Okay, let’s kick off the second half with something for the fellas, straight from Kinky Kirby’s Pervy Pen. This is Lashina from Mister Miracle:

She’s dressed in straps which she removes and whips sailors with. It’s all very high fashion but I can’t really see it filtering down into the high street – but what do I know?

So far we’ve looked at Kirby’s helmets from an aesthetic point of view. I’d like to move now into the practical side of things. From New Gods , here’s the Black Racer:

I love the Black Racer because he is basically Death on skis. His helmet isn’t all that to look at but it does have an essential role to play :

Clever bit of helmet touching.

This lady is one of the Female Furies whose Terrific Tiara serves to reign in her Magnificent Mane. Without this piece of Masterful Millinery her Horrific Hair would Terrorise Terra Firma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome from Mister Miracle#8.

Here is an example of Kirby’s ability to see into the future. On this Fantastic Four #85 cover he predicts the coming of the personal stereo. I don’t know about you but I feel my life would be greatly improved if I could proudly sport one of these instead of the puny little white headphones of my I-pod:

In this issue, Reed Richards uses Doctor Doom’s time travel device to visit the future and comes back with the music of tomorrow for the whole family to enjoy. Johnny’s listening to Keane, Ben to Travis , Reed prefers Coldplay and Crystal’s chillaxing to some Enya. Sue is not present for this adventure as she’s at home looking after newborn Franklin, up to her ears in shit and tears. Lucky Sue I say.

Of course, sometimes Kirby Tech can malfunction. Observe:

From Forever People #8.

Now here’s a production sketch of one of the Galactic Bounty Hunters.

Now that’s the helmet of helmets, a Swiss Army helmet if you will. It has handles on the top! And there’s an aerial! I bet there’s nothing that thing can’t do although I’d also wager that the guy who has to wear it would give it all up for the ability to move his head.

This one’s just plain weird:

It’s like he’s got an M.C.Escher drawing for a head. Mind buggering (from the New Gods).

Alas, the time has now come to bring this article to a close. I hope I have opened your mortal eyes up to a whole new world of experimental fashion and that you’ll think twice (or even five times) about your sartorial options next time you’re off out for an evening of poncing about like a tit. I couldn’t possibly leave you, though without providing some sort of grand finale. I’d now like to present the Crowning Glory Award to Maximus The Mad. Look the fuck at this!

It’s huge and impossible and beautiful and judging by Maximus’s expression it’s quite comfy too! So, Maximus The Mad how do feel about being awarded the Crowning Glory Award?

Thank you Maximus and thank you Jack Kirby.

Bookmark and Share

9 Responses to “Jack Kirby’s greatest helmets part 2”

  1. bobsy Says:

    I might buy you drinks forever for this. Might.

  2. Lactus Says:

    I might hold you to that. Might.

  3. Botswana Beast Says:

    “Clever bit of helmet touching.”

    >Snnnntt<

  4. Qthgrq Says:

    It’s another runcememe

  5. RAB Says:

    You have no idea how long I stared at that panel of the “just plain weird” one from New Gods when I was ten years old, trying to make it somehow make sense. Worse yet, maybe you do have some idea.

    The helmet of Maximus may be the most camp thing Kirby ever drew.

  6. Qthgrq Says:

    Not as long as I worked on my plan to get all the superheroes to the moon, I’ll bet.

    That was real effort.

  7. The Beast Must Die! Says:

    I went to the Jack Kirby tribute at the ICA on Tuesday, and picked myself up a copy of Mark Evanier’s sweeeet new coffee table tome, ‘Kirby – King of Comics’. Fuck me it’s beautiful. Helmets galore naturally, but also that other favourite…Kirby-tech! Huge double page spreads of inconceivable chunky sprawling machines that fill the sky. No-one drew weirder machines than Kirby – he was like some elemental 7 year old lost in his own (brilliant) drawings.

  8. Qthgrq Says:

    Want!

  9. Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » Apr. 18, 2008: Every planet we reach is dead Says:

    [...] [Commentary] Too much good stuff at Mindless Ones: a look at the latest issue of 2000 AD; reviews of recent comics (part one, part two); and of course there’s a survey of Jack Kirby’s greatest helmets (part one, part two, part three). [...]

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.