LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) — New York City is honoring one of its most trailblazing artists in a super way.
The green and white sign reading Jack Kirby Way was unveiled at the intersection of Essex and Delancey streets on Monday, honoring the comic book pioneer and co-creator of some of the world’s most recognizable and beloved superheroes.
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The New York-native revolutionized the comic book industry with characters like Captain America, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Black Panther, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and dozens more that fill the Marvel universe. His legacy was further cemented with the creation of the “Fourth World” series for DC Comics in the 1970s.
“Over the years he’s given me so much joy and so much inspiration,” said Roy Schwartz, a pop culture historian who led the year-long campaign to establish the street co-naming. He addressed the crowd gathered at the unveiling ceremony on Monday.
“Jack Kirby isn’t just arguably the most important artist in the history of comics, he’s one of the most important artists in the history of the 20th century. He is a founding father of pop culture and of a beloved American mythology and he was born right here.”
The new street sign sits at the place where Kirby grew up as a first-generation American in a tenement building at 147 Essex St., according to Schwartz. He was born to Jewish immigrant-refugees, attended P.S. 20 and was part of the self-governing youth organization Boys Brotherhood Republic to escape violence in his neighborhood. It was there that he was able to hone his skills as an artist.
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“A lot of people could have buried their background once they left this neighborhood but he never forgot where he came from,” said New York City Council Member Christopher Marte who championed the approval of the street naming, which finally came in Dec. 2025.
“He went on to represent the Lower East Side throughout his work and told stories of underdogs from poor neighborhoods who became superheroes.”
One of Kirby’s fan-favorite characters, The Thing from the Fantastic Four series, hailed from Yancy Street, the fictionalized version of Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. Kirby was briefly memorialized with a temporary street sign at the intersection of Delancey and Essex Streets in July 2025 to commemorate the release of the latest “Fantastic Four” film.
“People can see this sign and know that it doesn’t matter how you grow up, you don’t need superpowers to do something incredible,” said Marte. “This neighborhood helped make him who he was and now we can honor his legacy by ensuring he’s part of this neighborhood forever.”
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For dozens of fans who went to the sign unveiling, donning t-shirts with Kirby’s name and outfitted as some of his iconic superheroes, the honor felt long overdue. Alex Baglio, a New York-native dressed as Bucky Barnes from the Captain America series described how Kirby encapsulated New York in the character The Thing.
“The Thing as a character who has a rough exterior…but deep down does have a heart of gold…I think everyone in New York feels like they are The Thing and feels like they have that heart and wants to be known in that way,” said Baglio.
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Alongside the street co-naming, the American Jewish Historical Society also opened the new exhibition “The Jack Kirby Way: How a Boy From the Lower East Side Became the King of Comics,” on Monday. The free exhibit features over 70 items of original art and rare comics that showcase “a classic American story about a dreamer who changed the world with a pencil and unbridled imagination.”
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
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