Monday, September 30, 2019

Panels From an Unknown Jack Kirby Story






Circa late '70s/early '80s. Published in The Jack Kirby Collector No. 77, out now.

Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 8: Life and Death Battles


One of Naruto's greatest strengths is the way creator Masashi Kishimoto takes his time telling a story. After four volumes, our heroes are still struggling to survive the Chûnin Exams. Before beginning the third level, the number of participants must be whittled down, necessitating one-on-one combat, possibly to the death. Meanwhile, shinobi Kakashi Hatake attempts to heal Sasuke and suppress his curse when the malevolent Orochimaru shows up. I like how the Naruto series makes clear that the students' teachers and authority figures must also deal with threats and danger. No one is immune from contact with evil.