Feature by David Ferguson
The recent Fantastic Four (2025) movie felt to me like a love letter to Jack Kirby. It got me thinking about some of his other creations that have yet to make it to the big screen. We have seen a large number of his Marvel creations, but what of his DC ones? Here are five that I would like to see.
I have included a short history of Kirby’s versions, as well as some notable stories by other creators. I have also suggested where you can find the stories in collections. The characters have all appeared in animation so I have noted some of those appearances too.
(Collection links are AmazonUK Affiliate Links unless otherwise stated)
MANHUNTER (Paul Kirk)
Debut: Adventure Comics #73 (April, 1942)
Jack Kirby was creating characters long before Marvel Comics existed. Most famously, he and Joe Simon co-created Captain America, with him debuting in Captain America Comics #1, published in December 1940 by Timely Comics, Marvel’s predecessor. A couple of years later, the duo created a new version of Manhunter for DC. The previous version, featured in Adventure Comics Nos. 58 to 72, had simply been an investigator and manhunter just referred to his role, not his title. He was replaced by a former big game hunter turned superhero.
Interestingly, Simon and Kirby’s version is not the most well-known. The character was revived in 1973. The storyline was published as a back-up story in Detective Comics #437 – 443. Creators Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson gave him a new costume, new weapons and a new status quo. The series put Walt Simonson on the map.
“Before “Manhunter,” I was one more guy doing comics; after “Manhunter,” people in the field knew who I was. It’d won a bunch of awards the year that it ran, and after that, I really had no trouble finding work.”
The character has had a number of iterations. One of the more popular runs was Manhunter Vol. 3, featuring Kate Spencer in the role of Manhunter. Created by Marc Andreyko (writer) and Jesus Saiz (artist), the series had a run of 38 issues.
Collection: Manhunter: The Special Edition (1999)
Other media appearance: Beware the Batman episode “Unique”
MISTER MIRACLE (Scott Free)
Debut: Mister Miracle #1 (April 1971)
Some have called Kirby’s move to DC as one of the biggest mistakes in comic book history. Personally, I have to disagree, as it resulted in a number of wonderful creations, including my favourite DC character, Mister Miracle. He debuted as part of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World books. His series lasted longer than the other books (New Gods and The Forever People), lasting 18 issues.
The series told the story of Scott Fee, son of the ruler of New Genesis, the Highfather. As part of a diplomatic agreement, he was given to the ruler of Apokolips, Darkseid, when he was a baby. He was raised by the cruel Granny Goodness. He later escaped to Earth, eventually taking on the moniker of Mister Miracle, after the death of the original, and becoming an escape artist. Soon followed by his love interest Big Barda.
Scott Free was inspired by comic writer / artist Jim Steranko, who was also a trained escape artist. Kirby based the character on the concept the someone with training, who really put the effort in can achieve almost anything.
“Mister Miracle is a superbly professional craftsman. He’s a superb escape artist. He’s a cool character. He’ll play it cool to the very end,” Kirby outlined. “I have a scene where it looks like he’s going to get killed, and it’s going to happen in seconds, but he just lays there deliberately trying to see how fast he can get out of there. He wants to see if he can beat those few seconds because he’s a professional.
“That’s what makes him a super escape artist. He’ll put his life on the line to see how well he can do his craft. That’s the kind of guy he is. He’ll bet you $10,000 that he can get out of any trap you devise. If you lose you pay him ten thousand bucks. He puts his life on the line, but that’s his trade.”
Unlike many DC characters, Scott Free’s continuity has largely remained the same over the years. Other notable appearances include his appearance in the Justice League International line-up. More recently, he starred in Absolute Mister Miracle, a Black Label series by Tom King and Mitch Gerards.
Kirby also created a third Mister Miracle, Shilo Norman, a character that Grant Morrison used in his Seven Soldiers storyline.
Suggested collections: Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus Volumes 1 – 4 (2007 – 2008), Mister Miracle by Jack Kirby (New Edition, 2017), Jack Kirby’s Mister Miracle Artist’s Edition (2025), Absolute Mister Miracle (2025) by Tom King and Mitch Gerards
Selected media appearances: Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Justice League Action, Harley Quinn.
Warner and DC Studios recently announced the character will soon appear in his own adult animated series based on the Tom King / Mitch Gerards series.
THE DEMON
Debut: The Demon #1 (September 1972)
Etrigan the Demon was created as a result of DC’s demand for a horror character. A genre Jack Kirby had no interest in, according to his assistant Mark Evanier. It didn’t help that while working on Forever People #11, Jack was called and asked to “suspend” the series, as well as the New Gods series, to ensure that he could keep working on it, as it proved to be a bigger hit.
Asked about its creation, he responded, “Well, there is no such thing as the creation of demons, all right? The devil has been here with us a long, long time. In fact, as long as the angels and god. It’s man’s evil and man’s virtue, I believe, living side-by-side. Man has taken evil and virtue and given us many ways to look them over, to examine ourselves. That’s what we really do when we write. We talk to others and we examine ourselves. “What is evil?” and “What is virtue?” We’ll probably never know, but it makes life interesting, and I believe it makes magazines to sell.”
Etrigan, a demon, was bonded to Jason Blood, a knight in King Arthur’s Camelot. This was done by the wizard Merlin as punishment, imprisoning Etrigan, but making Jason Blood functionally immortal. The two are constantly at odds with each with Blood feeling guilt over Etrigan’s actions. Blood ended up becoming a demonologist in the modern world.
The character has reappeared numerous times over the years, written by notable creators like Alan Moore (Swamp Thing Vol 2 #25 – 27, 1984), Garth Ennis (The Demon Vol 3 #40, 42 – 58, 0, Annual #2, 1993 – 1995) and John Byrne (Blood of the Demon #1 – 17, 2005 -2006). He also appears in Ennis’ Hitman series (co-created by John McCrea).
Suggested collections: Jack Kirby’s The Demon (2008, reprinted 2011), Demon Vol. 1 Hell’s Hitman (2015) by Garth Ennis and various artists. Hitman Omnibus Vol 1 (includes Demon Vol 3 #42 – 45, #52 – 54, Annual #2, 1993 – 1995).
Selected media appearances: Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Justice League, Harley Quinn, Justice League Dark
KAMANDI
Debut: Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth #1 (October 1972)
The creation of the series was a result of DC’s failure to obtain the licence to publish Planet of the Apes comic books. Kirby was asked to come up with a similar concept. Kirby’s future differs in that it home to anthropomorphic animals, rather than apes, that have founded their own civilisation, is after a mysterious Great Disaster has devastated humanity. Kamandi is a teenage boy who is one of the few survivors.
The only explicit connection the DC Universe in the original series is when Kamandi discovers a group of apes who worship Superman. Kirby referred to Kamandi as “a variation on the doomsday theme.”
As part of the Wednesday Comics series, Dave Gibbons and Ryan Sook did their version of the characters. To commemorate Jack Kirby’s 100th birthday, DC released the miniseries The Kamandi Challenge, a 12-issue series featuring a different creative team on each issue.
Suggested collections: Wednesday Comics (2010), Kamandi by Jack Kirby Omnibus (2018), The Kamandi Challenge (2018)
Selected media appearances: Batman: The Brave and the Bold, DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!
OMAC (Buddy Blank)
Debut: OMAC #1 (October 1974)
OMAC was developed towards the end of Kirby’s time at DC Comics. In his introduction to Jack Kirby’s O.M.A.C. (2008), Mark Evanier says the character was inspired by Captain America, but one that lives in the future, but the idea was never realised at Marvel Comics.
In the series, Buddy Blank is altered by an A.I. satellite called Brother Eye into the super powered One-Man Army Corps (OMAC). He works as an enforcement agent for the Global Peace Agency (GPA).
Kirby said of creating the future, “Listen, let’s face it, the future is a mystery! Wouldn’t you love to know what’s in the future? (laughter) And, of course, the reader would, too. And I’d say, “In the future, this is what’s going to happen!” And the reader says, “In the future! Gee! What does this guy know?” (laughter) And of course, I’d present it as if I really knew – to tell a good story. That was to make the story believable.
“If you make your characters knowledgeable in your own way, make them share your own knowledge, then you’ll have humanized characters. You’ll have characters who are human beings just like yourself. You have foibles. You have great traits. You have things that will make you candidates for Vice-President. (laughter).”
The series ended abruptly after eight issues.
Once again, creator John Byrne revived a Kirby creation. This time with a four issue limited series in 1991. The character also inspired the OMAC cyborgs used in The OMAC Project (2005) in the lead up to Infinite Crisis (2005 – 2006). The storyline also includes a Brother Eye satellite.
Collection: Jack Kirby’s OMAC: One Man Army Corps (2008, reprinted 2011, new edition 2021)
Other media appearance: Batman: The Brave and the Bold
David Ferguson
David is a writer of stuff on comics and pop culture for GCN.ie. He is also a contributor and editor (Hugo nominated) for Journey Planet | Follow David on BlueSky
Head downthetubes for…
• DC Comics – Jack Kirby Checklist
• The Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center
Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, 1917-1994) created or co-created some of the most enduring characters and stories of the 20th century (including the Avengers, Captain America, Darkseid, the Fantastic Four, Hulk, the Silver Surfer, the X-Men, and hundreds of others). Kirby’s storytelling revolutionised genres such as crime, war, superheroes, and romance and almost single-handedly defined the visual language of comic books. Evidence of his work and influence surrounds us today, not only in comics, but also in television, movies, and beyond…
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Categories: Comics, downthetubes Comics News, Film, Other Worlds, US Comics
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Missing from this list is a very interesting character, The Fly. A Simon & Kirby hero for Archie Comics late 1950s/early 60s that was re-invented as “Spider-man” for Marvel. Given Spiderman’s pre-eminence ever since this predecessor deserves a little more publicity than he gets. Gerald Edwards
Thank, Gerald. David’s article only features DC Comics characters he most wanted to see on the big screen; Kirby’s creations are, of course, legion! It’s always interesting to hear of another, from my point of view. I recall reading Marvel’s “The Human Fly” in the 1970s.
Hi John! Given the changes in ownership over the years I suspect that the Fly is now “owned” by DC comics too! Many of the Archie heroes were bought up. The sixties brought many “minor” characters on to the news-stands in the States and here too. Thunder Agents, Bee Man, Jack Q Frost as well as Archie’s others like the Mighty Crusaders. Many of these still lurk in the DC vaults. Who knows what will be revived next. Cheers, Gerald
Hi! The image labelled ‘Big Barda designs’ has only one (very good) picture of Barda. I can see Beautiful Dreamer, Sue Storm and Sif. I can’t tell who the others are.
While it’s not a DC property, I often think ‘Stuntman’ would have been a great TV show. Any significant studio would have been able to re-use existing sets and you have glamour, action, comedy and all that meta! I think the time may be past, but it would have been a glorious series in the 70s or 80s.
Thanks David. Caption amended!