Comicbooks Flashcards
(2 cards)
What is the Kirby Krackle?
The Kirby Krackle (also known as Kirby Dots) is a stylistic convention in superhero and science fiction comic books, where fields of black dots represent negative space around undefined energy sources. It is often used to depict explosions, smoke, ray gun blasts, “cosmic” energy, and outer space phenomena.
Named after its creator, comic artist Jack Kirby, the mature form of the Kirby Krackle first appeared in Kirby’s work during 1965–1966 in Fantastic Four and Thor. However, comics historian Harry Mendryk of the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center traced an early version of the style back to Blue Bolt #5 (1940), by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. As Simon inked that issue, he may have contributed to its development. Transitional examples appear in Kirby’s late 1950s stories, such as The Man Who Collected Planets (1957, pencils and inks by Kirby) and The Negative Man (1959, inks attributed to Marvin Stein). The effect was later incorporated into transformation sequences in the Ben 10 franchise and design elements of the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! attraction at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure, as well as in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Philosophy professor Jeffrey J. Kripal described the Kirby Krackle as emblematic of Kirby’s vision of the human body as a manifestation of mysterious, energetic forces. He wrote:
“For Kirby, the human body is a manifestation or crystallization of finally inexplicable energies—a superbody. […] A unique energy field of black, blobby dots, affectionately known as the ‘Kirby Krackle,’ signals this vision. […] The result was a vision of the human being as a body of frozen energy that, like an atomic bomb, could be released with stunning effects, for good or for evil.”
Four Color Comics
Four Color Comics, also known as Dell Four Color, was a landmark American comic book anthology series published by Dell Comics from 1939 to 1962. Named after the four-color printing process (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), the series ran for over 1,300 issues and holds the record for the most issues ever produced in a U.S. comic book title—surpassing even Action Comics, which hit its 1,000th issue in 2018. Unlike most titles of its time, Four Color featured a new character or story in nearly every issue—ranging from Disney icons like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to adaptations of radio shows, TV series, and Hollywood films. The very first issue featured Dick Tracy, while the final issue in 1962 was based on the television show Calvin and the Colonel.
Famous properties and characters that debuted or appeared frequently in the series include Little Lulu, Tarzan, Porky Pig, Flash Gordon, and Terry and the Pirates. It served as a launchpad for many standalone series, using the one-shot format to test popularity—indicated by publishing codes like “DDOS 223” for Donald Duck One-Shot #223. About 20% of the issues were devoted to Disney titles, including comic book adaptations of The Reluctant Dragon and Dumbo. Comics historians like Gary Brown and Michael Barrier have noted the series’ unique ability to capture mid-century American culture, fads, and media trends—from the Old West to pop music—making it a fascinating reflection of what entertained both children and adults in 1940s–50s America.
