Coming out of the Space: 2001 spin-off comic book, Jack Kirby’s all-too-brief Machine Man comic explored issues of being, humanity, and the connection between machines and people. It was a true Science Fiction comic in its themes, and was vastly underrated. I wish they’d release an omnibus of this title along with Kirby’s 2001 series.
Machine Man #1 hit the stands on January 24, 1978. It was both written and drawn by Kirby.
In issue #1, Machine Man starts out on a mountain where he rescues some hikers, and then hitch-hikes home. There’s no explanation of why he is in the wilderness–it’s not where you’d expect to find him–but on the letters page, Jack explains that he is trying to write about where tech and “real life” mix.
It’s a good idea, but unfortunately he’s terrible at dialog.
What Kirby is not terrible at, though, is visual imagination.
This book is full of it.
OK. So we got the set up: The Army wants to capture him, and he just wants to enjoy life and be left alone. Not dissimilar from Hulk or Silver Surfer.