Joe Casey Revives A Classic With Captain Victory

In 1981, the world was introduced to Jack Kirby’s Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers. The series, then published by Pacific Comics, lasted just 13 issues, but managed to connect to the New Gods book that Kirby had written for DC Comics, and left a lasting impact on the industry by the time it finished its run in 1984.

Now, thanks to Dynamite Entertainment, Captain Victory (JUN141038) returns to print in a brand-new series. This new story is written by Joe Casey, who most recently created and wrote Sex for Image Comics, with art by some of the industry’s best. We spoke with Casey about his involvement in this series, out this August.

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PREVIEWSworld: You’ve just been handed the reins of Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers, the brainchild of the legendary Jack Kirby. What does that mean to you?

Joe Casey: It means a lot, actually. The original series was a big deal to me as a kid. Having no real knowledge as to what it meant in a political and historical sense – with Kirby doing one of the first creator-owned books for an independent publisher in what was then a very young Direct Market – I was just swept up by the story, the characters, the writing, and the artwork. So to have a chance to take on something that meant so much to me is huge.

PREVIEWSworld: Who is Captain Victory? What traits have stayed true from Kirby’s inception through later incarnations?

Joe Casey: I’d like to think we’ve stayed very true to Kirby’s original intentions for the character, which was that he’s the greatest, most capable Galactic Ranger there is, completely dedicated to his duty. The fact that he can be killed in action and then brought back as an exact clone replica is a testament to that sense of duty. But there’s also a tragic aspect to that state-of-the-art procedure that we’ll be exploring in the new series. We’re definitely taking what Kirby set up and pushing it in new directions.

PREVIEWSworld: What can you tell us about the Galactic Rangers, characters like Major Klavus, Lt. Orca, and Tarin?

Joe Casey: Hey, don’t forget about Mister Mind! He’s just as important as the rest of them, y’know. It’s funny how people tend to forget that the original Kirby run only lasted for 13 issues and a one-shot special. So it’s not like there was a ton of development done on the supporting characters. Kirby laid down the basics, but it’s been very cool going deeper into Klavus, Orca, and Tarin. All of them will get their glory moments.

PREVIEWSworld: There’s a veritable “Who’s Who” or artists assigned to Captain Victory. What can you tell us about how the different artistic talent will be used to convey the narrative?

Joe Casey: Well, the easy joke is that it takes an army of cutting edge artists to make up for one Jack Kirby. But the fact is, that’s exactly what we have. All of these guys – Nathan Fox, Jim Rugg, Ulises Farinas, Michel Fiffe, Jim Mahfood, Farel Dalryumple, Benjamin Marra, Connor Willumsen – have unique, personal styles that will be on full display in this series. It’s all one big story with different artists pitching in on different issues. It’s a very organic way of storytelling, with everyone contributing their strengths for what we hope is a greater good.

PREVIEWSworld: Captain Victory has always been a story that is equal parts human story and cosmic scope. Without giving away spoilers, what are your thoughts on balancing those elements?

Joe Casey: Hopefully, the balance is inherent in the concept itself, the way Kirby originally set it all up. What we’re trying to do is pump up the intensity on both sides. The cosmic aspects will be as far out and as imaginative as we can go, and the human elements will be as emotional and packed with drama as we can make them. We’ve been referring to this series as a “next level” comic book, really trying to push the envelope on what a heroic, epic sci-fi comic book can be.

PREVIEWSworld: Why will comic fans love the new Captain Victory?

Joe Casey: Because it’s pure comics. In this world of Hollywood options and compromised ideals in a once pure art form, we still need comics that revel in being comics, that revel in doing what comics do best. That’s what Jack Kirby was all about, that’s what he represents to every generation that came after him. If we can blow readers’ minds with this series then I feel like that’s the ultimate tribute.

Check out these preview pages from the upcoming Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers!