Kirby Monsters Never Reprinted

Most of Jack Kirby's 188 pre-superhero stories have been reprinted; here's the 39 that have NEVER been, in chronological order. As collectors provide me with scans from their original issues, I'll be posting these stories on Monster Blog for your eternal enjoyment and edification!

............. Philip Parodayco :: 14 April 2004

Also see:

A few guesses on the unknown list of inkers: Journey into Mystery # 55 is probably inked by George Klein; JIM 58 consists of a Kirby splash followed by Heck art (Stan probably wanted a more dramatic splash, he did this a few times over Heck monster stories); JIM 74 is an Ayers ink job, as is Tales of Suspense # 8 (one of Ayers earliest inks over Kirby, he followed Kirby's pencils more closely early on, added more detail later).

Nick Caputo

............. nick caputo :: 30 October 2003

Hi —

This probably isn't of much help, but at least one of the stories you list as not having been reprinted, has — THE CREATURE IN THE VOLCANO was reprinted in CRAZY at some point, albeit with a new, “funny” script.

I'm also certain that the Dr. Droom you don't recap was reprinted, but not in WWT — and AS a Dr. Droom story! I just can't remember where. It had bene doctored a little bit so that it as to obscure it's status as a series story, but the character's name remained Droom in the captions. This was before the WWT reprints.

Pierce

............. Pierce Askegren :: 12 December 2003

Actually, I remember a little bit more, but it might be of use only in a process of elimination. Here's everything I remember —

1. No series logo - I only realized what it was from internal caption(s).
2. I'm pretty sure that the art was at least inked by
3. Separate from the Druid reprint series — but one caption may have used that name, but BEFORE the WWT series.
4. Reinman was involved, and if he was “just” the inker, he did it with a very heavy hand.

I'm quite sure of the above — it came out at just about the point I realized that Marvel was screwing with the reprints and was trying to figure out why the HELL Hydra was in one story….

When I was doing stories and books for the Marvel novelizations a few years ago, one of the stories I pitched was “Hulk vs. Goom,” but it was not to be…

Since the story reprinted in CRAZY was inked by Wood, it shouldn't be too hard to find by referencing the various checklists. It was one of the later issues.

Good luck!

............. Pierce Askegren :: 22 December 2003

Pierce,

“The Creature in the Volcano” was reprinted in Crazy # 66 (Aug, 1980). As far as the Dr. Droom story goes, if its from AA # 6. “Dr. Droom defies the menace called…Krogg!”, this is the final Dr. Droom solo story, and it is pencilled and inked by Paul Reinman (signed on the splash page)

............. nick caputo :: 25 December 2003

NOTE: The final Droom story by Reinman was reprinted in Giant-Size Man-Thing #3.

............. Philip :: 05 February 2004

The Jack Kirby Checklist 1998 Final Edition (TwoMorrows, Blue Rose Press) says that “A Giant Walks the Earth” (Strange Tales #70) was reprinted in Uncanny Tales #7 (Dec. 74).

............. Neunder :: 11 February 2004

I wonder if you might also post the story “Prison 2000 AD” from World of Fantasy #16. Although reprinted in Strange Tales Annual #2, this issue must be as prohibitively expensive as the issue of its original appearance. Indeed, I see that you have already posted the other story reprinted in that Annual: “I Fly to the Stars” (Strange Worlds 3).

............. Neunder :: 11 February 2004

This site is incredible! Since I found it my work output has plummeted! I love this stuff. Brings back fond memories of haunting drug stores for these comics.

............. Chuck Dixon :: 20 February 2004

Great site! Any chance of a companion page for never-reprinted Ditko stories??

............. Joe S. Walker :: 21 February 2004

Some of these stories may have been reprinted in the UK. I'll check and see what I have.

............. Jim :: 08 March 2004

Being a Kirby fan from the first issues of the Fantastic Four I have to say is I want to see more. In Kirby's artwork, I can see elements of what became the Fantastic Four. Many have said that Challengers of the Unknown was another version of the beloved FF and I think it's true. If you look at some of the monsters he drew such as the Hulk, you can see why that dramtic name was attached to ol' green skin ..then at the time grey…

I would like to see Steve Ditko's unpublished monster stories too.

If this site is only for Kirby I can understand. However, the covers are fantastic. It gives us of what was to come with the superheros in Marvel's Silver age. I wasn't surprised to see elements barrowed from various stories to see what would become the Super Skrulls and Dr. Doom among many others. I wish there were a few sequels to some of these stories that would cross over to the sixties super hero universe at the time.

............. Robert :: 09 March 2004

This is truly great! I used to have a lot of the old marvel reprint mags that had kirby and ditko's work. I'd like to see more of the other reprints on this website if possible. They truly give me inspiration. I'm a bit of an artist myself and I haven't seen this much quality in the last ten years since Jack Kirby died. Is it possible to see the other works by him?

............. jesus muniz :: 08 April 2004

There must have been a large amount of Ditko stories that were never reprinted. Why not a Ditko Monster Blog?

............. Robert the Marvel Comics True Believer :: 18 April 2004

I noticed in the “Forbidden World” story ……..there are lots of tech and hardware that might have inspired the Fantastic Four gadgetry in the Baxter Building. Just look at the space craft that the astronauts are traveling in. All the measuring devices and hardware look like they could easily be in Reed Richard's lab!

............. Robert the Marvel Comics True Believer :: 18 April 2004

“Menace from Mars” although a little to simple in it's telling shows man can overcome any problem with intellegence. The space suits and gadgets were all there from the start. I can see where Kirby took variations of these designs and incorporated them into the Fantastic Four and many other comics.

............. Robert the Marvel comics true believer :: 21 April 2004

A fantastic site, again reminds me how great the pre-ff stories were. And why Jack is the king! Who else could take a character like the Scarecrow and make him look awesome? And his heroines were great! And like I said, his 'depiction panels' were perfect. Just one image, and you can see the person is meant to be fine…or slime.

............. c.papantoniou :: 06 June 2004

great site folks, keep it up. I would like to find the story where someone is wearing the Doctor Doom armor. But this is a real treat

............. John Benson :: 22 July 2004

more monsters please , scanning all the comics of jack kirby , and atualizing this site ok, thanks.

............. Altair A. de Moraes :: 02 August 2004

Tales of Suspense 34's The Forbidden World! was reprinted…in an issue of Star Wars Weekly in Britain. SWW#89 renames it the Forbidden Planet and airbrushes in the Watcher (Uatu) as a narrator.

The reprints in Star Wars Weekly with the Watcher airbrushed in include;

SWW 89
Forbidden Planet

SWW 93
My Other Face from Journey Into Mystery #54, September 1959

SWW 61
Thing From Planet X from Tales of Suspense#3, May 1959

SWW 48
Pildorr the Plunderer from Stange Tales#94, March 1962

SWW 72
Lost Planet!

SWW 82
The Wings of the Butterfly from Journey Into Mystery#79, April 1962

SWW 115
Miracle On Rrorgo!

Later issues have reprints titled “Tales of the Watcher”, but he does not appear as narrator.

............. John McDonagh :: 26 August 2004

Are there any more unseen Kirby Monster Comics? If Kirby's unpublished work is exasuted a new set with unpublished Ditko would at least keep this site current with new comics to read. I love reading the old stories a lot because they represent a point of view that is no longer in comics today. After Kirby left in 1969 everything that Marvel produced seemed to be inspired by or an offshoot of his creations. Look at any of the the later Marvel creations of the seventies. Could Kirby's Tiger 21 be what inspired Wolverine? Could
Nova, whose background was very much like another Peter Parker, be inspired by Kirby's New Gods Orion? Everything that was created in the seventies never had the impact Kirby had on the industry. I wonder if New Gods would have been different under Marvel's editorial standards? I often wonder what the Fantastic Four would have been like if Kirby was allowed to work on that book in 1975 and 76 instead of Captain America.

............. Robert: 60's Marvel Fan :: 10 September 2004

thanks for making me discover these treasures

............. philippe pinoli :: 17 May 2005

Thanks for these “lost” treasures. Gives you the idea of where Kirby got his greatness! After he added some superheroes to these monster stories, he changed the history of comics.

............. Mike Burleson :: 31 May 2005

What a treat it is to see the well seasoned Kirby before his increased workload. Some of the layouts are breathtaking in their construction. Although the superhero era that followed gave full stage to his imagination, the late '50s and early '60s work panel for panel have his cinematic scope at it's zenith.

............. wayne kappler :: 30 July 2005

Jack Kirby is one of my favorite comic book Artist.
As a lot of comic book artist do say that Jack Kirby is the KING.
I would not say no.
His work has made a lot of impact it my life as a comic book Artist.
I hope a lot of you feel the some as I do.

LONG LIVE THE KING

............. Lee Gracie :: 25 September 2005

I AM IN HOG HEAVEN. WHOA. NEVA SEEN THIS WORK BEFORE. WHAT A TREASURE. I STUDY JK'S STYLE, SO COOL TO SEE THE THINGS HE WAS USING EARLY IN HIS CAREER. PLUS IT'S MOSTLY NON-SUPERHERO STUFF…..REALLY FUN TO GO THROUGH THESES PAGES. GOOD SHOW!!!!!!!!

............. bill harvey :: 26 October 2005

I have loved the Kirby monsters since I first saw them those many years ago. Thank you for answering the questions I never asked.

............. Craig Russell :: 28 November 2005

i have loved kirby art from since i can remember,i used to draw in books some time back and would love to do so again,i live in england and have had no luck with getting in touch with kirby collection on there e.mail address.i would like to supply my own artwork for them to use for free.can anyone help..?

............. john britton :: 11 December 2005

Howdy! Monster Blog is still the number one place for Marvel Monster fans!
In order to make this little slice of heaven more complete, I would like to suggest the inclusion of cover scans of monster reprint comics from the singing Seventies! There were many wonderful new covers re-done by the late Gil Kane that are stunning to look at. It would be fun to be able to see covers of FEAR, WHERE MONSTERS DWELL, CREATURES ON THE LOOSE, etc.

............. Bill C. :: 22 January 2006

More Ditko,More Ditkp,MORE DITKO

............. daniel :: 22 April 2006

This kicks ass! I'm not sure that it's structly legal to post these due to copyrights and such—but it is a treat to see them nevertheless.

............. Erik Larsen :: 19 May 2006

Bob,You sound like the type of guy who read a lot of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND as a kid,but I have a question;You mentioned a lot of gory stories published around the same time as Marvels,more wholesome ''Giant-monster-morality-stories'';what would you be referring to? the Dell comics horror stories(being so well known for wholesome fare like Little Lulu,they did not correspond to the Comics Code,and hence John Stanley,who later wrote a book on horror movies,got away with a LOT of filthy stories,like ''The Monster of Dread-end-Street'' and bad adaptions of Universal movies)were pretty bad,or were you mentioning the magazines like Creepy and Eerie?a lot of talent went in those stories,but they were bad imitations of EC.'s stories in their earlier years,were those what you saw?,I'd like to know,since im a horror comics completist,but I do know bad taste when I see it,and Marvel,even in the 50's had a lot of stories with strong morals and monsters that were'nt always as evil as the humans(I nearly cried when I read ''Your Name is Frankenstein'',by Joe Maneely in Menace#7,and so too when I read ''Mister Morgans Monster'',inspite of the silly-looking aliens.).

............. TURRRRRRRRRRRRRD THE THING THAT COULD NOT DIE!!!!!!!!!! :: 03 February 2007

can you remove my previous comment, the one im responding to was removed,please.

............. TURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD THE THING THAT COULD NOT DIE!!!!!!!!!!!! :: 09 February 2007

[the following comment was left February 3, 2007, accidentally deleted, and now restored -ed.]
Hello,
Jack Kirby had a certain unique magic that was all his own. These monster stories are great. The Jack Kirby Dick Ayers team is great. I read the scarecrow story for the first time today and I loved it.
Please do keep up the good work with this page. These monster stories are not as bloody as some other comics. They are not overly violent. The lack of violence is good. The lack of needless blood
shed is good. These are good clean fun. These stories are not filth masquerading as fun; they are really fun. Best wishes for success in the new year.

............. Bob T. :: 09 February 2007

The fans are singing! Join the choir, oh Jubilant One.

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