As the publication of Hand of Fire nears, I (Charles Hatfield) will be posting news, teasers, and reflections about Kirby here in the form of journal entries.
Please bookmark and revisit, and by all means feel free to post comments and questions about the book and the journal. I’ll be checking often!
HAND OF FIRE 
The cover isn’t by Kirby? I assume this was a money/rights issue. I’d prefer the flaming hand of the Source, but if it just wasn’t possible then a photograph of Kirby would have been the best choice. Maybe the picture of the young Kirby holding a camera in his bandaged hand.
Hi Charles,
Any chance I can get a preview copy so I can promote the book on Kirby Dynamics? 🙂
http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/dynamics/
Question: why didn’t you use a piece of Kirby art for the cover? Was it a copyright issue or an aesthetic choice?
Does the book include Kirby art, or is it all text?
Looking forward to reading this. I wish you much success with the project.
Take care,
Rob Steibel
http://www.robertsteibel.com/
Patrick and Robert, thank you both for your interest! Glad to see that you’ve stopped by.
Robert, I’d be happy to arrange a review copy for you. Let’s get in touch privately.
BTW, the book includes twenty-nine images. Eight are full-page color plates, while the remaining twenty-one are B&W figures of varying size (fourteen of them full pages).
Re: the cover, I love Geoff Grogan’s image, and I’m proud to have it! I commissioned it.
The Press and I discussed many options for the cover. There were legal constraints, of course. The decision to go with a new, original illustration rather than a photo of Kirby was my call. I’m digging the results!
Hi Charles,
Thanks for the reply. I’d love to check the book out and discuss it on Kirby Dynamcis so I’ll email you my snail-mail address.
I think the cover you have is great. Here’s something by Jack you also might have also used from Captain Victory:
http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/dynamics/2011/09/06/cosmic-kirby/
As a fan, I would have prefered a cover with a piece of Jack’s art on it, but I realize there are legal isuues to deal with, I agree that this cover is great, and to me the content of the book is what’s by far the most important thing anyway.
I can’t wait to read this and discuss it on Kirby Dynamics. Thanks for giving Jack the scholarly analysis he deserves. I think this will be an important book for Kirby fans and students of the comics medium.
Best of luck with the project,
Rob Steibel
http://www.robertsteibel.com/
Rob, I love that spread from Captain Victory, thanks! But I’m afraid I would not have been able to use it for the book, for the kind of reasons you’ve alluded to.
Thanks for your encouraging words. I look forward to getting you a copy!