When I started this project over three months ago with this image, I knew this would be the final one hundredth image. This startling picture is to my eye is the epitome of how Kirby came to apprehend and understand technology, not something apart from us, but something bonded to, through and within us in the most intimate ways. If the "King of Comics" had made it into the modern day to see how people coax, cuddle and caress their "devices", often to the detriment of their health as they blunder into obstacles, he might think that we are all machine heads, though far less elegant. We all have our "Mother Boxes" now, though sadly they seem not always to have our best interests at heart. We each carry a siren in our pocket, calling us to our destiny.
This little project has been a hoot. Thanks to everyone who has traveled along with me through one hundred posts as we have celebrated the centennial of the greatest comic book artist of all time. Happy Birthday to the King!
But I'm not done. There's more Kirby to come as next month we get into Kirby's work at Pacific Comics and in October it's a horde of Kirby Monsters! I even hope to tackle the Fab 4 again before the year wraps up, and maybe some Thor before it's all done, but don't hold me to that. As I've learned, life is unpredictable.
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Congratulations on a great post run. It's been fun. Happy 100th Birthday to Jack "King" Kirby!
ReplyDeleteThanks sir. I has been fun indeed.
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One of Kirby's bizarre animation designs for Ruby-Spears was the robotic "Cassette Man" whose body disappears when you remove the special cassette from his chest. It seems to have appeared just before or parallel to Cronenberg's "Videodrome" which has a more disturbing take on the same concept; again, it's all about man disappearing into his technology.
ReplyDeleteThat was a quick 100 days. Can we have some more, please?
I refreshed my memory on Cassette Man and you are very correct. Talk about a memento from a bygone era.
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Thanks so much, Rip. Even if I haven't commented often, I haven't missed a day.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the support sir. You are welcome.
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Happy Jack Kirby Day, Rip! Today we celebrate one hundred years of the most influential creator in American comics. And you, Rip, have been leading the celebrations by trumpeting one hundred days of the King! Kudos to you and all your great work. I have been watching your posts for several years (though I have only recently broken the ice with comments), and you remain my favorite. I like how you write intelligently about many of the same comics I have liked, and I enjoy when you give the new things a try. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the kind words. It's been a hoot and as usual I learn as I go. I have so many missing and muddled facts about the King in my noggin, this kind of thing helps me find out the real deal.
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