In addition to taking advantage of double-page spreads and eye-popping splash pages, Kirby was known for being an innovator of many illustration techniques, including the use of collages and incredibly complex technical sci-fi drawings.

Kirby adopts a thick wiggly line, the precursor of the more attenuated '60s squiggle. Textures on rocks and clothing become heavier and more abstract. Rocks, in particular, become abstract designs, almost pure exercises in form. Figures start to thicken.

This chapter examines Jack Kirby’s works as a cartoonist in the world of comics by focusing on his narrative drawing, particularly the hallmarks and gradual distillation of his graphic style. More specifically, it describes the qualities of Kirby’s comic art, namely its liveliness, forcefulness, and idiosyncrasy.

Over the course of his career, Kirby mastered the portrayal of action sequences on the comic book page. His depiction of the human form evolved away from any kind of illustrative anatomical accuracy and into a more cartoonish abstraction.

Many of the rules Jack applies to his work are solidly founded in the art of illustration. His principle aim is to tell you a story in a picture. Using symbols and action, he gets his points across quickly and clearly. The amount of line work used never gets in the way of what he is trying to say.