The Vision; art by John Buscema and George Klein, caption by Roy Thomas
May 2015 will see the release of the film Avengers: Age of Ultron, Disney/Marvel’s sequel to their wildly popular 2012 blockbuster, The Avengers.
These films are, of course, based on comic book characters; and it behoves us to remember that the latter did not arise spontaneously from some corporate swamp, but were created by flesh-and-blood artists and writers.
We give these creators their due credit below.
The Avengers were created in The Avengers 1 (September 1963) by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. Cover art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.
Thor was created by Jack Kirby, with script by Larry Lieber, in Journey into Mystery 83 (August 1962). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.
The Hulk was created by Jack Kirby, with script by Stan Lee, in The Incredible Hulk 1 (May 1962). Cover art by Jack Kirby.
Iron Man was created by Don Heck (art) and Stan Lee and Larry Lieber (script) with a costume design by Jack Kirby, in Tales of Suspense 39 (March 1963). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Don Heck.
Captain America was created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon (both sharing script and art) in Captain America Comics 1 (March 1941). Cover art by Jack Kirby.
Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch (at far right in the cover illo below) were created by Jack Kirby with Stan Lee on script in X-Men 4 (March 1964). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Chic Stone.
Hawkeye was created by Stan Lee (script) and Don Heck (art) in Tales of Suspense 57 (September 1964). Cover art by Don Heck.
The Black Widow was created by Don Rico (script) and Don Heck (art) in Tales of Suspense 52 (April 1964). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman.
Ultron was created by Roy Thomas (script) and John Buscema (art) in The Avengers 55 (August 1968). Art by John Buscema and George Klein.
The Vision was created by Roy Thomas (script) and John Buscema (art) in The Avengers 57 (October 1968). Cover art by John Buscema.
The Black Panther was created by Jack Kirby with Stan Lee script in Fantastic Four 52 (July 1966). Art by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.
The same team introduced the Panther’s homeland of Wakanda in the same issue (see below illustration).
Nick Fury, agent of S.h.i.e.l.d, was created by Jack Kirby with script by Stan Lee in Strange Tales 135. Cover art by Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia.
And, last but not least…Baron Strucker was created by Jack Kirby with Stan Lee scripting, in Sgt.Fury and his Howling Commandos 5 (January 1964). Cover art by Jack Kirby and George Roussos.
Obviously Jack Kirby deserves the lion’s share of creative credit…but the unjustly forgotten Don Heck also merits plaudits.
See you at the multiplex!
Nice recap!
One point though, like the Silver Age Human Torch and Captain America, the Silver Age Vision’s roots were in the Golden Age. He first appeared in “Marvel Mystery Comics” #13, November 1940, and was a product of the Simon and Kirby team.
Thomas, a comics fan before he worked for Marvel, revived and updated the character for a new audience.
Too right, Russ– and in fact, Thomas brought back the original vision in Avengers 97, the concluding story of the Kree-Skrull War (1971), as depicted by John Buscema and Tom Palmer:
http://www.comicvine.com/the-avengers-97-godhoods-end/4000-12048/
(cover by Gil Kane and Bill Everett.)
Thomas’alternative title for that story; ‘Rick Jones Conquers the Universe’.
Kirby did get around, didn’t he? And we’re all the richer for it.