Jack Kirby ; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew up in New York City, and learned to draw cartoon figures by tracing characters from comic strips and editorial cartoons. He entered the nascent comics industry in the 1930s, drawing various comics features under different pen names, including Jack Curtiss, before ultimately settling on Jack Kirby. In 1940, he and writer-editor Joe Simon created the highly successful superhero character Captain America for Timely Comics, predecessor of Marvel Comics. During the 1940s Kirby regularly teamed with Simon, creating numerous characters for that company and for National Comics Publications, later to become DC Comics.
Kirby is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the Kirby series of video games owned by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. As one of Nintendo's most famous and familiar icons, Kirby's round appearance and ability to copy his foes' powers has made him a well-known figure in video games, consistently ranked as one of the most iconic video game characters. He first appeared in 1992 in Kirby's Dream Land for the Game Boy. Originally a placeholder, created by Masahiro Sakurai, at the age of 19, for the game's early development, he has since then starred in over 20 games, ranging from action platformers to puzzle, racing, and even pinball, and has been featured as a playable fighter in all Super Smash Bros. games. He has also starred in his own anime and manga series. His most recent appearance is in Kirby Star Allies, for the Nintendo Switch. Since 1999, he has been voiced by Makiko Ohmoto.
Kirby's Dream Land is an action platform video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. Released in 1992, it is the first video game in the Kirby series and the debut of Kirby. As the inaugural Kirby title it created many conventions that would appear in later games in the series. However, Kirby's iconic copy ability would not appear until Kirby's Adventure, released less than one year later.
Kirby's Adventure is a 1993 platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the second game in the Kirby series after Kirby's Dream Land (1992) on the Game Boy and the first to include the copy ability, which allows the main character Kirby to gain new powers by eating certain enemies. The game centers around Kirby traveling across Dream Land to repair the Star Rod after King Dedede breaks it apart and gives the pieces to his minions.
Kirby Super Star, released as Kirby's Fun Pak in PAL regions, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, part of the Kirby series of platforming video games by HAL Laboratory. The game was advertised as featuring eight games: seven short subsections with the same basic gameplay, and two minigames. The game was later released for the Wii and Wii U Virtual Consoles. An enhanced remake titled Kirby Super Star Ultra was released for the Nintendo DS in 2008. Nintendo re-released Kirby Super Star in Japan, the United States and Europe in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.
Kirby's Dream Course is a miniature golf video game developed jointly by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. It is one of four Kirby video games released for the console. It was re-released on the Virtual Console in 2007 for the Wii and in 2013 for the Wii U. Nintendo re-released Kirby's Dream Course in Europe and North America in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.
The Kirby Company is a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners and home cleaning accessories, based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is a division of The Scott Fetzer Company which in turn is part of Berkshire Hathaway. Dealers are located in over 50 countries throughout the world. Kirby's products are only sold via in-home door-to-door demonstrations and the company is a member of the Direct Selling Association. All of the vacuum cleaners are built in either Ohio or Texas.
Kathy Kirby was an English singer, reportedly the highest-paid female singer of her generation. She is best known for her cover version of Doris Day's "Secret Love" and for representing the United Kingdom in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest where she finished in second place. Her physical appearance often drew comparisons with Marilyn Monroe. Her popularity peaked in the 1960s, when she was one of the best-known and most-recognised personalities in British show business.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a 2000 platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). It is the first Kirby game to feature 3D computer graphics and follows Kirby as he attempts to reassemble a sacred crystal shattered by Dark Matter. Gameplay is viewed from a 2.5D perspective and is similar to previous Kirby titles; the player traverses levels and obtains powers by eating enemies. Kirby 64 introduces Power Combos, the ability to mix powers to create more powerful ones. In a multiplayer mode, up to four players can compete in three minigames.
Kirby's Block Ball is a 1995 action video game, a spin-off from the Kirby series for the Game Boy portable console. It is a Breakout clone; the player controls paddles along the screen's edge to knock a bouncing ball, Kirby, into destructible bricks. The game's 55 levels include power-ups, bonus rounds, and minigames. Kirby's Block Ball was developed by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo R&D1. The team spent half a year revising the gameplay to match Kirby's signature characteristics. Kirby's Block Ball was published by Nintendo first in Japan in 1995, later in Europe, and last in North America in 1996.
A fly system, or theatrical rigging system, is a system of rope lines, blocks (pulleys), counterweights and related devices within a theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly, quietly and safely components such as curtains, lights, scenery, stage effects and, sometimes, people. Systems are typically designed to fly components between clear view of the audience and out of view, into the large opening, known as the fly loft, above the stage.
The Circus of Crime is a fictional villainous organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Kirby is an action-platformer video game series developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. The series centers around the adventures of the a young, pink alien hero named Kirby as he fights to save his home on the distant Planet Popstar from a variety of threats. The majority of the games in the series are side-scrolling platformers with puzzle solving and beat 'em up elements. Kirby has the ability to inhale enemies and objects into his mouth, spitting them out as a projectile or eating them. If he eats certain things he can gain the powers or properties of that object manifesting as a new weapon or power-up called a Copy Ability. The series is intended to be easy to pick up and play even for people unfamiliar with action games, while at the same time offering additional challenge and depth for more experienced players to come back to.
You Can't Take It with You is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra and starring Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart and Edward Arnold. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the film is about a man from a family of rich snobs who becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family.
Kirby Mass Attack is a Lemmings styled platform game in the Kirby series developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS, which released worldwide in late 2011. The game was later released for the Wii U Virtual Console on July 28, 2016.
Vanessa Kirby is an English stage, television and film actress and model. She starred as Estella in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations in 2011, and as Joanna in Richard Curtis' romantic comedy About Time in 2013.
Kirby's Dream Collection is a 2012 video game published by Nintendo for the Wii system. It is an anthology disc celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kirby series, which took place on April 27, 2012. In addition to the disc, the package includes a booklet that highlights Kirby's history, as well as a soundtrack CD containing music from multiple series entries. The game was released in Japan on July 19, 2012 and in North America on September 16, 2012.
Kirby: Planet Robobot is an action platformer video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. A sequel to Triple Deluxe, the previous 3DS title in the Kirby series, the story follows Kirby as he defends planet Pop Star from an alien corporation known as Haltmann Works Co. that wishes to mechanize the planet so that they can plunder its natural resources. New to the series in this game is Kirby's ability to utilize a mecha suit known as the Robobot Armor to solve puzzles and fight enemies.
Swaffham Raceway, originally Swaffham Stadium, is a stock car and banger racing circuit in Swaffham, Norfolk, which also hosted greyhound racing from 1987 until 2000.
WIRES is a Japanese project developing a winged single-stage reusable suborbital rocket as a test bed for a reusable orbital launch system or a crewed suborbital spaceplane. The full-size prototype, called WIRES-X, is expected to be launched in 2020.
