. That explains the ears on his mask and makes him a pun on the bat used in baseball for a story called "Death Loads the Bases".
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right to me. The stories have a distinct pulp feel to them for obvious reasons. That and the influence of movies are the keys.
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