How can such a beautiful cover fail so spectacularly?
Kirby: Genesis #1
Dynamite Entertainment (2011)
WRITER: Kurt Busiek ART DIRECTION/LAYOUTS: Alex Ross ART: Jack Herbert (primary) & Alex Ross (god-like aliens) COLORIST: Vinicius Andrade LETTERER: Simon Bowland STORY: Kurt Busiek & Alex Ross COVER ART BESIDES ROSS: Ryan Sook, Paul Renaud, Dale Keown CHARACTERS AND CONCEPTS: Jack Kirby
Some years have passed since the preview comic. Kirby and Bobbi are now in college when the arrival of the aliens coincide with the reveal of superhumans existing on Earth. Suddenly, Bobbi is drawn to a book that turns her into a superhuman as well, and under another force’s control.
What they got right: Kirby (guess who he’s named after) and Bobbi are interesting characters and I really want to know more about them. The artwork, whether by Ross or majority artist Jack Herbert are nothing short of incredible, with Vinicius’s Andrade’s colors rounding things out beautifully.
What they got wrong: Character overload. Everybody seemed to show up at once, all of Jack Kirby’s concepts are revealed at once (at least it felt like all of them) and it’s impossible to really focus on it all. They should have taken some time to reveal some stuff, have other stuff (like the Silver Star project) already public knowledge, and build up the universe, making it easier to care about any of it. Oh, and the variant covers not only require you to own multiple versions to see the full picture but to see the TITLE of the comic! Worst variant cover ever!
Recommendation: The strength of the people involved will only go so far but so far it looks like this could be an interesting comic universe. I’m excited for the project.
All of the appearing aliens and I go with the fourth-wall breaking joke. You will never understand me.
Tomorrow’s Comic> Young Justice #6
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- Today’s Comic> Kirby: Genesis #0 (bwmedia.wordpress.com)
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