Lower East Side street named for ‘King of Comics’ Jack Kirby, a nod to one of the countless kids of immigrants who shaped the genre

New York City played a starring role in the golden age of comics. And like Kirby, many of the genre’s most famous artists were Jewish.

By: Miriam Eve Mora, University of Michigan, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 7, 2026

Words: 1,213

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Miriam Eve Mora, University of Michigan

The gesture may lack the explosive drama of a rooftop fight or the tension of a car chase, but on May 11, 2026, a street sign honoring a legendary comics creator will be unveiled in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

After a lobbying effort by comics expert Roy Schwartz, the New York City Council in December 2025 approved the naming of a block of Essex Street between …

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