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Forever People #1-11
The Forever People by Jack Kirby
For the first time ever, Jack Kirby's Forver People reprints the amazing comic book writer and artist's fantastical black and white tales of a group of young, otherworldly adventurers. Adding gray tonal values to enhance the groundbreaking artwork, this book introduces Big Bear, Mark Moonrider, Serafin, Beautiful Dreamer, and Vykin, five young heroes who, with the help of the Mother Box, have the ability to morph into the mighty Infinity Man. Included in this volume are major battles with Darkseid, Desaad, and Glorious Godfrey as well as memorable team-ups with Superman and Deadman.
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1972
31 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Jack Kirby
2,801 books475 followersJack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds of others stretching back to the earliest days of the medium. He was also a comic book writer and editor. His most common nickname is "The King."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 15, 2020
The Forever People by Jack Kirby collects issues 1-11 of Forever People.
I've been interested in the Forever People since way back in 1986 when I was reading Who's Who in the DC Universe religiously but never managed to read it. I've been busy, I guess. Anyway, DC has been reprinting the Fourth World omnibuses one at a time with Forever People being the last. Was it worth the wait?
Not really but it was still fun. It's definitely the redheaded stepchild of the Fourth World. Five space hippies from New Genesis come to earth on their Super Cycle to experience a new life and to keep Darkseid from getting his hands on the Anti-Life equation. Mike Royer and Vince Colletta shared the inking chores. Everything else was Jack Kirby.
This one felt a little less focused than the other Fourth World books. The Forever People wind up getting the short end of the stick a lot of time. Deadman guest stars near the end of the run, which feels a little off.
I have to wonder what Kirby's original plan was for these characters. There are a lot of questions left unanswered at the book's end. Everything is hastily wrapped up in issue #11, stranding the Forever People on a distant world.
I have to think there would have been a love triangle, or perhaps parallelogram or pentagon, with Beautiful Dreamer stirring up tension between 2-4 of the boys on the team.
While it's the fourth place Fourth World book for me, The Forever People is still a worthwhile read. Taruu! Three out of five stars.
I've been interested in the Forever People since way back in 1986 when I was reading Who's Who in the DC Universe religiously but never managed to read it. I've been busy, I guess. Anyway, DC has been reprinting the Fourth World omnibuses one at a time with Forever People being the last. Was it worth the wait?
Not really but it was still fun. It's definitely the redheaded stepchild of the Fourth World. Five space hippies from New Genesis come to earth on their Super Cycle to experience a new life and to keep Darkseid from getting his hands on the Anti-Life equation. Mike Royer and Vince Colletta shared the inking chores. Everything else was Jack Kirby.
This one felt a little less focused than the other Fourth World books. The Forever People wind up getting the short end of the stick a lot of time. Deadman guest stars near the end of the run, which feels a little off.
I have to wonder what Kirby's original plan was for these characters. There are a lot of questions left unanswered at the book's end. Everything is hastily wrapped up in issue #11, stranding the Forever People on a distant world.
I have to think there would have been a love triangle, or perhaps parallelogram or pentagon, with Beautiful Dreamer stirring up tension between 2-4 of the boys on the team.
While it's the fourth place Fourth World book for me, The Forever People is still a worthwhile read. Taruu! Three out of five stars.
May 6, 2009
This is a collection of one of Jack Kirby's short-lived series related to his NEW GODS/FOURTH WORLD concept for DC Comics. The collection is in grayscale (not simple black and white) and so lacks the cosmic coloring it had in its original form, but this material is available elsewhere in full color if you so desire.
For the lack of color, you get an affordable collection of some amazing work. I'll be honest and say that as a little kid, Jack Kirby's 70's work, the sheer intensity of it, scared me. To see it as an adult is to realize the amazing creativity and artistry on display.
Much like his ETERNALS work for Marvel, Kirby's NEW GODS material fit rather awkwardly into the pre-existing DC Universe. That awkwardness (clashing with all-important, at least to an adolescent, "continuity") and Kirby's unrelenting optimism and willingness to write comic books for kids (and not teenagers and older readers), doomed his 70's work to low sales. But now, looking back with clearer eyes, one can see how amazing it was - Kirby wanted to write comics for kids, not people who'd grown up reading comics, so ideas like the "Supercycle" (the Forever People's souped up cosmic dune buggy) and "Supertown" (a suburb of the extradimensional world of New Genesis, apparently) came off as hokey or silly, when they were actually attempts to recruit new readers to superhero comics by appealing to the things that made superheroes great: wonder, awe and optimism.
What's also interesting is that while mainstream superhero comics of the 70's were aiming at "relevancy" through Green Lastern/Green Arrow "My Ward is a JUNKIE!"-type hysterics, or Steve Gerber's absurd, real world politik-type intrusions, Kirby was attempting the same things, but casting it at a mythic level - the Forever People are nothing if not cosmic hippies, upbeat and do-it-yourself, eternal adolescents. Even the darker aspects of the times are cast in mythical terms that children could understand, with Darkseid and Desaad standing in for the Establishment of the time, and greedy businessmen shown as pathological and monstrous.
As an attempt to reinvent superheroes for kids of the 70's, undo some of the angst current created by Marvel Comics, and still remain relevant, THE FOREVER PEOPLE is a fascinating artifact of a path not taken for comics as a whole. Read these cosmic comic books and remember the fun of having your mind boggled by a thin pamphlet of cheap newsprint. Thrill to the courage of stalwart Sonny Sumo, laugh as Big Bear crushes a sarcastic creep, stagger at cosmic energies, be horrified at Desaad's fiendish torture chamber-as-amusement park (Jack Kirby knew EXACTLY what he was doing!), watch Darkseid scare a little child and her father as he assures them he is "the real deal"!
Enjoy!
For the lack of color, you get an affordable collection of some amazing work. I'll be honest and say that as a little kid, Jack Kirby's 70's work, the sheer intensity of it, scared me. To see it as an adult is to realize the amazing creativity and artistry on display.
Much like his ETERNALS work for Marvel, Kirby's NEW GODS material fit rather awkwardly into the pre-existing DC Universe. That awkwardness (clashing with all-important, at least to an adolescent, "continuity") and Kirby's unrelenting optimism and willingness to write comic books for kids (and not teenagers and older readers), doomed his 70's work to low sales. But now, looking back with clearer eyes, one can see how amazing it was - Kirby wanted to write comics for kids, not people who'd grown up reading comics, so ideas like the "Supercycle" (the Forever People's souped up cosmic dune buggy) and "Supertown" (a suburb of the extradimensional world of New Genesis, apparently) came off as hokey or silly, when they were actually attempts to recruit new readers to superhero comics by appealing to the things that made superheroes great: wonder, awe and optimism.
What's also interesting is that while mainstream superhero comics of the 70's were aiming at "relevancy" through Green Lastern/Green Arrow "My Ward is a JUNKIE!"-type hysterics, or Steve Gerber's absurd, real world politik-type intrusions, Kirby was attempting the same things, but casting it at a mythic level - the Forever People are nothing if not cosmic hippies, upbeat and do-it-yourself, eternal adolescents. Even the darker aspects of the times are cast in mythical terms that children could understand, with Darkseid and Desaad standing in for the Establishment of the time, and greedy businessmen shown as pathological and monstrous.
As an attempt to reinvent superheroes for kids of the 70's, undo some of the angst current created by Marvel Comics, and still remain relevant, THE FOREVER PEOPLE is a fascinating artifact of a path not taken for comics as a whole. Read these cosmic comic books and remember the fun of having your mind boggled by a thin pamphlet of cheap newsprint. Thrill to the courage of stalwart Sonny Sumo, laugh as Big Bear crushes a sarcastic creep, stagger at cosmic energies, be horrified at Desaad's fiendish torture chamber-as-amusement park (Jack Kirby knew EXACTLY what he was doing!), watch Darkseid scare a little child and her father as he assures them he is "the real deal"!
Enjoy!
September 11, 2022
This may be the weirdest run of Kirby's Fourth World. It follows 5 heroes from New Genesis that are reminiscent of hippies. Big Bear, Mark Moonrider, Serafin, Beautiful Dreamer, and Vykin. Some strange names and funny characters. They use the Mother Box to move around.
Each issue is fast-paced and goes all over the place. They battle a few different people including the big baddie himself Darkseid.
This series was also canceled before its time and doesn't have a satisfactory conclusion. I'm also unsure if other writers picked up these characters later in DC continuity.
Super fun but it's another "what if?" in the history of DC and Kirby.
Each issue is fast-paced and goes all over the place. They battle a few different people including the big baddie himself Darkseid.
This series was also canceled before its time and doesn't have a satisfactory conclusion. I'm also unsure if other writers picked up these characters later in DC continuity.
Super fun but it's another "what if?" in the history of DC and Kirby.
October 29, 2022
Sheer exuberant brilliance.
June 2, 2016
Whereas the New Gods provided a fascinating Mythos underlining the Fourth World but ended haphazardly as an independent volume, Jack Kirby's Forever People surpasses my expectations by tackling a series of themes relevant to the place of adolescents and the hippie culture of the 1960s into the 1970s within the much larger American collective. Although Darkseid is used to export aspects of Fascism within the New Gods, there he is much regulated to tyrant, while here, within the Forever People, we see him both as an encourager of Nazi-esque ideologies with his association with Desaad and Glorious Godfrey. His pursuit for the Anti-Life equation mirrors a Capitalist pursuit, for the anti-Life Equation is memetic. It allows its possessor to control the entire collective of sapient creatures with a single word. Such a device parallels the marketing techniques used by ad agencies. I easily see myself returning to this text at a later time to develop more readings.
October 30, 2020
The Forever People is such a weird and eccentric series. A group of young heroes fighting against Darkseid's various minions, exploring different forms of hate and control. The characters themselves all have their unique gimmicks that honestly aren't that interesting, but as representatives of innocent (and somewhat foolhardy) youth they're entertaining to read about. Always brave, always hopeful, and trying to save as many lives as possible. Here we get boom tubes, mother boxes, Infinity Man, the Super-Cycle, Supertown... so many cool ideas. I think my favourite part is the villains, always mad and campy and so very overtly fascist and controlling. All of them taking on different aspects of terrible ideologies - Kirby goes so far as to quote Hitler in some introductions - and it's great to see the various ways the Forever People deal with them. I think this series starts to lose it in the last few issues but it does manage to end on a strong note which I'm thankful for.
December 5, 2024
This is a very exciting but frustrating book. On one hand, Kirby was firing on all cilinders at this time. He was at the top of his game as an artist and was clearly overflowing with new ideas and concepts for superhero comics. There is mention of yet another techno-cosmic gadget or concept practically in every issue, with things getting mystical-religious-sci-fi in a dizzing manner. On the other hand, all (or most) of those concepts were abandoned or not explored almost immediately. It is clear Kirby wanted this series to be just the beginning of a larger saga, which sadly was not to come. The "hippie" thing was also amusing. All in all, an entertaining and fascinating book if you are a Kirby fan.
June 16, 2022
As my first official dive into the Jack Kirby universe, I was very impressed. Despite some of the writing and names of certain characters being corny or of their time, it didn’t take me out of the story. The Forever People are a fascinating group of characters. This is a solid introduction to Jack Kirby’s work at DC. I like the interactions with the team and the action sequences are riveting. It ends on a cliffhanger but I look forward to more adventures with this team. Plus, the themes of immortality and searching for answers is very relatable. I am officially a Kirby fan. Look forward to reading more of his work.
January 27, 2021
For a Kirby fan from the ‘70s, this was a fun time capsule. Yes, Beautiful Dreamer is not treated as an equal. Yes, Glorious Godfrey appears to be a Trump caricature published over 30 years before his time! But, come for the goofy nostalgia, rather painful dialogue, and Kirby’s art.
February 9, 2021
Some people say it's the worst of the "Fourth World," but I actually like it the best.
This may be because my friend had a copy of Forever People 4, which may have been the only comic book his older sister ever bought. At any rate, we both liked that story:
So, as a team, maybe the Forever People are no X-Men, not Fantastic Four. Mark Moonrider, in particular, seems to have no personality. But as far as the themes explored, I think this series was at least as interesting as New Gods or Mister Miracle.
This may be because my friend had a copy of Forever People 4, which may have been the only comic book his older sister ever bought. At any rate, we both liked that story:
So, as a team, maybe the Forever People are no X-Men, not Fantastic Four. Mark Moonrider, in particular, seems to have no personality. But as far as the themes explored, I think this series was at least as interesting as New Gods or Mister Miracle.
August 22, 2017
So weird. So wonderful.
August 13, 2021
I read this in the “Fourth World” reading order, in which the first issue breaks up Kirby’s Jimmy Olsen Run, and then this book is cut in half by New Gods first half and Mister Miracles first half.
As soon as I returned to this book after New Gods and Mister Miracle I was annoyed. It isn’t like Jimmy Olsen where we have to go out of the way to make a bunch of kids the main characters instead of the superman, but it may as well be. The news boy legion is traded out for the forever people, Jimmy Olsen for Mark Moonrider, and Superman for Infinity Man. Jimmy Olsen has the good fortune to be built on others work, the origins of characters need no explanation. In this, Issue #1 tells us about Supertown, and how it circles the Utopia of New Genesis, that there’s trouble with another world called Apokolypse and that trouble is coming to earth. The Forever people come to earth to save us from that trouble.
But who are the forever people. Why are THEY coming? What are their personalities, their powers, why is infinity man connected to them? I guess we get an answer, but nothing satisfactory. The Forever People have also taken up a creed of non-violence which just comes off as annoying most of the time. Why did you come to fight this battle if you don’t want to fight? Additionally, Big Bear and Beautiful Dreamer are the only characters with personality. When I came back for the last few issues, I did NOT want to, and it seemed that neither did Kirby because the last issue half wraps the story up, but doesn’t actually try.
But there’s a character gallery afterwards and then I remembered the villains. Mantis, Desaad, Glorious Godfrey. They were electric, and demonstrated why Darkseid was a cut above the rest of the villains in DC. These minions were totally devoted to him and the pure sadism, fascism, and hate that Kirby was able to portray was powerful. This is where Darkseid truly began, not with Jimmy Olsen. When each villain shined, it brought the book to great heights. That’s why in spite of my issues with it, this run gets 3/5.
As soon as I returned to this book after New Gods and Mister Miracle I was annoyed. It isn’t like Jimmy Olsen where we have to go out of the way to make a bunch of kids the main characters instead of the superman, but it may as well be. The news boy legion is traded out for the forever people, Jimmy Olsen for Mark Moonrider, and Superman for Infinity Man. Jimmy Olsen has the good fortune to be built on others work, the origins of characters need no explanation. In this, Issue #1 tells us about Supertown, and how it circles the Utopia of New Genesis, that there’s trouble with another world called Apokolypse and that trouble is coming to earth. The Forever people come to earth to save us from that trouble.
But who are the forever people. Why are THEY coming? What are their personalities, their powers, why is infinity man connected to them? I guess we get an answer, but nothing satisfactory. The Forever People have also taken up a creed of non-violence which just comes off as annoying most of the time. Why did you come to fight this battle if you don’t want to fight? Additionally, Big Bear and Beautiful Dreamer are the only characters with personality. When I came back for the last few issues, I did NOT want to, and it seemed that neither did Kirby because the last issue half wraps the story up, but doesn’t actually try.
But there’s a character gallery afterwards and then I remembered the villains. Mantis, Desaad, Glorious Godfrey. They were electric, and demonstrated why Darkseid was a cut above the rest of the villains in DC. These minions were totally devoted to him and the pure sadism, fascism, and hate that Kirby was able to portray was powerful. This is where Darkseid truly began, not with Jimmy Olsen. When each villain shined, it brought the book to great heights. That’s why in spite of my issues with it, this run gets 3/5.
October 15, 2025
Definitely doesn't reach the highs of Mister Miracle, but overall, not counting the highs, this hits that same itch Mister Miracle did. Another great story within the Fourth World Saga brought to us by our glorious comic king, who I think has made it very clear through this saga and bibliography as a whole, fucking hates fascist, amen brother!!!
The one thing this series was really lacking for me was individuality between characters, sure they're all distinct and I can tell them apart and tell you at least 2 things about them, but let's be honest they're not that memorable. More memorable than those fuckass news kids from Jimmy Olson, but not as memorable as Mister Miracles crew or the other new gods shown in The New Gods. There are like 2 issues where the gang gets separated, and I was hoping that we were finally going to meet them more personally, but before that could happen, they were back together again.
I expected it to be much worse, and more similar to Jimmy Olson, but luckily it wasn't at all. This is a great comic, which just like the rest of the saga felt really unfocused but that's fine. I like how intentionally or not, in the way I read the saga, Darkseid just appears more and more, from having small appearances in Jimmy, to a bigger role in New Gods, to Mister Miracle and especially the Forever People, where he just shows up casually. And I will give him credit, fuck he's a good villain, it totally makes sense how they're still actively using him today, he's so fucking good.
Anyways, this is finally the end of my brief preparation for Crisis on Infinite Earths, it took several months and thousands of pages (and also lots of money but let's ignore that), but we're finally here. I'm finally going to read the comic event of comic events, Crisis on Infinite Earths, this better not be disappointing or I better not have done poor research or I'll actually cry (probably not, but this reads better in a review than "or I'll actually do literally nothing because they're interesting comics I was going to read anyways")
The one thing this series was really lacking for me was individuality between characters, sure they're all distinct and I can tell them apart and tell you at least 2 things about them, but let's be honest they're not that memorable. More memorable than those fuckass news kids from Jimmy Olson, but not as memorable as Mister Miracles crew or the other new gods shown in The New Gods. There are like 2 issues where the gang gets separated, and I was hoping that we were finally going to meet them more personally, but before that could happen, they were back together again.
I expected it to be much worse, and more similar to Jimmy Olson, but luckily it wasn't at all. This is a great comic, which just like the rest of the saga felt really unfocused but that's fine. I like how intentionally or not, in the way I read the saga, Darkseid just appears more and more, from having small appearances in Jimmy, to a bigger role in New Gods, to Mister Miracle and especially the Forever People, where he just shows up casually. And I will give him credit, fuck he's a good villain, it totally makes sense how they're still actively using him today, he's so fucking good.
Anyways, this is finally the end of my brief preparation for Crisis on Infinite Earths, it took several months and thousands of pages (and also lots of money but let's ignore that), but we're finally here. I'm finally going to read the comic event of comic events, Crisis on Infinite Earths, this better not be disappointing or I better not have done poor research or I'll actually cry (probably not, but this reads better in a review than "or I'll actually do literally nothing because they're interesting comics I was going to read anyways")
May 27, 2021
Forever People are the young New Gods of Supertown, the celestial city of the planet New Genesis. The first volume of their publishing series is the part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World saga that also runs its continuity in three other series, Superman Pal's Jimmy Olsen, New Gods, and Mister Miracle.
The first volume of Forever People runs for only 11 issues in which the five members of the young team arrives on Earth and spreads the message about opposing the evil called Darkseid who is on an eternal hunt for the anti-life equation, a formula that will give him total control over any sentient race.
Jack Kirby's imagination for this team were the hippies who dressed and behaved like them. Kirby also had a hippie group in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen series called The Hairies who were created from the Project Cadmus. I am not sure if the writers of that time were influenced by the counterculture or only Kirby.
Forever People are five members with different powers. Beautiful Dreamer has a portion of antilife and this is exactly why Darkseid kidnapped her. Big Bear is the strongest of them. Mark Moonrider has a Megaton Touch whereas Vykin The Black has Magno Power. Vykin The Black also holds the reputation for being of the first Black superheroes in DC. Serifan is the youngest of them; he possesses the cosmic cartridges in his hatband.
My review of this series will be incomplete if I do not mention Infinity-Man. Drax, the Infinity-Man, is the protector of Forever People. Whenever they need him, they recite 'Taaru' on the Mother Box and he shows up. Drax has a direct link to The Source. He is the elder brother of Darkseid. Drax parted from Apokolips and went to New Genesis to serve Highfather and then Forever People.
Those who are willing to read Jack Kirby's Fourth World Saga, Forever People is compulsory to read as it is one of the four pillars of the major story.
References: Forever People (Vol.1) Issue 1-11 (March.1971 - November 1972)
The first volume of Forever People runs for only 11 issues in which the five members of the young team arrives on Earth and spreads the message about opposing the evil called Darkseid who is on an eternal hunt for the anti-life equation, a formula that will give him total control over any sentient race.
Jack Kirby's imagination for this team were the hippies who dressed and behaved like them. Kirby also had a hippie group in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen series called The Hairies who were created from the Project Cadmus. I am not sure if the writers of that time were influenced by the counterculture or only Kirby.
Forever People are five members with different powers. Beautiful Dreamer has a portion of antilife and this is exactly why Darkseid kidnapped her. Big Bear is the strongest of them. Mark Moonrider has a Megaton Touch whereas Vykin The Black has Magno Power. Vykin The Black also holds the reputation for being of the first Black superheroes in DC. Serifan is the youngest of them; he possesses the cosmic cartridges in his hatband.
My review of this series will be incomplete if I do not mention Infinity-Man. Drax, the Infinity-Man, is the protector of Forever People. Whenever they need him, they recite 'Taaru' on the Mother Box and he shows up. Drax has a direct link to The Source. He is the elder brother of Darkseid. Drax parted from Apokolips and went to New Genesis to serve Highfather and then Forever People.
Those who are willing to read Jack Kirby's Fourth World Saga, Forever People is compulsory to read as it is one of the four pillars of the major story.
References: Forever People (Vol.1) Issue 1-11 (March.1971 - November 1972)
April 14, 2025
I love Jack Kirby so ofc I liked this. His art is great and while people hate his writing it doesn't bother me that much. It's good that good old sci fi movie cheese, however my problem is probably all the words kinda make me confused and it starts to become a chore to read.
I took a break of reading his fantastic four run because I wanted something shorter and I think this satisfied. I really do love the forever people, and I already picked up an issue of the next run. But the writing kinda doesn't know what to do with them for alot of the run. I mean mother box and infiinty man are doing most of the work for them in their own comic. Also I'm rating this high because I love Serifan... i gen wanna do a cosplay of him. IDK he's just so fun. Pyschic cowboy come on that's so cool.
The strongest part of this run was the Happyland arc, it was really high stakes and I was so locked into finding out what happens next. But then after that arc wraps up the comic doesn't know what to do. They introduce Deadman who I'm sorry I did not care for at all. And an old lady who they rent a room from, which was interesting seeing them try to live in Earth society but then it was interupted by Deadman and then they kinda drop that whole plot.
The last few issuses had me dragging my feet on finishing. So I was just ready to get it over with. I've heard good things about the 80's run. I think unforutantely there isn't much other material of the Forever People which sucks, they might be outdated but they're super cool to me. DC please hire me I will make something good.
I took a break of reading his fantastic four run because I wanted something shorter and I think this satisfied. I really do love the forever people, and I already picked up an issue of the next run. But the writing kinda doesn't know what to do with them for alot of the run. I mean mother box and infiinty man are doing most of the work for them in their own comic. Also I'm rating this high because I love Serifan... i gen wanna do a cosplay of him. IDK he's just so fun. Pyschic cowboy come on that's so cool.
The strongest part of this run was the Happyland arc, it was really high stakes and I was so locked into finding out what happens next. But then after that arc wraps up the comic doesn't know what to do. They introduce Deadman who I'm sorry I did not care for at all. And an old lady who they rent a room from, which was interesting seeing them try to live in Earth society but then it was interupted by Deadman and then they kinda drop that whole plot.
The last few issuses had me dragging my feet on finishing. So I was just ready to get it over with. I've heard good things about the 80's run. I think unforutantely there isn't much other material of the Forever People which sucks, they might be outdated but they're super cool to me. DC please hire me I will make something good.
September 28, 2023
I'll admit that growing up, I really disliked Kirby's The Forever People. Though I'm much older and jaded now, I was surprised to find that my re-read of this series won me over. Kirby went all out with respect to the concepts he wanted to explore. Boom tubes, mother boxes, omega beams, etc. are all prominent fixtures of this series, and these high concepts balance well with the motley crew that is the Forever People. Mark Moonrider, Big Bear, Vykin the Black, Serifan and Beautiful Dreamer are effectively superhero hippies from New Genesis (lovingly referred to as Supertown by this lot), and they mostly want to vibe out but end up clashing with a fun mix of villains. The main villain to the series is Darkseid, but others like Desaad and Glorious Godfrey play prominent roles as well. There is a fair amount of political subtext behind The Forever People, with allusions to fascism, capitalism and collectivism all being prevalent. The series is completely bizarre, and it's only compounded by Kirby's frenetic energy. Though the series ends a little rushed, it's still a very worthwhile entry to Kirby's "Fourth World" saga.
February 9, 2022
Reading through all the 4th World / New Gods Kirby books. Haven't finished everything, but this has been my least favorite thus far. Wouldn't recommend unless you also just want to 100% the broad storyline of the different series.
That being said. Totally cool art and awesome splash pages. The main characters are not particularly interesting or memorable, but some of the side characters are really neat and New Genesis and Apokolips are cool of course. The Mother Box is probably my least favorite gimmick ever, and the hippie stuff Kirby goes for comes off pretty lame tbh. Totally wild to see him just pulling stuff out of nowhere and making up random characters / powers / lore / technology / abilities / etc. but it doesn't always add up to a compelling read. Just a few good plotlines, but mostly ridiculous things.
That being said. Totally cool art and awesome splash pages. The main characters are not particularly interesting or memorable, but some of the side characters are really neat and New Genesis and Apokolips are cool of course. The Mother Box is probably my least favorite gimmick ever, and the hippie stuff Kirby goes for comes off pretty lame tbh. Totally wild to see him just pulling stuff out of nowhere and making up random characters / powers / lore / technology / abilities / etc. but it doesn't always add up to a compelling read. Just a few good plotlines, but mostly ridiculous things.
September 10, 2023
Reprint of the first 11 issues of Forever People, a comic series that didn’t last long enough to realize its potential. Great Kirby art (unfortunately not in color in this edition) but his dialogue is a bit clunky. The issues with Glorious Godfrey and Billion Dollar Bates are my favorites in this short-lived, uneven series. DC forced Kirby to do the two Deadman issues, and they don’t seem to fit the series. DC did Kirby (and his readers) no favors by forcing this collaboration.
July 31, 2024
I've always heard this was the worst of Kirby's Fourth World books but I quite liked it. Well except for the Deadman issues. Those stunk. The Forever People are the hippies of New Genesis. They're running around, getting in random trouble with everyone they meet. The villains are fun and inventive which is what matters most in a 50 year old comic.
January 25, 2025
This was a step-up from Kirby's "Superman's Pal..." series that introduce the Fourth World. I found the characters more interesting and there was one issue in particular that did a excellent job of creating a truly horrific scenario for the heroes. This further expands the mythology of the Fourth World and there are some fun surprises along the way. Good! 3/5
April 27, 2025
Now, I recognize the importance of Jack Kirby. HOWEVER ... this was ... pointless? Barely anything of import happens and there was no real plotline to speak of. The characters were not fleshed out at all and it seemed meandering.
That being said, NOTHING beats Kirby's art and I could simply just look at his art all day.
Overall - 2/5
That being said, NOTHING beats Kirby's art and I could simply just look at his art all day.
Overall - 2/5
September 29, 2020
Ambitious and thematically rich, it loses stars for the way editorial derailed the last few issues. Inventive, dramatic, and a powerful look at bigotry, war, freedom, and non-violence.
October 4, 2021
Contains all of the Forever People comics in one collection and saves me opening my
original comics which are worth a bit of money!?!?
original comics which are worth a bit of money!?!?
July 20, 2022
The weirdest, silliest Jack Kirby outing I've read so far, but still pretty cool, or maybe I should say groovy.
February 10, 2023
Definitely my favorite character is the cowboy with cosmic cartridges in his hat band.
March 16, 2023
I’m big bear tag yourself in the comments
May 25, 2023
Nutty as hell, got the golden age of comics vibe, but unhinged. Wildly creative. Got his Chariot of the Gods influence, but I’d be totally surprised if he wasn’t influenced by Wilhelm Reich as well.
December 18, 2024
Divertido y creativo para la epoca pero los protagonistas no me importan y el final va muy malo
August 10, 2020
I think maybe this is just kinda dumb. The premise is goofy and Kirby's writing style doesn't feel well suited for a team book. Worth it for the history, but not a great read.
We talked about this series over on Comic Book Coffee Break:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Gh2...
We talked about this series over on Comic Book Coffee Break:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Gh2...
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