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Stan, Jack, and Steve - The 1950's. (1958) The Path of History
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Started by Prince Namor,

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Prince Namor

Prince Namor

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ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1958

And Finally...

6 (SIX) issues into the Challengers of the Unknown series and the Flash finally gets HIS own series...

Story by John Broome, with art by Carmine Infantino. It features the first appearance of the Mirror Master (in the 2nd story). 

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Prince Namor

Prince Namor

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Kirby in December was in court against his DC Editor Jack Schiff. How'd this come about?

In simplest terms:

In January of 1958, one of the newspaper syndicates contacted Schiff about any talent he may have that could put together a daily strip about the New Space Race, which was all the rage of the day. 

Schiff was a pretty big deal at DC. He edited all the Mystery/Sci-Fi titles, Batman (who Schiff had talked DC into syndicating years earlier), and Tomahawk, and put together the public service announcements which appeared in every National comic published between 1950-67. He was the companies Comics Code liaison, and managing editor - coordinating production schedules, handing out writing and art assignments, as well as handling the freelancers for DC. 

After DC's Executive Vice President and General Manager of National, Jack Leibowitz told Schiff he could pursue it himself (DC had no interest in getting involved), Schiff met with both Dick and Dave Wood and Jack Kirby and coordinated a meeting with the Newspaper syndicate. After they met (minus Schiff), and agreed on what to do, they went back to Schiff and he stated under oath, "Dave Wood said that I would naturally be getting a percentage for arranging the deal. Kirby too said he was very grateful" and that Schiff would receive a cut." (5%)

This is where too many cooks...

First Kirby got into a dispute with the Wood brothers over HIS cut. He wanted more than the previously agreed upon 50% because he would have to pay the inker out of HIS percentage which would be 33%. When the Wood brothers declined, Kirby bowed out. A day later they finally agreed upon 60/40, and Kirby would pay the inker and pay for the lettering and other art expenses. And Schiff's part would be 4%. Schiff agreed.

Kirby thought it would be a one time payment, but Schiff wanted 4% for every payment.

In his deposition, Kirby felt he was being pressured into paying a kickback, and that his livelihood was on the line - though Schiff had put them together with the syndicate, THEY had put the deal together with the syndicate on their own and Schiff had no input regarding the development of the strip at all. But Kirby signed the agreement, that according to him was under duress: "...in that [Schiff] did threaten to withhold the purchasing of [Kirby's] cartoons unless he agreed to pay to [Schiff] a commission, putting [Kirby] in fear and apprehension for his livelihood." 

In court, Schiff denied it, showing that Kirby continued to do a regular amount of freelance work while the strip was being produced, and claimed that Kirby started to come to DC for less and less work. (He was going to Marvel).

Kirby testified that Schiff began to ask for 6% and then a sliding scale between 4 and 10%... and they never could finalize it. In Wood's attorneys office, Kirby offered a $500 one time buyout, Schiff refused, and it was set to go to court. 

In the end, the court ordered Kirby "to account for and pay to [Schiff] 4% of any and all proceeds" of the strip, and set up a "a verified account for the period from February 1, 1958 to date all the details of the proceeds", AND, to "execute and deliver to the [syndicate] instructions in writing" to pay Schiff 4% of all future proceeds. (He also had to pay for all court costs and Schiff's legal fees)

Sky Masters was up and running, and would continue from September 8th, 1958 until February 25, 1961. Jack would draw 774 daily strips and 53 Sunday pages, but Kirby made it clear he'd never do another. 

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Dr. Haydn

Dr. Haydn

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On 8/7/2022 at 2:20 PM, Prince Namor said:

 

 

ON NEWSSTANDS DECEMBER 1957

In December, I saw that Joe Maneely would do TWO stories for DC - he'd follow that up with 2 more in January of 1958, and FOUR for Charlton (!!!) in January of 1958. That's 8 stories in two months, coinciding with the Atlas Implosion. If there's ANY artist that Stan would've looked out for, you'd have thought it would be Joe Maneely. But Joe had to have seen the much higher page rate being paid at DC Comics, and the availability of work available elsewhere and figured Atlas wasn't on very solid ground. This might be another example of Goodman threatening to close the comics division down and Stan understanding his friend's need to make ends meet elsewhere. 

Whatever the reason, he sure delivered...

House of Mystery #71 (Bill Ely cover)

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You know Atlas has fallen on hard times when letterer extraordinaire Artie Simek is moonlighting for DC!

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M.10rda

M.10rda

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On 8/11/2022 at 2:52 PM, shadroch said:

 

Does anyone think Kirby's art and stories were better when he wasn't working with Stan?

 

Yep, it's me - I'm the guy. :blush:

My favorite Kirby comic (indeed, perhaps my favorite comic series of all time) is KAMANDI. Close behind would be THE DEMON, followed again closely by NEW GODS, Kirby's 70s run on CAP and 2001, and... SILVER STAR! I'm not ashamed and maybe I'll substantiate that claim at length someday. In short, I tend to subscribe to the idea that Kirby loosened up when he left Marvel the first time, found his voice, and delivered the strongest and wildest work of his career in the 70s. 

FTR I do rank his 60s work on THOR and TALES TO ASTONISH quite highly as well, not to mention later FFs... I'd say Kirby hit his stride on FF by #57 and delivered the best issues of that series until around #83, then maybe started to lose steam a bit. That 2+ year run completely smokes the first 50 issues imho. 

However, I admit that I've (historically) been familiar w/ Kirby's 40s work and his Silver Age Marvel work through 'til the end of his life. The 50s have been a major void in my knowledge until recently.

Prince Namor, I thank you for posting some truly magnificent pages from the 50s (and beyond) on this thread and others. Moreover, I credit you extensively for investing a herculean amount of effort, time, and care in this endeavor... and for providing rigorous citations! You could probably turn around and transform these threads into something publishable (and invaluable to scholarship). What you've already accomplished has been priceless.

I realize this is a dead thread and will likely repost many of these sentiments on one of your newer Kirby threads. In any case, from one history buff to another, thanks for your hard work and diligence. 

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