The 4th World 0

[vaillant]

Okay, after the brief discussion on the origin of the name, started by jools&jim, we can now have a full-fledged thread dedicated to Jack Kirby’s most unexpected creation, often dismissed and criticized for a lack of better comprehension.

 

We know it starts with Jimmy Olsen #133, but I don’t have it at hand, rather one of the first 4th world books I picked when I started collecting in english was #134, and surely not for "Darkseid’s 1st appearance" – I did not even know at the time – it’s just that I always loved this cover which for me epitomizes the conflict, a lot more than generational, and the conflict and tensions of the early 1970s: youth movements, counterculture, and of course a misunderstood concept of "authority" (which clearly the superhero in some way represents).

And I love it…

 

[Monstro]

Nice

 

I only have a few JO 4th World books. Bought this one off a fellow boardie years ago, can't remember who. Both comics are NM.

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2013 by Monstro

[jools&jim]

 

Here's the complete series as originally published in the early 1970s (with a few exceptions -- see below), sorted (quickly) into a rough approximation of publication order by cover date. Any corrections to this order would be very much appreciated -- I really do believe it's best to read these in the order in which they first appeared on the newsstand, even though the individual title runs do hold up very well when read on their own.

 

I've excluded several non-Kirby comics featuring his Fourth World characters in issues of Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane, and at least one post-Kirby issue of Jimmy Olsen. Also not pictured is Kirby's somewhat anticlimactic Hunger Dogs graphic novel, published in 1985. However, I have included issue #6 of the 1984 New Gods reprint series, which features a (then) new conclusion to the storyline (by Kirby, naturally).

 

What's pictured below represents (to me at least) the canonical original "Fourth World" saga in its entirety:

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

Forever People: 1 - 11

 

Mister Miracle: 1 - 18

 

New Gods: 1 - 11; reprint series (1984) 6

 

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: 133 - 139, 141-148

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sassemble]

 

I have been working on this run for the past two years. I need only four Jimmy Olsen's to complete the set!

[vaillant]

You’ve done an awesome work, Jim. (thumbs u

 

I think it’s pretty much legit to give less importance to the Hunger Dogs (and I might always extend this to the #6 of the reprint series) – as you hear in the audio snippet Jacks tells he considered an almost fortunate event the cancellation of the titles, as he himself would have found problematic to give a proper "conclusion" to the struggle between Darkseid and Orion.

 

Now I need to work on the Jimmy Olsens I am still missing…

[telerites]

I started to go after a Mister Miracle run in high grade but keep getting distracted.

 

 

 

[telerites]

New Gods is another I have started. The #1 I bought in the mid 70s and it has stayed in my collection since. Have always loved the cover.

 

[vaillant]

Man, I loved the #8 when I read it (in italian): "Death wish of Terrible Turpin", and #9, the Forager… – Kirby at his finest!

 

You’re transferring on me insane ideas of upgrading my (already decent) copies…

[Wrightson fan]

I built an entire CGC run of all of the 4th World books in 9.4 or better, with most of them in 9.6 or 9.8, including a 9.4 of The Hunger Dogs, which I just recently sold. I sold the run piece by piece, off of the boards and on Ebay, to help finance the purchase of my Mustang. Alot of my old books reside in the #1 Registry Set, which I also requested that Gemma set up, and helped her with which issues to include. I miss those books alot, but they brought me joy while I had them. I am happy to see others enjoy them as well. As far as a personal favorite, it is New Gods 7 without a doubt.

[Monstro]

I'll add these.

 

 

 

[Monstro]

 

[vaillant]

I built an entire CGC run of all of the 4th World books in 9.4 or better, with most of them in 9.6 or 9.8, including a 9.4 of The Hunger Dogs, which I just recently sold. I sold the run piece by piece, off of the boards and on Ebay, to help finance the purchase of my Mustang. Alot of my old books reside in the #1 Registry Set, which I also requested that Gemma set up, and helped her with which issues to include. I miss those books alot, but they brought me joy while I had them. I am happy to see others enjoy them as well. As far as a personal favorite, it is New Gods 7 without a doubt.

 

IIRC, "The Pact", who would not love that?

 

@Monstro: Loving your copies, man I think mine are not so nice…

[Monstro]

Thanks vaillant.

 

Wrightson Fan, what year is the Mustang?

 

 

[Wrightson fan]

Thanks vaillant.

 

Wrightson Fan, what year is the Mustang?

 

 

It is an '83 GT, early 4 speed car with T-Tops, original tires...and less than 13K miles.

 

White body with black GT accents. It is the car I wanted when I was 16.

[Silver]

I have the Monterey set of Forever People, great series!

 

[Silver]

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[Silver]