View source for 2001: A Space Odyssey (comics)

{{Short description|Comic book series by Jack Kirby}}
{{Infobox comics meta series <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics--> 
|title               = 2001: A Space Odyssey
|image               = 2001 A Space Odyssey treasury.jpg
|caption             = ''2001: A Space Odyssey [Marvel Treasury Special]'' (1976)<br /> Art by [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Dan Adkins]]<!--credits per the Grand Comics Database-->
|schedule            = Monthly
|ongoing             = y
|1shot               = y
|titles              = <!-- include issue #s -->
|lang                = 
|SciFi               = y
|publisher           = [[Marvel Comics]]
|date                = '''Treasury'''<br />1976<br />'''Series'''<br />December 1976&ndash;September 1977
|startmo             = <!-- optional in lieu of date-->
|startyr             = 1976
|endmo               = <!-- optional in lieu of date-->
|endyr               = 1977
|issues              = '''Treasury'''<br />1<br />'''Series'''<br />10
|main_char_team      = 
|writers             = [[Jack Kirby]]
|artists             = 
|pencillers          = Jack Kirby
|inkers              = {{Collapsible list|'''Treasury'''<br />[[Frank Giacoia]]<br />'''Series'''<br />[[Mike Royer (comics)|Mike Royer]]}}
|letterers           = {{Collapsible list|'''Treasury'''<br />[[John Costanza]]<br />'''Series'''<br />Mike Royer}}
|colorists           = {{Collapsible list|'''Treasury'''<br />[[Marie Severin]]<br />Jack Kirby<br />'''Series'''<br />[[George Roussos]]<br />[[Janice Cohen]]<br />[[Glynis Wein]]<br />[[Petra Goldberg]]}}
|editors             = {{Collapsible list|'''Treasury'''<br />Jack Kirby<br />'''Series'''<br />Jack Kirby<br />[[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]]}}
|creative_team_month = 
|creative_team_year  = 
|creators            = 
|reprint             = 
|relang              = 
|TPB                 = 
|ISBN                = 
|subcat              = Marvel Comics
|altcat              = 
|sort                = 2001: Space Odyssey
}}

'''''2001: A Space Odyssey''''' is an oversized [[American comic book]] [[adaptation]] of the 1968 [[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|film of the same name]] as well as a ten-issue monthly series which expanded upon the concepts presented in the [[Stanley Kubrick]] film and [[2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)|the novel]] by [[Arthur C. Clarke]].  [[Jack Kirby]] wrote and pencilled both the adaptation and the series, which were published by [[Marvel Comics]] beginning in 1976. The adaptation was part of the agreement of Kirby's return to Marvel.

==Treasury edition==

Marvel published the adaptation in its then-common [[Marvel Treasury Edition|treasury edition]] format featuring [[Tabloid (paper size)|tabloid]]-sized pages of roughly twice the size of a standard American comic book.<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Sanderson|first1 = Peter|author-link1 = Peter Sanderson|last2= Gilbert|first2= Laura|chapter= 1970s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 180|isbn =978-0756641238|quote= Marvel published its adaptation of director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke's classic science fiction film ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' as an oversize ''Marvel Treasury Special''.}}</ref><ref>{{gcdb series|id= 2352|title= ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' treasury}}</ref> The story is a close adaptation of the events of the film, but differs in the fact that Kirby incorporated additional dialog from two other sources: [[2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)|the novel]]<ref>{{cite journal|last= Alexander|first= John P.|title= Graffiti On The Moon: Kirby Vs. Kubrick - A commentary on Jack Kirby's adaptation of ''2001: A Space Odyssey''|journal= The Jack Kirby Collector|issue= 31|pages= 53–57|publisher= [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date= March 2001|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|url= http://www.twomorrows.com/kirby/articles/312001.html|access-date= January 18, 2013|quote= It is clear that Jack read Clarke's original novel, for in a couple of instances Kirby prefers the Clarke novel over the Kubrick film.}}</ref> and a copy of an earlier draft script of the film that included the more colloquial-sounding version of [[HAL 9000]], as originally voiced by actor [[Martin Balsam]] before he was replaced by [[Douglas Rain]]. In addition, the comic narrative captions describe the characters' thoughts and feelings, a significantly different approach from that taken by the film.

The treasury edition also contained a 10-page article entitled "2001: A Space Legacy" written by [[David Anthony Kraft]].

==Monthly series==

Shortly after the publication of the treasury edition, Kirby continued to explore the concepts of ''2001'' in a monthly comic book series of the same name, the first issue of which was [[cover date]]d December 1976.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 2342|title= ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' series}}</ref> In this issue, Kirby followed the pattern established in the film.  Once again the reader encounters a prehistoric man ("Beast-Killer") who gains new insight upon encountering a [[Monolith (Space Odyssey)|Monolith]] as did Moon-Watcher in the film.  The scene then shifts, where a descendant of Beast-Killer is part of a space mission to explore yet another Monolith.  When he finds it, this Monolith begins to transform the astronaut into a Star Child, called in the comic a "New Seed".<ref name="Lantz">{{cite journal|last= Lantz|first= James Heath|title= A Monolith in Comics: A Look at Jack Kirby's Adaptation of ''2001: A Space Odyssey''|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue= 89|pages= 47–51|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= July 2016|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref>

Issues #1–6 of the series replay the same idea with different characters in different situations, both prehistoric and futuristic. In #7 (June 1977), the comic opens with the birth of a New Seed who then travels the galaxy witnessing the suffering that men cause each other. While the New Seed is unable or unwilling to prevent this devastation, he takes the essence of two doomed lovers and uses it to seed another planet with the potential for human life.<ref name="Lantz" />

In issue #8 (July 1977), Kirby [[first appearance|introduces]] Mister Machine, who is later renamed [[Machine Man]].<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 185: "In [''2001: A Space Odyssey''] issue #8, cover dated July 1977, [Jack] Kirby introduced a robot whom he originally dubbed 'Mister Machine.' Marvel's ''2001'' series eventually came to an end but Kirby's robot protagonist went on to star in his own comic book series as Machine Man."</ref> Mister Machine is an advanced robot designated X-51. All the other robots in the X series go on a rampage as they achieve [[sentience]] and are destroyed.  X-51, supported by both the love of his creator Dr. Abel Stack and an encounter with a Monolith, transcends the malfunction that destroyed his siblings. After the death of Dr. Stack, X-51 takes the name Aaron Stack and begins to blend into humanity.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jack Kirby|Kirby, Jack]]|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= [[Mike Royer (comics)|Royer, Mike]]|story= The Capture of X-51|title= 2001: A Space Odyssey|issue= 8|date= July 1977}}</ref> Issues #9 and 10, the final issues of the series, continue the story of X-51 as he flees destruction at the hands of the [[United States Army|Army]].<ref name="Lantz" />

==In other media==
Allusions are made to the series in the ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' [[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3|season 3]] episode "[[4,722 Hours]]".<ref>{{cite episode|title= 4,722 Hours|episode-link= 4,722 Hours|series=Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.|series-link=Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.|credits= [[Craig Titley|Titley, Craig]] (writer); [[Jesse Bochco|Bochco, Jesse]] (director)|network= [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|air-date= October 27, 2015|season= 3|number= 5}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of comics based on films]]
* ''[[Marvel Treasury Edition]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Marvel Comics: The Untold Story'' by [[Sean Howe]]. New York City: [[Harper (publisher)|Harper]], 2012. 485 pp. {{ISBN|978-0-06-199210-0}}.

== External links ==
* {{cite web |url= http://sequart.org/magazine/20651/on-jack-kirbys-2001-a-space-odyssey/|title= On Jack Kirby's ''2001: A Space Odyssey''|first= Julian|last= Darius|date= May 20, 2013|publisher= [[Sequart Organization|Sequart Research & Literacy Organization]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140812144818/http://sequart.org/magazine/20651/on-jack-kirbys-2001-a-space-odyssey/|archive-date= August 12, 2014|url-status= live}}
* {{cite web |url= http://sequart.org/continuity-pages/2001-a-space-odyssey/|title= The Continuity Pages: ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' |first= Julian|last= Darius|date= May 29, 2013|publisher= Sequart Research & Literacy Organization|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140702120705/http://sequart.org/continuity-pages/2001-a-space-odyssey/|archive-date= July 2, 2014|url-status= live}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=title|id=184|title=''2001: A Space Odyssey'' (treasury)}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=title|id=685|title=''2001: A Space Odyssey'' (series)}}

{{Spaceodyssey}}
{{Jack Kirby}}

[[Category:1976 comics debuts]]
[[Category:1977 comics endings]]
[[Category:Adaptations of works by Arthur C. Clarke]]
[[Category:American comics]]
[[Category:Comics based on films]]
[[Category:Comics based on novels]]
[[Category:Comics by Jack Kirby]]
[[Category:Comics set in the 21st century]]
[[Category:Defunct American comics]]
[[Category:Space Odyssey]]