Jack Kirby

Biography

Jack Kirby was an American comic book artist, writer, and editor, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the comic book medium. Born in New York City into a poor family, he developed his artistic skills by tracing characters from comic strips and editorial cartoons. Kirby entered the comic industry in the 1930s, creating various comic features under multiple pen names. He earned significant recognition later in his career, being dubbed "the William Blake of comics," and was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1987 as one of its inaugural members. Kirby was married to Rosalind "Roz" Goldstein in 1942, and they had four children together. He passed away from heart failure in 1994 at the age of 76. In his honor, the Jack Kirby Awards and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame were established to celebrate his contributions to the field.