The Phantom Menace homaging Kirby, and it’s hard not see the comparisons between George Lucas’ creations and those of the one-and-only King of Comics.
Much has been made of the apparent connections between Star Wars and Jack Kirby’s work. The most obvious connection between the two comes from Kirby’s Fourth World Saga, which depicts a war between the cosmic gods of New Genesis and Apokalips. Interestingly, the saga’s main hero Orion is eventually revealed to be the son of main villain Darkseid...a full eight years before audiences the world over were shocked to discover Luke Skywalker was the son of Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. The connections don’t end there: Kirby’s New Gods also draw their power from a mysterious energy known as “the Source” (rhymes with something familiar, no?). Even Darkseid’s name - pronounced “dark side” - seems to have been an influence on the Star Wars mythos.
Now, cartoonist Darth Maul and Queen Pe Amidala, check out Tom Scioli’s excellent work below:
Did Jack Kirby’s Mokkari and Big Barda Inspire Star Wars?
Scioli’s Kirby-fied versions of Maul and Amidala go beyond mere pastiche, as Scioli combines the two Phantom Menace players with two of Kirby’s Fourth World characters. Darth Maul already bears a striking resemblance to Kirby’s Mokkari, a servant of Darkseid who specializes in genetic experimentation. By combining the two, Scioli highlights the similarities in each character’s distinctive face markings. The artist further cites the connection by combining Queen Amidala’s iconic regal look with Kirby’s New Gods heroine Big Barda. The comparison is striking, especially the similarity in the headdress, with both characters sharing almost the exact same silhouette.
Of course, both George Lucas and Jack Kirby were serious students of ancient mythology, so it’s equally likely that these connections could be nothing more than coincidence. Whatever the case, both Star Wars and Jack Kirby will forever leave a lasting legacy in popular culture, and Tom Scioli honors both legends in his incredible Phantom Menace artwork.
Source: Tom Scioli
