If there is one comic artist who has mastered the art of creating fantastic worlds, that artist is Jack Kirby, one of the main influence on contemporary pop imagery. Not only did he create – by himself or together with Stan Lee – many beloved superheroes, but the visionary power of his drawings, alongside the unique combination of science fiction, technology and social analysis of his comics has been an undeniable influence on many generations of authors.

Mostri, uomini, dei aims to offer Kirby’s Italian readers an original perspective on the work of “The King of Comics”, highlighting the complexity of his stories, always on the line between visionary genius and pop imagery.
At a time when Kirby’s creations and characters are coming back, reaffirming their influence on mainstream culture, it is important to bring Kirby’s art under a new light, and celebrate the lasting traces he left on contemporary comics.

with Paul Gravett, Matteo Casali, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Ratigher, Alessandro Tota
moderator Alessio Trabacchini

in collaboration with Unicredit, Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna

Jack Kirby has been a great influence on a number of authors – not just cartoonists, but directors, novelists, and writers as well.
To celebrate the exhibition Mostri, uomini, dei, BilBOlbul publishes a volume in which some of these authors reflect on their relationship with the work of Jack Kirby. The result is a mosaic composing a rich and diversified portrait of Kirby, proving once again how deep an impression he has left on contemporary popular culture.

The catalogue can be purchased at the BilBOlbul Bookshop, in Biblioteca Salaborsa from November 23 to November 25.

Jack Kirby was one of the most influential comic book artists and writers of the United States, and one of the innovators of the superhero genre. Nicknamed the “King of Comics”, he has been a driving force behind the industry during both the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s and the Silver Age in the 1960s. With his partner Joe Simon, he created the all-American hero Captain America, and later with Stan Lee he developed even more iconic characters like the Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and The Mighty Thor. Kirby produced over 20,000 comic book pages during his career, as well as about 1.400 cover illustrations. His cinematographic and dynamic artwork has left a lasting impression on generations of comic book artists.