The exhibition I curated, Comic Book Apocalypse: The Graphic World of Jack Kirby, closed over a month ago, and I still feel as if I’m waking from a dream. This show has been the most challenging, rewarding, and flat-out dizzying experience of my years at CSUN, taking me to new areas, teaching me new kinds of work, and bringing me into contact with wonderful new people. I’ve learned so much from it. To have shown Kirby artwork to a vast public, and had the pleasure of acting as docent and guide for so many folks — that’s an honor I never could have expected when I came to CSUN, and I’ll always be grateful for it. To me, Comic Book Apocalypse was a rare and wonderful example of taking scholarship public and making of it a genuine shared experience.
Attendance-wise, Comic Book Apocalypse was the biggest show in the history of the CSUN Galleries, drawing about 6000 visitors during its seven-week run. From the very first day (Aug. 24), when more than a hundred people showed up in the first two hours, to our opening reception (Aug. 29), which drew more than 600, to our panel discussion (Sept. 26), which also drew several hundred, to the last day (Oct. 10), i.e. the very last few hours of the show, which, incredibly, drew another 500 — this exhibition proved that many, many people want to see the work of Jack Kirby. I’m proud of those numbers, and dearly hope that further comic art exhibitions, both at CSUN and elsewhere, will be in my future. I’m planning on it.
(BTW, the exhibition catalog is now available for purchase through the CSUN Galleries’ online store. More to come about this!)
My work on Kirby has always been about thanks: my profound gratitude to Jack for boosting my imagination, for enriching the comics field and my life, and for the sheer generosity of his work. And this feels like the right time to express my thanks — many, many thanks — to the people and institutions who made this show possible, or enriched it, or helped spread the word:
The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, CSU Northridge:
Dan Hosken, Dean
Jay Kvapil, former Dean
Michael Ryan, Director of Development
The College of Humanities, CSU Northridge:
Elizabeth Say, Dean
Suren Seropian, Director of Development
Chhan Mech, Systems and Technology Coordinator
Teresa Morrison, Grants Officer
Judith Spiegel, Web Developer
CSUN Art Galleries:
Jim Sweeters, Gallery Director
Michelle Giacopuzzi, Exhibitions Coordinator
Jack Castellanos, Gallery Assistant
Janet Solval, Gallery Assistant
The entire Gallery team!
Ben Saunders, University of Oregon, catalog co-editor and curatorial consultant
The Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center (www.kirbymuseum.org)
Mark Evanier
The Rosalind Kirby Trust
Lisa Kirby
Paul S. Levine
Neal, Connie, and Jillian Kirby
CSUN Department of English:
Jackie Stallcup, Chair
Marjie Seagoe, Graduate Administrative Support Coordinator
All of my colleagues
CSUN Department of Art
University of Oregon Comics and Cartoon Studies Program
CSUN Office of Research and Sponsored Projects
Comics@CSUN
Louis Solis, graphic design and banner production
Geoff Grogan, banner design
Tom Kraft, iBook design; image acquisition and production
Our generous lenders:
Glen Brunswick
Carr D’Angelo, Earth-2 Comics
Jackie Estrada
David Folkman
Barry Ira Geller
Glen David Gold
Richard Howell
Tom Kraft
Erik Larsen
Jud Meyers, Blastoff Comics
Ethan Roberts, Ph.D.
Steve Roden
Dick Swan
Wally Wolodarsky
And our anonymous lenders
IDW Publishing
Scott Dunbier, catalog project manager
Randy Dahlk, catalog designer
David Althoff, Marvel Entertainment
Robert Boyd
Scott Bukatman
CSUN University Advancement
Mark Farquhar, CSU Northridge
Doug Harvey
Rand Hoppe
Neil Kendricks
Jay Kogan, DC Entertainment
Harry Mendryk
Aubry Mintz, CSU Long Beach
John Morrow
Paul Sager, Continental Comics
Diana Schutz
Tom Spurgeon
Robert St. Pierre, CSUN
Terry Wilson
Our catalog contributors:
Mark Badger
Scott Bukatman
Howard Chaykin
Brian Cremins
Ramzi Fawaz
Craig Fischer
Glen David Gold (again!)
Doug Harvey (again!)
Adam McGovern
Carla Speed McNeil
Andrei Molotiu
Dan Nadel
Adilifu Nama
Ann Nocenti
Tony Puryear
James Romberger
Ben Saunders (again!)
Diana Schutz (again!)
All the journalists who covered the show
All of the local comic shops that helped promote it
All of my friends who came to see it!
As always and above all, my family:
My mom and dad, Ella and Jerry Hatfield
My brother Scott and my sister-in-law Corine
My New England side of the family, for cheering us on
My kids, Nami and Nick
My wife and my rock, Michele, who knows the whole story better than anyone!
I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone. The list of people who made a difference is very, very long, and no words will be enough.
HAND OF FIRE 