Anyone who stayed to the very end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps credits will have noticed an intriguing quote: "If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there."
The quote is attributed to the late, great artist Jack Kirby, but if you're not invested in the knotty history of comic books then you may not be aware of who he was, the vital role he plays in the history of the medium, or why the film pays not one, but two tributes to him.
Join us now as we break it all down, and when you're done here, remember to check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
What does Jack Kirby's quote mean?
Jack Kirby, alongside Stan Lee, is one of the co-creators of the Fantastic Four. There is some debate on who had the biggest hand in their origins – and we'll get into that shortly – but the general consensus is that Kirby, who passed away in 1994, remains one of the greatest comics creators of all time.
On the one hand, Kirby's quote at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is fairly self-explanatory. It's him reflecting that art will always say something about its creator and their values. That feels particularly apt for First Steps, which is a loving homage to the characters' '60s run, of which Kirby was arguably the primary driving force.
Its use on screen is also a fun way of explaining one of the film's easter eggs. Rather than taking place on Earth-616, like the rest of the MCU, the new movie exists in a different reality: Earth-828 – which is also the month and date of Jack Kirby's birthday, August 28, 1917.
How else does The Fantastic Four: First Steps pay homage to Kirby?
Another tribute to Kirby comes much earlier in the new movie. In the scene when the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) first arrives to herald the coming of Galactus, we see an unnamed comic book artist hard at work in a Times Square studio. Look carefully and you can see pages of comic book art pinned on his walls, and drawn in a way that deliberately feels in keeping with Kirby's style.
Is this meant to actually be Jack Kirby alive in the '60s on Earth-828? Perhaps, perhaps not. Regardless, it's a neat nod back to the Fantastic Four's comic book origins.
Who exactly created the Fantastic Four?
As we noted up top, there has been some debate over the years about who was primarily responsible for creating the Fantastic Four.
Certainly, Stan Lee argued that the Fantastic Four was largely his, telling Cal Caputo in a 1964 interview that it was "mainly my idea, but Jack created characters visually."
This is something that Kirby refuted multiple times throughout his life, claiming that he came up with the idea for the team in Marvel's offices. It's believable, especially when you consider the artist's other great comic book creations.
Whatever the case, there can be no doubt that both men were creative geniuses, their talents together and apart laying the foundations on which the entire Marvel empire was built. So perhaps comics historian Mark Evanier, who worked with Kirby as a studio assistant in the 1970s, put it best when he wrote in his 2008 book Kirby: King of Comics, "Fantastic Four was created by Stan and Jack. No further division of credit seemed appropriate."
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters now, and is a part of Marvel Phase 6. For more superheroes, check out our our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, or look ahead to the other upcoming superhero movies on the way.
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