BEACH BUM COMICS : RETURN OF "KING" KIRBY'S

Who didn't like Jack Kirby's The New Gods? The only trouble was that it ended too soon, but wait, there's more!

In 1976, the New Gods were featured in the last issue of 1st Issue Special. The issue featured a new, more mainstream superhero costume for Orion, which he would wear for the next few years, but failed to lead to a relaunch.

Original art from this issue!

Darkseid once again prepares for war on Earth, and draws Orion into the fray with a Para-Demon attack on New Genesis. Orion goes to Earth, defeats Kalibak and other Apokolips soldiers in combat, and closes on Darkseid. But the Source indicates to Highfather and Metron that Earth will be destroyed if Orion slays Darkseid, and Darkseid reveals to his son that he has attuned his own heartbeat to the rhythms of Earth's sun. If he is destroyed, the sun will go nova and destroy Earth and its entire solar system. Darkseid admits that he has brought Orion there to taunt him, and sends him back to New Genesis with Highfather and Metron. However, Darkseid admits that Orion has damaged his forces, and that he will have to build anew.

1st Issue Special #13 Return of the New Gods
Dick (Stephanie Starr) Giordano cover.
"Last Night Fall Forever"
Orion fights Kalibak and the New Gods are attacked by Parademons on New Genesis.
"A Secret Unveiled"
Orion travels to Earth looking for Darkseid and finds only Kalibak and Granny Goodness.
"Confrontation"
Orion finally reaches Darkseid, only to find that he can not attack him without destroying the Earth.
Plot by Gerry (Law and Order TV series) Conway with Denny (Batman) O'Neil dialogue & Mike (Archer & Armstrong, Black Canary) Vosburg artwork.
"The Story Behind the Story"

Background information on the New Gods.
Mentions that this is the last issue.

For me, I did enjoy the breakdown into chapters, like Kirby did!

On the relaunch, the numbering continued from the original Kirby series.

Love the Don Newton art in the relaunch!

The New Gods series relaunched in July 1977, with 1st Issue Special still a relatively recent publication, it picked up where the storyline of that issue left off. Although the title remained The New Gods in the indicia and retained its original numbering, launching with #12, the covers used the title The Return of the New Gods. Gerry (Amazing Spider-Man) Conway wrote the series and Don (The Phantom, Shazam) Newton providing the pencils.

In the last issues of the Pacific Comics series, Captain Victory, Kirby crafted an origin story for him (#11 & #12), tying into the New Gods comic book that he had written and drawn for DC Comics in the 1970s. It was suggested that Captain Victory was the son of Orion, of the New Gods. Orion was not specifically named, but a number of clues were planted, including equipment said to belong to Captain Victory's father that was identical to the astro-harness ridden by Orion in the earlier series. Additionally, Captain Victory's grandfather, Blackmaas, was illustrated only as a cast shadow, but a shadow that to many readers bore a resemblance to Orion's father, Darkseid.