Jack Kirby’s “The Fourth World” Omnibus

Name: Jack Kirby’s “The Fourth World” Omnibus
Written and drawn by: Jack Kirby
Page count: 1536
Book published in 2017
Reprint material
DC Comics
ISBN: 9 781401 274757
Cost 150 USA dollars
Reviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets
Jazma Online

The Omnibus was done in conjunction of Jack Kirby’s 100th birthday. The stories of The Fourth World were mostly published between 1970 and 1973. The stories are published in order that appeared on news stand. There is an Introduction by Mark Evanier and a Forward by Walter Simonson. Jack Kirby started with Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olson # 133 , October 1970. Jack right away brought back The Newsboy Legion from The Golden Age of comics. He then created Comic series “The Forever People”, “The New Gods”, and “Mister Miracle”. Jack created characters like Orion, Darkseid, The Guardian, Granny Goodness and world of Apokolips. Jack made things like The Mother Box which helped teleport person from one place to another in universe. The Mother Box could also detect danger by pinging sounds. The origin of Mother Box is given in one of the stories in Omnibus. The world of New Genesis was also key place home of The New Gods. The book is in full color. Imagination of stories is almost mythic. Many of stories happen in current time of 1970’s. It was captivating to read about Fourth World.

Jack Kirby always seemed to have his foot on the gas. He explored worlds full of imagination. Darkseid has been in many DC cartoons. The scope of stories In “The Fourth World” would take about 10 movies. It would be mythic like” The Lord of the Rings” movie saga. I think impossible to produce with special effects.

In the 1940’s he and his partner Joe Simon among other characters gave the world- Captain America, The Boy Commandos, The Newspaper Legion. He brought many Marvel comics to artistic vision in 1960’s. Fantastic Four, The Silver Surfer, The Incredible Hulk, The Uncanny X-Men, The Mighty Thor, Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, The Avengers, The Inhumans, the return of Captain America and many more.

The Omnibus took me almost month to read. The book weighed nearly 10 pounds. I really appreciated that published in exact order. I think would be more difficult to grasp if bought book in sections just of New Gods or The Forever People graphic novels. I think YA to adult reading level. The cost is very expensive. I would suggest looking around on internet for best price. I also would suggest other secret way to get book. Go to library and see if can get through inter library services. It is not like going to go up in price much as mostly reprint material. Jack Kirby was 53 in 1970. I imagine if he were alive today he would have loved to see wonderful way “The Fourth World” stories are reprinted. He did not have chance to finish story. I suppose very frustrating to Jack Kirby. I think some of my favorite stories were when worked on Jimmy Olson. I also liked seeing New Genesis and Apokolips. I was really spooked by characters from Apokolips.

I think though way too much material to give true review. I will say though that really appreciated chance to read Omnibus. Superman even appeared in Jimmy Olson issues. He might have appeared in other issues. Hard to keep track with so many pages.

According to Walter Simonson the Fourth world books are linked in a war in which the principal battleground is Earth, and in the character of Darkseid, Jack created both the personification of the war and the linchpin that binds the narrative together. Darkseid appears from time to time in each of the four titles, working in his own ends either in person or through agents. He is the great enemy, and his ambition created the war to begin with. It is his continuing quest for power that drives the war forward. I could spend days talking about all characters in each comic in Omnibus. I also would give away many spoilers. I would suggest Omnibus to give true insights by Jack Kirby into world of “The Fourth World”. Many of characters still exist in DC Universe.

The book concludes with Mother Box Files including profiles for many of characters like Beautiful Dreamer, Big Barda, Big Bear, Black Racer, Darkseid, Deep Six, DeSaad, Doctor Bedlam, Female Furies, Forager, Forever People, Funky Flashman, Glorious Godfrey, Granny Goodness, Highfather, Infinity Man, Kalibak, Lightray, Mantis, Mark Moonrider, Metron, Mister Miracle, Mother Box, New Genesis, New Gods, Orion, The Pursuer, Sterifan, Steppenwolf, Virman Vundabar, Vykin the Black are all profilled. Pretty amazing sample from Mother Box! There is also a page of concept art for The New Gods. There all also several pin up pages. My favorite was of Beautiful Dreamer versus Darkseid. I also liked two pin up drawing pages of Jack Kirby page for The Forever People # 4 and also page with his Fourth World characters which first appeared in The Hunger Gods graphic novel. The book concludes with 9 pages of reproduced original pencils from the Fourth World series.

The back cover states: The Epic for our times!

In the 1970’s, legendary creator Jack “The King” Kirby revolutionized the comic book medium with a sweeping multi-series saga that encompassed impossible new worlds, iconic new characters and sweeping new mythologies. He called it “The Fourth World” and its debut elicited unprecedented levels of excitement and anticipation from comic readers everywhere.

In honor of this extraordinary talent’s centennial, DC Comics is proud to present an all new edition of this towering achievement in graphic literature. THE FOURTH WORLD BY JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS collects for the first time in a single hard cover volume, Kirby’s complete chronicles from the pages of SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSON, THE NEW GODS, THE FOREVER PEOPLE and Mister Miracle as well as the climatic graphic novel THE HUNGER DOGS. This transformative tome also includes illuminating essays from acclaimed author (and former Kirby apprentice) Mark Evanier and celebrated comics talent (and avowed Kirby fan) Walter Simonson, as well as a special section of Kirby pencils, profiles, pinups and more.


Jack Kirby
Born August 28th, 1917.

Died February 6th, 1994

Allen Klingelhoets