Art Day - Kirby Sky Masters 0

[rsonenthal]

Sky Masters was simply lightning in a bottle. The strip was written by two brothers, Dave and Richard Wood (they are the "Wood" of Kirby and Wood credited on the strip) and penciled by Jack Kirby with inks initially by the amazing Wally Wood. The comic strip was a "quasi-realistic" space adventure that was a little before it's time.

The space race was just beginning and Sky Masters was gone before the Russians got Yuri Gagarin into orbit. Although promising at the start, Kirby had agreed to pay a portion of his royalties to someone else. He tried to fight that arrangement, but lost in court. Shortly before that decision, Wally left, presumably for more money. Kirby inked himself for a while, and then had Richard Ayers take over the inking chores. But, by then his heart wasn't in the strip and by February of 1961 it was over.

I suppose we should be happy about that because if it was successful, Kirby would have had no reason to find himself back in comics to help start the Marvel Universe.

Still, when they were cooking, they were cooking. This is a one panel strip from very early in the run. As a friend told me, there are other Sky Masters out there, but none better.

The link:  https://cafurl.com?i=29640

As always, feel free to look around.

Ron

 

[gumbydarnit]

Now that is an incredibly creative and powerful strip, I would be hard pressed to think of a Sky Masters that I would like more than this beauty!  Congratulations on a great art day.

[Brian Peck]

Fantastic!!!! 
I love the strip, I was lucky enough to acquire three consecutive strips which I love but yours is the best single Sky Masters strip.

[grapeape]

On 11/2/2023 at 2:50 PM, rsonenthal said:

Sky Masters was simply lightning in a bottle. The strip was written by two brothers, Dave and Richard Wood (they are the "Wood" of Kirby and Wood credited on the strip) and penciled by Jack Kirby with inks initially by the amazing Wally Wood. The comic strip was a "quasi-realistic" space adventure that was a little before it's time.

The space race was just beginning and Sky Masters was gone before the Russians got Yuri Gagarin into orbit. Although promising at the start, Kirby had agreed to pay a portion of his royalties to someone else. He tried to fight that arrangement, but lost in court. Shortly before that decision, Wally left, presumably for more money. Kirby inked himself for a while, and then had Richard Ayers take over the inking chores. But, by then his heart wasn't in the strip and by February of 1961 it was over.

I suppose we should be happy about that because if it was successful, Kirby would have had no reason to find himself back in comics to help start the Marvel Universe.

Still, when they were cooking, they were cooking. This is a one panel strip from very early in the run. As a friend told me, there are other Sky Masters out there, but none better.

The link:  https://cafurl.com?i=29640

As always, feel free to look around.

Ron

 

Brilliant example, the G O A T of Sky Masters strips. Has it all. So glad you brought this here to remind us how incredibly important these strips were (are). 

[The Voord]

On 11/2/2023 at 9:50 PM, rsonenthal said:

Sky Masters was simply lightning in a bottle. The strip was written by two brothers, Dave and Richard Wood (they are the "Wood" of Kirby and Wood credited on the strip) and penciled by Jack Kirby with inks initially by the amazing Wally Wood. The comic strip was a "quasi-realistic" space adventure that was a little before it's time.

The space race was just beginning and Sky Masters was gone before the Russians got Yuri Gagarin into orbit. Although promising at the start, Kirby had agreed to pay a portion of his royalties to someone else. He tried to fight that arrangement, but lost in court. Shortly before that decision, Wally left, presumably for more money. Kirby inked himself for a while, and then had Richard Ayers take over the inking chores. But, by then his heart wasn't in the strip and by February of 1961 it was over.

I suppose we should be happy about that because if it was successful, Kirby would have had no reason to find himself back in comics to help start the Marvel Universe.

Still, when they were cooking, they were cooking. This is a one panel strip from very early in the run. As a friend told me, there are other Sky Masters out there, but none better.

The link:  https://cafurl.com?i=29640

As always, feel free to look around.

Ron

 

It's a wonderful example, you must be feeling incredibly pleased to land such a beauty!  Single panel dailies are always extra special, possibly the equivalent of a splash page in comic-book art.  I own several single-panel Jeff Hawke dailies, so know such things are (usually) extra special to us as collectors!  Dream team of Kirby and (Wally) Wood . . . and you make an interesting observation about how the Marvel Universe might have been impacted had Sky Masters continued as a long-running newpaper strip . . . Congrats, Ron!

[gumbydarnit]

Anyone else see a foreshadowing of Dr Doom in the last mechanical face? 
 

perhaps it influenced Darth Vaders mask as well?

[The Voord]

On 11/3/2023 at 4:53 PM, gumbydarnit said:

Anyone else see a foreshadowing of Dr Doom in the last mechanical face? 
 

perhaps it influenced Darth Vaders mask as well?

Yes, I was thinking Dr Doom myself, lol!

Hopefully, Ron will never re-release these to the Brothers D . . . I can see 'Dr Doom prototype art' pumping-up the asking price to insane levels . . . 

Edited November 4, 2023 by The Voord

[gumbydarnit]

On 11/4/2023 at 6:36 AM, The Voord said:

Yes, I was thinking Dr Doom myself, lol!

Hopefully, Ron will never re-release these to the Brothers D . . . I can see 'Dr Doom prototype art' pumping-up the asking price to insane levels . . . 

If that were to happen, you know there would also be new Dr Doom trade dress added to further enhance this unearthed alternate Dr Doom #1 cover ; ) 

[The Voord]

On 11/4/2023 at 11:36 AM, gumbydarnit said:

If that were to happen, you know there would also be new Dr Doom trade dress added to further enhance this unearthed alternate Dr Doom #1 cover ; ) 

Wraparound cover . . . ;)

[adamstrange]

On 11/3/2023 at 12:53 PM, gumbydarnit said:

perhaps it influenced Darth Vaders mask as well?

Extremely unlikely.  Vader's helmet was based Japanese helmets from the Waring States period (depicted in Jidaigeki films of Akira Kurosawa).

[drdroom]

On 11/4/2023 at 6:26 PM, adamstrange said:

Extremely unlikely.  Vader's helmet was based Japanese helmets from the Waring States period (depicted in Jidaigeki films of Akira Kurosawa).

There can be more than one influence. We can be pretty sure that Lucas knew (& ransacked!) Kirby's Fourth World material, so knowing Doom is not a stretch. Who was the costume designer?

[adamstrange]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:16 PM, drdroom said:

There can be more than one influence. We can be pretty sure that Lucas knew (& ransacked!) Kirby's Fourth World material, so knowing Doom is not a stretch. Who was the costume designer?

Lucas has expressed multiple times the influence of Kurosawa on Star Wars to the point that the basic plot for the movie was taken from Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress".  The costume for Han Solo was based on Al Williamson's EC sci fi art.  I have not heard him or anyone else involved mention Kirby's Skymasters strip as an influence.

A google search for images of "Japanese armor helmet" will show a multitude of examples that were the inspiration for the shaping of the helmet.

The strip we are discussing is spectacular, and kudos to the new owner regardless of its influence or lack of influence on mass media.

[drdroom]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:13 PM, adamstrange said:

Lucas has expressed multiple times the influence of Kurosawa on Star Wars to the point that the basic plot for the movie was taken from Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress".  The costume for Han Solo was based on Al Williamson's EC sci fi art.  I have not heard him or anyone else involved mention Kirby's Skymasters strip as an influence.

A google search for images of "Japanese armor helmet" will show a multitude of examples that were the inspiration for the shaping of the helmet.

The strip we are discussing is spectacular, and kudos to the new owner regardless of its influence or lack of influence on mass media.

No one is suggesting the Sky Masters strip as an influence! The Doom connection would be in two areas: not the Japanese helmet shape, but the robotic face covering; and more importantly the persona of the scarred, face-concealing noble villain with mystical training. Lucas never acknowledged Kirby at all, despite the overwhelming similarities to the Fourth World. I could speculate on the psychology of this, but I'll just note that it's not unknown for artists to underplay their nearest influences.

[gunsmokin]

Sky masters Portuguese comic that I purchased on EBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276055565001 

Edited December 17, 2023 by gunsmokin