Simon Entertainment Properties

Joe Simon

After Joe Simon created Captain America at his legendary Simon and Kirby Studios, Simon became the first Editor-in-Chief of the company now called Marvel. Simon also created Fighting American and Boys' Ranch among a host of comic book characters that have been treasured by generations of avid and loyal fans worldwide.

As Marvel Comics noted in their recent best-selling hardcover book of the authors' 1950 masterpiece, Fighting American, "Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are quite possibly the most successful collaborators in the history of comics...Their influence on the comics field is still powerfully felt today."

The New York Times Book Review acclaimed Simon and Kirby as "AWESOME CREATIVE FORCES." Their works have been republished in many upscale publications.

Joe Simon invented the prototype of the original Spider-Man, the Romance Comics genre, the original Fly, Stuntman, Black Magic, and The Shield, to name a few. He founded SICK Magazine, provided publications and art for the U.S. Olympic Committee and other national associations. As director of Research and Development for Harvey Comics, he helped develop Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, Baby Huey, and other favorites of children and parents.

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Jack Kirby's creations are legendary. His legion of fans is universal--As are the characters of Simon and Kirby; They are timeless.

The characters of Simon and Kirby live on. This is a collection of their favorites.

Joe Simon started his art career in the newspaper field. In the mid-1930s, he came to New York and stumbled into the then new publishing venture called comic books. A shabby, amateurish industry of lackluster talents, it was far removed from today's multi-million dollar phenomenon which is now regarded by cultists and educators as a true American art form.

In 1939, Simon moved to comics, free-lancing for Funnies, Inc one of the first comics packaging shops. Funnies was run by a former World War One Colonel, Lloyd Jacquet. While free-lancing for Funnies Inc, Simon produced art and stories for Centaur, Novelty, and Fox Publications.

After creating Captain America, which was published by Timely (Marvel), Simon went on to DC Comics where he created the popular Newsboy Legion, Sandman, Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. He created Stuntman, Boy Explorers, and Boys' Ranch for Harvey Publications, The Fly for Archie Comics, and Fighting American, Bulls Eye, and the entire romance genre for Prize Publications. Besides editing for Timely, Fox, Harvey, and Crestwood, Simon was publisher of Mainline Publications and Sick Magazine.

In the 1960s, Joe Simon moved to advertising. He produced many political, commercial, and educational comics. In the 1970s, he created comics for DC and Marvel while continuing his work in advertising. DC and Marvel have continued to license and reprint his work. Marvel has reprinted hard-cover deluxe editions of his collected work in the books Fighting American, Boy's Ranch, and the two-volume Captain America: The Early Years.

He has been interviewed in many publications, including The Chicago Tribune, as well as having been interviewed on television and radio, and he has spoken at various universities. His art has been auctioned at Christies. In 1990, Joe Simon, with his son, Jim Simon, wrote The Comic Book Makers, an autobiographical history of the comics.

Jim Simon

Jim Simon is a writer, publisher, and representative of comic book properties. He has sold nonfiction and fiction books, comics, and his work has been translated and published in France and China. With his interest in the history of comics, Jim has contributed material to Alter Ego, Scholastic's The New Book of Knowledge Encyclopedia, and provided assistance to The History Channel and The Discovery Channel for their programs on comic history.

With Joe Simon, Jim Simon authored The Comic Book Makers -- the highly praised book on the creative and business origins of comics; an eyewitness account of Joe Simon's life working in comic books from the start of the industry in the 1930s through the 1970s. Jim Simon has authored introductions and essays to collector books published by Marvel Comics/Entertainment, DC Comics/Entertainment, and Titan Publishing, including Titan Publishing's Simon and Kirby's Superheroes.

Jim Simon is also involved with information technology including web and enterprisewide computing, and is an award-winning computer book author.

The Best of Simon and Kirby

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are comics’ Lennon/McCartney dream duo. Teaming in the 1940s, Simon was the seasoned writer/editor/inker and Kirby the hot young artist who ultimately became one of the industry’s most influential and creative personalities. They invented Captain America, received the first cover bylines, and their jump-off-the-pages action told the story as strongly as the words, changing comics forever. This is the only collected best of S&K edition authorized by both Joe Simon and the estate of Jack Kirby, gathered from the official Simon and Kirby archives.

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Simon and Kirby Superheroes

Introduction by Neil Gaiman
Commentary by Jim Simon

Beginning with Blue Bolt in June 1940, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby set the standard for costumed heroes. Their creation Captain America remains one of the most famous heroes in comic book history, and their work for Timely and DC Comics raised the bar. This large format hardcover collects the duo’s most exciting characters: Fighting American, their cold-war take on the patriotic hero, The Fly, with origins in an unknown Spider-Man prototype, Lancelot Strong, the man with the double life, and the Hollywood swashbuckler known as Stuntman. This is the only collected S&K superheroes edition authorized by both Joe Simon and the estate of Jack Kirby, gathered from the official Simon and Kirby archives.

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ShieldMaster, Protector of the Heroes

Original Art, Reproductions, Sketches

Captain America

Captain America, flying through a window while holding his shield. The original work is part of the Library of Congress, under the George Sturman Collection.