This program originally took place on Wednesday, November 4th at 6:30pm Eastern.
AJHS’ exhibit The Jack Kirby Way: How a Boy from the Lower East Side Became the King of Comics features rare comics, drawings, and studies of the artist’s work. Several of the iconic characters in Marvel ‘s pantheon of superheroes were created by a man who was born into one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world. By Kirby’s birth in 1917, the Lower East Side had become famous as an immigrant hub and a nexus of culture, art, industry, and commerce. Throughout Kirby’s childhood and young adulthood, he experienced an evolving neighborhood as new immigration laws, financial crashes, and World Wars shaped the community, economy, and way of life. All of which found their way into his comics.
Pop culture historian / co-curator Roy Schwartz and Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center executive director / co-curator Randolph Hoppe and Katie Vogel, public historian at Henry Street Settlement, joined us to discuss the Lower East Side that Kirby knew and its role as a character in his comics. After the panel discussion and Q&A, Roy Schwartz and Randolph Hoppe led a rousing trivia game featuring questions about the Lower East Side, Jack Kirby, and his comics. Prizes were provided by the Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center and Roy Schwartz personal collection.
