Jack Kirby Influence
Sticking with Sakaar, Kevin Feige and director Taika Waititi have been upfront about how much Thor: Ragnarok was influenced by the unique visual style of Jack Kirby. And that’s no more obvious than in the sequences set on Sakaar, what with its bright colour scheme and eclectic alien citizens.
In particular, a piece of Kirby’s artwork can be seen on the wall of the Grandmaster’s viewing room. Those with eagle-eyes and an encylopaedic knowledge of Marvel comics might recognize the complex design from Fantastic Four #64 (July 1967). A street on the planet is also labelled “Kirby Way.” Last but not least, the film’s final logo is a deliberate homage to Kirby’s lettering style.
MCU wouldn't exist without him. Thor Ragnarok is an unabashed love letter to his vision. Happy Birthday to the King. Eternal #JackKirby100 pic.twitter.com/wihWcFrHMU
— Kevin Feige (@Kevfeige) August 28, 2017
Waititi said the following recently about how Kirby influenced the movie:
“He’s a huge hero to all of us. Kirby created so many incredible characters and designs and ships and costumes. We’re heavily influenced by a lot of what he did. He really blazed the trail and the tribute to him in our film was a huge honor. ”