’50th Anniversary Retrospective of Jack Kirby’s New Gods’ Webinar

Leading Hollywood writer & director Ava DuVernay was recently announced by Warner Bros. as the director of a forthcoming major motion picture based on the DC Comics characters the New Gods. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a first-timer, it’s time for a deep dive on this legendary comic-book series before its big debut on the Hollywood screen.

Join New York Adventure Club for a retrospective of the New Gods series on the 50th Anniversary of its publishing, a series created by comic book writer/illustrator/editor Jack Kirby, whose characters and stories are still influencing pop culture today.

Hosted by award-winning comic book-style illustrator and pop culture historian Arlen Schumer, this VisuaLecture overview of the past, present, and future of Jack Kirby’s New Gods will include:

• How New Gods fits into Kirby’s groundbreaking “Fourth World” series of four interrelated, concurrent comic book titles
• The relationship between New Gods and George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise
• Why DuVernay wanted to adapt New Gods into a major motion picture
• How moving to California in 1969 influenced Kirby to create his Fourth World team book, The Forever People — and why the series was discontinued after only two years
• Why living-legend comic book writer/artist Jim Steranko is a major influence on Kirby’s Fourth World super-escape artist Mister Miracle

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Arlen — any and all questions about New Gods are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually! $10.

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Arlen

Arlen Schumer, MFA is one of the foremost historians of comic book art, named by Comic Book Artist magazine in 1998 as “one of the more articulate and enthusiastic advocates of comic book art in America.” His coffee table book, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art, won the Independent Publishers Book Award for best Popular Culture book.

Schumer is also one of comic book art’s most idiosyncratic practitioners, creating award-winning illustrations for the advertising and editorial markets.

“One of the country’s pre-eminent authorities on comics and culture.” —Jon Meyerson, Producer, ABC News’ 20/20

“Nobody speaks about comics with more authority, understanding and love than Arlen does. He is to comics what Pauline Kael was to movies.” —Clem Robins, letterer for DC and Marvel Comics