The Untold Truth Of DC's Steppenwolf
By Christopher Ramos
Right about now you're probably re-reading that intro and saying to yourself: Wait a minute. Isn't Jack Kirby a Marvel guy? What's he doing moonlighting over at DC, inventing evil gods? Fair question.
Turns out: Kirby spent some time over at DC after his first imperial run inventing some of Marvel's most memorable heroes alongside Stan Lee. It seems that Kirby felt a bit underappreciated what with Lee's increasing celebrity. In an attempt to step out from his media-savvy partner's shadow, he struck out on his own, signing an exclusive three-year deal to work his Kirby magic for the rival publisher.
Eager to surpass Lee, Kirby wanted to go big with his DC debut. He envisioned a massive expansion of the DC universe via three interconnected series that would introduce expansive science-fiction worlds and technologies, as well as elements of popular pulp genres of the time like space opera, to the world of Batman and Superman. Kirby named this project "Fourth World," and with it he hoped to tell stories with existential stakes on a galactic level. Steppenwolf and Darkseid were born of this grandiose aspiration, and to be honest, we're lucky they're still around, because Kirby's master plan kinda fell flat for DC readers.
The Fourth World series were all quickly and unceremoniously canceled due to lack of sales (via Gizmodo). Kirby bid DC adieu and went back to dance with the girl who brought him for a bit, before venturing forth into the wild world of indie comics. Kirby did come back to DC during the Reagan administration to see to his destructive creations. He apparently wanted to kill them all off definitively, but DC had attachment issues even then, and a standing policy of denying the finality of death. As a result, Steppenwolf and the other New Gods got to stick around in various conflicting incarnations long after their creator's time with them was done.
Steppenwolf and Darkseid (along with the other New Gods) have been perhaps the most enduring products of this brief sojourn for Kirby across town. The real-world origin story of these characters goes a long way to explaining their difficult birth into DC, and the epic retconning that took place for decades thereafter.
