Jack Kirby's Long Lost Comic, The Black Hole!

[@matthewbustamonte9147]

That death scene Jim remembers IS in The Black Hole. It's the gruesome means by which Anthony Perkins meets his demise.

[@theodysseyproject5880]

The Black Hole movie WAS adapted into a comic book the United States into a 4 issue series by Whitman Comics and also collected in paperback at the time. That comic is totally different from what is shown here. The movie was fairly successful, but not the Star Wars-like blockbuster Disney hoped for. Check my video for The Black Hole collectibles (including the comics) for more info: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqXJiHyZZqqHodk

[@hcanderson3787]

Thanks so much for this review! I love this movie and I love Kirby, yet I had no idea this even existed. Tracking this down. By the way, Jim, you're referring to Anthony Perkins getting massacred by the large red robot, Maximillian. Disturbing scene even now.

[@MandatoryReporter2015]

This was syndicated in the Sunday newspaper funnies. I was so shocked to see my fav comic book artist doing a Disney newspaper strip.

[@nigelcox-hagan6820]

The Black Hole is an interesting and in many ways quite beautiful failure. As you all noted it was trying to Disney’s Star Wars but didn’t understand Lucas sensibility, the pastiche of action and fantasy genres into a sci fi pulp setting, at all. The Black Hole in tone and theme is a direct descendant of a couple of Technicolor sci fi fantasies from the late ‘50s: Forbidden Planet and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. Like both those films the central figure is a mad and bitter, but brilliant scientist who has isolated himself from humanity and mastered advanced technology that allows him to live in and explore a harsh, remote realm (there are also loose connections to Shakespeare’s The Tempest). Those are both cool movies, the problem is The Black Hole also carries over the stilted dialog and stock characters of ‘50s film and comics sci fi. The visual design and the score -by Basil Poledarius, known for Conan, Starship Troopers and Robocop - are superb and atmospheric. The movie is also a very odd combination of goofy and very dark. It ends with the mad scientist villain descending into what can only be desciribed as an out space version of Hell, but it also has a robot sounds like a character from Pixar’s Cars. It is a hokey film with an surprisingly sophisticated aesthetic. Worth checking out for that alone.

[@portland-182]

Whitman did comics adapting the film, which was collected in book form, published by Golden, so perhaps licencing issues prevented the Kirby version being collected and released in the US? The later Whitman comics 'Beyond The Black Hole' were also used in a UK annual - the art looks like Dan Spiegel. Might make a good comparison episode?

[@unitus]

As soon as Jim said he remembered one scene and it was terrifying, my mind snapped to the big red robot with the spinning blades scene! Ha!

[@trondsatre8615]

I found this at a second hand store ages ago. For the longest time, there was a monthly comic here in Norway called "Disneys Godbiter" (Disney's Treats). It was mostly reprints of Carl Barks and adaptations of the Disney animated canon, but very occasionally also adaptations of Disney live action adventures like The Black Hole and TRON

[@davekopperman]

The Whitman/Golden collected one (which I have) isn't credited to anyone in the book itself, though I've seen Dan Spiegle credited at a number of sources. It's definitely far rougher than other work I have of his from the period - weirdly also both movie adaptations: Clash of the Titans (which is really beautiful) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I stumbled on the Kirby on online a few years back and definitely felt a bit disappointed, but the strip format looked a bit better than the reconfigured album one.

[@rikowal]

I had this when I was a kid. It was a giant size comic if I recall..

[@mr.nobodyscomics]

I knew about the comic, but didn't know Kirby did it. Thx dudes

[@russworks2882]

The marketing of the movie was built around a 2001-style trippy payoff sequence of what was inside the Black Hole that they either hadn't yet figured out or didn't want to depict, so the comic strip just basically stops dead.

[@opalroad]

I love The Black 🕳 . My son sat and watched it with me when he was about 8. He loved Vincent and Bob.

[@safdarahmed4578]

Seriously guys The Black Hole is an amazing film! Ok the cute robots and trippy ending aren't totally original but it's magic - everyone should see it. :) And Jim's memory was on point.. The evil robot Maximilian uses his spinning blades to kill people and other robots.

[@Gootie29]

I've been looking for that book for a while. Great to get a chance to see it but I have to say I'm super envious!

[@jxy566]

The Black Hole blew my tiny kid mind! Going into the film : Disney doing Star Wars! This should be fun! At the end : 😱

[@christopherpdearing]

I've tried watching this movie a couple times, it's a rough ride. I wonder why Kirby couldn't adapt the famous ending.

[@beck769]

I wonder if Royer was doing something different when he inked Kirby? Because the art looks so much smoother compared to the roughness of Royer`s inks on Kirby at D.C.

[@frdh1357]

They made toys. I had the beat up robot and a book with a record (turn the page at the ding).

[@davidmakler8851]

I was curious to see how Kirby drew the bizarre ending ***spoilers for a 40 year old movie I guess** At the end, the ship travels beyond the blackhole into hell, like legit hell. It looks like the comic ends just before that though.

[@rudak6718]

I have a two issue floppy collection from Walt Disney of the movie adaptation, with no credits, and different art than what’s shown here. Any idea who made them? It ends with “next issue: Beyond The Black Hole!” Which I have the first issue of, but ALSO no credits! Curious if anyone knows more.

[@pudlordtynan919]

For those who want a fun review of the movie, try out Men With Funny Heads. They've got a good one. As for the art, it looks fantastic! I definitely does feel right at home with the rest of Kirby's Spaceborne Krafts. Although if he was actually allowed to do the Black Hole, itself, with full creative control... Damn.

[@Spacetrucker138]

any idea how i can get the free comic day comic if I'm not near any comic/book stores?

[@squinkque]

I was old enough to be excited when this movie came out and being bored to tears after watching it. Both this and the first Star Trek movie were huge disappointments to me as a kid.

[@fangjokerLS]

This is so cool. Kirby energy on a dark ass Disney film. My one regret is he didn't go full bore on the film's weird ending.

[@theartofSkinner]

Awwwwww yes!

[@randalwung8715]

I have zero recollection of the movie, but I've known about this comic strip forever. I also know Jack didn't do the layouts and, man, does it show. The drawing is awesome and, yes, Royer was there to clean things up so they looked like the product being sold, but Kirby artwork without Kirby storytelling is, in this case, bland as fuck. There's a reason, back in the day, that Marvel would hand Jack's layouts to new artists unfamiliar with the superhero genre-there’s more to the King's dynamics than just exaggerated poses, action lines, and cool-looking crackle. A LOT more.

[@matthewmcbratnie8781]

👏👏👏