New Gods

Even if you've barely read comics, there's a good chance you've heard of Jack Kirby. I've been reading DC comics for years, but I somehow never managed to go back and read this run of New Gods. Boy am I glad I did.This is an epic story that's truly imaginative in the purest sense of the word. There are twists and turns in the plot, and fascinating details and history of the worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips, but the real impressive work is in the characters and their relationships with one another--these mythical figures from advanced civilizations that are instantly familiar but unique enough to hold your interest.One big caveat for newer readers though. It seems obvious, but because this was written in the 70s~ the storytelling is very...of the time. So that means a lot of silliness that might be a little self aware but is still played pretty seriously. Smoke capsules in car tailpipes. Goofy human characters as reader surrogates who say things like, "But I'm Victor Lanza! An insurance executive! A family man! My wife makes me carry an umbrella in case it rains!"Even the main character, Orion, is supposed to be a conflicted, brooding hero trying to overcome his violent nature, but I kept cracking up at how over-the-top and brutish he was (yes, I understand some of that is purposeful, but boy is it extreme), to the point where most characters, even his friends, are like "Wow, you're really brutal and kind of a d*ck, maybe take it easy?"But that's all part and parcel with the kind of comic and story this is, and you just have to go along with the ride. This whole undertaking is truly a feat when you consider it all came from the mind of one man. If you're a DC comics reader, or even just a little bit curious, I really recommend reading this at least once. There's not a lot else out there that's quite like it. And on that note, I leave you with an image of a couple of awkward panels that had me laughing out loud for a good minute.**P.S., I've read a lot of later stories like Final Crisis, Mister Miracle etc., and I always kind of thought to myself, wow some of these New Gods are real jerks! Now that I've finally read the original story, I can confirm that they were all at least a little bit jerkish from the get-go(particularly Metron)! But that doesn't make them, or their worlds, any less fascinating.

This compilation is of great quality, it brought back many memories of my childhood.

This is the best of the Jack Kirby-created series that I have read. The first year is superb - well told stories that flow well. The last part is rushed and jumps around. It seems Kirby had a much longer story in mind, and was forced to end it a year or more earlier than he expected. The last few comics are jilted and largely summarized in narration, unfortunately. Still, the New Gods stories, ironically, rely very little Deus Ex Machina, as most of Kirby's other stories do, so they are much more enjoyable to read. As always, the art is good.

Really glad that they released these new collections of Kirby's DC work. This in particular has been my favorite so far! The book itself is really good quality. The paper is really sturdy, so you don't have to worry about accidental rips or tears. The cover is a really cool "black light poster pink" that will stand out in any comic collection.The story follows Orion: A New God on a mission to stop Darkseid's plans to acquire the Anti-Life Equation. Orion battles cosmic foes in epic battles to maintain peace through the universe, and all done in Kirby's larger-than-life art! The only issue I have with the series is that it's kinda slow to start. You have to get to "The Glory Boat" for things to start really picking up. This collection also includes the issue "Even Gods Must Die!" and the graphic novel "The Hunger Dogs". Both lead to the definitive ending for Jack Kirby's Fourth World Saga. Overall, it's an amazing book for any Kirby fan or general comic book fan. The story can be a little wonky at times, but the art makes up for those minor dips in pacing. 10/10 would recommend!

Knowing next to nothing about Kirby's New Gods, I toyed with the idea of splurging on the Omnibus, but settled on this. I'm glad I didn't go all out. I enjoyed it to a point, but while Kirby's skills as an artist and a plotter are great, his skill as an editor and finisher are not. It's too bad he and Stan Lee had the falling out. It seems that both did their best work when collaborating.The "soaring epic" storyline is only skin deep. Biblical titles and plot elements create an illusion of gravitas, but as you go through it it.quickly becomes an episodic "super hero" story. Since the "gods" can die, and since obviously the "gods" are.subject to the sovereignty of the "Source," and their planets can die too, they are little more than "powerful humans" in the mold of any other comic book metahuman. So, what is meant by "gods" in the first place? Sounds like hubris.Even the names of the planets, "New Genesis" and "Apokolips," are misnomers. The Greek word "apocalypse" translates to "revelation," not destruction or hell. They are more metaphors for DC and Marvel Comics, with Orion (and Mr. Miracle) as stand ins for Kirby's persona (one the war vet, one the artist) than a true "epic story." So, for me, it was a muscle car with no engine. I'm glad I bought it, because it satisfied my curiosity. And the artwork is terrific.

Not as smooth as Marvel, but he’s definitely got his sites set high here. If you think Jack Kirby is great, than this stuff is great.

This volume collects the whole original New Gods run, as well as the Hunger Dogs one shot, another great part of this is the Who's who files on specific characters that were in the original New Gods run. My brother is a fan of Kirby's work and he created a legend that endures to this day, from the ruler of apokalips Darkseid to the benevolent High Father ruler of New Genesis, this in my brother's opinion proves why Jack is the one of the best talents that were in comics industry and his legacy continues to this very day. He hopes old and new fans enjoy this volume of the original New Gods run.

An cosmic epic of storytelling all from the Auteur vision Jack Kirby.

Sure the dialogue is a bit clunky, but the art, the art.🤯

Quando deixou a Marvel, no início dos anos 70, e se transferiu para a DC (no que seria uma volta, afinal, porque ele já havia trabalhado na Distinta Concorrência anos antes, desenhando o Arqueiro Verde, os Desafiadores do Desconhecido e dezenas de revistas de terror e ficção-científica), Jack Kirby teve carta branca dos editores para fazer o que lhe desse na telha. E o "The King" não fez por menos: criou todo um Universo, que chamou de Quarto Mundo, onde os Novos Deuses (New Gods) tem destaque incontestável.Kirby escreveu e desenhou, quase que simultaneamente, "Superman Pal's Jimmy Olsen", "The Forever People", "Mister Miracle", "Demon" e este "New Gods", cujas onze edições estão aqui reunidas, enriquecidas por dois epílogos, todos de autoria de Kirby, publicados anos depois: "Even Gods Must Die!" e "Hunger Dogs".A explosão de criatividade de Kirby dá à luz personagens e conceitos que fazem parte crucial do Universo DC até hoje, inclusive no Cinema: Darkseid, Orion, Big Barda, Mister Miracle, Steppenwolf, Apokolips, Parademons, Anti-Life Equation, Mother Boxes, Boom Tubes - e por aí vai.Ao folhear as páginas da caprichada edição, percebe-se que Kirby se sentia em casa naquele momento, muito à vontade para fazer sua imaginação e seu traço inconfundível deixarem para sempre uma marca, perene e personalíssima, no Universo DC.

Cuando Kirby se fue a DC para demostrar que su genio era uno de los pilares referentes del Comic, creo estas joyas.

Kirby's brilliant imagination built a world that helps sell the idea that superheroes are they great modern myths as the forces of New Genesis and Apokalypse clash on the streets of Earth.And like the myths old normal humans become dragged into the conflict criminals armed with advanced weaponry, the police actively involved in this conflict that has landed on their streets, to Orion's four helpers.Sadly the book was cancelled and Kirby obviously had some long term plans for his Fourth World saga that he never really got the chance to flesh out though the graphic novel Hunger dogs provides an ending its obviously not the one he had originally intended.