Pass.

Hmmm, I maintain that there is something about JRJr.'s recent covers that remind me of the power and imagery of Jack Kirby.

I have often said that Jack Kirby draws comic books the way children picture them in their mind's eye.

I am seeing this "spirit" of comics in the recent work of JRJr. and in his covers in such a way that has been missing since JB stopped doing Marvel Comics or handling Jack Kirby's creations (like the Demon), and I miss that.  I miss JB at Marvel.  I wish he were drawing Secret Invasion.  To see him return these characters to their familiar forms would be, dare I say it, marvelous.

I wonder who I will wait for longer, John Byrne to return to Marvel or Jesus Christ to return in glory.

Witty, no?  C'mon, gimmee something.

I don't see JB as the next  Kirby -- I see him as the first John Byrne. And you know? That's just fine with me!

It's not a fair comparison. All three (Kirby, Byrne, and Romita) are/were incredibly good at what they do.

JRJr. is an excellent artist, one of the best to work for Marvel in recent decades.

JB is the best and most prolific writer/artist of the past 3 decades.

Kirby is an immortal of comics.

All 3 should be recognized as outstanding talents, without the comparisons needed. 

>>What makes you separate Byrne's New Gods from his JK4W?  Just curious since one led into the other.  Wiacek fan?<<

while I do like Wiacek's inks I don't think that was so much of a factor as much as the story structure -- JK4W was very good but it was also, imho, both more dense and longform storytelling -- the New Gods issues captured more finessed elements and became a perfect ramping up of the concepts, including the Gods amongst Mortals with more action on Earth.  I would have to dig the issues out to be more precise but it's really just my personal impression in the first place.

A while back I asked for a biblio on the New Gods.  JB posted that I should ignore everything that is not Kirby.  And if memory serves, JB also posted (this is a paraphrase) that no one could draw the Silver Surfer except Kirby (and I think John Buscema).  With those thoughts in mind, I sincerely doubt that JB sees himself as the new or next Kirby, and thus, neither can I !  As for JRjr, I have stated elsewhere that I do not enjoy his art.  I'll stick with Kirby as Kirby !