I can’t add anything new to the Everest high mountain of praise and appreciation heaped upon this magnificent comic book genius, so you know what ? I’m not even going to try. Suffice to say that he’s brilliant, my favourite comic book artist, and I love him. Unreservedly. I’m just going to extol his virtues in my own homespun way, if that’s ok.
So, having set out my stall, so to speak, which part of the colossal Kirby oeuvre to focus on ? There’s just so much stuff to delve into ! And it’s all great ! I’m like a kid in a candy store, as that old English saying goes, so I’m just going to grab whatever I see first…what’s this ? Oh yeah, love this. Late 50’s, early 60’s pre Marvel and DC superhero comics ! Giant city destroying monsters in enormous underpants ! Funny little giant headed aliens with a warning/message for mankind ! Five chaps dressed in matching outfits challenging things they don’t know much about ! Right, let’s have a look at this story then, from Tales to Astonish #31. Script by Stan Lee , pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers.
This is a great, if slight little tale, but so atmospherically told by Jack, with some excellent inking by Dick Ayers, especially on that fantastic splash page.
It’s a really atmospheric start to the story with the “camera” gradually zooming in on the lost pyramid. The setting is established immediately and we’re pulled straight into the story. Jack could really draw anything a story required, couldn’t he ? Love the ancient Egyptian artefacts dotted about the curator’s study, and the crumpled old scrolls on the desk. The first two of the three protagonists are introduced on the second page, and I had the immediate urge to cast them as classic 50’s Hollywood actors. George Sanders would be a shoo-in for the treacherous assistant museum curator Paul Wilkes, and I can perhaps see Patricia Neal as spoilt, rich, beautiful socialite Gloria Carstairs. Gregory Peck would be great as the curator Paul Kentworth ! Love that panel of oily old Lord Snobbington kissing Ms. Carstairs’ hand. Mr. Kirby wasn’t all about bombastic action scenes was he ?
All that obsequious hand snogging must have had some effect ! We’ve just started in on page three and, barely out of the Bentley, Ms. Carstairs is open to the suggestion of going on a boring old archeological trip to Egypt !
But there’s a sneaky little fly in the ointment ! This expedition isn’t going to run smoothly, oh no. There’s a lot of cold, twisted, bitter resentment in the museum curating game…
The adventuresome trio arrive in the Egyptian desert, only to be caught almost immediately in a huge sand storm, which conveniently reveals the tip of the lost first pyramid. Beautifully composed panel, isn’t it ?
Minutes later they blow a massive hole in the precious ancient structure (so much for respecting the majesty of history) and in the fantastically atmospheric panel that follows…
…we’re in the lost pyramid ! A simple little panel, but so powerful. Superb use of light and shadow. Love the cobwebs in the foreground. Every panel Jack drew was so beautifully drawn and put together.
What a great page ! The trio turn a corner and there he is, the mummy himself ! Only gigantic! And so well drawn and inked ! Pre-empted somewhat by the amazing splash page at the start of the story, but still a great reveal. Love the third panel, with the ancient statue in the background, so good. Panel four, and the time has come for the treacherous museum curating assistant to make his move. Here we go again with the dynamite ! Surprised there’s anything left of that pyramid.
Page 6. The Mummy Awakes ! The big fella launches into a mini monologue from the moment he opens his giant peepers. Clapping his eyes on the tiny humans before him he informs them through monologue that the pyramid isn’t a prison, he built it for himself, but he can’t for the life of him remember why ! Anyway, he’s from another planet, and he’s their ENEMY ! No building bridges there, then…
Looks like curtains for the explorers as we enter the final page ! The Bandaged Behemoth bursts out of the pyramid ready to do his worst, when suddenly …
NOW it all comes back ! Superb sequence of panels as the mummy from another world succumbs to Earth’s deadly atmosphere. Good job he was so absent minded !
And off they wander into the blazing desert, glibly taking it in their stride that they’ve uncovered a long lost pyramid, come up against a colossal alien mummy and been left to die a hideous death by a friend and colleague. They’ll have plenty to talk about on their first date…
