As a self-confessed comics elitist I've must admit when I turned my back on "childish" American superhero comics in favour of the more "sophistiated" European cartoonists Jack Kirby symbolised to me all that I had left behind. I mean, what... was the big deal about Kirby? So, I recently bought the coffee table "Kirby - King of Comics" by mark Evanier recently ($12.99 cheap, remaindered at Chapters) to educate myself. I was certainly impressed by Jack Kirbys hard work, creativity and most of all of the sheer power of his artwork. The wonderful, even goofy, exuberance of his art and stories whre it didn't matter much in the perspective or anatomy was off or the inking poor. I think Kirby had more of an impact on me than I might be aware of, when I think back to the comics I read as a kid it is his art that comes to mind. I think I saw him across the room at a San Diego con I was at in the ninties, but that might my mind playing tricks...