2. Lee is listed as the writer, Kirby as the artist. But in fact it was more complex. They had talked about story together briefly, but Kirby drew art (i.e. all plot, characters, scene setting) & then Lee added dialogue.
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3. It's not just Kirby plotted out story. He also provided extensive notes along side of art for Lee to follow, which he usually did faithfully but not always.pic.twitter.com/4Mnu5m0WJ5
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4. In this case there are some interesting differences. Character Klaw was in Kirby's notes called Ahab (and he does look like Melville's Ahab).
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5. Other big difference. Kirby has T'Chaka say "get hell off sacred mound" which Lee softened to "Begone! This land is ours!"pic.twitter.com/uWmFxuw41V
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6. Lee's changes are defensible but they do blunt Kirby's anti-colonial themes. But linking villain to Ahab Kirby was evoking longer tradition of Western imperialism, acquisitiveness, attacks on nature, etc.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
And saying Klaw resembles Melville's Ahab is purely subjective, as Melville never drew Ahab. Changing the character's name so it isn't simply a lift from another source is an obvious improvement. (Whether "Klaw" is a good name is another question.) [2]
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Replying to @CityLitTheater
Melville didn't draw but there have been numerous illustrated versions & adaptations, which do show Melville's Ahab looking like Kirby's. This is from 1950s movie.pic.twitter.com/xWXC69nw9D
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Replying to @HeerJeet
Which has nothing to do with the sentence ". . . and he does look like Melville's Ahab."
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Replying to @CityLitTheater
Okay, please amend to "and he does look like the way Melville's Ahab is frequently depicted in movies and illustrations." I'm not sure how that changes the basic point that the character is meant to be an allusion.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
Kirby basing his character on how Gregory Peck looked in a Hollywood adventure movie that was not very faithful to the book does not equal an allusion to Melville's deeper themes. No offense to Kirby or Lee, but there's no reason to think either ever read MOBY DICK.
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You mean aside from the testimony of his children that Kirby was a voracious reader including of the classics, the many literary allusions in his work, & the other characters he based on Ahab (i.e. Colonel Kragg)
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Replying to @HeerJeet
You got me there. Thanks for clarifying this point.
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