{"id":34394,"date":"2025-12-01T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T09:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=34394"},"modified":"2025-11-30T17:19:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T17:19:12","slug":"the-forever-people-by-jack-kirby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/12\/01\/the-forever-people-by-jack-kirby\/","title":{"rendered":"The Forever People by Jack Kirby"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" \"\"
\nBy Jack Kirby<\/strong>, Vince Colletta<\/strong>, Don Heck<\/strong>, Mike Royer<\/strong>, Murphy Anderson<\/strong>, Al Plastino<\/strong> & various (DC Comics)
\nISBN: 978-1-77950-230-8 (TPB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n

Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Monumental Masterpieces… 9\/10 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Today in 1970 American comic books changed forever. On December 1st<\/sup> newsstands saw Superman <\/strong>meet the counterculture head on courtesy of Jack Kirby<\/em> in a <\/em>title like no other ever before. Moreover it was only one crucial component part of a bold experiment that quite honestly failed, but still undid and remade everything. It was Forever People<\/strong> #1…<\/em><\/p>\n

When Jack Kirby returned to the home of Superman<\/strong> in 1970 he brought with him one of the most powerful concepts in comic book history. The epic grandeur of his Fourth World<\/strong> saga grafted a complete new mythology onto and over the existing DC universe and blew the developing minds of a generation of readers. If only there had been a few more of them…<\/p>\n

Starting in Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong>, where he revived his 1940s kid-team The Newsboy Legion<\/strong>, introduced large-scale cloning in the form of The Project<\/em> and hinted that the city\u2019s gangsters had extraterrestrial connections, Kirby moved on to a main course beginning with The<\/strong> Forever People<\/strong>, intersecting where appropriate with New Gods<\/strong> and Mister Miracle<\/strong> to form an interlinked triptych of finite-length titles that together presented an epic mosaic. Those three groundbreaking titles collectively introduced rival races of gods, dark and light, risen from the ashes of a previous Armageddon to battle forever… and then their conflict spreads to Earth…<\/p>\n

Kirby\u2019s concepts, as always, fired and inspired contemporaries and successors. Gods of Apokolips & New Genesis became a crucial keystone of DC continuity and integral foundation of that entire fictional universe, surviving the numerous revisions and retcons which periodically bedevil long-lived comics fans. Many major talents dabbled with the concept over decades and a host of titles have come and gone starring Kirby\u2019s creations. That\u2019s happening now even as I type this…<\/p>\n

As previously stated, the herald of all this innovation had been Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong>, which Kirby had used to lay groundwork since taking it over with #133. There readers first met Darkseid<\/strong>, Intergang<\/em>, The Evil Project <\/em>and so much more, but it was also used as an emotional setup for a fascinating notion that had seldom if ever previously troubled the mighty, generally satisfied and well situated Man of Tomorrow…<\/p>\n

The Forever People<\/strong> #1\u2019s \u2018In Search of a Dream!\u2019<\/em> saw Kirby & contractually assigned inker Vince Colletta open with a spectacular and contemporarily astute UFO sighting.<\/p>\n

Despite a promise of complete autonomy, the King had surrendered much to get his dream rolling. Crushing deadlines and ridiculous expected monthly page counts were one thing, but his choice of inkers was vetoed, and he had to compromise and accept insulting art edits drawn by regular Superman artists perennially pasted onto Superman\u2019s trademarked face to present something DC demanded. Nevertheless, the work was everything and wonders unfolded when friends of Jimmy Olsen witnessed the arrival of a quartet of weird wild kids on the strangest bike on – or off – Earth. Because they took pictures, Clark Kent<\/em>\u2019s life changed forever.<\/p>\n

He had just completed a bruising interview that made him question his role and purpose on Earth when Jimmsys snapshots of those weird kids offered Superman a glimpse of a place where he could be one guy among equals…<\/p>\n

Curiosity and a painful need to find those newcomers drove the Man of Steel to find them, and brought him into first known contact with the absolute embodiment of intellectual and philosophical totalitarianism…<\/p>\n

Darkseid was infiltrating our world, quietly seeking a unique mind concealing a metaphysical ultimate weapon. The \u201cAnti-Life Equation\u201d was the instant, irresistible negation of choice and free will and with it the right despot would command all that lives. Darkseid\u2019s obsessive search for it had led him to Earth and now he had kidnapped a psychic youngster from a world called New Genesis. Her name was Beautiful Dreamer<\/em>…<\/p>\n

All this Superman learned later, after being ambushed by Intergang and saved by her friends Big Bear<\/em>, Vykin the Black<\/em>, Serifan<\/em> and Mark Moonrider<\/em>. They were all from that promised land Superman had glimpsed but had abandoned Eden to \u201cget involved\u201d helping their friend and Earth. They called themselves Forever People…<\/p>\n

Apparently benevolent, curious kids open to new experiences and welcoming the myriad choices the future holds, they were also trained to handle trouble. When Darkseid\u2019s forces counterattacked and took out Superman they revealed one final trick, combining into an unbeatable enigmatic being called Infinity Man<\/em>…<\/p>\n

When Darkseid ceded the day, he left a booby trap only Superman could tackle and in return the kids let him travel to Supertown<\/em> on their fabled paradise planet New Genesis. However, they stressed that any decent right-thinking person\u2019s place was here, fighting evil by facing Darkseid. For the briefest moment, need overwhelmed duty before, inevitably, the Man of Tomorrow turned back and took up the new never-ending battle…
\n\"\"
\nExuberantly enjoying their dalliance with a primitive culture, the reunited quintet joyously interact with toiling humanity, finding shelter in a mostly deserted slum with disabled kid Donnie<\/em> and his aging Uncle Willie<\/em>. The odd youngster\u2019s urge to learn is sadly curtailed when Darkseid steps up his hunt for the equation. His reasoning says abject terror might shake loose the formula from whoever is afflicted with it, and to that effect he orders bug-like behemoth Mantis<\/em> to declare shattering \u2018Super War!\u2019<\/em> on humanity.<\/p>\n

Arguably marginally less powerful than the Master of Apokolips, Mantis can only be countered by Infinity Man, and the Forever People happily ask mystic computer Mother Box<\/em> to perform the ritual that will call him and subtract them from existence…<\/p>\n

After exploring isolation versus community, introducing outside negation of free will and the concept of terror as addictive sustenance (vile deputy DeSaad<\/em> feasts on fear and torture), FP <\/strong>#3 tackle\u2019s head-on the series\u2019 core concepts.<\/p>\n

\u2018Life vs. Anti-Life!\u2019<\/em> explores conformity, personal freedoms, informed choices, organised bigotry and the tyranny of psychological and physical fascism as the wonder kids are tracked down by Justifiers<\/em>: human zealots who have willingly surrendered individual autonomy to what appears to be a televangelist telling them what they want to hear. Defeat doubt by surrendering to Anti-Life. It is Good to kill those who are better or weaker than you…<\/p>\n

Equipped with terrifying Apokolips weapons, Justifiers burn libraries, attack minorities and even drive the kids out of their tatty home and onto the attack, infiltrating Apokoliptian infiltrator\/demagogue Glorious Godfrey<\/em>\u2019s appalling recruitment rally. Shockingly, when Infinity Man faces Darkseid, the devil defeats the mysterious angel and the traumatised kids are captured…
\n\"\"
\nForever People <\/strong>#4, horrifically subverts the American dream as fun theme park Happyland is revealed as \u2018The Kingdom of the Damned\u2019<\/em>: a sprawling factory built to mass-produce terror by exploiting whimsy and fantasy. Here DeSaad torments countless human victims while others innocently observe nothing but toys and robots dancing and playing for their pleasure. To this set-up the captured waifs of New Genesis are added and DeSaad feeds, but they have all underestimated the power of Mother Box who seeks aid and finds it in the form of zen wrestler \u2018Sonny Sumo\u2019<\/em>…<\/p>\n

With the living computer boosting his remarkable gifts, the pacifist warrior executes a one-man rescue that demonstrates the true horror of the Anti-Life Equation: a battle so fast and furious that even Darkseid is panicked and overreacts…<\/p>\n

At this juncture DC comic books expanded to 52 pages and as well as reprints, Kirby\u2019s Korner ran short background vignettes. The lost history of the previous war of pantheons was filled in as here when \u2018The Young Gods of Supertown Introducing Lonar\u2019<\/em> finds a wandering historian picking through cosmic rubble on New Genesis and uncovering a living, breathing remnant of that cataclysmic conflict<\/p>\n

Cover-dated January 1971 FP<\/strong> #6 was inked by Mike Royer and revealed how the Master of Apokolips resorts to his personal ultimate weapon \u2018The Omega Effect!!\u2019<\/em>: scattering Sumo and the triumphant New Genesisians throughout key moments of Earth\u2019s history. All but sensitive Serifan who retreats bereft and shellshocked to their sentient Super-Cycle<\/em> and a final brutal battle with Godfrey\u2019s Justifiers…<\/p>\n

Inked by Colletta, back-up The Young Gods of Supertown\u2019 <\/em>also focuses on the kid with cosmic cartridges as a sneaky \u2018Raid from Apokolips\u2019<\/em> ruins his and Big Bear\u2019s meditation moment and makes them unpardonably rude in response…<\/p>\n

Time travel travails are sorted in concluding episode \u2018I\u2019ll Find You in Yesterday!!\u2019 <\/em>as on New Genesis, Supreme Leader Highfather<\/em> puts everyone back where they belong by use of almighty Alpha Bullets, and the kids find out how destiny dealt with their saviour Sonny Sumo. That\u2019s bookended by \u2018Lonar of New Genesis and his Battle-Horse Thunderer!!!\u2019<\/em> as the survivor of the first fall meets current war god Orion<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Everything Darkseid ransacks humanity\u2019s subconscious for is found in #8 as manipulative human parasite Billion-Dollar Bates<\/em> reveals he has \u2018The Power!\u2019 <\/em>of the Anti-Life Equation. Every vice readily embraced, he thinks he\u2019s evil incarnate until the Apokolips crowd show up, but Darkseid\u2019s joy turns to ashes as the Forever People rush in and fate takes a hand that even gods cannot turn aside…
\n\"\"
\nThe Fourth World was a huge risk and massive gamble for an industry and company that was a watchword for conservatism. It was probably incredibly tough for editors and publishers to stop themselves interfering, and they often didn\u2019t. With numbers low, spooky stories proliferating everywhere and popular wisdom saying character crossovers boosted sales, Kirby eventually caved to pressure and agreed to host another creator\u2019s star in his epic. Thus Forever People<\/strong> #9 hosted (failed) horror hero Boston Brand<\/em>, AKA Deadman<\/a><\/strong> who was made marginally manifest by a seance and another Cosmic Cartridge. The vengeance hunter accepted an artificial body to pursue the man who killed him in an intriguing, action-packed but ultimately ridiculous aside that began by introducing a \u2018Monster in the Morgue!\u2019<\/em> It rampaged through town before tech bandits \u2018The Scavengers\u2019<\/em> sought to steal Brand\u2019s new \u201cmobile home\u201d, and drew the wrath of ghost and teen godlings. The yarn actually ended with a plug for Kirby\u2019s forthcoming series The Demon<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

After that peculiar and extremely wearisome divertissement the war came for the interstellar innocents with \u2018Devilance the Pursuer\u2019<\/em>. It was the last issue and at least the King had time enough to prepare a narrative pause if not proper conclusion. Simply put, Darkseid\u2019s top killer is despatched to end the pesky brats and is unstoppable. Chased across Earth they appear doomed until the long missing Infinity Man is contacted, returning for one last hurrah that sees the Forever People vanished from the world and human ken…
\n\"\"
\nAnd that was that. This title and New Gods were axed although Mister Miracle continued on with a definite change of emphasis until time and tastes brought sequels and, at long last, Kirby\u2019s return to craft a proper ending… of sorts.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s a tale for another day…<\/p>\n

This handy compendium also offers bonus material including \u2018Mother Box Files\u2019<\/em> re-presenting dozens of pertinent Kirby characters as revisited by himself and others in various editions of the DC Who\u2019s Who <\/strong>fact files. Here a group treatment of The Forever People<\/em> augments solo entries for Beautiful Dreamer<\/em>, Big Bear<\/em>, DeSaad<\/em>, Infinity Man<\/em>, Mantis<\/em>, Mark Moonrider<\/em> and The Pursuer<\/em> by Kirby & Greg Theakston; with Glorious Godfrey<\/em> inked by Bob Smith, Serifan<\/em> inked by Gary Martin and Vykin the Black<\/em> inked by Karl Kesel. Augmenting them are Kirby pin-ups from the original run: the four guys in \u2018The Forever People\u2019<\/em>, \u2018Beautiful Dreamer versus Darkseid\u2019<\/em> and \u2018The Infinity Man\u2019<\/em> plus a self-portrait of the King, all from FP<\/strong> #4 and inked by Colletta.<\/p>\n

We close with a selection of stunning pencilled pages in \u2018The Art of Jack Kirby\u2019<\/em>, what more do you need to know?
\n\u00a9 1970, 1971, 1972, 2020 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n

Lucky Luke<\/strong> creator Morris<\/strong> was born today in 1923, and in 1945 Shazam\/Captain Marvel<\/strong> spinoff Hoppy the Marvel Bunny<\/strong> debuted in Funny Animals Comics<\/em> #1. Five years later cartoonist Gary Panter<\/strong> was born. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s no connection but just in case why not see Jimbo in Paradise<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, Don Heck, Mike Royer, Murphy Anderson, Al Plastino & various (DC Comics) ISBN: 978-1-77950-230-8 (TPB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Monumental Masterpieces… 9\/10 Today in 1970 American comic books changed forever. On December 1st newsstands saw Superman meet the counterculture … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “The Forever People by Jack Kirby”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,305,76,239,117,344,322,107,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-dc-horror","category-dc-superhero","category-drama","category-jack-kirby","category-jimmy-olsen","category-new-gods","category-science-fiction","category-superman"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-8WK","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34394"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34401,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34394\/revisions\/34401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}