Super Powers No. 2 Cover by Jack Kirby

In 1984, DC moved their toy licensing from Mego and awarded it to Kenner. The result was The Super Powers Collection. A successful toy line, DC cross-pomoted it with a refreshed Super-Friends animated series from Hanna Barbera co-branded with the toy line, and comics mini-series published yearly from 1984 to 1986.

The cover below was from the second mini-series, Super Powers No. 2, October 1985, listed as illustrated by Jack Kirby and Greg Theakston. However, comparing the final cover to Kirby’s original pencils, it appears Theakston re-drew the entire cover to satisfy certain editorial needs, primary among them Kalibak’s rod not covering up the book’s logo.

There’s a lot of power and skill in Kirby’s original pencils, and I wondered what it would be like to ink the King and package the cover that never got to be.

As published.

Scan of the original art from Heritage Auctions.

Scan of Kirby’s pencils from Heritage Auctions.

Inks.

Colour.

Trade dress added.

Final cover.