8 Incredible Creators That Changed Comics Forever

1. Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby is the King of Comics. No one can boast an influence as great as his.

Along with Joe Simon, Kirby created Captain America - a strip for Timely Comics that went onto become the most popular selling comic book of the Second World War. Both he and Simon paved the way for Marvel's dominant period in the sixties and seventies, but Kirby in particular really came into his own during those decades.

He co-created the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Thor and the X-Men, before moving to rivals DC in 1970. There, Kirby really let loose with his creative brilliance, conjuring up the New Gods in Darkseid and Orion, writing Kamandi and the Lost World, and producing runs on OMAC and the Demon, Etrigan.

Kirby managed to influence every aspect of the medium during his career, narratively and artistically. Much of that influence can be felt today, both on the screen in the MCU (Thor in particular), and off it, with Tom King and Mitch Gerads following in his footsteps in Mister Miracle.

The amazing thing about Kirby, however, is not just that he had a hand in creating Marvel's most iconic characters, or even that he reinvented the DC Universe. The sheer depth of his contributions are, of course, significant, but the nuances of his work deserve extra attention; his sci-fi architecture in particular permeates productions far and wide, and his utilisation of elements both mystical and sci-fi have had as great an impact.

Hail to the king.

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Any creators we missed? Let us know in the comments below!