Disneyland has added a permanent tribute to legendary comic book artist and storyteller Jack Kirby at Avengers Campus.
Marvel comics have inspired countless fans to put pen to paper, and many of those readers have gone on to work professionally. For them, the creators behind their favorite heroes can be every bit as inspiring as the characters themselves. Yet all too often, the heroes command the spotlight while their creators remain in the shadows. Those artists and writers undeniably deserve recognition.
Artwork by Jack Kirby – Marvel Comics
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Few creators have a stronger claim to that recognition than Kirby, whose work helped establish the visual language of modern superhero comics and entertainment worldwide.
Disney California Adventure unveiled a commemorative plaque honoring Kirby on August 28, which would have been his 109th birthday. The tribute recognizes the enormous influence that his characters and artwork continue to have on Marvel—and the theme park land they inspired.
“Avengers Campus owes much to your vision and storytelling,” the plaque reads.
A plaque for Jack Kirby has been placed in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure.
“The characters you created populate this campus as a living tribute to you, Jack.” pic.twitter.com/9MBcBHIXo1
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 28, 2026
It also features a quote from Kirby explaining how every character contains a piece of its creator.
“If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there,” Kirby once said.
“The characters you created populate this campus as a living tribute to you, Jack,” the plaque concludes.
The tribute can be found along the walkway between WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure and the Performance Corridor. It stands near the Avengers Campus entrance and an existing plaque dedicated to Stan Lee.
Jack Kirby’s Family Attends Unveiling Ceremony
Kirby’s granddaughter Jillian attended the private unveiling ceremony alongside other members of his family. Marvel Comics executive Stephen Wacker, Disney California Adventure Vice President Brent Davies, and Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Creative Director Brent Strong also participated.
“Jack Kirby’s work continues to remind us that heroes can come from anywhere,” Davies said during the ceremony.
Jack Kirby artwork – Marvel Comics
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Known throughout the comic book industry as “the King,” Kirby helped create or co-create many of Marvel’s most recognizable characters. The list includes Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Black Panther, the original X-Men, and the Fantastic Four.
He also worked with Lee to create the Avengers, whose members now populate the land bearing their name.
Kirby’s influence is visible throughout Avengers Campus in ways visitors may not immediately recognize. Imagineers incorporated versions of the “Kirby Krackle”—his distinctive technique for depicting cosmic energy—into the land’s visual design.
Disney Previously Honored Stan Lee at Avengers Campus
Kirby’s plaque complements a similar tribute installed for Lee in February 2022. That plaque formally dedicates Avengers Campus to Marvel’s longtime writer, editor, and public face.
Kirby and Lee were jointly named Disney Legends during the 2017 D23 Expo. Kirby, who died in 1994 at the age of 76, was represented by his son Neal.
Jack Kirby artwork – Marvel Comics
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“He didn’t create superheroes or superhumans,” Neal said of his father during the ceremony. “He created super people.”
The new plaque ensures Kirby receives visible recognition inside a land that could not exist without his imagination. The characters he helped create have moved far beyond the comic book page.
Today, they surround a tribute honoring the artist who first gave many of them form.
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