(Jack Kirby) H. T. Elmo, The Romance of Money, Poster Print

Description

In his long career, Jack Kirby created over 300 characters for Marvel, DC Comics, and other comic book publishers. The characters he created include Captain America, Hulk, The Fantastic Four, and X-Men.

Here we are offering a poster related to Kirby’s first commercial work. The Romance of Money was a small booklet, given way by banks to encourage saving. This poster would have been displayed at the bank. This poster is a larger version of the page that features Abraham Lincoln. Other pages included illustrations featuring the currencies used by Native Americans, Greek and Roman money facts, George Washington tossing a Spanish coin across the Rappahannock (Washington threw a “thaler” which would evolve to the word “dollar”) and other fun facts about money in history.

At the time, Kirby was working for the Lincoln Features Syndicate. Founded in 1935 by Horace T. Elmo, the Lincoln Features Syndicate provided comics and other features like horoscopes and puzzles to smaller market newspapers. Large metropolitan newspapers such as the New York Herald, or San Francisco Chronicle could afford the cream of the comic strip crop from the major syndicates United Features, King Features, etc. But dozens of small local papers couldn’t afford the major syndicates, but readers still wanted comics and other features. The solution was to buy knock-off comics and other soft news features from the many minor league syndicates, including Lincoln Features Syndicate. These syndicates attracted has-beens, never will-bes, and the occasional rookie diamond in the rough. One of Lincoln Features’ rookie players would go on to become the king of comic books, Jack Kirby. 

As the owner of the Lincoln Features Syndicate, Elmo owned all the work the “strippers” did. That’s why this poster bears Elmo’s signature instead of Kirby’s. This happens still today, witness Scooter Braun ownership of Taylor Swift’s catalog. The Romance of Money booklet is widely known in the comic book collecting arena as Kirby’s first commercial creation. 

Printed on heavy paper, the piece is evenly and lightly browned, with thumbtack holes and minor scuffing and edge soiling; else very good+.

(Kirby Jack). Elmo, Horace T. Poster for The Romance of Money. NY: Natasama Publishing, Inc. 1937. 36″ x 24.”

We will ship this in a tube, unless you prefer flat. Additional charges to be determined.