“Kirbyvision,” a definitive feature documentary about legendary comic book artist and creator Jack Kirby, is in development with acclaimed filmmaker Ricki Stern (“Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “UFOs: Investigating the Unknown”) set to direct.
Emmy-winning producers Dan Braun and Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment (“The Andy Warhol Diaries,” “Wild Wild Country”) will produce under their Submarine Deluxe banner alongside Mike Cecchini, Ron Fogelman and Chris Longo.
Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential creators in comics history, Kirby co-created Captain America with Joe Simon in 1941, famously depicting the superhero punching Adolf Hitler on the first issue’s cover months before the U.S. entered World War II. Throughout his nearly six-decade career, Kirby went on to create or co-create numerous iconic Marvel characters including the Avengers, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Thor and the X-Men (many with Stan Lee).
At DC Comics, Kirby created the ambitious “Fourth World” saga, a sprawling cosmic epic featuring characters like Darkseid, Mister Miracle and OMAC who remain central to DC’s publishing and screen projects today.
“Jack was not only one of the great comic book artists of all time, but a true visionary genius,” Stern said. “In this new feature length documentary, we actively campaign for the recognition he finally deserves as a leading artist and storyteller of the 20th Century.”
Braun added, “If there were a Mount Rushmore of 20th century pop culture luminaries, Jack Kirby should be the first one to be carved into the mountain. ‘Kirbyvision’ will let audiences experience the full scope of Jack’s limitless imagination, creativity and heart.”
The documentary has secured cooperation from the Estate of Jack Kirby as represented by the Rosalind Kirby Family Trust, with access to personal documents, home movies and creative materials, much of which has been unseen by the public until now.
“We are thrilled to work with such a dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable team of filmmakers,” said Lisa Kirby, the artist’s daughter. “The legacy of Jack Kirby is in good hands, as Ricki, Dan, Josh, Ron, Mike, Chris and their team share the same creative energy that helped my father create boundless universes of characters that continue to inspire us and shape our imaginations.”
The documentary will explore Kirby’s remarkable journey from poverty during the Great Depression to frontline service in World War II and his groundbreaking career spanning various genres from superheroes to romance, war, westerns, science fiction and horror.
“Whether noble underdogs battling extraordinary villains, lowly soldiers in the trenches ripped from his own battlefield experiences, remarkably prescient looks at our potential technological future, or man’s relation to the divine nature of the gods, Kirby’s tales are as universal and human as they are mythic and cosmic in their scope,” notes the production team. “Kirby’s creations and his subsequent struggles have made him a symbol of the enduring power of storytelling.”
Cecchini serves as an executive producer on “Does it Fly?” from Roddenberry Entertainment and is a trustee of the Jack Kirby Museum. Fogelman is director and co-founder of the London Action Festival, while Chris Longo is chief creative officer for pop culture media company Den of Geek.
Randolph Hoppe, director of the Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center, which is also collaborating on the project, stated: “Now is the perfect time to tell the complete story of the man whose imagination and craft continue to ignite and shape the dreams of new generations. We’re delighted to be working with Ricki and the whole production team to unlock the life story of a true legend.”
