Marvel And New York City Just Honored Jack Kirby In the Coolest Way

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Marvel Comics and New York City just brought an iconic comic book location to life in honor of Jack Kirby.

As seen in an announcement from Marvel Comics, July 9 marked the renaming of Delancey Street in New York City to Yancy Street/Jack Kirby Way, in honor of the legendary comic book creator and artist who passed away over 21 years ago in 1994. Born barely a block away on Essex Street, Kirby drew much inspiration from his own childhood in New York City, particularly when it came to his Marvel Comics creations such as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing of the Fantastic Four, who famously lived out his own youth on the formerly fictional Yancy Street.

Kirby’s granddaughter, Jillian Kirby, was there to celebrate the monumental occasion, stating that “Grandpa Jack saw himself in the Thing, Ben Grimm being named after our great-grandfather… [The Fantastic Four] is so grounded in the Kirby family. Sue Storm [was also] named after our aunt Sue.” Jillian went on to recall her grandfather’s work with the Boys & Girls Republic (formerly the Boys’ Brotherhood Republic), an organization which the legendary creator worked with for years, and which he accredited with helping him stay out of trouble during his own childhood.

Among Kirby’s most iconic Marvel Comics creations are pop culture phenomenons and classic Avengers ranging from Captain America to the Black Panther to the Hulk to Iron Man. Quite possibly the most famous of Kirby’s creations at Marvel Comics is the Fantastic Four, whose personal experiences as characters were greatly shaped by Kirby’s own life. As Kirby’s other granddaughter Tracy noted during the Yancy Street/Jack Kirby Way renaming ceremony, “He was a New Yorker to the end,” which was readily apparent in much of his work at Marvel.

Beyond his work at Marvel Comics, Kirby created some of pop culture’s most mind-bending figures in the form of the denizens of DC Comics’ Fourth World. This includes titans of the DC Universe such as Darkseid, Mister Miracle, and Orion. While the Fourth World initially existed in a uniquespace of its own, the New Gods who hail from it have gone on to become indelible parts of the wider DC mythos, further cementing Kirby’s legacy across the comic book medium for what will surely be generations more yet to come.

Source: Marvel Comics

“}]] Marvel Comics teams up with New York City to cement a new place where fans can celebrate the life and legacy of the legendary Jack Kirby.  Read More