Jack Kirby's House

[bronze johnny]

A couple of questions about the house where Jack Kirby lived and worked in:

 

- does his family still own it?

 

- Should it be designated a historical landmark?

 

Thanks,

 

John

[Sqeggs]

I seem to remember reading a thread about the house not too long ago. You may want to see if you can track it down.

 

With respect to your second point, my impression is that being designated a historical landmark often reduces the value of a house because it can place restrictions on what you can do with it. So, whoever owns the house now would probably resist the designation. In addition, although we love Kirby, I'm not sure he is well enough known in the general population for such a designation to gather sufficient support.

[bronze johnny]

Thanks- I'll see if I can find the thread.

 

Would be nice to turn into a museum dedicated to Kirby's life his artwork.

[Bronty]

In addition, although we love Kirby, I'm not sure he is well enough known in the general population for such a designation to gather sufficient support.

 

Oh I disagree. You don't frame it as being "jack kirby's house." If one does it that way then yeah you are right, nobody cares. But frame it as being the "house where all the classic marvel characters were drawn to life" - the artist's name being secondary to the general population - and its a whole different thing.

 

I believe shuster's house (?) is designated and I'm sure nobody can remember his name either. But Superman? People get that.

 

 

[AtlasFan]

Well, if the Christmas Story house can be turned into a showplace -- then why not Kibry's?

 

Of course, this would have to be done by a private investor or foundation. I think any community these days would be hard pressed to spend public monies to preserve a house where a "funny-book" artist lived...

[KirbyJack]

IIRC, the really cool thing about the house is the presence of his big, built-in drawing table.

Were I a monied man, I'd buy the place just to get that table.

If nothing else, save the table!

[bronze johnny]

Doe anyone know how many years he lived there?

[Killgrave]

IIRC, the really cool thing about the house is the presence of his big, built-in drawing table.

Were I a monied man, I'd buy the place just to get that table.

If nothing else, save the table!

 

 

Fantastic Four work in progress hanging.

[comicparadox]

Love the abalone shell ashtray in the photo. Different times then...

[VintageComics]

IIRC, the really cool thing about the house is the presence of his big, built-in drawing table.

Were I a monied man, I'd buy the place just to get that table.

If nothing else, save the table!

 

I've done quite a bit of research on both the house and the table and there is some discrepancy as to

 

a) which house it was because the town names have changed since then

b) if the table is still there

 

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

IIRC, the really cool thing about the house is the presence of his big, built-in drawing table.

Were I a monied man, I'd buy the place just to get that table.

If nothing else, save the table!

 

 

Fantastic Four work in progress hanging.

 

I'm quite sure that is not the house everyone is talking about. Kirby did move and there is a discrepency between his son's accounting of what and where Kirby drew and what some pictures show.

 

As I said, it's a bit of a mystery.

 

I've emailed Mark Evanier twice (who is supposedly quite the authority on Kirby) and I never heard back from him.

 

 

[spracknetch23]

Well, if the Christmas Story house can be turned into a showplace -- then why not Kibry's?

 

Of course, this would have to be done by a private investor or foundation. I think any community these days would be hard pressed to spend public monies to preserve a house where a "funny-book" artist lived...

 

That's exactly what happened with the Christmas Story house...private investor. It took them awhile to get on their feet but they're doing well now. This could actually prove to be a good investment if marketed correctly.

[vaillant]

I have been in Jack’s house in Thousand Oaks in the summer of 1991, and I think the place is the same of that picture posted. Of course he had a bigger, newer, drawing table in 1991, but I think that he no longer used them because of the worsening of his eyes' illness (of which I have become aware reading Evanier's biography).

 

I have a photo of Jack at the drawing table (not drawing, just pretending to), if you wish I can look for it. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me, so the few photos are professional photos done by a relative of mine which is a photographer and journalist (she lives in Los Angeles and she accompanied me), but they are just a few.

[vaillant]

BTW, the idea is good precisely because such a legend is not "well enough known in the general population" like Sqeggs says.

Everyone knows the characters, and often nowadays they know them for those uncaring movie adaptations, but most people are totally unaware of what they represent and of their quality.

[VintageComics]

I have been in Jack’s house in Thousand Oaks in the summer of 1991, and I think the place is the same of that picture posted. Of course he had a bigger, newer, drawing table in 1991, but I think that he no longer used them because of the worsening of his eyes' illness (of which I have become aware reading Evanier's biography).

 

I have a photo of Jack at the drawing table (not drawing, just pretending to), if you wish I can look for it. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me, so the few photos are professional photos done by a relative of mine which is a photographer and journalist (she lives in Los Angeles and she accompanied me), but they are just a few.

 

I think the residence where all the big stuff happened was his Long Island residence.

 

By the time he moved to the Thousand Oaks home his tenure at Marvel was near the end.

[vaillant]

Yes, of course. He did the Fourth World, Kamandi and Demon when he was in Thousand Oaks.

But I thought the question was on whether that place was the Thousand Oaks home: we should have various pictures to compare. Maybe the picture posted, since it’s old, is of the Long Island residence.

[VintageComics]

Again, tough to say.

 

While there was supposed to be a huge drawing table upstairs in the cellar of his long Island home, his son talks about Jack doing all of his drawing "down in the dungeon" in the basement, making it conflict with some accounts.

 

That table looks a lot like it's in a dungeon if you ask me.

[vaillant]

The Thousand Oaks table was a relatively modern table, from what I recall. I’ll see if I can dig out the photos…

That one, inversely, is definitely a "well loved table"…

Maybe the immortal FF classics has been drawn on that table…

[bronze johnny]

I looked and couldn't find any prior threads related to this topic. Does anyone know where I can find a photo of the Long Island house?

Thanks,

John

[vaillant]

I looked and couldn't find any prior threads related to this topic. Does anyone know where I can find a photo of the Long Island house?

Thanks,

John

 

No, sorry, but you made me move and I did a quick scan of the two pictures I have of the studio. August 1991, slightly before Jack’s 74th birthday.

The table looks older than I recalled, but can’t be the same. The wall structure seems similar to the photo posted, however.