The King's Centennial

Normally, I wouldn't put something like this on my blog, but I feel it is pertinent in this case. You'll understand in a second if you keep reading. 

Jack Kirby, known as the "King of Comics", would have turned 100 years old today. Kirby is well-known to comics nerds as the creator of Marvel super-heroes like Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, The Hulk, Ant-Man, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, the X-Men, and Groot (yes, the talking tree thing in Guardians of the Galaxy!) This is just what he did for Marvel Comics. He also created quite an extensive cast of characters for DC as well as independently.

This streak of extreme creativity and artistic prowess came from a man who was a World War II vet. He was a Jewish kid who grew up in the Bronx. He was a cigar-chomping, jaded guy who was paid to create characters and comic books out of his imagination. Along with Stan Lee, he was the main driving force for creating so many of the movie characters we watch and love today. 

I love it when I see stuff like this. Kirby ranks right up there with Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Nikolai Tesla, Elon Musk, Benjamin Franklin, Steve Jobs, and the father of all modern inventors, George Washington Carver. Not because of his impact on the modern world (which is substantial), but because his was a brain that was exploding with ideas. 

If I could somehow show your kids that they have the potential for all these great ideas, I will have done my job this year. 

Wish me luck!