Fourth World (comics)

As the newsstand distribution system for comics began to break down, Jack Kirby foresaw a day when comics would need to find alternate venues for sale.{{cite book |last= Evanier |first= Mark |author-link= Mark Evanier |chapter= Afterword |title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume One |publisher= DC Comics |year= 2007 |location= New York, New York |pages= [https://archive.org/details/jackkirbysfourth0001kirb/page/388 388–396] |isbn= 978-1401213442 |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/jackkirbysfourth0001kirb/page/388}} Toward this end, Kirby envisioned a finite series that would be serialized and collected in one tome after the series had concluded. He began the "Fourth World" in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (Oct. 1970).{{cite book |author-link= Paul Levitz|last=Levitz|first= Paul|chapter= The Bronze Age 1970–1984|title= 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking|publisher= Taschen |year=2010 |location= Cologne, Germany |isbn= 9783836519816 |page= 447 |quote= Kirby began introducing new elements to the DC Universe, building toward the introduction of a trio of new titles based on a complex mythology he called the Fourth World.}} DC Comics had planned to introduce the "Fourth World" titles in the November 1970 issue of their preview omnibus title, Showcase. Kirby reportedly objected to this, and Showcase was cancelled. This delayed the introduction of the "Fourth World" titles until the following year. The three original titles constituting the "Fourth World" were The Forever People,{{cite web |url= http://www.toonopedia.com/foreverp.htm |title=The Forever People |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2008 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url= https://archive.today/20240527020429/https://www.webcitation.org/6QpOv3xjF?url=http://www.toonopedia.com/foreverp.htm |archive-date= May 27, 2024 |url-status=live}} Mister Miracle,{{cite web |url= http://www.toonopedia.com/mmiracle.htm |title=Mister Miracle |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2008 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140707120149/http://www.toonopedia.com/mmiracle.htm |archive-date=July 7, 2014 |url-status=live}} and The New Gods.{{cite web |url= http://www.toonopedia.com/newgods.htm |title=New Gods |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2008 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140707053315/http://www.toonopedia.com/newgods.htm |archive-date=July 7, 2014 |url-status=live}}{{cite book |last1=McAvennie|first1= Michael |last2=Dolan |first2=Hannah, ed. |chapter= 1970s |title = DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year= 2010 |location= London, United Kingdom |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 145 |quote = As the writer, artist, and editor of the Fourth World family of interlocking titles, each of which possessed its own distinct tone and theme, Jack Kirby cemented his legacy as a pioneer of grand-scale storytelling.}}

Unhappy with Marvel Comics at the time, as he had created a plethora of characters without having copyright or creative custody of them, Kirby turned to rival publisher DC Comics, with his sketches and designs for a new group of heroes and villains. He had first showed them to Stan Lee, who liked them, but wanted to fold them into already existing titles. So Kirby decided to keep them for himself. When Carmine Infantino visited Kirby and his family for Passover, he showed him his designs and ideas. Infantino told him that he wanted to bring them to DC. Worsening conditions at Marvel and promises from DC made Kirby decide to switch company.[https://www.vulture.com/article/jack-kirby-fourth-world-steppenwolf-justice-league.html How Jack Kirby's Fourth World Comics Led to Justice League] As author Marc Flores, who writes under the pen name Ronin Ro,{{cite news |url =https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C01E3DA153BF932A05752C0A9639C8B63 |title= MediaTalk; Who Deserves The Credit (and Cash) For Dreaming Up Those Superheroes? |first= Nat |last= Ives |date= January 31, 2005 |newspaper= The New York Times |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140802063404/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C01E3DA153BF932A05752C0A9639C8B63 |archive-date= August 2, 2014 |url-status=live}} described:

{{quote|text=The idea of the New Gods had come to Jack years earlier, when he was plotting 90 percent of the "Tales of Asgard" stories in Thor. He wanted to have two planets at war and end with Ragnarok, the battle that would kill Thor's lucrative pantheon. Instead, he tried the idea in his Inhumans stories. Now he was presenting it in its original context. Though he wouldn't ever say it publicly, the New Gods books started right after the gods in Thor killed one another. The first page of Orion of the New Gods showed the same scenes from Thor—a planet torn in half and armored gods holding swords and dying on a fiery battleground.{{Cite book |last= Ro |first= Ronin |title= Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution |page= 148 |publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing |date= July 2004 |location= London, United Kingdom |isbn= 1-58234-345-4}}}}

File:Mister miracle (1971) 1.jpg #1 (April 1971), cover art by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta.]]

"The Fourth World" dealt with the battle between good and evil as represented by the worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips. Darkseid, the evil lord of Apokolips, seeks the Anti-Life Equation which will allow him to control the thoughts of all living beings. Opposing him is Orion, his son, who was raised on New Genesis.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Hodgman-Comics-t.html?_r=0 |title= Comics |first= Jim |last= Hodgman |date= June 1, 2008 |newspaper= The New York Times |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140802074618/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Hodgman-Comics-t.html?_r=0 |archive-date= August 2, 2014 |url-status=live}} Other characters caught in the battle included the Forever People, an extension of the kid gang concept from the 1940s with a group of adolescents adventuring without an adult supervisor;{{cite journal |last= Hatfield|first= Charles |title= Kirby's Fourth World: An Appreciation |journal= The Jack Kirby Collector |issue= 6 |publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing |date= July 1995 |location= Raleigh, North Carolina|url= http://www.twomorrows.com/kirby/articles/064thworld.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140409011351/http://twomorrows.com/kirby/articles/064thworld.html |archive-date= April 9, 2014 |url-status=live |quote= While innovative in structure, the lineup allowed Kirby to revisit familiar genres: Jimmy Olsen and especially Forever People revived the Simon & Kirby kid gang formula.}} Mister Miracle, a native of New Genesis raised on Apokolips who triumphed over a torturous childhood to become the world's greatest escape artist; and Lightray, the heroic warrior of New Genesis. Their adventures would take them to Earth where the war continued.

Comics historian Les Daniels observed in 1995 that "Kirby's mix of slang and myth, science fiction and the Bible, made for a heady brew, but the scope of his vision has endured".{{cite book |last = Daniels |first = Les |author-link = Les Daniels |chapter= The Fourth World: New Gods on Newsprint |title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes |publisher = Bulfinch Press |year = 1995 |location= New York, New York |page = 165 |isbn = 0821220764}} In 2007, comics writer Grant Morrison commented that "Kirby's dramas were staged across Jungian vistas of raw symbol and storm... The Fourth World saga crackles with the voltage of Jack Kirby's boundless imagination let loose onto paper".{{cite book |last= Morrison |first= Grant |author-link= Grant Morrison |chapter= Introduction |title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume One |publisher= DC Comics |year= 2007 |location= New York, New York |pages= [https://archive.org/details/jackkirbysfourth0001kirb/page/7 7–8] |isbn= 978-1401213442 |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/jackkirbysfourth0001kirb/page/7}}

The Fourth World characters reappeared in various titles. In 1976, the New Gods were featured in the last issue of 1st Issue Special.{{cite journal |last= Abramowitz |first= Jack |title= 1st Issue Special It Was No Showcase (But It Was Never Meant To Be) |journal= Back Issue! |issue= 71 |pages= 45–47 |publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing |date= April 2014 |location= Raleigh, North Carolina}} The New Gods series relaunched in July 1977, and with 1st Issue Special still a relatively recent publication, it picked up where the storyline of that issue left off. Although the title remained "The New Gods" in the indicia and retained its original numbering, launching with #12, the covers used the title "The Return of the New Gods".{{gcdb series |id= 2380 |title= New Gods (revival)}} Gerry Conway wrote the series and Don Newton drew it.McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 173: "The New Gods series and its original numbering were revived after a five-year break, with a story written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Don Newton". Mister Miracle teamed-up with Batman three times in The Brave and the Bold,{{cite comic| writer= Haney, Bob |penciller= Aparo, Jim |inker= Aparo, Jim |story= The Impossible Escape |title= The Brave and the Bold |issue= 112 |date= April–May 1974}}{{cite comic| writer= Haney, Bob |penciller= Aparo, Jim |inker= Aparo, Jim |story= Death by the Ounce| title= The Brave and the Bold |issue= 128 |date= July 1976}}{{cite comic |writer= Haney, Bob |penciller= Aparo, Jim |inker= Aparo, Jim |story= Mile High Tombstone |title= The Brave and the Bold |issue= 138 |date= November 1977}} and the Mister Miracle series was revived in September 1977 by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers.McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 175: "Writer Steve Englehart and artist Marshall Rogers, having garnered acclaim for Detective Comics, picked up Mister Miracle where the series had ended three years before".{{cite web |url= http://www.steveenglehart.com/comics/mister%20miracle%2019-22.html |title= Mister Miracle #19–22 |first= Steve| last= Englehart |author-link= Steve Englehart |date= n.d.|publisher= SteveEnglehart.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130408053755/http://www.steveenglehart.com/Comics/Mister%20Miracle%2019-22.html |archive-date= April 8, 2013 |url-status=live}} Steve Gerber{{cite journal |last= Kingman |first= Jim |title= The Miracle Messiah: Steve Gerber's Short-Lived Take on Mister Miracle|journal =Back Issue!|issue= 31 |pages= 57–59| publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing |date= December 2008 |location= Raleigh, North Carolina}} and Michael Golden produced three issues ending with #25 (Sept. 1978),{{gcdb series |id= 1980 |title= Mister Miracle}} with several storylines unresolved.{{cite book |last = Nolen-Weathington |first = Eric |title = Modern Masters Volume 12: Michael Golden |publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing |year = 2007 |location= Raleigh, North Carolina |pages= 13–16 pm |isbn= 978-1893905740}} Mister Miracle teamed with Superman in DC Comics Presents #12 (Aug. 1979){{cite comic|writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Buckler, Rich |inker= Giordano, Dick |story= Winner Take Metropolis |title= DC Comics Presents |issue= #12 |date= August 1979}} and the New Gods met the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America in Justice League of America #183–185 (Oct–Dec 1980).{{cite comic |writer= Conway, Gerry |penciller= Dillin, Dick |inker= McLaughlin, Frank |story= Crisis on New Genesis or "Where Have All the New Gods Gone?" |title= Justice League of America |issue= #183 |date= October 1980}}{{cite comic| writer= Conway, Gerry|penciller= Pérez, George |inker= McLaughlin, Frank |story= "Crisis Between Two Earths" or Apokolips Now! |title= Justice League of America |issue= #184 |date= November 1980}}{{cite comic |writer= Conway, Gerry|penciller= Pérez, George |inker= McLaughlin, Frank |story= Crisis on Apokolips or Darkseid Rising! |title= Justice League of America |issue= #185 |date= December 1980}} "The Great Darkness Saga" storyline in Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 featured the team battling Darkseid a thousand years in the future.Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan p. 198: "When [Paul Levitz] wrote 'The Great Darkness Saga', a five-issue epic that pitted the Legion against one of the most notorious villains of DC's long history, he and artist Keith Giffen crafted the most famous Legion story of all time and became fast fan favorites".

Mark Evanier, who worked as Kirby's assistant in the 1970s and later wrote an award-winning Kirby biography, has said that there are multiple, mutually-exclusive explanations for why Kirby chose the name "Fourth World", adding that "if you'd asked Jack eight times, you'd have gotten eight more"; ultimately, Evanier concluded that none of the suggested explanations are plausible, and that it is most likely "just a term that popped into [Kirby's] head and he liked the sound of it. Later on, he came up with several different retroactive explanations".[https://www.newsfromme.com/articles-such/the-jack-faq/2/ The Jack FAQ, page 2], by Mark Evanier, at NewsFromME.com; published no later than March 7, 2021 (earliest date of page 1 on archive.org); retrieved October 4, 2022

In 1984, DC Comics reprinted Jack Kirby's original 11 issues of The New Gods in a six-issue limited series. The first five issues each reprinted two consecutive issues of the original series.{{gcdb series |id= 2840| title= New Gods vol. 2}} The mini-series' final issue was originally intended to include a reprint of New Gods vol. 1 #11 and a new 24-page story which would conclude the series and end with both Darkseid and Orion dead. DC editors prevented Kirby from using his original intended ending.{{cite book |last= Evanier| first= Mark |chapter= Afterword |title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4 |publisher= DC Comics| year= 2008 |location= New York, New York |pages= 373–380| isbn= 978-1401215835}} Kirby instead turned in a one-off story called "On the Road to Armagetto" which was rejected as well, due to the fact that it did not contain a definitive ending to the series. A 48-page new story called "Even Gods Must Die" was published instead, serving as a prologue for The Hunger Dogs graphic novel, which was greenlit to conclude the series.

The Hunger Dogs was designed to give an ending to the story of the New Gods, while fulfilling editorial mandates that the New Gods be kept alive to ensure future use of the characters by later writers.{{cite book |last= Evanier |first= Mark |title= Kirby: King of Comics |publisher= Abrams Books |year= 2008 |location= New York, New York |page= 200 |isbn= 978-0810994478}} It incorporated several pages from the unpublished "On the Road to Armagetto" story and brought Kirby's New Gods series to a close as the "hunger dogs", the citizens of Apokolips, overthrow Darkseid.{{cite web |url= http://www.newsfromme.com/2001/02/23/jmomwoe/ |title= Miracle Man |first= Mark |last= Evanier |date= February 23, 2001 |publisher= News From ME |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140702025026/http://www.newsfromme.com/2001/02/23/jmomwoe/ |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url= http://www.newsfromme.com/2006/09/16/ever-the-source/ |title= Ever the Source |first= Mark |last= Evanier |date= September 16, 2006 |publisher= News From ME |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140702025307/http://www.newsfromme.com/2006/09/16/ever-the-source/ |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url= http://www.aai-nyc.org/cuchifritos/Exhibits/Cartoonisiada/index.html |title= Cartoonisiada August 20th-October 2nd, 2004 |first= Joseph |last= Fumetti |publisher= AAI-NYC.org |date=October 2, 2004 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081121132442/http://www.aai-nyc.org/cuchifritos/Exhibits/Cartoonisiada/index.html |archive-date= November 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date= October 1, 2010}}

Concurrent with DC's New Gods reprint series in 1984, Kirby worked on two Super Powers comic book limited series for DC Comics in which he continued the Fourth World characters and mythology.

A Forever People miniseries was published in 1988.{{gcdb series |id= 3591 |title= Forever People vol. 2}} Mister Miracle was featured in Justice League International by J. M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen and a series of his own written by DeMatteis.{{gcdb series |id= 3812 |title= Mister Miracle vol. 2}} The Fourth World characters were prominently featured in Cosmic Odyssey,Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 235: "Writer Jim Starlin and artist Mike Mignola teamed up for a sci-fi miniseries that spanned the [DC Universe]". which led to a third New Gods series (February 1989 – August 1991), written by Mark Evanier,{{gcdb series |id= 11333 |title= New Gods vol. 3}} which fleshed out details about the history of many New Gods, most notably introducing Darkseid's father Yuga Khan. A fourth New Gods series was launched in October 1995,{{gcdb series |id= 5243 |title= New Gods vol. 4}} and a third Mister Miracle series in April 1996.{{gcdb series |id= 14161 |title= Mister Miracle vol. 3}}

Both of these were replaced in March 1997 by the Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, written and drawn by John Byrne.{{gcdb series |id= 5745 |title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World}} Walt Simonson wrote and drew an Orion solo series from June 2000 to June 2002.Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 296: "Comic book legend Walt Simonson brought his unique vision to one of Jack Kirby's greatest heroes on Orion, the first ongoing series to feature the most prominent of the New Gods".

Writer Grant Morrison used some of the Fourth World mythology in various titles they worked on, including their run on JLA, with Orion and Big Barda becoming members, and in the Seven Soldiers metaseries, in which the New Gods, especially Mister Miracle,{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant |penciller= Ferry, Pasqual |inker= Ferry, Pasqual |story= New Godz |title= Seven Soldiers: Mr. Miracle|issue= #1|date= November 2005}} played a major role. They are seen creating Aurakles, the first superhero.{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant |penciller= Williams III, J. H. |inker= Williams III, J. H. |story= The Miser's Coat |title= Seven Soldiers |issue= #1 |date= December 2006}}

The Death of the New Gods limited series (October 2007 – April 2008) was written and drawn by Jim Starlin.Cowsill "2000s" in Dolan, p. 331: "Writer and artist Jim Starlin helmed this eight-part series as a mysterious force brought destruction to the inhabitants of the Fourth World".{{gcdb series |id= 26930 |title= Death of the New Gods}} Final Crisis brought about the end of the Fourth World and the dawn of the Fifth as Darkseid was destroyed and several New Gods are resurrected.

With the reboot of the DC Universe following Flashpoint, the deaths of the New Gods and Darkseid have been removed from canon and the characters are still active. In particular, Darkseid and his uncle Steppenwolf and their attacks on the main DC Universe and Earth 2 play a major role in the rise of the superheroes: the Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman die fighting Steppenwolf{{cite comic| writer= Robinson, James |penciller= Scott, Nicola |inker= Scott, Trevor |story= The Price of Victory |title= Earth 2 |issue= #1 |date= July 2012}} while the Earth-1 Justice League forms to fight Darkseid and thwart his invasion of Earth.

A New 52 version of the Forever People debuted in the Infinity Man and the Forever People series.{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/infinity-man-forever-people-giffen-didio-new-gods-fourth-world-video-jack-kirby/ |title=O.M.A.C. Team Of Keith Giffen & Dan DiDio Reunite For Infinity Man And The Forever People |first=Andy |last=Khouri |date=March 11, 2014 |publisher=ComicsAlliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312043258/http://comicsalliance.com/infinity-man-forever-people-giffen-didio-new-gods-fourth-world-video-jack-kirby/ |archive-date=March 12, 2014 |url-status=dead}} Serifan is now Serafina, Vykin's sister, and Beautiful Dreamer has been renamed Dreamer Beautiful.{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/20745-keith-giffen-talks-forever-people-didio-reunion-tries-to-break-the-internet.html |title= Keith Giffen Talks Forever People, DiDio Reunion, Tries to Break the Internet |date= April 2, 2014 |work= Newsarama |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140629033934/http://www.newsarama.com/20745-keith-giffen-talks-forever-people-didio-reunion-tries-to-break-the-internet.html |archive-date=June 29, 2014 |url-status=live}}

In December 2007, DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio was discussing the aftermath of Death of the New Gods and pointed to the creation of Fifth World; he said: "It's the advent of the Fifth World... I think we've telegraphed so much that the New Gods are coming upon a rebirth, and the story that we're telling with them now is a continuation of the story that was established when Kirby first conceived the concept. Talk about death—Kirby blew up worlds at the start of the series. The story started with, 'The Old Gods Died!' which made room for the New Gods—we're picking up that thread and launching the DCU into the future".{{Citation needed|date=February 2018}}

That series led into Final Crisis. DiDio clarified things further, saying that "the Fourth World is over. The battle between the forces of Darkseid and those of Highfather is over, and a new direction is in place for the characters in what will be deemed the Fifth World".{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/1721-dan-didio-20-answers-1-question-batman-and-more.html |title= Dan DiDio: 20 Answers, 1 Question – Batman and More |first= Matt |last= Brady |work= Newsarama |date=December 10, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130626050203/http://www.newsarama.com/1721-dan-didio-20-answers-1-question-batman-and-more.html |archive-date= June 26, 2013 |url-status=live}} The series' writer, Grant Morrison, added: "In Jack Kirby's Fourth World books... it's pretty clear that the New Gods have known about Earth for a long time and in JLA ten years ago, I suggested that part of their interest in us was rooted in the fact that Earth was destined to become the cradle of a new race of 'Fifth World' super-divinities—an eventuality Darkseid is eager to prevent from occurring".{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/123-grant-morrison-on-final-crisis-1.html |title= Grant Morrison on Final Crisis #1 |first= Matt |last= Brady |work= Newsarama |date=June 9, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130604165455/http://www.newsarama.com/123-grant-morrison-on-final-crisis-1.html |archive-date= June 4, 2013 |url-status=live}} It was during that run on JLA that Morrison had Metron deliver a speech outlining the general principles:

{{bquote |How like little children you appear to me. How small is your comprehension and yet... there is a seed in you... The Old Gods died and gave birth to the New. These New Gods, even such as I, must also pass, in our turn. Our search was long and our war continues, but we found the planetary cradle of the Gods to Come. ... you are only forerunners.{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant |penciller= Frank, Gary; Land, Greg; Howard Porter |inker= Dell, John; McLeod, Bob |story= Rock of Ages Part Six: Stone of Destiny |title= JLA |issue= #15 |date= February 1998}}}}

Later, in the JLA storyline "World War III", Metron's dialog is more specific: "As New Genesis is to the Fourth World, Earth shall be to the Fifth that is to come".{{cite comic| writer= Morrison, Grant |penciller= Porter, Howard |inker= Geraci, Drew |story= World War Three Part Five |title= JLA |issue= #40 |date= April 2000}}

The Kirby-produced "Fourth World" titles were reprinted by DC in trade paperback format in the early 2000s in black-and-white rather than in color, although the Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen preludes were reprinted in color:

• Jack Kirby's New Gods, collects The New Gods #1–11; 304 pages, December 1997, {{ISBN|978-1563893858}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-new-gods|title= Jack Kirby's New Gods|date= February 7, 2001|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714182750/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-new-gods|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}
• Mister Miracle:
• Jack Kirby's Mister Miracle: Super Escape Artist collects Mr Miracle #1–10, 256 pages, September 1998, {{ISBN|978-1563894572}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-mr-miracle|title= Jack Kirby's Mr. Miracle|date= June 27, 2001|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091056/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-mr-miracle|archive-date= October 3, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|url-status=live}}
• Jack Kirby's Fourth World: Featuring Mister Miracle collects Mister Miracle #11–18, 187 pages, July 2001, {{ISBN|978-1563897238}}
• Jack Kirby's The Forever People collects The Forever People #1–11, 288 pages, October 1999, {{ISBN|978-1563895104}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-forever-people|title= Jack Kirby's The Forever People|date= September 1, 1999|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091222/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-forever-people|archive-date= October 3, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|url-status=live}}
• Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby
• Volume 1 collects Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133–141, 183 pages, July 2003, {{ISBN|9781563899843}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jimmy-olsen-adventures-by-jack-kirby|title= Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby|date= July 23, 2003|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091245/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jimmy-olsen-adventures-by-jack-kirby|archive-date= October 3, 2012|url-status=live}}
• Volume 2 collects Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #142–150, 192 pages, October 2004, {{ISBN|9781401202590}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jimmy-olsen-adventures-by-jack-kirby-vol-2|title= Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby Volume 2|date= October 20, 2004|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091316/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jimmy-olsen-adventures-by-jack-kirby-vol-2|archive-date= October 3, 2012|url-status=live}}

DC reprinted the entire Fourth World saga in publishing order in the four volume hardback series Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus from 2007 to 2008. In addition to the remaining issues of Mister Miracle, Forever People, and New Gods, the fourth Omnibus included the Fourth World character entries written for Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, the 48-page "Even Gods Must Die!" from the last issue of the 1984 Baxter reprint series, and The Hunger Dogs graphic novel. The series was reprinted in paperback starting in late 2011. In 2017, in honor of Kirby's 100th birthday, DC Comics released a new hardcover omnibus collecting the story in its entirety. New contents included essays from Mark Evanier and Walter Simonson, and Kirby pencils, profiles, and pinups.{{cite web|last1=Jackson|first1=Matthew|title=Jack Kirby's legendary Fourth World Saga will finally get a glorious new omnibus edition|url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/jack-kirbys-legendary-fourth-world-saga-will-finally-get-glorious-new-omnibus-edition|date=March 18, 2017|website=Syfy|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180531201720/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/jack-kirbys-legendary-fourth-world-saga-will-finally-get-glorious-new-omnibus-edition|archive-date= May 31, 2018|url-status=live|df= mdy-all}} The collection was released on December 12 the same year. The $150 omnibus however had a mistake, omitting the splash page from Jimmy Olsen #148, reprinting a page from an earlier episode instead.{{cite web | url = https://bleedingcool.com/comics/fourth-world-omnibus-major-printing-error/ | title = Fourth World Problems – Omnibus Has A Major Printing Error | date= December 21, 2017}}

In September 2021, a new edition, correcting the original error, with better quality paper stock at a reduced price was published with 50 additional pages of unpublished material.

{{ISBN|978-1779512611}}

• Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus
• Volume 1 collects Forever People #1–3, Mister Miracle #1–3, The New Gods #1–3, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133–139, 396 pages, May 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401213442}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1|date= June 13, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140724104951/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1|archive-date= July 24, 2014|url-status=live}} December 2011, {{ISBN|978-1401232412}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1 tpb|date= December 7, 2011|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714204457/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1-0|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}
• Volume 2 collects Forever People #4–6, Mister Miracle #4–6, The New Gods #4–6, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141–145, 396 pages, August 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401213572}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 2|date= September 5, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140720181949/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2|archive-date= July 20, 2014|url-status=live}} April 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401234409}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 2 tpb|date= April 4, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120524072601/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2-0|archive-date= May 24, 2012|url-status=live}}
• Volume 3 collects Forever People #7–10, Mister Miracle #7–9, The New Gods #7–10, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #146–148, 396 pages, November 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401214852}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 3|date= November 21, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134208/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}} August 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401235352}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 3 tpb|date= August 22, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223229/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3-0|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}
• Volume 4 collects Forever People #11; Mister Miracle #10–18; The New Gods #11; "Even Gods Must Die" from The New Gods vol. 2, #6; DC Graphic Novel #4: "The Hunger Dogs", 424 pages, March 2008, {{ISBN|978-1401215835}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4|date= March 26, 2008|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714152041/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}} December 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401237462}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirby%E2%80%99s-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4 tpb|date= December 4, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121207083959/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirby%E2%80%99s-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|archive-date= December 7, 2012|url-status=live}}
• Jack Kirbys Fourth World Omnibus HC, collects Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133–139 and #141–148, The Forever People #1–11, The New Gods #1–11, Mister Miracle #1–18, New Gods vol. 2 #1–6, DC Graphic Novel #4: "The Hunger Dogs", and Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2–3, #6, #8–18, #20, #22 and #25, 1,536 pages, December 2017, {{ISBN|978-1401274757}} (hardcover)

• Absolute Fourth World by Jack Kirby Vol. 1 – collects Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133–139 and #141–145, The New Gods #1–6, The Forever People #1–6, Mister Miracle #1–6, June 2020, {{ISBN|978-1779500861}}
• Absolute Fourth World by Jack Kirby Vol. 2 – collects Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #146–148, The Forever People #7–11, The New Gods #7–11, Mister Miracle #7–18, Jack Kirby's New Gods (reprint series) #6, DC Graphic Novel #4: The Hunger Dogs and Kirby's On the Road to Armagetto. It also includes a new foreword by Tom Scioli, a gallery of pencil artwork by Kirby and essays by Kirby and Mark Evanier. Release date: January 2022, {{ISBN|978-1779513335}}

Jack Kirby received a Shazam Award for the original metaseries in the category "Special Achievement by an Individual" in 1971.{{Cite web |url= http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/shazam71.php |title= 1971 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards |publisher= Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203004533/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/shazam71.php |archive-date= December 3, 2013 |url-status=live}}

In 1998, Jack Kirby's New Gods by Jack Kirby, edited by Bob Kahan, won both the Harvey Award for "Best Domestic Reprint Project"{{Cite web |url= http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey98.php |title= 1998 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners |publisher= Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140428232154/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey98.php |archive-date= April 28, 2014 |url-status=live}} and the Eisner Award for "Best Archival Collection/Project".{{Cite web |url= http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner98.php |title= 1998 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees |publisher= Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054838/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner98.php |archive-date= September 21, 2013 |url-status=live}}

• Jack Kirby bibliography

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=977 Forever People] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307213151/http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=977 |date=2021-03-07 }}, [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=827 Mister Miracle]{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and the [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=999 New Gods]{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at Mike's Amazing World of Comics

{{Jack Kirby}}

{{New Gods}}

Category:Fourth World (comics)