Jack Kirby

writer, artist, creator
Comic Book

Black Magic

Simon and Kirby put together the Black Magic horror comic for Prize Comics in the fifties, and there was at least one time-travel story, “A Hole in His Head” by none other than an early Steve Ditko. That story was based on a 1951 TV episode of Lights Out (“And Adam Begot”) written by Arch Oboler and taken from the 1939 radio show Arch Oboler’s Plays.
Somehow we have stepped out of our own time into another.
|pending alt-text|
  • Science Fiction
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Archie Comics

Simon and Kirby created The Fly as part of Archie Comics attempt to ride the silver age superhero craze. He flew through time at least five times, with the first episode (in issue 8, no longer Simon and Kirby) being a trip to 3rd century Persia. The Jaguar also trekked at least six times starting in Pep 5 (Oct 1961) and continuing in the Man of Feline’s own comic book, Adventures of the Jaguar as well as Laugh Comics. And the Shield had some time-travel adventures, beginning in The Fly 37 (May 1966) where he met a gladiator from the future.
My colleagues, clever as they are, would never dream of the angle I’ll use to get rid of the Fly! I’ll destroy him with beauty!
|pending alt-text|
  • Science Fiction
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Journey into Mystery #81

There Dwells a Dragon

Young Tommy’s father steps into a fog at the zoo and emerges in Camelot where there’s a dragon to be slain. —Michael Main
Can it really be that I’ve gone back into . . . the past??!
No image currently available.
  • Fantasy
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Debatable Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four #5

Prisoners of Doctor Doom!

The Marvel Comics Brand began in 1939 with the first edition of Marvel Comics. Throughout the ’40s and ’50s, some of the Timely and Atlas comics had the slogan “A Marvel Magazine,” ”Marvel Comic,” or a small “MC” on the cover. As for me personally, I was hooked when Marvel started publishing the Fantastic Four in 1961. During the sixties, I devoured as many Marvels as I could as they arrived at the local Rexall Drug Store or swapping comcs with my pals, and this is the first of those Marvel issues in the ’60s involved superhero time travel.

Nowadays, we all know that Doc Doom is far too smart to think the most profitable way to use his time platform is by sending three of the FF into the past with orders to bring back Blackbeard’s treasure (while keeping the fourth member of their team captive). And yet, the story has a charm that stems from the causal loop of Ben Grimm’s presence in the past actually causing the legend of Blackbeard, which in turn caused Doom to send the loveable lunk back.
And now I shall send you back. . . hundreds of years into the past! You will have forty-eight hours to bring me Blackbeard’s treasure chest! Do not fail!
Through a large, round portal in an air-tight chamber, Doctor Doom threatens to destroy the F F, who helpless struggle as they run out of air.
  • Eloi Gold Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Journey into Mystery #86

On the Trail of the Tomorrow Man

Zarrko, a mad time-machine-building scientist from 2262, believes that our nuclear weapons will enable him to take over the world of his time. He comes back to 1962 to steal one, and the Mighty Thor pursues him back to 2262.

The plot suffers from Alpha Centauri syndrome, where the time traveler might as well be from Alpha Centauri as from the future, but seeing the emergence of Kirby’s high-perspective artwork gives this issue a boost. In addition, the story provides a powerful image of the pre-Vietnam cold war era and its prevailing assumptions about the roles of women in society. —Michael Main
Ahhh—an ancient explosion of a nuclear bomb! The perfect device with which to conquer the twenty-third century!
The Mighty Thor flies through a fading time machine with the Tomorrow Man inside.
  • Eloi Honorable Mention
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four #19

Prisoners of the Pharoah! [sic]

Hoping to find a cure for Alicia’s blindness, the FF travel back to ancient Egypt where they meet the time traveler Rama-Tut for the first time. —Michael Main
At the conclusion of that adventure, Doom’s castle was abandoned by him, but there is still a chance that the machine he used to send us into the past may still be operational!
Standing beside Rama Tut and dressed in red finery, Sue Storm thinks, "Rama Tut
  • Eloi Honorable Mention
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four #23

The Master Plan of Doctor Doom!

Darn that Johnny Storm! Doc Doom’s time platform. But look what popped outta Doc Dooms time platform while Johnny wasn’t watching! Just a comedy relief for the rest of the story, which has no time travel. —Michael Main
A baby dinosaur!! Don’t just stand there! Grab him!
Doctor Doom stands at the controls of a Kirby-esque machine, watching the Fantastic Four at the edge disappearing floor with outer space below.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Cameo Time Travel
Comic Book

Journey into Mystery #101–102

Zarrko Rides Again!

As scared people race away, the Mighty Thor spins his hammer, preparing to throw it at Zarrko, who is descending on a big, blue hand.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four Annual #2

The Final Victory of Dr. Doom!

At the end of FF #23, Doc Doom was left floating in space. But of course, he’s too good a villain to not have someone rescue him, and that someone is Rama-Tut, fresh from FF #19 in his time ship. —Michael Main
Pen-and-ink splash page of the Fantastic Four facing motor trouble while riding over the city in their world-famous Fantastic-Car.
  • Eloi Gold Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Avengers #8

Kang, the Conqueror!

Kang the Conqueror stands behinda wall of energy balls as all five of the Avengers attack in vain.
  • Eloi Silver Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Journey into Mystery #122

Where Mortals Fear to Tread!

A majestic Odin, sitting in his regal throne, dominates the scene, while the Mighty Thor approaches from behind and the Absorbing Man approaches from the front with his ball and chain.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four #34

A House Divided!

A bald man sits at an ornate desk, calmly watching as the Fantastic Four attack one another.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Fantastic Four Annual #3

Bedlam at the Baxter Building!

24 Marvel super-heroes of the nineteen-sixties face off against 25 supervillians.
  • Eloi Gold Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Avengers #23–24

The Epic of Kang vs. the Avengers Quartet!

Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Wanda, and Cap prepare to launch an attack at a giant, looming Kang, the Conqueror.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Tales to Astonish #75–78

Hulk, against a World!

An angry Hulk charges a troop of machine-gunning soldiers with the capitol building andd General Ross in the background.
  • Eloi Bronze Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Comic Book

Thor #140

The Growing Man

Citizens of New York City flee as the giant Growing Man in purple armor topples a building while the Mighty Thor attacks.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Cartoon

X-Men

Even though the 1992 cartoon had all them new-fangled X-Men and their funky costumes, I still got some enjoyment from the Kirby-designed villains, such as the Sentinels in the two-part time-travel story, “Days of Future Past” (which, not coincidentally, will also be the name of the upcoming X-Men movie). Well, they were sort of Kirby-designed: He penciled the cover and sketched the layouts of X-Men 14.
We rebels have a theory: If the assasination of the 90s never occurred. . .
|pending alt-text|
  • Science Fiction
  • Definite Time Travel
Animated Feature Film

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

Lightning coming off of the Flash shatters the image into pieces that contain four other Justice League members.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: Young Adults
  • Definite Time Travel
Feature Film

X-Men VII

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Wolverine comes back from 2013 to 1980 to persuade Professor X to take a different path. —Michael Main
Are we destined to destroy each other, or can we change each other and unite? Is the future truly set?
A large blue X superimposed on a melded image of Patrick Stweart (as Professor X) and James McAvoy (as young Professor X).
  • Superhero
  • Definite Time Travel
Feature Film

Marvel Cinematic Universe 19

Avengers: Infinity War

Given that the Time Stone is a key element to Thanos’s master plan, you’d think that time travel would play a major part in this movie, but not so. Doc Strange does use the stone to view a slew of possible futures, but we know that’s not actually time travel. So where does the time travel come into play? Pay close attention to the final thirteen minutes of the film, after Strange announces “We’re in the end game now,” and you’ll spot one definite time travel moment and a second possible moment. —Michael Main
Tony, there was no other way.
A giant Josh Brolin (as Thanos) stands proudly behind a determined Robert Downey Junior (as Iron Man) and the rest of the Avengers.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Feature Film

Marvel Cinematic Universe 22

Avengers: Endgame

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store. —from publicity material
Chris Evans (as Captain America) solumnly raises his shield to the sky.
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
TV Episode

WandaVision

I don't understand this power, but I will.
No image currently available.
  • Eloi Gold Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Debatable Time Travel
TV Episode

Loki, Season 1

Hang on to your Tesseracts! Apparently, in Endgame, when the Avengers traveled back in time to swipe various things from the 2012 Avengers, they inadvertantly started a branch in time where Loki ended up with the Tesseract. Of course, once that occurred, the Time Variance Authority spotted him as a Variant and quickly recruited him to help in their fight against even more variant Variants. —Michael Main
Appears to be a standard sequence violation. Branches growing at a stable rate and slope. Variant identified.
Tom Hiddleston (as Loki) stands with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face, in front of a large analog clock with multiple hands.
  • Eloi Bronze Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Definite Time Travel
Cartoon

What If  . . . ? (s1e01)

What If . . . Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?

The Watcher tells us of a universe where a change in a single decision made Peggy Carter (rather than Steve Rogers) become the Allies’ super-soldier. Like Steve, Peggy also manages to find her way into modern times via a technique that’s related to time travel. —Michael Main
Agent Carter, wouldn’t you be more comfortable in the booth?
A mash-up drawing of Hayley Atwell (as Captain Carter, the first super-soldier) with parts of Captain America mixed in.
  • Eloi Bronze Medal
  • Superhero
  • Audience: YA and Up
  • Time Phenomena