Jack Katz, the visionary creator of the pioneering graphic novel The First Kingdom and a former contributor to both Marvel and DC Comics, has passed away.
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The veteran artist died April 25 at the age of 97.
Professor and author Arnold Kunka first reported the sad news via Facebook.
“I honestly thought Jack could live forever,” Kunka wrote in part. “He had a supernatural level of energy and enthusiasm for the things he loved. I feel lucky to have known him and privileged to have heard his stories.”
Jacob Katz, born on September 27, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, pursued his artistic passion early in life. He attended the School of Industrial Art in New York City and launched his career in the comics industry in 1943 at just 16 years old, per ICV2.
His first professional work was on Bulletman, a creation of C.C. Beck and Pete Costanza for Fawcett Comics (who published Captain Marvel, AKA Shazam).
In the mid-1940s, he worked at Jerry Iger’s studio before joining King Features Syndicate in 1946, where he assisted on strips like Terry and the Pirates and Thimble Theatre and was influenced by Hal Foster and Alex Raymond. During this time, he also created comics like Doll Man for Quality Comics. In 1951, he moved to Standard Comics.
In 1952, he joined the studio of Jack Kirby, the co-creator of iconic Marvel characters like the Hulk, and Joe Simon, the co-creator of Captain America. By this time, Katz had already developed a meticulous, highly detailed artistic style. While impressive, this approach significantly slowed his workflow, leading Kirby and Simon to eventually let him go.
He was later hired by Stan Lee at Atlas Comics (which would later become Marvel). However, his slow pace continued to pose challenges. By 1955, Katz decided to leave the comics industry altogether and shifted his focus to a career in teaching.
Jack Katz Makes His Return to Comic Books
Fourteen years later, he returned to his craft, contributing to Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and the black-and-white publisher Skywald, where he worked on titles such as Tender Love Stories, Jungle Adventures, and Psycho. In the early 1970s, he relocated to California, where the burgeoning underground comix movement sparked his inspiration. It was there that he began work on his magnum opus, The First Kingdom.
The First Kingdom was an ambitious sci-fi/fantasy series known for its intricate black-and-white artwork and sweeping narrative. It spanned 24 issues over 768 pages. Originally published by the retailer and publisher Comics & Comix between 1974 and 1977, the series later found a new home under co-founder Bud Plant, who continued its release. The final issue of this epic tale debuted in 1986.
The First Kingdom revolutionized comics by blending intricate storytelling with detailed art, similar to Elfquest and Cerebus. Originally released as 24 oversized comics, it’s considered a graphic novel due to its concept. Titan Comics reissued it with unreleased material in 2013.
Katz expanded his creative repertoire by publishing several graphic novels, including Legacy (released by Graphic Novel Literature in 2009), alongside a series of art instruction books. His artistic journey also included a deep connection to oil painting, which he first pursued in the mid-1950s and revisited in the late 1980s. Throughout his life, Katz also shared his passion and expertise by dedicating himself to teaching art.
He won the Inkpot Award in 1977 and was added to the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame in 2023.