The Best Of Simon & Kirby’s Mainline Comics (book review).

  By 1954, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby had already established a proven track record in creating successful comics. They decided to join forces and founded Mainline Comics to publish their own work. They ran with four titles: ‘Bullseye – Western Scout’, ‘Foxhole’, ‘Police Trap’ and ‘In Love’. That last title might surprise some, but romance comics were big business and the dynamic duo had a good track record in all four genres: Western, war, crime and romance.

  Unfortunately, Simon & Kirby’s timing couldn’t have been worse. In the 1950s, the comic industry became the scapegoat for juvenile delinquency in the youth of the USA. There were even US Senate Hearings where a prominent psychiatrist linked the rise of violent comics with a growing level of delinquency. This led to a severe backlash against comics, forcing many publishers out of business. Mainline Comics was one of them, closing its doors two years after opening.

  With such a short run, it can be hard to find examples of Mainline Comics titles. Thankfully, John Morrow has compiled enough material to publish a sizeable hardback containing the entire run of Bullseye. There are also fine examples from the other titles. In fact, all stories with Simon & Kirby art are included in this impressive book.

  Inside the front cover are two uncoloured pages from the ‘Foxhole’ comic. You get the title page and the first page of the story. There’s an interlude with the rest of the book before the tale continues on the inside of the back cover. You might have to refresh your memory of the story by the time you reach the end of the book, as it is 261 pages packed with a selection of complete stories and title pages drawn solely by Kirby or by Kirby and another artist.

  John Morrow is the editor, but he’s also contributed an insightful introduction. Chris Fama deserves mention for the art restoration required to reprint the comics.

  The Bullseye comics are presented first. The artwork is classic Kirby. It’s not as refined as his later work, but I think it’s perfect for the stories. As this book contains all seven comics featuring Kirby’s artwork, it spans 146 pages. There are some compelling stories, but you should remember that they were written in the 1950s when people’s perception of the American Wild West and Native Americans was different. There’s a lot of action, too. It’s amazing how they managed to afford all those bullets.

  Following the cowboys and indians is the war comic ‘Foxhole’. This section includes five short military comics and six Jack Kirby covers. While it’s Kirby doing the pencils, there’s a darker, grimmer ambiance to the artwork, in keeping with the subject matter of warfare. The stories reflect this, as not all of them have happy or even good endings.

  To lighten the mood, the next collection of comics and covers are from the ‘In Love’ magazine. It’s labelled as a magazine on the first cover but looks more like a comic to me. Kirby’s artistic style is similar to that used in the Bullseye comics, but mostly set inside 1950s homes and buildings. A common theme is misguided love, but there’s enough variation between the stories to keep them engaging.

  Completing the collection of comics is a selection from the ‘Police Trap’ title. The byline on the first cover proclaims, ‘Here are the scenes you read about but never see – the thousand dramas that take place in your Police Station.’ If this was true of American police stations in the 1950s, I’m glad I never had to visit one.

  Joking aside, there are some good stories here. Most are set in the city, with one in a rural setting. While Kirby’s artwork is always a highlight, Simon and Kirby also deserve praise for their storytelling. There’s a lot of thought put into the plotlines, even in very short comic-strips. Kirby’s artwork adds ambiance to the story without overshadowing it.

  ‘The Best Of Simon & Kirby’s Mainline Comics’ is an excellent collection that showcases their talents for storytelling and artwork. Had there not been a backlash against comics, Mainline likely would have been a commercial success. One wonders, if Mainline had succeeded, would Spider-Man have been created?

  For those who appreciate Jack Kirby’s work, this book is a must-have. The maestros successfully produced comics in four genres, with Kirby’s early artistic approach adeptly depicting them all in his trademark style.

Andy Whitaker

December 2023

(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 261 page graphic novel hardback. Price: $49.95 (US). ISBN: 978-1-60549-118-9. Direct from them, you can get it for $49.95 (US))

check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=95_94&products_id=1709