Kirby, Jack - JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #86 Interior Page
VF: 8.0
(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Thursday, 06/12/2025 7:12 PM
$28,750
Sold For
40
Bids
PUBLISHER: Marvel
COMMENTS: A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
Jack Kirby pencils/Dick Ayers inks; Journey Into Mystery #86 Page 3 (Marvel Comics, 1962); image size 12.5" x 18.5"
Predates Avengers #1! The 4th appearance of Thor! The crème de la crème of original comic art!
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Jack Kirby pencils/Dick Ayers inks; Journey Into Mystery #86 Page 3 (Marvel Comics, 1962); image size 12.5" x 18.5"
Predates Avengers #1! The 4th appearance of Thor! The crème de la crème of original comic art!
DESCRIPTION
A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
Jack Kirby pencils/Dick Ayers inks; Journey Into Mystery #86 Page 3 (Marvel Comics, 1962); image size 12.5" x 18.5"
Predates Avengers #1! The 4th appearance of Thor! The crème de la crème of original comic art!“On the Trail of the Tomorrow Man!”
The God of Thunder time travels to the future to battle The Tomorrow Man!
Published September 4, 1962
This page, produced in twice-up scale by Jack Kirby opens in a now classic, kaleidoscopic odyssey of motion as only the King of comics could have imagined! The three panel ephemeral vortex created by Thor’s use of his enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, affords the God of Thunder the ability to take flight after a pair of missiles in an effort to protect a rocket launch. Here on this singular page, through this one window into Marvel's past, with its creator long departed from this planet, one can view what greatness is all about and where Thor, the God of Thunder, from his very earliest of adventures, still resides to this day.
[LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE TWICE-UP ART PAGE: Jack Kirby looks to have been experimenting with how to depict the rocket as well as The God of Thunder’s motion in launching himself into flight in which the final version is depicted by Kirby in Panel 4. All pencils]
Thor then returns to proceed with more testing, all illustrated to great effect by Kirby, introducing readers to a whole new way of looking at their four-color heroes. A superior example of very early Marvel artwork, this story, published in September 1962, only a few short months after the releases of The Incredible Hulk #1 and Amazing Fantasy #15, and a full year before the release of Avengers #1, making Thor one of the very first heroes introduced in the Marvel Age of comics. Pen and ink. Art is in excellent condition.
Jack Kirby's artwork was central to the impact of Journey Into Mystery #86, elevating the story through his dynamic visual storytelling and innovative design. Kirby was known for his ability to inject energy and motion into every panel, using techniques like extreme foreshortening and dramatic action poses to make scenes feel immediate and intense.
His approach drew readers into the story, making them feel as if they were part of the action rather than passive observers.
Kirby’s depiction of futuristic technology-such as Zarrko’s time machine and the giant robots-brought a sense of scale and wonder that matched the story’s science fiction themes. His imaginative layouts and cinematic pacing helped propel the narrative forward, ensuring that the tension and stakes were always visually clear. By breaking away from static, illustrative art and embracing a style that emphasized movement and spectacle, Kirby made the comic’s time-travel adventure both visually compelling and emotionally engaging.
Overall, Kirby’s art was not just decorative but integral to the storytelling, amplifying the drama and excitement of Thor’s battle against the Tomorrow Man and establishing a visual standard that would define Marvel’s superhero comics for years to come!
Jack Kirby ,the undisputed father of Marvel Comics, felt a special affinity for Thor. With the exception of the Fantastic Four, which Kirby famously drew for 102 straight issues, Thor was the character he stayed with the longest, not passing the reins over to another artist to continue what he started like he did with the majority of the characters he created during that incredibly fertile first few years. That affection shows through in the work, Thor, and his supporting cast, are as fleshed out and fully formed as anything Kirby created in his legendary career, and this page, from his 4th ever appearance, is among the earliest to ever come to market and remains a true artifact from one of most significant periods of comics' storied history.
The images of the published page and cover are for reference only.
_______________________________________________
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artists Information
Jack Kirby is called 'The King of Comics' for a reason, during his career that spanned six decades he gave us many of the most iconic characters the medium would ever see. From his introduction of Captain America at the height of World War II it was clear he wasn't your ordinary comics artist. But it was his creative explosion at Marvel Comics in the 1960's that cemented his legacy, over a short period of time Kirby would give us The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, The Hulk, The X-Men, Thor, Ant-Man and Nick Fury just to name a few. Kirby would then go to DC and create his Fourth World, introducing Darkseid, Mister Miracle, The New Gods and a host of cosmic supporting players. Long live The King!
Richard "Dick" Ayers was an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of the main inkers during the late-1950's and 1960's Silver Age of Comics, including some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' including Jack Kirby's The Fantastic Four. He is the signature penciler of Marvel's World War II comic Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, drawing it for a 10-year run, and he co-created Magazine Enterprises' 1950s Western-horror character the Ghost Rider, a version of which he would draw for Marvel in the 1960s. His career would span 7 decades until his death in 2014.
Jack Kirby pencils/Dick Ayers inks; Journey Into Mystery #86 Page 3 (Marvel Comics, 1962); image size 12.5" x 18.5"
Predates Avengers #1! The 4th appearance of Thor! The crème de la crème of original comic art!“On the Trail of the Tomorrow Man!”
The God of Thunder time travels to the future to battle The Tomorrow Man!
Published September 4, 1962
This page, produced in twice-up scale by Jack Kirby opens in a now classic, kaleidoscopic odyssey of motion as only the King of comics could have imagined! The three panel ephemeral vortex created by Thor’s use of his enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, affords the God of Thunder the ability to take flight after a pair of missiles in an effort to protect a rocket launch. Here on this singular page, through this one window into Marvel's past, with its creator long departed from this planet, one can view what greatness is all about and where Thor, the God of Thunder, from his very earliest of adventures, still resides to this day.
[LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE TWICE-UP ART PAGE: Jack Kirby looks to have been experimenting with how to depict the rocket as well as The God of Thunder’s motion in launching himself into flight in which the final version is depicted by Kirby in Panel 4. All pencils]
Thor then returns to proceed with more testing, all illustrated to great effect by Kirby, introducing readers to a whole new way of looking at their four-color heroes. A superior example of very early Marvel artwork, this story, published in September 1962, only a few short months after the releases of The Incredible Hulk #1 and Amazing Fantasy #15, and a full year before the release of Avengers #1, making Thor one of the very first heroes introduced in the Marvel Age of comics. Pen and ink. Art is in excellent condition.
Jack Kirby's artwork was central to the impact of Journey Into Mystery #86, elevating the story through his dynamic visual storytelling and innovative design. Kirby was known for his ability to inject energy and motion into every panel, using techniques like extreme foreshortening and dramatic action poses to make scenes feel immediate and intense.
His approach drew readers into the story, making them feel as if they were part of the action rather than passive observers.
Kirby’s depiction of futuristic technology-such as Zarrko’s time machine and the giant robots-brought a sense of scale and wonder that matched the story’s science fiction themes. His imaginative layouts and cinematic pacing helped propel the narrative forward, ensuring that the tension and stakes were always visually clear. By breaking away from static, illustrative art and embracing a style that emphasized movement and spectacle, Kirby made the comic’s time-travel adventure both visually compelling and emotionally engaging.
Overall, Kirby’s art was not just decorative but integral to the storytelling, amplifying the drama and excitement of Thor’s battle against the Tomorrow Man and establishing a visual standard that would define Marvel’s superhero comics for years to come!
Jack Kirby ,the undisputed father of Marvel Comics, felt a special affinity for Thor. With the exception of the Fantastic Four, which Kirby famously drew for 102 straight issues, Thor was the character he stayed with the longest, not passing the reins over to another artist to continue what he started like he did with the majority of the characters he created during that incredibly fertile first few years. That affection shows through in the work, Thor, and his supporting cast, are as fleshed out and fully formed as anything Kirby created in his legendary career, and this page, from his 4th ever appearance, is among the earliest to ever come to market and remains a true artifact from one of most significant periods of comics' storied history.
The images of the published page and cover are for reference only.
_______________________________________________
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artists Information
Jack Kirby is called 'The King of Comics' for a reason, during his career that spanned six decades he gave us many of the most iconic characters the medium would ever see. From his introduction of Captain America at the height of World War II it was clear he wasn't your ordinary comics artist. But it was his creative explosion at Marvel Comics in the 1960's that cemented his legacy, over a short period of time Kirby would give us The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, The Hulk, The X-Men, Thor, Ant-Man and Nick Fury just to name a few. Kirby would then go to DC and create his Fourth World, introducing Darkseid, Mister Miracle, The New Gods and a host of cosmic supporting players. Long live The King!
Richard "Dick" Ayers was an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of the main inkers during the late-1950's and 1960's Silver Age of Comics, including some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' including Jack Kirby's The Fantastic Four. He is the signature penciler of Marvel's World War II comic Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, drawing it for a 10-year run, and he co-created Magazine Enterprises' 1950s Western-horror character the Ghost Rider, a version of which he would draw for Marvel in the 1960s. His career would span 7 decades until his death in 2014.