Jack Kirby on the Lower East Side

Jack Kirby sat for a marathon video interview at his home in Thousand Oaks, California arranged by Greg Theakston and Tony DiSpoto. In this excerpt, Kirby talks about life on the Lower East Side, and ends with the story he dramatized in the ten page story "Street Code", his only explicitly autobiographical work.

[@davidbluth6496]

One of America's greatest artist period

[@brianchidester3334]

What a keen observer and self-aware too. The story of his own developing sensitivity and the hunchback kid was just incredible.

[@cha5]

Whenever I take a trip up to NYC I'll always make a pilgrimage to the Lower East Side and to Suffolk St, Kirby's childhood home. He and his parents and family lived in different tenement buildings along it throughout his childhood up until they were able to leave it and moved to Brighton Beach Brooklyn, One address was #76 Suffolk St which is now a parking lot just south of Delancy St, (Delancy St divides Suffolk St going East to West, Suffolk St goes North to South, The other Tenement building was at #131 Suffolk St just north of Delancy St which is now a large public high school. There's also a building along Suffolk St on the opposite side of this high school which at one time was a Monument building which featured in Jack's autobiographical story 'Street Code', It was an empty building for some decades and about 15 years ago or so it was made into an art gallery. Suffolk St is an interesting place to see along with the 'Tenement Museum' on Essex St if you're a Jack Kirby fan and want some idea what his childhood was like as well as the background of 'Yancy St' and 'Suicide Slum'.

[@KTF0]

Damn, Jack lived in the hood. Lower East Side is vastly different today.

[@JJackAL52]

Man what an amazing interesting man Jack was. I could listen to his stories for hours. Never would have expected that this comic book genius ever could have lived such a rugged 'hard time' life. Thanks much for the posting this, wish there were a lot more interviews like this with him.

[@billreid818]

An American Treasure. A WW2 vet, a member of the Greatest Generation. A visionary and a creative genius. Kind and tough and beautiful... a man's man. God bless him and all his kin.

[@75YBA]

This man spawned a million heroes who needed a role model. Bullies beware, the King is EVERYWHERE!!! LONG LIVE THE KING!!!

[@maddrbob650]

I could listen to Jack for hours.... no, DAYS. Can we hear ALL of this marathon interview, PLEASE?

[@rodneymarsden3003]

Belonging is such a big issue when growing up. Good to be reminded,

[@HumanDrillBit]

Simply amazing footage. Incredible.

[@walshstaples5981]

Wow... powerful and touching.

[@MrJeffrey316]

Great interview. Tough man that Jack Kirby.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

11B 10 Scout . . . . recon guy . . . .

[@aaronderrico7193]

"One of the guys". That's what I've always wanted to be too. Thank you so much for sharing this. I will think of that each time I write, draw and look at my Jack Kirby sculpture on my drafting table, striving for great things that inspire, like Jack.

[@09nob]

What an interesting raconteur he was.

[@emilbordon1329]

I was brought up in poverty and exposed to very similar things to Mr. Kirby. I used to read his comics and draw to escape the same misery. He’s the most under appreciated folk artist from the 20th C. whose creative influence will resonate for centuries to come. He should be commemorated in stone.

[@Martvandelay]

The Master!

[@JamesThigpen-MKY]

A hero who created heroes.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

His autobiographic thing called Street Code is a masterpiece. People use the word "genius" loosely, but he was one.

[@fatherted79]

Many thanks for uploading

[@RobertBeerbohm]

This is an intense share Jack did with us I really appreciate listening to!

[@Geoffreydarcy-pv4mq]

🔥💙🔥

[@kevincouch5225]

Im glad hes a disney legend and we have twommorrows publishing jack Kirby collector and a whole museum devoted to him

[@lestoil]

OMG...the story of the hunchback kid. Jeeeez...

[@TheAlmightyAss]

Doesn't remind you of the story Tony Soprano tells about the kid with a cleft palate in The Sopranos? That need to belong and be one of the guys is lamentable.

[@angelmanfredy]

Marathon? Please tell me there is more video?

[@TheAlmightyAss]

"You never saw a tree" Should tell you all about the man right there.