2001: A Kirby Odyssey

Hi. This video looks at Jack Kirby’s unique adaptation of the classic science fiction movie directed by Stanley Kubrick, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
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#2001aspaceodyssey #marvelcomics #marvel #2001 #jackkirby #stanleykubrick #arthurcclarke #comicbooks #comics #bronzeagecomics #adaptation #hal9000 #monolith #movieadaptation #mgm

[@samwill7259]

Man read Chariot of the Gods and decided to write every possible story about it

[@radiak55]

An understatement. Kirby had been inspired by myths that I would say is the bedrock for his source of inspiration. And honestly the best kind of way to take the book. These unfounded ideas are much cooler in fantasy and Kirby did just that

[@mcspctr7726]

Onore, Amazon!

[@evanlindsey1100]

I've read that Kirby has been working with these concepts since he started in comics.

[@TheBathrobeWizard]

POYO!

[@yegenek]

I think "Lord of Light" by Roger Zelazny was a bigger influence on Kirby. He even did a number of character illustrations for the novel.

[@sargentoinkwinson4888]

Kirby's use of collage was genius. Paying dues to a massive influence on comic book/fantasy art: Max Ernst.

[@thew40]

Slight nitpick: Clarke didn't adapt Kubrick's script. They wrote the movie together, and then Clarke wrote the novel. They then met to compare drafts. The comic takes from both sources.

[@RayMescallado]

I must confess, I've seen the 2001 movie only once but have repeatedly gone back to the Treasury Edition many many times. Visually it's my favorite work by Kirby, the oversized format makes the cosmic tableaux so deeply enjoyable.

[@Rgoid]

When the sequel to 2001, 2010 The Year We Make Contact, was released, Marvel published an adaptation in Marvel Super Special, but Jack Kirby was not involved.

[@steveczap]

Aw… I was hoping for more on the truly insane issues that followed the “adaptation”.

[@jakepalermo9181]

Does this mean that Kirby's 2001 series will get a followup video? That series did introduce Machine Man before Warren Ellis turned him into Bender.

[@therussiancomicbookgeek]

This Jack Kirby adaptation is fantastic

[@RodrigoGarcia-ze5em]

Apparently Kirby contradicted himself when talking about Planet of the Apes, in some interviews he denies having seen the Apes movies, but in other interview he contradicts this. It's possible he was worried about 20th century fox suing DC and himself.

[@gregorio1580]

His space art blows my mind, it's so unique. He was a genius handling his black ink on a page.

[@ScaryStoriesNYC]

I remember reading this as a kid and being just as confused by it as I was by the movie LOL! I was too young to be able to tell if it was good or not.

[@camilocuba6927]

This is one of my dream collections that I wished would be released in Omni or at least hardcover format

[@tyshekka]

I watch the Hal death scene and think of the weirdness and irony of the machine seeming afraid. Bowman has no choice but to destroy the tool which acts like a person, and the machine is a horrific mockery. Once almost of the artificial memory is gone, we finally hear it sounding electronic. And the first few times I watched it, I was still scared it might somehow come back to attack the astronaut. But Bowman's stoicism? He's just doing what he has to do.

[@troubadour723]

I was 8 years old at the time, and loved both. I'm not sure where I first saw the Kirby version, but my mother had to order a copy for me specially from Marvel, since it was no longer on the market (the Treasury Editions were limited editions). I still remember seeing her write the letter and depositing what she thought would cover the price of the issue as well as postage. Sure enough, about a month later, one showed up in the mail. Soon after that I watched the movie for the first time on TV during its television premier, and sat riveted the entire time.

[@jacob7027]

No way dude. Picked up a few of these randomly after seeing them on eBay like 2 weeks ago. So cool to see someone talking about them. I hope they do some kind of trade paperback at some point. Great video :)

[@DaiAtlus79]

The ongoing is the first appearance of Machine Man, and because it was licensed work, it technically falls under the ownership (today) of Warner Bros Discovery (yes i know it was originally MGM, but then Ted Turner bought them then sold them and kept the catalogue then sold out to Time Warner a few years later. Maybe they could work out a trade? the Blade film rights for Machine Man (but not X-51).

[@randolphdixon891]

ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!!!! Jack Kirby's version is untouchable!!!! The movie itself complements his style!!!!🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥

[@luciferfernandez7094]

It’s not that Clarke made story less poetic for the novelization, he solved a Rorschach test just as Kirby did with his adaptation: the screenplay is already a Rorschach test and a nightmare to any contemporary movie production team. Seems to me Kirby shows his awe for the realistic approach of facing the unknown, his is a pretty interesting adaptation. Also, the treasury edition is not the first time that Kirby sort of entangled with 2001 - I still haven’t found anybody, including hard core Kirby fans, that have detected the first time Kirby put 2001 on a comic book page.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

Is there some reason you're stating Kirby did 2001 earlier without offering the actual comic you're claiming it happened in? Just feels good to have a secret?

[@bufordhighwater9872]

Your work is easily the best work being done in the world of comics.

[@1971thedoctor]

I have grown to love Kubrick’s 2001 movie and love Kirby’s version of 2001. Your critiques of Kirby are valid but that’s what I love about Kirby is his way to take something and make it his own. I do think maybe if Gil Kane or Jim Steranko did 2001 it would have been a very loyal adaptation and that would be great also

[@TitularHeroine]

This is gorgeous even with the color -- and you're right; would *love* to be able to read both versions side by side. I *was* about to say I beg to differ over Kirby's collages -- and oh, how I'd have had to beg! :D Because then you did say they work best with his own line art, and I do agree. As for the film, I like that sort of slow, operatic science fiction. I think worthy additions to that particular sub-set of film are 1972's "Silent Running", the original Russian version of "Solaris", and "Moon" with Sam Rockwell (always good). Another very fine addition to your KZbin catalog, Mr. the Parts. Massive, massive thanks.

[@leroypreston2973]

I wonder if you'll cover Jack Kirby's 2001: A space odyssey series at some point. If either the whole thing or just individual summations of each issue

[@leroypreston2973]

Especially since it starts out as one thing before transforming into something completely different.

[@filmtorres]

Actually the film was a big hit, grossing over $56.8 (512M 2024) million during its original theatrical run.

[@residentgrigo4701]

Nah, Wikipedia is correct here. The film didn´t break even in its release year.

[@troubadour723]

@@residentgrigo4701 Which shows how expensive it was for the time, since it finished 2nd in the list of highest-grossing films for 1968 (behind one of the numerous musicals which were the blockbusters of that time).

[@patricktilton5377]

At 33 seconds in, notice that the Monolith's sides point to a Vanishing Point that happens to be the 'bottom' of the lunar crescent, indicating that the Moon is at the Zenith of the location in Africa where these 'Ape-Men' live. One wonders if the site near the crater Tycho where another Monolith will be found 4 million years in the future might have been in the process of being buried just at this moment in the film, when Moonwatcher has just received his 'insight' to use that bone as a tool. The film's opening shot is when there was a Full Moon, and this view above the Monolith is near the New Moon alignment -- whether just BEFORE or AFTER is impossible to tell without knowing the cardinal directions of the scene. I would guesstimate that it took the Monolith's makers half a synodic month -- give or take a few days -- to find this tribe of primates and 'adjust' Moonwatcher's mind, assuming the least amount of time necessary to go from that initial Full Moon conjunction to what this view depicts.

[@SimonPrefontaineGames]

I'd love to hear more about that 2001 series!

[@residentgrigo4701]

The film adaptation is one of the (few) all-time great comic-to-film translations. Even above Walt Simonson´s Alien 1979 adaptation.

[@Charlie_Duz]

Who cares when the artwork is so great? Kirby could've drawn his weekly shopping list and I'd have bought it.

[@DWNicolo]

Have the whole series including the treasury edition.

[@govatos]

Just bought the treasury yesterday! This is excellent timing ❤

[@FizzyMcPhysics]

To be fair, Bowman and Poole don't have a lot to distinguish them in character anyway!

[@TheMightyPika]

HAL's death was one of the most brutal murders ever filmed. I was watching it with my hands over my eyes looking between my fingers. But NO ONE ever talks about it!

[@SingularityOrbit]

It's quite hard to watch . . . or rather, to hear. Also, I disagree with the comment in the video about Dave being emotionless while dismantling HAL's higher functions. There's a point in the red room where his hands shake, and it's clear that's he's having a lot of trouble and regret due to HAL's pleas. Even cold anger only gets him so far before he feels what he's doing to another thinking being. Also, just listen to Dave's voice and watch his eyes as he responds to HAL's offer to sing a song -- lots of emotional stress coming out from behind that cool astronaut facade.

[@stephenwalker2924]

murder by new order. listen...

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I think I had this comic when I was a teen.

[@sneakyskunk1]

What I would not give for a black and white edition of this book! The few stills featured in this video looked amazing.

[@nunyabizness6595]

Thats funny. Seeing this a few days after seeing 2001. I wanted to see 2010 again but its on a netflix which i no longer have. I remember a large size Marvel 2001 comic i got which i no longer have. Kirby on fire as always.❤❤❤

[@Phase52012]

I have a copy of the treasury edition, and I believe the follow up series. I haven't read it in years. Probably time to do that.

[@tedankhamenbonnah4848]

I had this as a kid. Blew my mind.

[@chrisw6164]

Nice, I love this series. By far the best Kirby after his return to Marvel.

[@markshulusky6680]

If Steve Gerber was the Harlan Ellison of comics, then Kirby was the Ray Bradbury. Bradbury didn't write hard Sci Fi, he wasn't concerned with conveying factual information or giving a science lecture. He just told stories that he made up.

[@juniorjames7076]

The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man and Dandelion Wine. I read all three the summer before going to high school and those books had a deep impact on me. Ray Bradberry is the GOAT.

[@furwerkstudio2057]

Here me out, Bernie Wrightson's The Shining.

[@TevyaSmolka]

I forgot about marvel 2001 space odyssey by Jack Kirby

[@soup2458]

Babe wake up, strange brain parts just posted

[@edatthegovernance]

I owned a copy of the initial movie adaptation. Fell asleep reading it. Woke up to it torn to bits. Pretty sure a family member tore it up, given how it was strewn around. I'd love to still own it, but the memories remain. Thanks for this.

[@robertopulitano8093]

Awesome video as always!!!

[@eriktruchinskas3747]

Theres no little pink balls anywhere, what a let down

[@patrickthebunny2626]

i also thought this would be 2001 but with kirby in it

[@afroscifizianzcomix7836]

Great video as always 👌

[@andrewp_cc]

Great video - thank you

[@Nono-hk3is]

Great video on a great subject

[@deathtone1614]

Great video

[@juliiju0484]

Damn, I didnt get a notificación for this video, but very good work

[@macsnafu]

It's a bit puzzling why Kirby wanted to make a series out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. But reading it, it becomes clear that he just wanted to use it as a platform for his own ideas. And we did get Machine Man out of it--Mister Machine from #9.

[@ctbinary42]

Only Kirby’s imagination could have taken this film and created an enjoyable (if a little dated) interpretation and continuation of the story as well as creating Machine Man along the way in the continuing series. Was this his only treasury format or were there others?

[@KenLieck]

Well, there was Captain America's Bicentennial Battles, for one...

[@michelvan97]

Kirby use more the Novel by Clark as Kubrick Movie script, in Novel the Transformation Dave Bowman happen far faster as in Movie...

[@TheJohnnyCalifornia]

Was MACHINE MAN a direct spin-off of this? Seems like there was some connection, but I haven't read either since they were published. It is ironic that Kirby did not really understand the A.I. vs Human theme in 2001 BUT he would go on to create one of the most interesting AI androids in Marvel (including Vision).

[@aldinbaroza9640]

Yes, it was. The final three issues of the 2001 comic featured Machine Man (then named Mister Machine). It was followed up by Kirby's Machine Man series.

[@danieljamesbarton]

No love for Machine Man?

[@Tomoko_Kuroki888]

Whats the intro song?

[@SatelliteLily]

2001 was not a flop. It was the highest grossing film of 1968. Have you seen the disconnection scene?! Dave is very emotional... there is nothing cold or murderous about how he acts in that scene. Dullea's actingt is amazing there. Dave is obviously struggling.

[@tompuce84]

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

:) D

[@seanodeli7031]

Weak effort overall

[@StruggleoftheOutsider]

making a fucking yt video describing a movie is not a piece or art or an adaptation.